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Author Topic: tested positive soon, lost some weight  (Read 13776 times)

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Offline betonet

  • Member
  • Posts: 42
tested positive soon, lost some weight
« on: January 11, 2009, 11:17:24 am »
Hi folks, I am 24 years old male and I just tested positive at 29th december 2008. Very black day for me.
My last HIV test was 3 years ago - negative, so I am not sure when and where did I get it....
 
For the last two weeks, I lost 3 kg, and now I feel pretty unpowerful. I Have diherria, lack of strength, some blood coming from my nose (but only when I touch inside it, might be from weak capillaries or sth).

Still waiting for cd4/viral load test to come out, they will be ready in the coming tuesday (13th jan).

I have read plenty of info on the net about hiv/aids and I started to think that my HIV period is over and I already have AIDS. I feel my CD4 count will be under 200. Hope I won't be right.

So, i wanted to ask you, are there cases that when I have under 200 CD4 count, I could increase them? And what would be the best therapy in your experience?

Thanks
Dec 2008 - diagnosed +
Jan 2009  CD4 550  CD4% ??  VL 40 000
Feb 2009  CD4 330  CD4% 18  VL Unknown
Apr 2009  CD4 406  CD4% 20  VL Unknown
May 2009  CD4 380  CD4% ??  VL 27 000
June 2009 CD4 395  CD4% ??  VL Unknown
Sept 2009 CD4 344  CD4% ??  VL 44 000
Jan   2010 CD4 397  CD4% ??  VL 250 000
May  2010 CD4 370  CD4% 16  VL 750 000
Aug 2010 CD4 385  CD4% 14  VL Unknown
Dec 2010 CD4 315  CD4% ??  VL Unknown
Jan 2010 CD4 285 CD4% ?? VL Unknown
No meds yet

Offline Assurbanipal

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,177
  • Taking a forums break, still see PM's
Re: tested positive soon, lost some weight
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2009, 12:04:06 pm »
Hi Betonit

Welcome to the forums.  Sorry you got this news, but it sounds like you want to learn more about how to take care of your health and that's a good step.

Try not to worry about what your test results are going to say.  After all, you will know for sure in a couple of days.  Instead, why not focus your time on learning more about how it all works so you can have a better discussion with your doctor?  This site has a great set of lessons http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/Introduction_4702.shtml

Hope things go well for you on Tuesday.

A
5/06 VL 1M+, CD4 22, 5% , pneumonia, thrush -- O2 support 2 months, 6/06 +Kaletra/Truvada
9/06 VL 3959 CD4 297 13.5% 12/06 VL <400 CD4 350 15.2% +Pravachol
2007 VL<400, 70, 50 CD4 408-729 16.0% -19.7%
2008 VL UD CD4 468 - 538 16.7% - 24.6% Osteoporosis 11/08 doubled Pravachol, +Calcium/D
02/09 VL 100 CD4 616 23.7% 03/09 VL 130 5/09 VL 100 CD4 540 28.4% +Actonel (osteoporosis) 7/09 VL 130
8/09  new regimen Isentress/Epzicom 9/09 VL UD CD4 621 32.7% 11/09 VL UD CD4 607 26.4% swap Isentress for Prezista/Norvir 12/09 (liver and muscle issues) VL 50
2010 VL UD CD4 573-680 26.1% - 30.9% 12/10 VL 20
2011 VL UD-20 CD4 568-673 24.7%-30.6%
2012 VL UD swap Prezista/Norvir for Reyataz drop statin CD4 768-828 26.7%-30.7%
2014 VL UD - 48
2015 VL 130 Moved to Triumeq

Offline tag_man08

  • Member
  • Posts: 118
  • Keep Dreaming!!!
Re: tested positive soon, lost some weight
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2009, 09:58:15 am »
keep us posted...you are not alone....remember we are here for you...

you need a good support system right now...do you have anywhere you can go for counseling....
08/30/07:  The HIV diagnosis...
09/07/07:  CD4 299 (21%)  VL 160K
01/07/08:  CD4 396 (26%)  VL 125K
04/21/08:  CD4 478 (25%)  VL 92K
09/03/08:  CD4 313 (23%)  VL 10K
11/03/08:  CD4 338 (23%)  VL 30K
11/21/08:  Isentress & Truvada
12/05/08:  CD4 485 (29%)  VL  undetectable in two weeks
03/13/09:  CD4 575 (30%)  VL  undetectable

Offline komnaes

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,906
Re: tested positive soon, lost some weight
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2009, 07:36:03 am »
I have read plenty of info on the net about hiv/aids and I started to think that my HIV period is over and I already have AIDS. I feel my CD4 count will be under 200. Hope I won't be right.


