New lab and facing treatment dilemma again

[jacken]

I have been diagnosed for a bit more than a year now. My latest lab shows CD4 535 and CD4% 30. Viral load went up to 3350.

My doc is not too concerned about the increase of viral load because CD4 went up and suggests to keep monitoring.

Below is my trend during the past year.

CD4: 493 / CD4%: 36 / VL: 297
        611 /            40 /      235
        667 /            32 /      158
        667 /            32 /      UD
        445 /            25 /      114
latest 535 /          30 /      3350

I feel that I was getting prepared to start meds with every lab but it just didn't happen. Any thought on my trend?

Good news is that with the latest VL, genotype test was performed and shows no resistance.

 

[mikeyb39]

hi jacken,
i don't think i'd rush to medication at this point, at least give it another test or so to see whats going on.  you numbers still look good. 

it wouldn't hurt to start thinking about medications, doing your research and such, which im sure you have.  i wish i had had that option when i was diagnosed, but my numbers were getting in the danger zone.  keep in mind if you wanted to choose compleara your VL has to be under a certain number, but looks like now you are nowhere near that number.

[leatherman]

I feel that I was getting prepared to start meds with every lab but it just didn't happen. Any thought on my trend?

are you "anxious" about starting the meds or something? I mean you'll almost certainly have to start taking meds at some point - nearly everything does; but it doesn't look like you're at the "point" quite yet. If you're really bothered by the anxiety of not being on meds yet or having to wait more, next time you're in the office, tell the doctor you can't stand waiting any longer, and want to start the meds. Otherwise keep monitoring your labs, keep going on about your life, and be thankful you're not having to shell out for the meds quite yet.

Keep in mind, people take meds for all sorts of diseases and are happy to start so that they can correct or cure their illness. There really is no reason to fear or be anxious about starting HIV meds. Right now your body is actually doing nothing to stop HIV from spreading; however, the meds will stop that and ensure that HIV doesn't damage your immune system any further.

besides what are you actually doing "getting prepared to start meds"? Fretting? Stressing out? Really besides asking your doc what he's going to suggest starting on and reading up on that, I don't know that there's really nothing to do to "get prepared".

When it's time to start, you fill the prescription, make sure you have taken precautions just in case you don't feel so well the first couple of days (which happens with lots and lots of all sorts of meds), and take the meds according to the directions. And then you take them again the next day and the next and the next....and go on about your life