No seroconversion.....meds??

[ALH300]

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas/information on this, say you are infected last June, took a test after being exposed but only 2 weeks after exposure, came back neg, got retested middle of August, got result back say today and it was poz. There was no seroconversion illness, are there any benefits to starting HAART right now? If so what are the pro's/con's to this? I am not sure if this is the right place to post this?  Thanks a bunch!

[milker]

I'm assuming that you're asking this question for someone else since you mentioned in previous posts that you were infected in 2006.

Many people do not get any symptom after getting infected, it's not uncommon. Starting HAART depends on the numbers, the overall health and other parameters, although there is a new trend that is to start HAART as soon as infection is determined, so this is to be discussed with the doctor.

I do not think that the lack of symptoms is relevant in the decision for starting medication.

Milker.

[ALH300]

Ok well the clinic gave us the impression that starting meds might eradicate the virus since the was no seroconversion. True/False??

[milker]

Ok well the clinic gave us the impression that starting meds might eradicate the virus since the was no seroconversion. True/False??

I never heard that. Maybe newt or Gerry can chime in. My seroconversion lasted one night when I felt like shit I had medium fever, went to bed and felt perfectly good the next day, and i'm not even sure that was a seroconversion because I got syphilis at exactly the same time.

Milker.

[Ann]

Ok well the clinic gave us the impression that starting meds might eradicate the virus since the was no seroconversion. True/False??

False.

If this person has tested positive and has had it confirmed with a Western Blot, then they HAVE seroconverted. To seroconvert simply means that the blood (sero, from serum) has been converted (changed) from being hiv negative for hiv antibodies, to being hiv positive.

The illness that SOME (not all) people experience is actually the body's reaction to the process the body goes through while creating antibodies. In some people, this process doesn't produce any noticeable symptoms. This lack of symptoms does not mean seroconversion has not taken place.

The only time there is a chance of "eradicating" the virus is if PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is initiated within 72 hours of the exposure. PEP consists of a cocktail of a selection of hiv meds and is normally taken for a period of 28 days, after which time the testing window period begins.

There are a couple sections in the Lessons that deal with the question of when to start meds.

Ann
(who has ten years of med free positivity)


PS - it sounds like your mate needs to find a doctor who specialises in hiv - either this doc doesn't know much - or maybe you two misheard him or he didn't explain things clearly.

[milker]

I wanted to add that my HIV doctor never asked me if I had any symptoms of seroconversion. He's interested in the current blood work and any symptom that I may experience from now on.

Milker.