Hi there Betonet, sorry about your diagnosis. But nonetheless welcome to the forums..

An "AIDS diagnosis" can mean a few things and one of the major indications is that your CD4 has dropped below 200. It doesn't necessarily mean you will immediately get sick once it falls below 200, but it does mean you're more easier to get opportunistic infections (OIs). You can find out more about OIs and CD4 in the link provided by Assurbanipal.

And there's definitely not a "HIV period" or "AIDS period".. AIDS carries a very bad and to some folks scary connotation. I have no problem identifying with the AIDS label.. the important thing is whether you're receiving proper medical attention and treatments, and at the end it's all about your health. With new drugs many of us are able to control the virus and begin to see their CD4 going up again.

We of course cannot tell but all the symptoms you have described could be caused by many things - stress, for one thing, is very damaging to one's well being, and stress is common among newly diagnosed HIVers. So, right now, take a deep breath, get the proper medication attention you need and work with your doctors on whether and when to start medication.

Tell your doctors about your health issues. In the meantime, check to see whether you can find a local support group to start building your support network.

Wish you the best, Shaun
Aug 07 Diagnosed
Oct 07 CD4=446(19%) Feb 08 CD4=421(19%)
Jun 08 CD4=325(22%) Jul 08 CD4=301(18%)
Sep 08 CD4=257/VL=75,000 Oct 08 CD4=347(16%)
Dec 08 CD4=270(16%)
Jan 09 CD4=246(13%)/VL=10,000
Feb 09 CD4=233(15%)/VL=13,000
Started meds Sustiva/Epzicom
May 09 CD4=333(24%)/VL=650
Aug 09 CD4=346(24%)/VL=UD
Nov 09 CD4=437(26%)/VL=UD
Feb 10 CD4=471(31%)/VL=UD
June 10 CD4=517 (28%)/VL=UD
Sept 10 CD4=687 (31%)/VL=UD
Jan 11 CD4=557 (30%)/VL=UD
April 11 CD4=569 (32%)/VL=UD
Switched to Epizcom, Reyataz and Norvir
(Interrupted for 2 months with only Epizcom & Reyataz)
July 11 CD=520 (28%)/VL=UD
Oct 11 CD=771 (31%)/VL=UD(<30)
April 12 CD=609 (28%)/VL=UD(<20)
Aug 12 CD=657 (29%)/VL=UD(<20)
Dec 12 CD=532 (31%)/VL=UD(<20)
May 13 CD=567 (31%)/VL=UD(<20)
Jan 14 CD=521 (21%)/VL=UD(<50)

Offline Miss Philicia

  • Member
  • Posts: 24,793
  • celebrity poster, faker & poser
Re: tested positive soon, lost some weight
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2009, 10:17:43 am »
Isn't 3kg just 6 pounds weight loss?  that's not much.  Maybe you're depressed and not eating much.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline betonet

  • Member
  • Posts: 42
Re: tested positive soon, lost some weight
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2009, 08:32:11 pm »
First of all, Thank you all for the concern!

My CD4 count appeared to be 554, which for me was great news. I thought with my symptoms that it could be much less than 200. Now I feel much better with this news. And think all side effects like weight loss did come from stress. Still waiting for the viral load which will come at 26th january.

A bad issue is that I have seen my doctor 2 times and she gave me 5 minutes in my visits. "I have much work to do" she said and paid me absolute no attention, and treated me as she was the one in bad condition not me. Absolutely no understanding from her. But the country where I live in is like this.
Poor country, doctors not paid well, 95% of them absolutely unqualified  l and they throw their anger on patients. Especially for AIDS. With these conversations with her, I asked her some questions and she didn't know what to answer, I felt I knew more about AIDS that her already! Funny stuff.

Other things I heard that in here they cut off the budgets for AIDS, and patients get not the best medications. But for now I don't have to worry about meds with my CD4 count I think. Now I have to continue going to work and give all my power to improve my immune system.

There are support groups in here, and I may pay them a visit next week - many positive people go there and discuss and exchange their experience.

I will start a healthy lifestyle soon - good food, vitamins, excercise. Give myself 2 more days and I MUST stop smoking. This is a really big problem for me, as I smoke for 11 years now, but should be done. I have no choice.

How about you guys, some of you who are smokers, did you stop cigarettes, when were first diagnosed? Will keep you posted ASAP when my next results come ready.

