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Author Topic: Should I have started treatment?  (Read 2451 times)

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Offline PozitivelySouthern

  • Member
  • Posts: 32
Should I have started treatment?
« on: September 18, 2008, 01:57:49 pm »
As you can see from my numbers below, my CD4 went up and my VL went down even before I started medication. However, I agreed to start medication because I was having symptoms of sore throat, swollen glands, mouth ulcers and diarrhea and figured I was on a down slide. Now that I know my second set of numbers, I am having remorse about having starting the meds. I still feel that I am newly infected (within the past year) and that I may have been able to go many years without the medication.
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05/28/08 Diagnosed
08/04/08 CD4 268 (24.4%) VL 3,310
09/08/08 CD4 316 (22.6%) VL 2,400
09/09/08 Started Atripla
10/31/08 CD4 389 (27.8%) VL Undetectable - Yay!
01/29/09 CD4 406 VL Undetectable
04/30/09 CD4 513 (27%) VL Undetectable.
10/27/09 CD4 560 (28%) VL Undetectable.
03/09/10 CD4 536 (33.5%) VL 96
12/02/10 CD4 514 (32.1%) VL Undetectable.
06/16/11 CD4 446 (29.7%) VL <20
11/11/11 CD4 608 (30.4%) VL 170

Offline jennynyc7

  • Member
  • Posts: 146
Re: Should I have started treatment?
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2008, 02:04:33 pm »
Hey, I am sure you will get several types of responses here. According to the guidelines though, I am pretty sure you were in need of meds. I understand your frustration though since you saw the increase right before starting. Personally I started meds with a cd4 count of 585...why you may ask? The Dr explained to me that there was some evidence of there being advantages (also disadvantages) of beginning treatment early. I knew I would get my meds free so I decided to go ahead right out of the gate. I do not regret it yet. Don't beat yourself up though ok?
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12/24/07-infected
1/3/08-ARS began
2/12/08-diagnosed
Initial Vl=99000
CD4=585
2/14/08-began Truvada/Reyataz/Norvir
3/01/08=Swapped Reyataz for Viramune
5/1/08:     vl= undetectable
                cd4=1250
10/24/08:  vl=undetectable
                cd4=1172 (55%)

12/4/08:    vl=254 (hopefully just a small blip)
                cd4=1234

Offline PozitivelySouthern

  • Member
  • Posts: 32
Re: Should I have started treatment?
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2008, 02:10:06 pm »
Thanks Jenny! You are right...I do have a tendency of second guessing myself. I just need to accept the decision and move on. I guess I am just kicking myself thinking that I could have delayed the financial burden since I have to pay for meds. It is going to mean a major change in my monthly budget.
Logged
05/28/08 Diagnosed
08/04/08 CD4 268 (24.4%) VL 3,310
09/08/08 CD4 316 (22.6%) VL 2,400
09/09/08 Started Atripla
10/31/08 CD4 389 (27.8%) VL Undetectable - Yay!
01/29/09 CD4 406 VL Undetectable
04/30/09 CD4 513 (27%) VL Undetectable.
10/27/09 CD4 560 (28%) VL Undetectable.
03/09/10 CD4 536 (33.5%) VL 96
12/02/10 CD4 514 (32.1%) VL Undetectable.
06/16/11 CD4 446 (29.7%) VL <20
11/11/11 CD4 608 (30.4%) VL 170

Offline SteveA

  • Member
  • Posts: 182
Re: Should I have started treatment?
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2008, 02:15:24 pm »
Judging from the article just linked to in this post, the sooner the better actually.
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=23186.msg294930#msg294930
You definitely don't want to wait for your lymph nodes to get all scarred up and unable to create T-Cells.
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