Author Topic: Diagnosed 3 months ago (Read 7631 times)

AJ68 · « **on:** July 23, 2016, 03:41:18 pm »

Hi from london.

I am 48 years old and was diagnosed 4 months ago as a part of an insurance pre-test.

General health good pre diagnosis....no significant infections. However fatigue and sweating (not night sweat) was frequent.

Started on Stribild and Septrin in June - 5 weeks now.
VL went undetectable. Cd4 not neasured post meds but was 170 to start.

Still experiencing sweating and some fatigue. Is this common?

Many thanks

Jim Allen · « **Reply #1 on:** July 23, 2016, 04:13:20 pm »

Hi

Welcome to forum.

Glad to hear you are on treatment and UD.

Have you mentioned the night sweats to the doc, and what did they say?

Fatigue and night sweats , I am sure a few will have experienced this however it could be caused by anything, I would check with your GP or the clinic next time you visit them.

Jim

AJ68 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 23, 2016, 05:50:36 pm »

Thanks.

Not night sweats. Generally increased sweating..like you sweat in the tropics.....

Did discuss with the doc, he thinks it may juste the weather in as far as the sweating is concerned.

Jim Allen · « **Reply #3 on:** July 24, 2016, 02:34:38 am »

Sorry I had misunderstood your first post.

Sweating like the tropics, Is it just during activities or when sitting down?
i can understand how excessive sweating would be unconformable. Could be the weather, but that said if it does not go away I would go back and see them again.

Jim

AJ68 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2016, 03:58:46 pm »

Hi all.

Update at 10 weeks:
VL undetectable CD4 increased to 300 (from 170)

Bloods generally ok (RBC and Haemoglobin count at lower end of range) except for the eosinophil count that has steadily increased from the time i started on meds - from 1.7 to 4.6 (normal is 0.5).

I am on Bactrim and Stribild. Adherence is 100%

While docs are investigating ( they dont know - could be worms / allergy or even some other nastier condition), i was wondering if any one on the forum experoenced anything similar.

My health is generally good . Only symptoms are small blisters / boils that come and go ... seems like eosinophilic follicitis.

Thanks

harleymc · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2016, 09:48:18 pm »

Congratulations on your results.

No idea about the sweating. Fatigue is common(just look at all the adds for thing to ingest to give you energy - advertisers don't spend up big if there's no market) , a lot of it unrelated to HIV it'll probably time to get to the root of the fatigue.

My haem count has been off the scale low on a couple of consecutive tests 6 months apart. As I'm a vego I'm now supplementing with iron and b12. I have no idea if it's placebo effect but it seems to be working for me.

CaveyUK · « **Reply #6 on:** September 25, 2016, 08:06:01 am »

I am similar age with similar count history. I also had lots of sweating (not night sweats) pre-diagnosis, and whilst my temperature feels a little more regulated at times, I still get a lot of sweats to the point where i think I now don't think it is anything to do with HIV.

I seem to sweat considerably an hour or so after eating a large(wish) meal so suspect it's something to do with the body's regulation of blood sugar. I'm going for a diabetes test in a couple of weeks time, but already pretty much know I'm pre-diabetic. Of course, it may not be that causing the sweats either...

AJ68 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 25, 2016, 02:58:56 pm »

Thanks for the messages gents. The sweating has moderated in recent times so may have been hiv related but equally weather related. What worries me though is the eosinophil count...and not knowing the reasons behind the elevated count ...not sure if its IRIS linked
- specially given my low cd4 count at diagnosis.

AJ68 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 22, 2016, 04:54:07 pm »

An update and a question.....
HIV meds continue to work well and some deworming regimes have resulted in a drop in the Eosinophil counts - while still quite elevated its a big improvement over the last month. Fingers crossed this continues.

However over the past I have gained about 4% weight....am on stribild.....am confused whether this is hiv meds related or a deworming impact?

Any thoughts / experiences much appreciated.

PS...am not overweight ( upper end of health weight) and reasonably active 3-4 days of excercise each week

CaveyUK · « **Reply #9 on:** November 22, 2016, 06:46:12 pm »

I've no idea what you specifically mean about 'de-worming'....thats something you do to Dogs isn't it?

