Author Topic: How is a low cd4 count possible?? (Read 8518 times)

Negativesportsjock · « **on:** December 29, 2014, 02:17:49 pm »

I met my husband in 2012. We never got tested together . I assumed he was negative based on being tested in 2011 and being negative (and no he didn't lie).
Last month on a regular doctor visit (first in years) his doctor informed him he had a cd4 count <50 with a viral load over 500,000.
How did it progress so fast? How am I not positive? We had unprotected sex probably 100s of time . I was not on prep (although I am now).
I terrified as doctors don't even seem to care giving him 3 week in advance appointments. Knowing his counts, I'm terrified. Thanks for any feedback out there.

mecch · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2014, 04:53:29 pm »

We are going to assume he 2011 test was a reliable one and not a false negative.

Did the doctor say your husband is in acute phase, or seroconversion? Or if the infection is maybe a few years old? Or said nothing?

If the infection is past the acute phase, then your husband isn't so lucky genetically and is in the group of people who have fast CD4 decline.

Means he will need treatment. Probably means he will need antibiotics to prevent lung infections until his CD4 recovers.

The doctor will send him for labs and test viral strain and for resistances and million other tests. If the first visit at diagnosis, included a blood draw, then 3 weeks isn't all that long to wait but maybe a little long. No antibiotic prescription?

If the blood hasn't been drawn yet, then I agree this is slow followup.... But it is what it is.

DO what you can to get him on heart and on antibiotics asap, working within whatever system you must work....

Read the lessons in this forum under the tab TREATMENT, above. This will help you feel less terrified...

As long as your husband gets good and complete treatment and follows it, things should feel less scary soon enough.

Negativesportsjock · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2014, 11:01:04 pm »

Thanks. I don't know if it's acute, etc... Will he recover if he did have rapid onset? He's in good shape and young.

The specialist put him on an antibiotic, but he had a severe allergic reactionn(rash) when taking it. His regular doctor doesn't want to put him on anything new until the rash disappears . It has somewhat, but in other areas now too the rash is present, but less severe. Between Christmas & New Years, it's a 3 week wait to see the specialist again. It's so frustrating. Should I press our doctor again? The doctor is very easy to talk to him.
I'm sure he'll take his once a day pill. No concerns there . The antibiotics and lack of scare me. 11 more days I have to wait for this appointment for him.

mecch · « **Reply #3 on:** December 29, 2014, 11:49:14 pm »

Sure, he will recover.
I am glad to hear he got the bactrim, but sorry he was allergic to it.
The fact that he got it sounds like the doc is doing what's necessary.
I am guessing that since you got the PREP script right away, there is reason your husband needs to wait for his script and that is probably for all the lab work.
I don't see the point of pushing. Holidays are holidays. On that note, I want to add that its your husband who is waiting for the appt and not you. I know how closely you are implicated but in fact he has to controll all this. Why don't you suggest he join this forum?
He will need a solution of the antibiotic so make sure his GP or ID has a next step option next time he sees the doc.

Negativesportsjock · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2014, 01:30:00 am »

Thanks again. I just told my husband about this site. He's been scared to read from websites as he is just listening to doctors and doesn't want to be advised wrong. But I see so much love and support on this site , that mentally it helps at the bare minimum.

Negativesportsjock · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2014, 01:32:07 am »

I'm on prep because I pushed my doctor for it. I have great insurance so whats wrong with being safe. After my doctor saw I was a good candidate, he prescribed me truvada

leatherman · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2014, 10:15:28 am »

Quote from: Negativesportsjock on December 30, 2014, 01:30:00 am

He's been scared to read from websites as he is just listening to doctors and doesn't want to be advised wrong.

the LESSONS section is nothing but the true facts.

The people who started this site, the people who moderate this site, and almost all the members at this site believe in nothing but the truth here. There's nothing but true science in the LESSONS. There's nothing but good advice from the forums. How can I say that? Because the moderators and members here don't put up with any snake oil cures, incorrect information, hate speech, or stupidity. At this site, people post data and links from real research. They give advice based on decades of living with HIV/AIDS. They offer great support because they are peers (other people living and dealing with HIV). I've been on this site since the 90s and know that all the information I've gotten through here is easily verified and anything that isn't correct gets locked, deleted, or corrected.

I would suggest that your husband make sure to read the LESSONS here and ask any questions he might have rather than just blindly trust the doctor. Don't misunderstand me though! I have great faith in my doctor, but doctors are just people and sometimes doctors are not right. (for example, there's another thread right now where a doctor is suggesting a med change for someone who has a viral load that is <20, which is aka "undetectable". That doctor's advice is clearly wrong as it goes against all guidelines.) Your husband would be better served to take a "trust and verify" attitude. In my own 31 yrs with HIV, I have been given bad advice or have known more than my doctors 3 or 4 times because I was better informed. But I'm not blaming those doctors - while it's their job to treat me, it's my actual life so I have always made sure that I was very informed so I could be the best patient possible.

