Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 05:50:37 am

Login with username, password and session length


Members
  • Total Members: 37612
  • Latest: testABC
Stats
  • Total Posts: 772944
  • Total Topics: 66310
  • Online Today: 375
  • Online Ever: 5484
  • (June 18, 2021, 11:15:29 pm)
Users Online
Users: 2
Guests: 342
Total: 344

Welcome


Welcome to the POZ Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and others concerned about HIV/AIDS.  Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

Privacy Warning:  Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If you are HIV positive and disclose this in our forums, then it is almost the same thing as telling the whole world (or at least the World Wide Web). If this concerns you, then do not use a username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.

  • The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own physician.

  • All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.

  • Forums members must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Posting guidelines, including time-out and banning policies, have been established by the moderators of these forums. Click here for “Do I Have HIV?” posting guidelines. Click here for posting guidelines pertaining to all other POZ community forums.

  • We ask all forums members to provide references for health/medical/scientific information they provide, when it is not a personal experience being discussed. Please provide hyperlinks with full URLs or full citations of published works not available via the Internet. Additionally, all forums members must post information which are true and correct to their knowledge.

  • Product advertisement—including links; banners; editorial content; and clinical trial, study or survey participation—is strictly prohibited by forums members unless permission has been secured from POZ.

To change forums navigation language settings, click here (members only), Register now

Para cambiar sus preferencias de los foros en español, haz clic aquí (sólo miembros), Regístrate ahora

Finished Reading This? You can collapse this or any other box on this page by clicking the symbol in each box.

Author Topic: How log before you started treatment?  (Read 6002 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Ohio.POZ

  • Member
  • Posts: 7
How log before you started treatment?
« on: October 27, 2006, 10:14:55 pm »
Hi All!

Even though I've been lurking for sometime this is my first post.  I changed Doctors, from a family Dr. to an Infectious Disease Specialist at OSU having my first appointment today.  Our first meeting was a positive one (pun intended<g>).  As I expected he is starting me on meds, Atripla.  My CD4 absolutes and % have been steadily falling even as my VL has also been falling.  I'm completely ready to start meds. and actually a little relieved.  My main concern is that as of November 7th I will have been infected for 2 years.  It seems that my body isn't fending off the virus very effectively.  I know that we are all different, but I've always be a healthy guy and just assumed that my body would be able to hold it's own for long than that.  I'm curious how this compares to other's experience.

BTW...I love the forums and the sense of community and support.

Jim
infected 11/07/04
diagnosed 02/19/05

date      cd4/cd4%/vl
3/2/05      493/26/14360
6/10/05      470/30/51140
10/24/05   414/27/18010
2/28/06      327/22/77000
4/27/06      368/20/72450
7/28/06      266/15/52155
9/22/06      226/15/30637
Started Atripla 11/9/06
12/13/06       366/18.3/716
1/24/07         528/?/<50
3/7/07           469/20.4/<50
9/10/07         392/22/<50
1/3/08           495/25/<50

Offline blondbeauty

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,787
Re: How log before you started treatment?
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2006, 06:53:59 am »
Welcome Jim!
I was infected in July 2002 but I did not found out till October 2005. In August 2006 I decided to start meds. My cd4 counts dropped in one year from 27,8%=689 to 25%=503 and the viral load increased from 15.232 to 100.000.
Side effects have been minimal and dissapeared in less than two weeks.
Good luck!
Juan
The only member in these forums approved by WINBA: World International Nail and Beauty Association.
Epstein Barr +; CMV +; Toxoplasmosis +; HIV-1 +.
Counts when starting treatment:
V.L.:80.200 copies. CD4: 25%=503
Started Sustiva-Truvada 14/August/2006
Last V.L.count (Oct 2013): Undetectable
Last CD4 count (OCT 2013): 52%= 933

