Q regarding VL

[xrel0aded]

So I was searching online and couldn't find an answer that suited my question. I tested poz in July (contracted in January), not on meds yet. I'm confused by what my doctor had said to me. I've been for three blood draws to test VL and cd4. My first VL in Sep. was 180,000 then in October was 125,000 and my most recent a couple weeks ago my VL was 52,500. She said she's never seen someones VL drop without meds...which is confusing because she claims to have traveled across the world treating infections. My other numbers are decent.. CD4 539 CD4% 20%...So my question is that if it is natural for your VL to drop long after acute infection. Thanks

[jkinatl2]

So I was searching online and couldn't find an answer that suited my question. I tested poz in July (contracted in January), not on meds yet. I'm confused by what my doctor had said to me. I've been for three blood draws to test VL and cd4. My first VL in Sep. was 180,000 then in October was 125,000 and my most recent a couple weeks ago my VL was 52,500. She said she's never seen someones VL drop without meds...which is confusing because she claims to have traveled across the world treating infections. My other numbers are decent.. CD4 539 CD4% 20%...So my question is that if it is natural for your VL to drop long after acute infection. Thanks

It is absolutely natural for your viral load to be very high when you are seroconverting, then drop (dramatically in some cases) once your body builds it's initial antibody defense. Over time (months? Years?) that viral load creeps back up as it outmaneuvers the immune system's attempts to control/conquer it, until/unless meds are started.

It's disconcerting that your doctor doesn't know this rather elementary fact about HIV progression.

[xrel0aded]

She had said she hasn't seen someone's VL continue to drop after a year of infection and asked if i had taken my partners meds (which i would never do). i found it to be quite unprofessional and concerning myself, but she is allegedly the best doctor in my area...and I live in wa state it's not like i live in a hole in the wall out in the middle of nowhere. I had assumed thats what happens, so thankyou.

[buginme2]

I live in wa  state also.   If you have any questions or need a Dr referral send me a  pm.

[mecch]

See the "second best" or third best doctor, etc. Make an appointment and see if you have better confidence.

[xrel0aded]

I wish this forum had a like button for comments, lol, thanks guys and Buginme I pm'd you.

[Ann]

Wow, yeah, check into other doctors. Your VL drop is totally in line with what normally happens in the first year - even eighteen months - of infection. There are always people at either end of the scale, but you're pretty much smack-dab in the middle.

This concept is also one of the basic premises of prevention - being that a person newly infected will normally have an extremely high viral load, which goes down in time. A newly infected person is therefore at their most infectious, usually ever, unless they go untreated until later on (sometimes years and years later) when the virus has done enough damage to the immune system to be able to run rampant again. Any hiv doc worth the paper their diploma is printed on should know this.

Just curious - what has your CD4 (inc. %) trend been like?

[xrel0aded]

Yeah, that's how I thought it worked, she had me second guessing multiple very credible sources, haha. Anyway, my CD4% has stayed between 18.5-21%