seroconversion

[mikeyb39]

hi all,
ii started seroconversion on 1 NOV, i got a hiv pos test results on 6 NOV.  My Dr did more blood work for cd4 and genome, i received the cd4 which was low around 260. The genome test has not come back yet till this week more than likely. my Dr doesn't want to start on meds until the genome comes back.

i cant seem to get over this seroconversion stage, still get fevers from time to time, body aches. ii feel like i need to be on meds, but Dr says its OK to wait for the results come in.  i know that i may be freaking out, but i just don't want to get sick.  i have very low energy and very little appetite. any feedback would be appreciated.

thanks

[jkinatl2]

First off, i wanted to add to the people who welcomed you here, and sympathized with your situation. It is tough, no doubt. But you have come to the right place, and believe it or not, you stand a great chance of being OK.

As far as starting meds is concerned,  if money and insurance and the like are not a problem, starting early has some real benefits. However, you really won't know your "true" CD4 count until you have had three blood draws, over several months. Each CD4 count is a snapshot of your immune system at that moment. It can vary over a hundred points during any given day, and can be influenced by other infections, stress, fasting, and a myriad of other issues.

Think of HIV as less of a sprint, and more of a marathon. You are, sadly, in this for the long haul. As I indicated, there is some evidence that starting right away is a great way to preserve your innate immune system. But this is not a situation that a few months will seriously impact.

And the meds are very expensive. Like I said, if you are set, from an insurance standpoint, whether from having a great job with great benefits, or are poor enough to qualify for Ryan White and ADAP (your local AIDS Service Organization, or ASO, can be instrumental in helping you through THAT quagmire) then starting when YOU are ready is the best idea.

Just please understand that you would be committing. to taking a pill, or several pills, every day for the rest of your life. That's tough stuff. And taking some time, a few weeks/months to figure all that out, is totally understandable.

Seroconversion usually lasts between 10-15 days, for the unlucky souls to whom it happens. Yours might go on a little longer, but probably won't I am glad to hear you are talking with your doctor. In the meantime, please try and take care of yourself, eat what you can when you can, and understand that seroconversion does not last. This is an initial immune response, and will disappear.

When it does, you will possibly be lured into a false sense of security, because then it might be years before any symptoms show up. It is really imperative that you use this "down-time" to learn all you can about your infection. Read this site! Especially the "LESSONS" sections. Learn ALL you can about HIV. It is not nearly as scary as it used to be. And if you play your cards right, and get on meds when it is time (a decision made by your doctor, and most importantly, BY YOU) you may never progress to AIDS. You might never get sick from this (seroconversion aside).

Honestly, this sounds strange, especially when you look at the media and the global crisis, but getting HIV in 2010 is a whole different story than getting it in 2000, or 1995.

You stand a huge chance of being fine. Will this change your personal strategy? Absolutely. Is is a game-ender? No.

[40something]

This is a lot to take in all at once,  the first thing you need to do is relax, jkinatl2 is absolutely right it is so much different now.  Second thing is make sure you have a good HIV doctor,  and dont be afraid to ask him questions.  Third,  educate yourself,  but remember, not everything on the internet is completely accurate,  I have found a lot of sites give you the worse case scenario.  Yes you MAY have to take pills the rest of your life, yes you will have to be honest with any sexual partners you may have in the future, and yes you will have to be good to your body,  but for the most part,  thats it.  Life will go on,  and you will be here to enjoy all of it if you are responsible and good to yourself.   As my dr told me,   " I don't know when your going to die,  cause you may get hit by a truck or struck by lightning,  but your not going to die from HIV"   Be strong,  and talk with someone if you need too,  Life is not over.   

[Wrist]

I was infected July of last year 2009. It took me 5 months to start feeling somewhat normal again.
My first labs were, cd4 631 -18% VL 5million in November 09. 2 months later in January my labs were, cd4 731 - 41% VL 6500. I've had 4 sets of labs done in the past year. My most resent was in October, just about a year since my first and they are, cd4 905 - 39% VL 1000.
So you definitely need to wait and see how your immune system bounces back and is able to control the virus.
As long as you are monitored by your doc everything will be fine. You may need to start meds or you may not but for now I would wait till the dust settles. Take care of yourself and ask your doc about vitamins, if you aren't taking some daily already.

[Nestor]

hi all,
ii started seroconversion on 1 NOV, i got a hiv pos test results on 6 NOV.  My Dr did more blood work for cd4 and genome, i received the cd4 which was low around 260. The genome test has not come back yet till this week more than likely. my Dr doesn't want to start on meds until the genome comes back.

i cant seem to get over this seroconversion stage, still get fevers from time to time, body aches. ii feel like i need to be on meds, but Dr says its OK to wait for the results come in.  i know that i may be freaking out, but i just don't want to get sick.  i have very low energy and very little appetite. any feedback would be appreciated.

thanks

Hi,

Like Wrist, I too had seroconversion symptoms that went on for months.  The good news, however, is that they did finally go away and my health went back to normal.  Also, during that time, it wasn't non-stop; symptoms would come and go, and they were rarely severe. 

I would also agree that any CD4 test done so soon after seroconversion would not be a good indicator of what's to come, so please try not to worry about that. 

I know it is hard to go through this but please be patient and trust that things will get better. 

[mecch]

Seroconversion can be brief and minor or takes weeks or months of ill feelings.
Sorry to hear about your seroconversion and welcome here.

[nychope1]

Hang in there Mikeyb...
As everyone here has said you will be fine. Try and keep your mind occupied. Besides this incredible forum I tried to stay occupied and with people so I wouldn't dwell too much on this virus. It was a tough few weeks. You'll come out doing great. And better yet, the meds are easy enough to take and are getting better and more engineered all the time. Soon they will have a med that you only have to take every few weeks. Keep the faith and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

[mikeyb39]

hi everybody, thank you your kind works...makes me feel better

[Maelrod]

NYCHOPE1.  Please.  God have to hear you.    I'm on atripla for 2 months, I feel lucky cuz I don't have to take many pills at day like old times. But less pill will be great. 

[vaboi]

For me, taking simple OTC medication, Excedrin back & body to be specific, got rid of the servoconversion fever.  I had to take that 2 or 3 times a day to keep it at bay, else the fever would quickly go back up to 101.  When I tried not taking it, I got the red spots on my neck, arms, body sweats, etc happened...   my guess is the high fever has something to do with those red spots, but I'm not sure.  After about 5 days, the fever issues went away and the need for the OTC medication was reduced.  However, the two swellen lympnodes I had remained until about a week after I started on Atripla.  Since I have good insurance, I started ARV medication immedately.  If I knew what I knew now, I would have "insisted" an Atripla prescription at the first sign of servoconversion, two weeks earlier.

[Maelrod]

Vaboi.  How you doing w atripla now.  I still having nauseas after 4 months. I have meds for nauseas but don't wanna take many meds. I belive everything going to my liver and trying less meds possible.   I take my atripla cuz I have to take.  Also I take meds for blood pression.  So would like to hear from you how you doing !!!

[vaboi]

For me the issue is the dizziness that can happen shortly after taking it.  It's not as bad as it use to be, but I found if I don't eat a few hours before and after, it's usually fine.  I think the issue is when you eat, especially certain foods like garlic, this requires use of the same functions in the liver that breaks down the Sustiva in Atripla.  As a result, the Sustiva builds up in your boodstream while waiting to be broken down.  And it's this buildup that causes the side effects.