Offline allopathicholistic

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,258
Re: How log before you started treatment?
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2006, 10:46:46 am »
Hi Jim. I had bloodwork done for the first time 5years after my poz diagnosis ... You used the word 'fending' ... In my non-medical opinion, I think there are varying levels of fending. .... Guess I was able to fend fine for 2 years, then not so fine over the span of 3 more years - just guessing - it's water under the bridge now. I do know this: I'll never know exactly how it all played out, nor will I ever know how many Tcells I had when I was neg.   :( 

Poz diagnosis: March 2000

August 2005: CD4: :( 42 (????%)
VL: 100,000
Weight: 134 from wasting (21 pounds below ideal)
Conditions/OI's: wasting, weakness, fatigue
(Started HAART: September 2005)

July 2006: CD4:321 (19%)
VL: 221
Weight: 152 (3 pounds below ideal)
Conditions/OI's: none

October 2006: CD4: :) 338 (19%)
VL: 110

Weight: 155 (ideal) Height: 5'8" +fractions
Conditions/OI's: none

(Another helpful post on periods before treatment, click here)
« Last Edit: November 30, 2006, 07:18:05 am by allopathicholistic »

Offline Boo Radley

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,252
  • Not a "real man" and damn proud, mithter... FAB
    • Animal Rescue New Orleans
Re: How log before you started treatment?
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2006, 12:10:08 pm »
Jim,

I'm pretty sure I was infected in December 1981 but at the latest it would have been early 1983 when I started practising safer sex.  My diagnosis wasn't until 1990 but I only started meds (late, according to my doctor) in October, 2004 when my CD4 count was about 159 and vl around 2700. 

There is really a wide distribution of infection dates and AIDS diagnoses (or HAART initiation) so don't be so concerned about the time it took your body to get to the HAART stage.  What matters is now and tomorrow.  You'll probably be lucky, as so many of us are, and respond well to meds and fend off immune breakdown for years to come, possibly until the end of your life. 

In a way you are lucky to be recently infected (of course no one is lucky to be infected but I hope you know what I mean) since treatment options are much better and easier than they used to be.  One reason I waited so long was my (possibly illogical) conclusion that treatment was not yet advanced enough to begin.    I was also very lucky to have a vl that never (to my knowledge) got higher than 17,000 and a CD4 that hovered in the 300 range for several years. 

If you've done your basic HAART homework you know the most important aspect (besides starting with a suitable combo)  -- adherence, adherence, adherence.  Take your medications every day at roughly the prescribed times.  If there is a chance you will not be home in time to take a med buy a pill box and take the necessary meds with you.   That was another reason I began meds when I did -- I knew I would adhere. 

Good luck, live for today and be positive (no pun intended) about tomorrow. Laugh as much as you can.

Boo
String up every aristocrat!
Out with the priests and let them live on their fat!





Everything I do, say, think, excrete, secrete, exude, ooze, or write © 2007 Sweet Old Boo, Inc.

Offline J.R.E.

  • Member
  • Posts: 8,207
  • Positive since 1985, joined forums 12/03
Re: How log before you started treatment?
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2006, 03:32:05 pm »
Hi There,

I was infected in July of 1985, and tested positive in October of 1985. Except for a severe bout of shingles in 1987, I was healthy and med free until October of 2003. I should have begun medication, probably around 2001, when fatigue started getting to me, but denial set in, and by the time I had started on meds, I had 16 t-cells and was quite ill.

Throughout all those years, I only had blood test done at the County health Department, on three separate occasions. In 1999,( my last blood test), my numbers were still very good, but things fell apart shortly after that. I guess I was a LTNP, befor I even knew what that was. I did not see an HIV doctor until around the beginning of October in 2003. Take note folks,.... Don't put off appointments, or avoid going to the doctor !!! Keep your health monitored, don't alllow yourself, to fall in the cracks. It's very easy to do.... especially if you are feeling well, with no problems. Don't take your good health for granted.


Take care------Ray

Current Meds ; Viramune / Epzicom Eliquis, Diltiazem. Pravastatin 80mg, Ezetimibe. UPDATED 2/18/24
 Tested positive in 1985,.. In October of 2003, My t-cell count was 16, Viral load was over 500,000, Percentage at that time was 5%. I started on  HAART on October 24th, 2003.

