On Meds for 15 months and Tcells low

[1228GUY]

So I've been on meds for 15 months now and my blood work from Friday came back and now my tcells are at 196.  Dr said he thinks it's a lab blip and have to see him in 4 weeks again.

Are lab blips common?
What's the longest it's taken for someone to go UD?
Is it normal to have low t-cells?
I'm not sick, the only thing is I feel tired a lot.

Blah Blah Blah

[metekrop]

You may need to discuss about changing your med with your doc.  You will be UD in about a month or two.  Your CD would also increase little by little.  The fact that you are not sick, it indicate you nothing. It is illusive kind of disease.  I don't know the difference between the meds you are taking and Atripla.  But I am on Atripla for the more about two years and this is the kind of trend I have with it.

[Ann]

1228, your CD4% is the highest it's been since you've been monitored, so I wouldn't worry about what is really not that big a change in your absolute CD4 count. Are you aware that your CD4 count can fluctuate by as much as 100 points over the course of a single day? This is why your CD4% is important - it tends to be a more stable number and over time can be more indicative of the over-all state of your CD4s.

Because the fluctuations in absolute CD4s can follow a pattern through the day, it's a good - but not strictly necessary - idea to try to have your labs taken at roughly the same time of day every time. For example, my labs are usually drawn between 11am and noon.

Don't sweat it. And it's far too soon to start thinking about changing your combo like Met suggests, so don't panic.

Hang in there!

Ann

[1228GUY]

@Met thanks, I won't change meds because it's too soon to change combo and it's working aside from the possible lab blib. 

@Ann thank you for the response... I guess what puts my concern at some ease is the percentage which is the best it's been at since I've started meds.  I guess it's just upsetting because I've only been happy about numbers on my results from February....i want better tcell counts . We'll see in 4 weeks if any changes I make regarding stress, exercise and food play a role in numbers......typing this on the phone sucks!!!!!!

[Ann]

I can empathise with your frustration over the slow progress of your CD4s. It often happens that way when starting with low numbers. It also appears that you may have been poz for longer than you knew and having it longer can also make the CD4 climb slower. You'll get there eventually.

Even with your VL you are making progress. Although you have yet to hit that "magical" UD, you would have already been UD on VL tests that were in use only just a few years ago. The newest tests in use have a much lower UD threshold.

Everything is going in the right direction and you have every right to be happy with your progress so far. Try to not stress about your absolute CD4 - or typing on your phone. Hang in there!

[puuchai]

Hi 1228, Just got my numbers in and my cd4 is 196,snap,and maximum cd4 has been is 213, but my percent hasn't got above 13% yet after 11 months on meds,and is 12% this time.Its gonna take time but i thought i'd post this to make you feel a little bit better about ur numbers.take care...

[metekrop]

I am not feeling at ease with the result you showed here.  Anybody here can say anything and all of our advice doesn’t base any scientific proof.  This is not to dishearten you but helping you see others experience.  You get here little but the best way for you is to stick with the advise of your doctor where you can get the finest scientific explanations of situation where you are at. So like your doctor said you need to see him in four weeks again. The disease is so fucken deceptive and you need to keep watching it.  

[newt]

This is one of the most pain in the bum situations.

I am impressed by your new CD%, it suggests your CD4 count could be somewhat higher than 190 or so you got on this test, maybe the CD4s were just hiding, or it's a lab thing (both happen). Plus, give it time. CD4 recovery is a long game.

In terms of viral load, it depends what you consider suppressed viral replication. If 100 or thereabouts is OK, you're there.  If not and hitting the guideline 50 or less is a goal, on a simple, practical note you might try a little bit more food with the tabs, specifically a little more fat (don't need to be much, a square of chocolate or small glass of milk will do). On your combo the fat helps with the drugs getting into the body and a little extra drug in circulation may do the trick.

Importantly, your viral load is flat, not rising.

There is no research to say a viral load of 100 is worse than 50. All the studies on eg resistance, outcomes have used a much higher count to compare to 50, like 400+.

A few people do take a long time to get to 50 or below, 2 years is not unheard of and your direction of travel is good. A different combo may get a better result on viral suppression. What works best for one person does not always work best for another.

Good luck.

- matt

[1228GUY]

@ puuchai  ayyyyy well now I feel like an ass for complaining
@ Ann thanks again <3
@ Newt  thank you for taking the time to reply!  I guess it's still more of a mental thing for me and just doing a comparison to my bf's numbers and I have to stop that