Viral Load - TaSP question

[Joebilly73]

So once a person is considered U=U and continue your daily medication regiment, do you have to worry that your VL could spike up between labs? And pointing your partner at risk?

[Jim Allen]

do you have to worry that your VL could spike up between labs?

Long-term, the short answer is only if you are not taking your meds correctly.

After starting treatment, the key is having a suppressed viral load for at least six months. So it might be 9 months or 12 months for some people after starting treatment before they have reached 6 months of a suppressed VL. Anyhow, once supressed for 6 months, the viral load in other fluids will also have dropped and, some other issues will also be ruled out that can happen

Now, moving forward minor blips and trace HIV RNA even with successful treatment will happen and remain present in tissue and fluids from things like viral shedding, including defective copies from the reservoirs incorrectly counted etc. This is just not a transmission issue.

There are nearly 25+ years of evidence on TaSP (Treatment as Prevention), both through observational data and controlled studies, that consistently has confirmed its effectiveness leading to the Swiss statement 15 years ago and, in recent years, the refined consensus statement (U=U)

So take your meds and once you have had a suppressed viral load (below 200) for six+ months and you continue to take your meds passing HIV on sexually isn't going to be a concern and you are not going to be worlds first.

[Jim Allen]

Just wondering, did the doctor not cover this when starting treatment? So expectations along the way, blips and how TaSP works? 

Hope the answer I gave helped clarify any concerns, but let us know.

[Joebilly73]

Unfortunately No, is it something that they should have? I met the infectious disease doctor initially in the hospital and my initial appointment was two weeks after release at which time I started Biktarvy. When I did go to that initial appointment after waiting forever, basically asked how I was feeling explorers we would start Biktarvy and continue a daily regiment of Bactrim and azithromycin once a week. Scheduled a follow up for a month later which is next Friday. First set of labs will be this Friday, scared and hopefully for my numbers.

[Jim Allen]

Unfortunately No, is it something that they should have?

Well, it would have been useful to briefly cover treatment goals and expectations. Would have only taken 2-3 mins max.   

Scheduled a follow up for a month later which is next Friday. First set of labs will be this Friday, scared and hopefully for my numbers.

It's nothing to be scared about, you will be fine and you will get used to appointments.  You started treatment within the last month, but the viral load should already be lower and CD4 will be the same or a slight increase. 

Keep us posted on how things go on Friday in your thread or you could also post updated labs in the vampire thread if you like.

Tested Positive on Jan 16 2024: https://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=77677.0
Vampires: https://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=66320.msg