Been on Atripla for 7 months and not yet undetectable???

[OMDM]

67 yo male.  Infected almost 6 years ago. Started Atripla last July with vl 101,000 and cd4 312. Within 3 weeks, vl crashed to 1,70 and cd4 rose 60 to 371.  After 4 1/2 months on the medication, vl dropped to 70 and cd4 jumped to 559 (up 250 since start Atripla). Last month my vl jumped a little to 150 and my cd4 kept rising (now 652).

On the surface, my cd4 is wonderful but I am wondering why my vl is not undetectable.

My doctor is a leading HIV doctor in Arizona and says we'll need to monitor this last blood test result but obviously my body loves the Atripla as my cd4 has doubled (increased 340 from a base of 312) in 7 months, I feel great and my vl has only increased slightly (70 to 150).  Perhaps it's only the normal test results fluctuations but most others seem to get to undetectable and stay there.

I take the Atripla at 10:00 pm every night, sometimes 3 1/2 hours after eating and sometimes maybe only 2 hours after eating.  Mind you I often have some ice cream 1 to 1 1/2 hours before taking the pill.

I usually take 1/2 a Lunesta sleeping pill at the same time as the Atripla.

I usually get up at 3:00 am or 4:00 am to visit the bathroom, sometimes have interesting dreams and on rare occasion, have some night sweats (once or twice a month).

I am wondering if others have not become "undetectable" withing a few months and whether my use of a sleep air has any effect on the strength of the Atripla?

Many thanks for any comments.

[thunter34]

Took me nearly a year to get to undetectable.  No big whoop. 

Keep an eye on it, yeah...but the main thing is that it doesn't continue to climb.  The CD4 looks great.

For what it is worth, 70 is (by some testing standards) "undetectable"...so by some measures, you have reached it.

[BT65]

Since your CD4s are climbing, and your vl hasn't really taken an overwhelming climb, I wouldn't worry about it too much.  Just keep an eye on it over the next few rounds of labs.

[Desertguy]

I have been on Atripla since Oct 25, 2008 seems like it really kicks the VL at 1st but then takes time my CD4 counts are doing well. I don't have blood work again till June 16, 2008 so we will see.

Take Care

Dennis



10/03/2007                 CD4(T4) cells                             120
                                Viral Load                                  903,000
 
11/27/2007                 No T cell Count
                                Viral Load                                  731
 
01/02/2008                 CD4(T4) cells                             176
                                Viral Load                                  381
 
03/03/2008                 CD4(T4) cells                             402  (.24%)
                                Viral Load                                  232
 
I am a lttle disapointed that I am not un-detecable yet but getting there huh?
 
I am pleased with the T cell count of 402 thats an increase of almost 400% over my 1st test in Oct.      especially since I was so sick just the week before.

[OMDM]

Thanks for your reply - your progress with vl and CD4 is very similar to mine.  Guess I'm just too impatient. 

My cd4 % has improved from 19.5% last June (started Atripla in July), 23.2% in August, 26.6% in November and 32.6% in February, 2008.  CD4 actual has risen from 312 to 650 in 7 months.

It will be interesting to follow each of our progress. I have very few side effects with Atripla other than if I wake within the first few hours of taking the medicine at 10:00 pm.

I live in Maricopa County - infected since fall 2002.