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Author Topic: Fantastic lab results. Made up.  (Read 3475 times)

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Offline Souledout

  • Member
  • Posts: 160
Fantastic lab results. Made up.
« on: December 09, 2013, 09:40:22 am »
Not on medication:

CD4 - 802
VL - 65

Absolutely made up. Highest CD4 count and lowest VL for some.

It's been just over a year since my diagnosis. I've been on daily acyclovir for 3 months to keep cold sores and the like at bay and I think that that's helped my body get the viral load down as I se to spike when I have an outbreak. I was considering TAP but given my low VL I don't want to go on meds, if I can avoid any long term side effects by deferring I may as well try.

Anyway, just thought I'd share.
Infection sometime April-August, no noticable seroconversion symptoms
Not currently on medication
13/09/12 CD4 672 (33%) VL <40 (diagnosis date)
18/09/12 CD4 ?               VL 43
27/09/12 CD4 ?               VL 127
19/11/12 CD4 676 (38%) VL 959
03/03/13 CD4 642 (32%) VL 291
04/07/13 CD4 791 (33%) VL 26,437 (active cold sore, tooth infection)
18/07/13 ------retest------VL 3704
18/11/13 CD4 802 (36%) VL 65

Offline mecch

  • Member
  • Posts: 13,455
  • red pill? or blue pill?
Re: Fantastic lab results. Made up.
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2013, 10:13:40 am »
Thats a nice immune system! Congrats.

I don't understand your post.  "Made up"?  In English this usually means - fantasy, fabrication. (lies)  Or doing something again...

Also, what is TAP?
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline leatherman

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  • Member
  • Posts: 8,595
  • Google and HIV meds are Your Friends
Re: Fantastic lab results. Made up.
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2013, 10:39:36 am »
if I can avoid any long term side effects by deferring I may as well try.
you might want to check that worry. ;) By reviewing the package inserts from any major HIV medication you will learn that usually only 2% (and sometimes up to 5%) of patients experience any sort of long term side effects from the medications. Clearly with those odds, basing any medication decision to "avoid side effects" is really worrying about the wrong thing.

In the equation of medication side effects vs. untreated HIV side effects, it's a no-brainer of which side you should place your worry. so what's the right thing to worry about then? Worry about what long term and permenant issues the unchecked, untreated HIV is doing to your brain, body and immune system. ;)

btw, I take daily acyclovir myself due to a recurring herpes zoster infection. Acyclovir actually has mild anti-retroviral side effects, so you are correct in your assumption that it is helping by reducing the outbreaks but it's also helping in a mild HAART-way too. Now it's nowhere near enough to keep your HIV in check but anything that helps is a GOOD thing. ;)

Congrats on the good numbers!  :)
leatherman (aka Michael)

We were standing all alone
You were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker
Dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
- Darren Hayes, "Chained to You"

Offline Souledout

  • Member
  • Posts: 160
Re: Fantastic lab results. Made up.
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2013, 11:09:40 am »
TAP - treatment as prevention

Made up - over the moon, happy etc

Re side effects - we don't know about long term side effects, no one has been on medication for 50 years have they?! If my numbers were 'normal' if be jumping at the chance of treatment, but it seems my body is doing ok as it is. If it ain't (too) broke, don't fix it ;)

Thanks though :)
Infection sometime April-August, no noticable seroconversion symptoms
Not currently on medication
13/09/12 CD4 672 (33%) VL <40 (diagnosis date)
18/09/12 CD4 ?               VL 43
27/09/12 CD4 ?               VL 127
19/11/12 CD4 676 (38%) VL 959
03/03/13 CD4 642 (32%) VL 291
04/07/13 CD4 791 (33%) VL 26,437 (active cold sore, tooth infection)
18/07/13 ------retest------VL 3704
18/11/13 CD4 802 (36%) VL 65

Offline Souledout

  • Member
  • Posts: 160
Re: Fantastic lab results. Made up.
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2013, 11:26:30 am »
By the way, as much as I value people's input, my decision about treatment has been made and I don't really want this to become a treatment discussion. My mind is, for now, made up (not as in happy by the way, mecch!) that ill start treatment when my body shows signs of not being about to cope by itself.
Infection sometime April-August, no noticable seroconversion symptoms
Not currently on medication
13/09/12 CD4 672 (33%) VL <40 (diagnosis date)
18/09/12 CD4 ?               VL 43
27/09/12 CD4 ?               VL 127
19/11/12 CD4 676 (38%) VL 959
03/03/13 CD4 642 (32%) VL 291
04/07/13 CD4 791 (33%) VL 26,437 (active cold sore, tooth infection)
18/07/13 ------retest------VL 3704
18/11/13 CD4 802 (36%) VL 65

Offline mecch

  • Member
  • Posts: 13,455
  • red pill? or blue pill?
Re: Fantastic lab results. Made up.
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2013, 11:56:36 am »
"Made up" - Hey thanks, learn something new everyday!  Is that British English, or?
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline leatherman

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  • Member
  • Posts: 8,595
  • Google and HIV meds are Your Friends
Re: Fantastic lab results. Made up.
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2013, 11:58:19 am »
Re side effects - we don't know about long term side effects, no one has been on medication for 50 years have they?!
I (and others here) have been on meds for 20 yrs (I started in 92 with the horrible AZT monotherapy) and, like the scientific stats of 98% listed in the PIs, have no long term side effects.

but it seems my body is doing ok as it is. If it ain't (too) broke, don't fix it ;)
....
 ill start treatment when my body shows signs of not being about to cope by itself.
I understand that you're not at the point of "needing" meds right now; but I think it's important to point out that HIV is inside you, already doing it's damage and building up reservoirs.

I don't really want this to become a treatment discussion.
you're the one that started talking about your current treatment (acyclovir) and thoughts about future treatement (TAP); so maybe next time when you don't want real discussion, only post your numbers ;)
leatherman (aka Michael)

We were standing all alone
You were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker
Dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
- Darren Hayes, "Chained to You"

Offline witch

  • Member
  • Posts: 67
Re: Fantastic lab results. Made up.
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2013, 02:57:33 pm »
If your VL is that low you have nothing to worry about. You will get similar VL with drugs so no point taking them.

If your VL starts to rise though, its better to start the hiv drugs before hiv does damage. Hiv drugs do cause side effects ranging from elevated blood sugar, liver enzymes, blood lipids etc to psycho effects like inability to sleep well, being absent minded and diminished cognition. Of course published studies, as usual severely underreport the side effects but you can see on this forum how often forum members change their drug combo due to side effects. These are better though than the side effects of HIV.

 


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