HIV immunity -- HIV Researchers Please Read

[srmn98]

Hello All,

Interesting situation here, I am not sure if this is the correct place to post, but I feel it is important that I tell my story in that it might help somehow.

I tested postive for HIV last monday by Elisa test AND by a Western Blot. All "bars" on the Western Blot were postive. I had a second, finger prick ELISA test done on Tuesday which was also positive.

Last Monday, after hearing the results, I saw a specialist. I had blood drawn for CD4 and viral load tests done.

I have spent the last week figuring out how to live as HIV positive. This forum as been incredibly valuable and helpful.

I got my test results back today. My viral counts are undetectable, so under 50. My CD4 is in the 800 range. The doctor says there are two options:

1. Somehow, the first two rounds of test were wrong and I am HIV negative.

2. I am in the 1% of caucasians that are somehow "immune" to HIV. The receptors on my CD4 cells do not allow the virus to attach, and therefore HIV does not enter my cells and therefore does not affect my immune system. I am not a biologist, if this description is wrong please correct me but also please understand I am just trying to pass on what might be valuable information.

My doctor did not give me option #3, which would be that this is still somehow going to affect me, that I will still end up with a viral load and lower CD4 counts. I am not a researcher or a doctor, just an average person trying to make sense of what is going on. I am confused and uncertain, in my mind I am still very much HIV positive. Even if immune, I could still pass this on to other people.

I am having another Western Blot done and should find out the results on Wednesday.

I am wondering if there is anybody out there with any information. If it is really true that I am somehow "immune," I would like to participate in whatever clinical trials I can to see if it can help in finding a cure. If anybody has ANY information on researchers that I should contact, please email me either through here or at srmn98@yahoo.com .  I am not trying to generate false hope for anybody that has a positive test. My doctor says that this is very rare, he has seen of a case like this only once before. I do not really understand what is going on, only that I want to be an activist for HIV research and that I am likely HIV positive.

Please respond,

Sara

 

[RapidRod]

Two ELISA positive tests and Western Blot positive. You're HIV positive.

[Matty the Damned]

Gotta agree with Roddles here. It sounds like you're HIV positive to me.

MtD

[srmn98]

Just to clarify, I did not post for folks to speculate  as to  whether I am postive or not. If you read my post, you will see that I assume I am postive. I am looking for information about research in the hopes that whatever is going on with my immune system might bring help for a cure. I am looking for people that might know something about cases like this. I am looking to find out if my viral counts will go up.

Thanks,

Sara

[Matty the Damned]

Sara,

And we're not speculating. ELISA positive + WB positive == HIV positive. That's all there is to it. On that basis, you got the gift my dear.

That said, there are some people called Long Term Non Progressors who, whilst positive, seem to suppress the virus for reasons yet not known. We have some members here who fall into that category. Maybe if you check out the Clinical Trials forums you might find some interesting threads on the matter.

Regards,

MtD

[RapidRod]

Doesn't matter if your viral counts go up or not. You still tested positive. You may be a long term non progresser like I was, but eventually you can write that off the books. If you would read some on the posts there are quite a few LTNP on this forum.

[srmn98]

what does that mean, long term progressor ?  what were your viral counts when this started happening ? any specific info is much appreciated as I am completely confused. I'll search the boards for long term progressors ...

s

[Matty the Damned]

Long Term Non Progressors are HIV positive people who don't develop any of the problems associated with HIV infection over a REALLY long period of time. It all gets rather complex. Like I said we have a number of such people here, the most notable being Zephry and OzPaul.

Try searching under their names for relevant threads.

It's thought by some scientific types that such people may have an ability to suppress the activity of the virus and thus they are the subject of interest to certain researchers who hypothesise that within these individuals we may find a cure.

I'm no expert on these things and I'm certainly not suggesting that you're an LTNP.

MtD

[tsw923]

Sara,

Overall good news.  Looks like no meds for a long, long time.  Does your doc have an idea of when you might have been infected?  For me it was apparently sometime in my mid 20s (I'm 37 now).  So I lived awhile w/o meds although my health did decline slowly.  My advice, aside from participating in other forums, you may want to still have periodic tests to make sure you stay on top of everything so you can begin meds when they are necessary.  Now that you know you are positive, you can do all the other things to maintain/improve your health and be better prepared than some of us (me especially) were.

Ty

[manchesteruk]

Hi Sara,

I'm in a similar situation to you.  I was diagnosed just under a year ago and infected about 15 months ago.  Since then I have always maintained an undetectable viral load with a CD4 count 1300+.  I think with your three positive test results it was unfair of your doctor to suggest that you are immune to HIV as that is not the case.  You have like myself however been extremely lucky and seem to have developed a strong response to infection and it may be many years before you need medication.  There are some people on here who have been HIV+ for over 10 years and still don't need medication.  As for taking part in research there is a study of Long term non progressors going on in the US.  Before you would be eligible for this study you would need to have kept a viral load of less than 2000 for at least 12 months.  There is more details about the study at these links:

http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=411.0

http://www.mgh.harvard.edu/aids/hiv_elite_controllers.asp

If you've got any questions just send me a PM.

Chris