There's also a lot of support here too - but for you and for your husband. It can be hard to care for someone while they are very sick, while it can also be hard sometimes to just live with HIV. Both you and your husband should be able to get some of the support each of you might need from the members here. We're a very talkative bunch with a lot of experiences - so there's probably someone here who has walked the same path and who can sympathize with y'all during the tough times and the good times.

Your husband will be getting treatment soon and that will protect him (and you) so soon y'all will be able to get back to your lives - with HIV just being another part of it and not the big issue that it is right now. Things really will be better - in some time.

Best wishes for a great 2015!

zach · « **Reply #7 on:** December 30, 2014, 10:44:04 am »

hey jock, just wanted to jump in and say welcome... meech and leather have given great advice, i add a loud echo to what they've said.

your posts, you're coping well considering. for the most part, i agree with your husbands hesitation to do online research. but we're a little different though, we're all positive, and like leather says, will not tolerate outdated or bad science.

you're on prep, that is outstanding.

your husband can and will recover his health. be patient, he's in care, no need to be terrified over the wait to see the the doctor. and the antibiotic selection will work itself out, i've gone through the same. it's frustrating, but in the end, looking back, just part of the process. be willing to go through that process, dialing in all the meds is worth it.

take a deep breath, relax, he's in treatment, you're on prep. both of you stay diligent about your health. get him to undetectable status, keep him there. then just start watching the cd4 climb out the hole. drive on with life. hiv does not define either one of you, do not give it any power over you.

2015 is looking like a banner year, wishing yall the best.

buginme2 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 30, 2014, 11:30:42 am »

Quote from: Negativesportsjock on December 29, 2014, 02:17:49 pm

How did it progress so fast? How am I not positive? We had unprotected sex probably 100s of time . I was not on prep (although I am now).

The same thing happened with me and my partner/now husband. I was positive and didn't know it when we met. I wasn't diagnosed until almost two years into our relationship after which we had 100's if not more unprotected sex which we surely thought he would definitely be positive. He wasn't.

It's funny how the world works. I had one encounter of drunken/drug fueled sex with someone I just met at a club and got infected. I've had 100's of unprotected sex with my partner and he never got infected. Go figure.

Now that I'm on treatment with an undetectable viral load the risk of transmission is "at or near zero" according to the research. He's not on prep and we do not use condoms. He's still negative.

Bottom line. You can have a normal healthy relationship with lots of sex even when one partner is positive and the other negative. Give it some time.

Hiv rarely comes into play anymore.

Negativesportsjock · « **Reply #9 on:** December 30, 2014, 03:38:17 pm »

Thanks for sharing buginme. It gives me confidence.

Zach, Trust me, I know the moderators are serious about the content of this site. My original attempt to register was denied , I guess they thought my alias was in bad taste.

I will be studying all the sections noted by everyone that chimed in. Thats for sure.

bordem · « **Reply #10 on:** December 31, 2014, 06:50:05 am »

Welcome, not sure where you are from, but my first CD4 count was 92. My family doc didn't know much about HIV so he didn't want to put me on anything, know being up on the current treatments and such. My first appointment for the ID was rushed so I could get in as quick as they could. They thought about putting me on bactrim as well, but instead they put me on Mepron 5 ml or 750 mg twice a day, having already been on cipro twice the past month for a cough/lung issue. Mepron is pretty thick, and yellow stuff, with what they say is a hint of citrus, but I've yet to notice any taste out of it lol. They said it was pretty much a preventive for PCP/PJP Pneumonia. Not sure what other members would say or think about that, just my personal experiences. Happy New Year by the way! Also, keep an eye out for thrush, if his CD4 count is low I had a round of that also and didn't even know it!

Negativesportsjock · « **Reply #11 on:** January 01, 2015, 02:22:32 pm »

What is thrush?

bordem · « **Reply #12 on:** January 01, 2015, 02:34:24 pm »

Its a fungal infection usually seen in toddlers but can happen in people with a lower CD4 count. If you hover over the About HIV/AIDS above and click on Opportunistic Infections (OIs) its listed under Fungal Infections. Mine was just a few white spots on the tonsils, but cleared up with a 10 day script of Diflucan.

zach · « **Reply #13 on:** January 01, 2015, 02:37:43 pm »

a candida fungal infection (yeast) in the mouth is called thrush... everyone is covered in it, all the time, but in immune compromised folks we can't keep it in check and it blooms out... it is not limited to the mouth, but only called thrush in the mouth... sucks if it goes systemic

bordem · « **Reply #14 on:** January 01, 2015, 02:43:53 pm »

Negative, are you familiar with a yeast infection by chance? Not saying they are 100% the same thing, but they are really close, both are caused by Candida but i think two diffrent strains, but still a yeast infection pretty much

Jeff G · « **Reply #15 on:** January 01, 2015, 06:10:31 pm »

You can also get a thrush infection as a side effect from antibiotics and you don't have to have HIV for it to happen .

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Author Topic: How is a low cd4 count possible?? (Read 8518 times)