POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => I Just Tested Poz => Topic started by: lost_boy on June 18, 2010, 04:11:22 am
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Quick question here. Do taking drugs (marijuana, cocaine) affect your cd4 count?
I ask because after I was diagnosed last year, I went slightly off the deep end. I drank quite a lot. A lot of my friends have been into drugs, but I've never tried them, basically because I've never had the inclination and also because they really messed up my brother. But more recently when I've been quite a low ebb I've thought, who cares, I'm not going to be able to do this once I start meds. So I've tried a couple of lines at a party last weekend, didn't do much for me, but it was a few days before a blood test. Overall it is a pretty stupid rationale, but there you go.
So yes, will this have affected my cd4 count blood tests?
I should mention that I'm not planning on making a habit of this! The other thing on my mind is, that I've started seeing a rather nice guy. But, I'm going to have to disclose that I have HIV to him now. Dammit, this disease makes everything complex :(
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Occasional doobie or a line should not affect your cd4 count. Becoming a hard core drug addict would :)
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Lost_boy,
Pretty much any stress affects your numbers. Drugs (which includes alcohol) are hard on your body and the desirable affects need to be weighed against the negative affects. In particular, alcohol makes your liver work overtime so it's best to cut back on drinking.... but you don't have to quit.
As for your CD4 in particular.... any little thing can drive your numbers down temporarily. This is why regular checkups are very important to establish a trend. Having a sniffle can depress your numbers, or fighting with a BF or GF, as can stress at work.
Bottom line is that stress is toxic. Eating right, getting lots of sleep, being at peace with yourself and not doing too much booze will go a long way towards helping your body fight HIV.
It is completely normal to question alot of things when you become poz. We all have gone through that. Feel free to ask in the newly diagnosed or Living with forums if you want to hear how other poz guys and gals handled challenges you may be facing. Each of us has felt helpless, alone, doomed, etc at one time or another and some of our responses to those moods may help inspire you to a solution that lets you overcome the situation.
With proper medication and a good diet there is no reason you can't expect to live a normal lifespan.
Welcome to the forums,
Brian
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Hey Boze, thanks for that. Not planning on becoming a hardcore drug addict anytime soon :P
Brian, thanks for the reassuring words. I'm trying not to let it bother me, but it's hard sometimes. It's getting easier with time though, as it all becomes "normalised" I guess. I'm probably not going to lay off the booze though. I'm Scottish, I kind of enjoy it :P Though maybe in a bit more moderation now... :)
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lost_boy,
You might be interested in these links:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070820105240.htm
http://www.jimmunol.org/cgi/content/abstract/146/1/81
http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7289
Alcohol is clearly not the best choice (an occasional drink I wouldn't worry about).
FYI,
v
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in my opinion you will lose cd4 and % much faster drinking to much and doing to much coke