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Author Topic: 1st blood test results after starting meds - amazingly good!!!  (Read 3186 times)

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Offline Patrick

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1st blood test results after starting meds - amazingly good!!!
« on: December 14, 2007, 09:55:45 am »
Hi everyone.  I was diagnosed HIV+ on 11/14 of this year after getting my blood drawn during my seroconversion period.  I was so sick that my doctor decided to check for HIV and I'm happy he did because we caught it so early.  The initial blood test that showed I was positive was ugly - my CD4 was 190 and my VL was >750,000.  I started on Truvada that day (11/14) and Kaletra on 11/16 (pharmacy didn't have it in stock).

I went in yesterday to receive the results of my 1st blood draw after only 21 days on Truvada and 19 days on Kaletra.  This is what it showed:

VL: 710
CD4: 851

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I knew there'd be some incremental improvement in both those numbers but for the VL to go from more than 750,000 to 710 in just 21 days was amazing to me.  Even more amazing was how rapidly and how MUCH my CD4 improved.  To go from a CD4 of 190 to a CD4 of 851 in three weeks shocked me but my doc said that it was a combination of my body finally getting on top of the initial infection along with taking meds to push the viral load down even faster.  It was the best early Xmas present I could ever hope for. 

I really feel that all the support I've received from my parents, friends, and you guys on here has helped me mentally and physically cope with this.  Thank you all.  And I know everyone has their own belief systems about God, but I pray a LOT and I feel it helped me get through this initial shock of being positive with hope.  God seems to be on my side here, and I am so grateful. 

Just wanted to share the good news with everyone!  My liver and kidney tests were all in the normal range and my cholesterol was 185.  I suppose this makes a case for the "hit hard, hit early" crowd. 

Thanks again to all.

Seroconversion - late October 07
11/14/07 - CD4 190   VL >750,000
11/14/07 - Started Truvada & Kaletra
12/5/07 - CD4 851     VL 710
2/19/08 - CD4 604     VL Undetectable
5/8/08 -   CD4 829     VL Undetectable
8/12/08 - CD4 915     VL 80 (blip)
11/11/08 - CD4 967    VL Undetectable

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: 1st blood test results after starting meds - amazingly good!!!
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2007, 10:05:26 am »
Indeed, that must feel like VERY great news for the holidays.  Congrats, Patrick.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline LovingMom

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Re: 1st blood test results after starting meds - amazingly good!!!
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2007, 08:39:55 am »
Dear Patrick, it might seem a little silly to write to you in this forum, but I wanted to stress to anyone reading this how important it is to have all pieces in place -- the right doctors, the right medicines at the right time, a focus elsewhere (as in a career), exercise, nutrition, etc., but when combining all of these with unconditional love and prayer, it's unimaginably powerful.  Your news was a gift to you, but to me and your Dad as well.  We love you so much!

Mom

Offline John2038

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Re: 1st blood test results after starting meds - amazingly good!!!
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2007, 08:51:06 am »
Congrats Patrick  !

Getting such fantastic result in such short amount of time is a very good predictor that this treatment will be still excellent at 48+ weeks (based on numerous studies).

So hops you gonna stay on the same treatment for a while assuming you have no side effects !

Offline Patrick

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  • Where the determination is, the way can be found.
Re: 1st blood test results after starting meds - amazingly good!!!
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2007, 08:04:32 pm »
Thanks John.  I'm glad to hear there's empirical evidence showing that my treatment has a high likelihood of being effective a year from now.  I sure as heck hope so!  I have minimal side-effects now that I've overcome the initial ones that everyone seems to get.  I hope and plan to be on this combination for many years.  I have been 100% compliant so far and REALLY plan to continue to be so indefinetly.  My goal is to have each regimen I'm on last for many years so that newer/better regimens are designed faster than I go through them.  This way I can stay "ahead of the curve" and live the "normal life expectancy" that both my primary care and ID docs feel I can have.

And thanks MOM!!  For those reading this thread, I cannot stress enough how helpful a support system is in coping with this disease.  My parents have shown nothing but unconditional love.  My mom truly lives up to her forum name as "LovingMom".
« Last Edit: December 15, 2007, 08:11:41 pm by Patrick »
Seroconversion - late October 07
11/14/07 - CD4 190   VL >750,000
11/14/07 - Started Truvada & Kaletra
12/5/07 - CD4 851     VL 710
2/19/08 - CD4 604     VL Undetectable
5/8/08 -   CD4 829     VL Undetectable
8/12/08 - CD4 915     VL 80 (blip)
11/11/08 - CD4 967    VL Undetectable

Offline BT65

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Re: 1st blood test results after starting meds - amazingly good!!!
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2007, 08:52:27 pm »
Congratulations, Patrick.  That's one wonderful way to celebrate the holiday!
I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.-Clarence Darrow

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Offline next2u

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Re: 1st blood test results after starting meds - amazingly good!!!
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2007, 08:59:04 pm »
congrats on the great numbers patrick! happy holidays  :: ))
midapr07 - seroconversion
sept07 - tested poz
oct07 cd4 1013; vl 13,900; cd4% 41
feb08 cd4  694;  vl 16,160; cd4% 50.1
may08 cd4 546; vl 91,480; cd4% 32
aug08 cd4 576; vl 48,190; cd4% 40.7
dec08 cd4 559; vl 63,020; cd4% 29.4
feb09 cd4 464; vl 11,000; cd4% 26
may09 cd4 544; vl 29,710; cd4% 27.2
oct09 cd4 ...; vl 23,350; cd4% 31.6
mar10 cd4 408; vl 59,050; cd4% 31.4
aug10 cd4 328; vl 80,000; cd4% 19.3 STARTED ATRIPLA
oct10 cd4 423; vl 410 ;); cd4% 30.2
jun11 cd4 439; vl <20 ;); cd4% 33.8 <-Undetectable!
mar12 cd4 695; vl ud; cd4% 38.6
jan13 cd4 738; vl ud; cd4% 36.8
aug13 cd4 930; vl ud; cd4% 44.3
jan14 cd4 813; vl ud; cd4% 42.8
may14 cd4 783; vl *; cd4%43.5
sept14 cd4 990; vl ud; cd4% *
jun15 cd4 1152; vl ud; cd4% *
july15 - STRIBILD
oct15 cd4 583; vl 146; cd4% 42
mar16 cd4 860; vl 20; 44

 


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