 As of Oct 2nd, 2023, Viral load Undetectable.
CD 4 @676 /  CD4 % @ 18 %
Lymphocytes,absolute-3815 (within range)


72 YEARS YOUNG

Offline Coffeechick88

  • Member
  • Posts: 431
Re: How log before you started treatment?
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2006, 05:04:26 pm »
I started meds March of 2004 and it has been dramatic the improvement I have seen.  I am like you, my viral load never was high but my CD4 counts took a big nosedive.  I kept delaying meds for a year (I've been infected for 6 years so it was about 3 years infected I started getting urged to be on meds).  It was eventually where I saw I just couldn't delay it anymore.  Plus, my doc got really pissed at me and at one appointment snapped "Well here is a prescription for an antibiotic to protect against Pneumocystis, you can just take that and let your immune system deteriorate even more."  It was then I started seeing the handwriting on the wall.  In just 4 years, I had dropped to a level where the CDC says I technically have AIDS.  I had lost a lot of weight, slept all day due to fatigue, never felt well enough to do anything, even going to school was a chore--luckily I had understanding college professors who I leveled with after they confronted me about my lack of attendence.  I was in denial though.  I guess to me going on meds made it real and that I could no longer ignore HIV, but had to actually face it.  I asked another doctor's opinion, I guess hoping that he would say that I was just fine and didn't need meds.  He basically told me that even though my body kept the virus under control but still replicating, it was destroying my T-cells and I was going to keep dropping and become even more at risk for opportunistic infection.  I finally relented.  I actually feel healthy, have more energy and my counts have more than tripled since being on meds along with undetectable VL.  Unfortunately with the healthiness came a renewed interest in food, so I am a little overweight at the moment, but I guess that still is better than where I was.
« Last Edit: October 28, 2006, 05:06:10 pm by Coffeechick88 »
Lucas James is here
Born 6-14-08 at 1233 am
8 lbs 14 oz, 22 in long

Offline Ohio.POZ

  • Member
  • Posts: 7
Re: How log before you started treatment?
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2006, 09:43:05 am »
Thanks all for the responses.  I know our bodies handle things differently, but it's good to hear what others have been through.  Starting meds is sort of like cold water in the face again...just like my diagnosis.  Not that I've been ignoring my infection, I've been seeing my Dr. regularly, got my hep B vacination, TB test, etc.  But when you aren't swallowing a pills everyday it's easy to pretend you're not infected.
infected 11/07/04
diagnosed 02/19/05

date      cd4/cd4%/vl
3/2/05      493/26/14360
6/10/05      470/30/51140
10/24/05   414/27/18010
2/28/06      327/22/77000
4/27/06      368/20/72450
7/28/06      266/15/52155
9/22/06      226/15/30637
Started Atripla 11/9/06
12/13/06       366/18.3/716
1/24/07         528/?/<50
3/7/07           469/20.4/<50
9/10/07         392/22/<50
1/3/08           495/25/<50

Offline cmhjeff

  • Member
  • Posts: 870
Re: How log before you started treatment?
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2006, 10:11:04 am »
Jim,
Welcome and GO BUCKS! It's been way to long to remember that but wish I had started sooner and wish I more adherent to taking my meds in the beginning.

Take care and good luck wit the meds.
Jeff

Offline Beatz4me

  • Member
  • Posts: 39
Re: How log before you started treatment?
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2006, 04:29:51 pm »
Wow Jim..That struck a chord..

"But when you aren't swallowing a pills everyday it's easy to pretend you're not infected".

I am not on meds yet but have been thinking about what that will be like when eventually I have to start.

I am not looking forward for that day to arrive and have been reading the various posts here to see how people addapt to meds / new meds...I must admit..Some symptoms that people feel scares me to death.

 :(

Michael

 


Terms of Membership for these forums
 

© 2024 Smart + Strong. All Rights Reserved.   terms of use and your privacy
Smart + Strong® is a registered trademark of CDM Publishing, LLC.