Presumably this is treatment for a specific parasite of fungal infection - what have they identified?

As for weight gain - this is very common in the months following treatment starting. I've experienced it myself.

There are various theories as to why this happens, but my favourite is that the body is no longer having to wage war on the virus, so the metabolism slows down. In other words, you revert to what would be your regular metabolism now that the virus is under control.

AJ68 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 05, 2016, 12:07:18 pm »

Spending time in Asia and the sub continent...the doctors suspected a helminthic infection i.e. worms ..... humans can get worms too by eating undercooked meat etc.

With the medicines my eosinophil count has been reducing...fingers crossed....its still high but coming down steadily.

On a separate note, just got my lab results.....a bit surprising......still undetectable but the CD4 count is static at 300 - virtually same as the 302 in the last bloods in September ..... CD4% increased from 13% to 15%.

A little dissapointing given the last time the CD4 count had jumped to 300 in september from the 170 level when I was diagnosed in June.

harleymc · « **Reply #11 on:** December 08, 2016, 12:31:59 am »

Sorry to have to break some bad news to you but there isn't a guaranteed rising number to cd4 counts. Sometimes they'll even go backwards for a while. In general though they will trend upwards for 5 to 10 years

But it's very promising that you've had two tests around the 300 mark, that's well above the threshold for AIDS defining infections.

AJ68 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 08, 2016, 05:25:18 pm »

I do understand straight line cd4 progress is not the norm but thought that stagnation happens a bit later. Thats the sense i got reading through the forums.

It would have been nice if the counts had improved as my doc would have stooped bactrim
Anyhow..that will have to wait till the next boods i guess.

Ptrk3 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 08, 2016, 05:34:15 pm »

Many doctors in the United States will stop Bactrim once the CD4's have been above 200 for 6 months, so it sounds like you may well be on track for stopping Bactrim, as you suggest, after your next blood test. You've done well to improve your CD4's so far, and that is good news!

CaveyUK · « **Reply #14 on:** December 09, 2016, 05:00:36 am »

Quote from: AJ68 on December 08, 2016, 05:25:18 pm

I do understand straight line cd4 progress is not the norm but thought that stagnation happens a bit later. Thats the sense i got reading through the forums.

It would have been nice if the counts had improved as my doc would have stooped bactrim
Anyhow..that will have to wait till the next boods i guess.

It's annoying for sure. I completely sympathise.

Thing a lot of people overlook is that CD4 counts are not HIV specific and can be affected by a whole host of other things, from time of day to exercise to other bugs going around.

So it doesn't take much for a low - or static reading to happen. The key thing really is the trend over several counts, and in lieu of any movement in absolute CD4, seeing the more stable % going up is a good thing.

With your protective antibiotics, and UD status you are out of the immediate 'danger' zone so it's just a case of being patient really. But as I said, I do sympathise. Just try to put it to the back of your mind and enjoy the xmas period and I'm sure you will see more progress at your next labs.

AJ68 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 09, 2016, 05:20:36 am »

Thanks for your replies. I do look forward with optimism for the next set of bloods.

wish all on the forums good health and cheer for the festive season ahead.

AJ68 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 27, 2017, 10:35:07 am »

Post the latest bloods, UD for over 6 months now and CD4 rising again. More importantly CD4 % upto 17% now...CD4 at 350.....
Other blood indicators doing fine as well.

Feeling quite upbeat. And on top, spring seems to round the corner.

Cheers

Jim Allen · « **Reply #17 on:** March 28, 2017, 01:21:54 am »

Congratulations on the great results.

AJ68 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 07, 2017, 08:08:23 am »

Just got my latest reports...

UD Now for 12 months plus, CD4 415 cd4% 21.
All other tests normal. The medicines continue to do their work!
The only thing that i still get is bouts of fatigue...where i lack energy for a few days and then things improve.
Dont know if its because of tbe meds or just age!

Best wishes to you all for the festive season.

AJ68 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 27, 2018, 07:38:40 am »

Been a while and hope all of you are well.

Meds continue to do their work,
Latest CD4 476 with CD4% upto 26%.

Just got my Flu Jab for the season as well.

Cheers

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Author Topic: Diagnosed 3 months ago (Read 7631 times)