POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Someone I Care About Has HIV => Topic started by: Sebastian1969 on July 21, 2010, 11:27:07 am
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Patner is still undetectable, has been for over 6 months now, but CD counts remain the same.
Has anyone found anything that might help to raise the CD counts?
He has been poz since 95 or so and has just gone on Atripla in the last year. He feels good, catches a cold from time to time, but other than that healthy.
Any suggestion on anything to raise the CD counts would be great. Last blood draw they were still below 200.
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Other than keeping his VL at an undetectable level, there's nothing he can do which will raise his counts as such. They will go up in their own good time. It can take quite a while.
If he's below 200 then he should be taking some prophylactic medications such as Bactrim or Dapsone to prevent PCP and maybe some fluconazole (Difflucan) to ward off nasty fungal things.
Of course he may be taking those already, which is good.
MtD
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Older patients, Lower CD4 Nadir, and NNRTI use can all make attaining a high CD4 more difficult. You can discuss a change in regimen with your doctor (which is actually something I've discussed with my doctor) to get away from Atripla's NNRTI component. The other two factors of course are outside of your control.
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Thanks Guys
He is 40 and on Bactrim.
I am not a doctor or anything, but I wonder since it has been at a low level probably for years, that it would take longer to build back up. Also without knowing what his counts were before HIV there's not much to compare to.
I worry is all
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Hey Sabastian,
I've been poz for 26 years and my lowest CD4 count ever, was 4 and that was 1993. It took me 8 years to get above 200 and 13 years to get above 300. The fact that your guy is undetectable is great, and it will just take time for his counts to rise. Until then, enjoy each other and try not to worry so much, stress is never good, especially over things you cannot change.
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Thanks killfoile. We do enjoy life- a little too much at times. We will both try being a little more patiant and not expecting overnight success.
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Out of curiosity what is his Cd4 count? Mine is stubbornly sitting around 100 which makes me a little anxious, but there's really not much I can do about it other than what for it to rise naturally. This is a year after my treatment began roughly.
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It was 285 (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=32033.msg393138#msg393138) in March. Considering he started treatment at 106 cd4 he should be more realistic and consider himself fortunate that they're what they are. Those are respectable increases.
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It was 285 (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=32033.msg393138#msg393138) in March. Considering he started treatment at 106 cd4 he should be more realistic and consider himself fortunate that they're what they are. Those are respectable increases.
He's gained more since March than I currently have. He's doing amazing not just respectable.
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In March they were 185 not 285--that was my bad typing. Nov/Dec was 235 but then went down and staying steady at that range, they are now 186.
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In April 08 my wifes CD4 was 300 & now at 619 on atripla the whole time.
I often wonder what would happen if a bunch of HIV neg folks were to get their CD4 checked.
Is CD4 counts something that is ever checked in HIV neg folks during a blood test?
If it were not expensive i sure would just out of curiosity.
The reason I ask is I wondered if there is a big difference among neg folks also?