help:( blip too soon...?

[hivtalian]

hi all
I'm pretty depressed today,
just got my last results and after 6 months of therapy I was hoping to be UD, and not only I'm not, but my numbers got worst.

Can anyone tell me if I have to worry or it is normal even at the beginning to have such blips?

My MD told me not to be feared and to repeat a blood sample in 1 month, but I got very depressed. I always took my pills in time, never missed one, I do sport, no drugs or alcohol, I feel good and this made me back in time when I was desperate

dec 15 2013: diagnosed  in the acute phase (ARS)
dec 27 2013: CD4 596 (25%) VL 510000
jan 7 2014: started truvada + prezista + norvir + isentress
jan 8 2014: CD4 716  VL 308000
jan 15 2014: CD4 920 VL 5370
feb 5 2014: CD4 881 VL 150
mar 5 2014: CD4 1034 (39%) VL 71
apr 2 2014: CD4 903 (43%) VL 59
apr 27 2014: reduced to truvada + isentress
july 2 2014: CD4 820 (44,5%) VL 90

[Miss Philicia]

I'm sure we've told you this previously -- for clinical purposes you are technically undetectable since March or February. The tests are just more sensitive today -- 400 used to be the cut off just five years ago or so. I'm sure eventually you will see a "<20" viral load number which is as low as it goes for typically used tests.

Didn't your doctor tell you this was not a need to worry?

[mecch]

In all your posts it seems clear your doc knows his/her stuff.
It can take quite a while for the VL load to finally drop to UD; its not uncommon for it to linger very low... Remember those are pretty fine tests.  Your numbers look about the same as last time. The differences are minute. CD4 can change at times of day, days of the week, etc.
I doubt that there is any meaningful difference between VLs of 59 and 90.

Did anyone use this term "blip" besides you.  It's not a "blip".

[hivtalian]

thank you guys, maybe I knew it was like that, but I needed to hear your words.

@philicia: yes, my doctor told me, but you know, you always have the fear that a doctor tries to calm you unless the situation is particularly bad,  and the same thing heared also by you guys makes me feel better..

@mecch: yes it's me that used "blip", but maybe it's not the right word for this.
PS: thank you. my first impression about you was wrong. but we all had bad times and we can get over-reactive sometimes.

will keep you posted...

[Miss Philicia]

You should also know that viral loads are calculated in "logs" not absolute numbers like a cd4 count. For example, cd4 counts go 1,2,3,4 etc. whereas viral loads are more like 50, 100, 200, 400 etc.

[hivtalian]

thx again philicia...
My MD just called me because she found me quite anxious this morning and after a half an hour conversation I really feel better.

She told me not to be concerned and that she believes we are doing the right things, it's just a matter of time... I'll repeat my exams in 1 month (she told me that doing them now just for a psychological reason would be useless -and I agree...) and she is also waiting for the result of the viral DNA -that I already made- to be sure that everything is ok.

I kind of love her

and thank you so much to you too.

[mikeyb39]

it took me several months to get UD.  I was scared too at first, but it finally got there and has been that way for the most part. lot of factors go into you VL and CD4 counts such as time of day, whether you have or just had a cold etc etc.

you will get there eventually...no need to worry. 

[roca]

Soon you will become undetectable. All the best,
Roca