Take care all of you!
Dec 2008 - diagnosed +
Jan 2009  CD4 550  CD4% ??  VL 40 000
Feb 2009  CD4 330  CD4% 18  VL Unknown
Apr 2009  CD4 406  CD4% 20  VL Unknown
May 2009  CD4 380  CD4% ??  VL 27 000
June 2009 CD4 395  CD4% ??  VL Unknown
Sept 2009 CD4 344  CD4% ??  VL 44 000
Jan   2010 CD4 397  CD4% ??  VL 250 000
May  2010 CD4 370  CD4% 16  VL 750 000
Aug 2010 CD4 385  CD4% 14  VL Unknown
Dec 2010 CD4 315  CD4% ??  VL Unknown
Jan 2010 CD4 285 CD4% ?? VL Unknown
No meds yet

Offline tag_man08

  • Member
  • Posts: 118
  • Keep Dreaming!!!
Re: tested positive soon, lost some weight
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2009, 07:10:40 pm »
Sorry your doctor did not spend enough time with you.   Even in America things like that happen...I went to pick up my lab results myself and opened them to find myself HIV+ without anyone calling me first.  My doctor just assumed I was in counseling so basically did not give me alot of information.  I was lucky to have a HIV+ friend who came to my side and helped me through the first weeks of my diagnosis.  It wasn't until I found this website, that I had alot of my questions answered.  So, you have found a good resource here on this website as well.  Everyone is here for you to answer any questions.  Good luck with your support group.  I hope you find some friends there to talk to.
08/30/07:  The HIV diagnosis...
09/07/07:  CD4 299 (21%)  VL 160K
01/07/08:  CD4 396 (26%)  VL 125K
04/21/08:  CD4 478 (25%)  VL 92K
09/03/08:  CD4 313 (23%)  VL 10K
11/03/08:  CD4 338 (23%)  VL 30K
11/21/08:  Isentress & Truvada
12/05/08:  CD4 485 (29%)  VL  undetectable in two weeks
03/13/09:  CD4 575 (30%)  VL  undetectable

Offline betonet

  • Member
  • Posts: 42
Re: tested positive soon, lost some weight
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2009, 01:25:39 pm »
Hi folks, my viral load just came up, 50 000, isn't it a little more than expected?
CD4 are 550, I though V load should be less with this CD4 count?

Thanks for the support.
Dec 2008 - diagnosed +
Jan 2009  CD4 550  CD4% ??  VL 40 000
Feb 2009  CD4 330  CD4% 18  VL Unknown
Apr 2009  CD4 406  CD4% 20  VL Unknown
May 2009  CD4 380  CD4% ??  VL 27 000
June 2009 CD4 395  CD4% ??  VL Unknown
Sept 2009 CD4 344  CD4% ??  VL 44 000
Jan   2010 CD4 397  CD4% ??  VL 250 000
May  2010 CD4 370  CD4% 16  VL 750 000
Aug 2010 CD4 385  CD4% 14  VL Unknown
Dec 2010 CD4 315  CD4% ??  VL Unknown
Jan 2010 CD4 285 CD4% ?? VL Unknown
No meds yet

Offline Peter Staley

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,338
  • Founder & Advisory Editor, AIDSmeds.com
    • AIDSmeds.com
Re: tested positive soon, lost some weight
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2009, 10:53:31 am »
betonet -- that's not that bad.  VL can return some very big numbers, sometimes topping 1 million -- that's why most researchers measure it in logs rather than absolute numbers.  So 50K is considered on the low to average level for untreated patients, regardless of CD4 count.

Your CD4s are very good, and that's the number you should concentrate on mostly as you decide when/if to start treatment.

Thanks for the update!

Offline tag_man08

  • Member
  • Posts: 118
  • Keep Dreaming!!!
Re: tested positive soon, lost some weight
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2009, 03:07:22 pm »
Peter is right....continue to watch for tends in your numbers....your doctor will let you know if your VL jumps to high depending on the number of logs it goes up....just focus on eatting healthy and getting plenty of sleep...continue to find a good support system to talk to....we are here for you...baxter
08/30/07:  The HIV diagnosis...
09/07/07:  CD4 299 (21%)  VL 160K
01/07/08:  CD4 396 (26%)  VL 125K
04/21/08:  CD4 478 (25%)  VL 92K
09/03/08:  CD4 313 (23%)  VL 10K
11/03/08:  CD4 338 (23%)  VL 30K
11/21/08:  Isentress & Truvada
12/05/08:  CD4 485 (29%)  VL  undetectable in two weeks
03/13/09:  CD4 575 (30%)  VL  undetectable

 


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