First blood work since starting treatment

[Hito]

I wasn't sure if I should start a new thread or not, but tomorrow is my first visit to the hospital since I began my treatment. It has only been 27 days, but something inside of me (Unfounded paranoia) just won't let go this this though. What if the medication isn't working?

The only reason I am worried is because my lymph nodes are still swollen. I was expecting them to subside, but they are still the same. I plan to ask for tests on other STDs tomorrow just in case. I was already cleared for hepatitis, so I know it can't be that at least.

I am hoping for good results. Sorry for the needless post.

[DANIELtakashi]

Hi,

In my case, the viral load went down from 800,000 to 100 in less than two months.
You will be all right.

Daijobu.

[klauss]

Hey Hito,

I understand your fears,i began the meds in January,and i called the hospital for un appointment for my first blood work since starting the meds(it was supose to been done after one month),and they told me only in early April have the reagents required for cd4 and Vl.I'm worried a little bit,i feel a little better ,no more night sweats,but the thrush is not going away yet,I"m adherent 100%,never miss a dose,at 8 pm sharp,every night i take my pils and staying positive attitude,I hope will Undetectable in April ,we must be patient and let the meds do their magic,the are so many example here on this forum that with  a good adherent ,and taking them as doctor adwised is the recipe for succes a happy long life.

For us newly diagnosed ,we are a little bit scared for what is in the future,but seeing so many survivors ,at the and o the day is the taking the meds,do the blood work and try not to let hiv dictates our life...I'm pretty sure after one year and at least two blood works we will be more confident in our self and the pills we take them....

I'm almost sure the your result will better and you will see thart the meds are working...

Take care and hugs

[awakening]

@Hito I understand the anxiety of not knowing if the meds are working. It takes time to build that trust in the meds and your body's ability to heal. I'm still on that journey with you. Before testing poz it was easy to ignore the state of my body rarely thinking about whether I might have some problem developing inside like cancer, etc. Many people are walking around thinking they are fine but maybe they are not. The difference now is we have a built-in reminder of the fragility and ephemeral nature of life. We can either use that to retreat into fear or leverage it as motivation to live life fully and with daily appreciation for health. It's all easier said than done!

[Jim Allen]

Hi Hito

No need to apologize for the new thread, its the next chapter and in 2/3 months time you can come back read your post and laugh and than when new newbies ask you can tell them that they have nothing to worry about. 

People fear all kinds of things and you see this back in newbie threads, will the meds work is a common question and than first few weeks people think either every sniffle or sneeze is the end of the world or caused by meds, this hyper focus and angst settles with time (for most) just keep thinking logically about things.

So you have nothing to worry about, the medication has been studied extensively and its works. You will be fine, fear of the unknown is common, life tends to be filled with unknowns and first times, but look it should only be temporary as soon you will know. 

Take it easy.

Jim

[Tonny2]

         OJO       HELLO NEWBIES

@HITO AND @KLAUSS, I WISH YOU TWO THE BEST, I'M SURE YOU WILL GET GOOD BLOOD WORK RESULTS ON YOUR NEXT DO'S VISIT.

WHEN YOU GUYS THINK NEGATIVELY ABOUT THE FITIRE, YOU ARE CAUSING ANXIETY IN YOUR LIVES, IF I MAY GIVE YOU AN ADVICE, I THINK, IT'S EASIER TO THINK POSITIVELY ABOUT THE FUTURE, GOOD ENERGY BRINGS GOOD ENERGY, AND IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER,...TRUST ME, I UNDERSTAND WHERE ARE YOU GUYS COMING FROM, I WENT THROUGH THE SAME FEELINGS 22 YEARS AGO, EVEN THOUGH, EVERYTIME I WILL GO TO GET MY BLOOD WORK RESULTS I WOULD GET BAD NEWS, BUT I ALWAYS THOUGHT MAYBE NEXT TIME THEY WILL BE BETTER, AND THEY DID, 22 YEARS LATTER, I'M STILL HERE, SHARING MY EXPERIENCES WITH YOU GUYS...LIVING WITH HIV HAS GOTTEN EAISER, GOOD MEDS, LESS SIDE EFFECTS, LESS TOXICITIES, WE HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE TO BE ABLE TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE WITH THE VIRUS, THE MEDS WILL TAKE CONTROL OF IT, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF OUR LIVES IF WE WANT TO LIVE A HAPPIER LIFE, BECAUSE, IT IS WHAT IT IS, WE ACQUIERED THE VIRUS, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW WE GOT IT, WHAT IT MATTERS IS HOW WE KEEP LOOKING FORWARD, ENJOY LIFE, LOVED ONES, LIFE ITSSELF IS STILL BEAUTIFUL EVEN WHILE LIVING WITH HIV, TRUST ME, IT WILL GET BETTER WITH TIME, BUT YOU HAVE TO SET YOUR MIND AS A FIGHTER NOT A VICTIM, AFTER ALL, GETTING TESTED WAS THE BEST THING YOU HAVE DONE IN YOUR LIFE, BECAUSE NOW YOU KNOW IT, NOW YOU TREAT IT, AND FORTUNALLY YOU GUYS HAVE THE CHANCE OF HAVING THE TOOLS TO FIGHT THIS VIRUS. JUST THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHOM DON'T HAVE THE SAME CHANCES, THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT LONGER AROUND WHOM DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME TOOLS, IF WE DO THIS, BEING GREATFUL ABOUT THE NEW MEDS WE HAVE AVAILABLE, LIFE WILL BE BETTER FOR ALL OF US...I, AS A 22 YEARS LTS ASK YOU TO DO...NOW THAT WE ARE POSITIVE, WE HAVE TO BE POSITIVE...HUGS                                   OJO

PS. TAKE IT FROM SOMEONE WHO LIVED WITH AIDS FOR FIVE YEARS AND AIDS LEFT ME WITH LOTS OF HEALTH ISSUESS, EVEN LEGALLY BLIND, AND I STILL "SEE" LIFE AS WORTHY TO KEEP LIVING

[klauss]

    @Tonny2   Always encouraged me to think positively, I try to do this although sometimes it is difficult, no one knows about that are HIV + , but i"m stong and each day goes by it seems easier,every night I come home and read the experiences of the forum members that helps me a lot. I wish you happy and healthy years without health problems ... take care of yourself and many hugs

[harleymc]

If in the wildly improbable case that the medications are doing nothing. (Why you would be the only exception to the rule defies any logic)

There's a huge range of plan B medications and plan C medications and so on ad infinitum

It's turtles all the way down.

Keep working on mindfulness. Acknowledge the wonky thoughts, 'that's interesting I had an anxiety producing thought with no evidence for it, I can let that thought go'. Then let it go.

Those thoughts are just garbage, we all think them now and then but while they have no basis in reality, they can undermine our reality. Let them go, set them free.

[Hito]

Thank you everyone. I just wanted to say that my CD4 count results came back and it has not changed since my last visit. It is right at 400. Unfortunately I will not know my viral load count until next week. Thank you for the advice and the kind words.