New numbers...good and bad news

[PeteNYNJ]

CD4 600
VL 10K
% 33

No meds...yippee

Bad News - turns out I have a particularly nasty strain of HPV that will have to be monitored.   Yeah, another virus!!!

[minismom]

Your numbers are wonderful, Pete!  Sorry about the new virus, though.

Mum

[bear60]

Hi Pete
Good to see you back. Good news on your numbers....hope all is well.  Hows the b/f?

Joel

[PeteNYNJ]

Boyfriend is wonderful - thanks for asking

[next2u]

those are great numbers! congrats!!!

what were you last set of labs?  how have you been?

[PeteNYNJ]

last labs were
cd4 610
% 35
VL 7000

This is basically where I have been hovering for around 3.5 years.

Question - what triggers your numbers to decline?  Since I have been on a pretty steady course for the last few years, what happens in the body to start your immune system to fail?

I guess I have been lucky but I can't help feeling "when will I start to deteriorate"?

[Buckmark]

I'm not aware of any particular triggers as to when your test numbers will decline.  It is simply a matter of your body's ability to fight the virus, and that varies from person to person.  For some, it is just a year or two, for others it is many years, and for a very few it never happens at all.  The important thing is to keep getting tested regularly so you know where you stand.

So I don't think there's any way to predict when your will start to "deteriorate".  But I think there are probably some symptoms that indicate your situation is deteriorating, before you get to the point of having opportunistic infections.  In my case, I was increasingly fatigued.  And I was much more often coming down with a cold, sinus infection, bronchitis, etc.  I'm sure others will have stories to tell too. 

Once of the nice "side-effects" of starting meds for me was that my incidence of these minor health problems has gone WAY down (e.g. I haven't had a sinus infection in 3 years, knock on wood).  I assume that is due to the meds allowing my immune system to rebuild it self.  I really haven't made any other lifestyle changes.  Of course, it could be psychosomatic.  Either way, though, I'll take it.

Regards,

Henry
 

[Miss Philicia]

Pete, if you need a good colorectal specialist in NYC look up Dr. Stephen Goldstone on 23rd b/tw 8th and 9th Ave.  He's gay, treats a lot of HIV patients, and provides a high comfort level in his office at all times.  He's also tops in this subject matter.

[PeteNYNJ]

Thanks Philly, I will add him to my arsenal of doctors numbers

So far there are no cell abnormalities, so I am in the clear so far.  Just another thing to keep on top of.

[Miss Philicia]

So far there are no cell abnormalities, so I am in the clear so far. 

Ah, then it's not really a "nasty strain" as you originally described it.  That would be MY strain

[Peter Staley]

Nice numbers, Pete!  I just had my blood drawn yesterday, and would faint if I had 33% CD4s.