POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: Rockin on January 29, 2013, 09:01:54 pm
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First some possibly useful background: so I had a sore throat 2 weeks ago...pretty typical, nothing major...got some rest, took some pills, drank some tea...it was gone in 4 days
I've been feeling back pains for a while...I think I have a big knot on the left side of my upper back and I haven't gone to a chiropractor yet. Some days it barely hurts but it came back full time a few days ago. Stupidly enough, I went to the gym yesterday and insisted of doing very major back exercises.
So I woke up today with my back completely sore. And as the day went by I started feeling some chills and now I'm in my bed with a fever of 38.5 Celsius.
No other symptoms and I'm not feeling tired...just the fever.
I'm a bit panicked because before I had AIDS related pneumonia in 2011 I was having random fevers out of nowhere.
I did a blood test on Jan. 2. I'm still UND, CD4 went from 420
to 352 but CD4 percentage remained at 24%, no change from the previous test.
Should I be worried about this fever? Is it possible
this back problem caused it? Is my cold possibly coming back?
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It could be lots of things -- none of which should be diagnosed over the internet. If your fever persists, I would go to the doctor for assessment. Fevers can be nothing or something -- so, go see your doctor.
Mike
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Could the meds be failing? How could this be possible, I've been undetectable for over 6 months already! How could my CD4 have gone down so fast in a matter of a month?? I'm scared as hell and it's 3:00 am here, I can't do anything about it now!!
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Sorry to hear you're not feeling well, and worried. I know pain can cause fever. Just a thought. As you know, vl is the indicator of whether meds are working or not. It could be your injured yourself, went back to the gym and injured it more, and now your body is dealing with an injury. But, definitely see your doc, if things don't improve.
Hope ya feel better. You got good advice about seeing your doc, if it persists. Hopefully, it is no big deal and you'll be feeling better soon.
Take care.
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Relax. The meds are not failing.
You said yourself thst you were undetectable at your last test right. Not failing
Your cd4 percentage hasnt changed.
Your cd4 count while slightly lower doesn't represent a real change.
Even though your on meds you will still get sick sometimes, just like you did before becoming positive and just like everyone who is negative. Maybe you have the flu?
If it continues or your fever gets very high call the dr or go to the er. Otherwise get some rest and take care.
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Thank you for your replies...what a horrible night. I couldn't sleep and the high fever made me a bit paranoid.
I feel better now but not 100%. No fever but I feel that my body is a bit sensitive. I started to worry about Hepatitis. I got tested 3 months ago and everything came negative and I didn't do any unprotected sex since but I'm still worried about it for some reason. It's just that random fevers like this brings back so many bad memories of when I contracted pneumonia and discovered my status.
I traveled with my family during the holiday break and all of them got sick during the trip except me. And when my stepfather arrived back home he discovered he had pneumonia. So I'm just worried that I might have contracted something a month ago and it's only showing up now. Although my blood test in Jan 2nd accused nothing, everything was normal.
I will try to see a doctor today but I'm not feeling any other symptoms whatsoever. The only thing that bugs me is that when doctors are not familiar with HIV and a poz person shows up a bit sick they immediately prescribe antibiotics and I'm not sure if that's necessary, I always get concerned about the excesses of antibiotics use and developing some sort of resistance towards it.
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Hi Rockin
You´re in Brazil, right? Where did you travelled? This could be anything and also tropical desease (people without HIV got them) or just nothing, it is impossible for us to know. You should see a doctor soon, nobody will tell you what is happening in internet...
In regard to HIV, if you´ve been adherent to treatment, there are no reasons for it to fail and if your CD 4 are quite high, so far I knowthere are little (or no) probabilities for having PCP your your count.
You´ll be well, stay cool and don´t automedicate!!!
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In regard to HIV, if you´ve been adherent to treatment, there are no reasons for it to fail
There are several reasons why treatments fail other than non-adherance. Probably not the case here, but this belief leads to the thinking of "AIDS isn't a big deal and can be controlled by pills". People still suffer treatment failures and die.
Wolfie
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There are several reasons why treatments fail other than non-adherance. Probably not the case here, but this belief leads to the thinking of "AIDS isn't a big deal and can be controlled by pills". People still suffer treatment failures and die.
Wolfie
Thank you.
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Thank you.
;) You're welcome
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;) You're welcome
But doesn't that usually happens when a doctor prescribes the wrong combo or the patient for some reason doesn't take the pills the right way? Does anybody knows anyone who had treatment failure for no apparent reason?
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Hi Rockin
You´re in Brazil, right? Where did you travelled? This could be anything and also tropical desease (people without HIV got them) or just nothing, it is impossible for us to know. You should see a doctor soon, nobody will tell you what is happening in internet...
In regard to HIV, if you´ve been adherent to treatment, there are no reasons for it to fail and if your CD 4 are quite high, so far I knowthere are little (or no) probabilities for having PCP your your count.
You´ll be well, stay cool and don´t automedicate!!!
Actually no, I'm in the UK now. A lot people have been getting sick around here, many of my friends. So it might just be flu season...I just find it funny that the fever showed up now, after my throat is already fine.
And I have a bit of problem: I moved houses recently so I registered with a new GP but registration and appointment takes a while, a few days. There's a walk-in clinic but for me (because of nationalities reasons) they charge 80 pounds. If I don't feel better by tomorrow I might try an emergency appointment at my local STD clinic but it might not work.
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and the fucking pharmacist just recommended Ibuprofen, which is basically the British answer to just about anything.
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So it might just be flu season...
No "might be" about it. It IS flu season in the UK.
and the fucking pharmacist just recommended Ibuprofen, which is basically the British answer to just about anything.
Well, the phucking pharmacist was right to recommend Ibuprofen (or paracetamol) - it will reduce a fever and help with your aches and pains and even the sore throat. ::)
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No offense, but I do sense a case of "AIDS-Goggles" here. Not that you shouldn't see a doctor. Just, well, it IS a nasty flu season.
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No offense, but I do sense a case of "AIDS-Goggles" here. Not that you shouldn't see a doctor. Just, well, it IS a nasty flu season.
Yup, you are right. Lots of people are sick in the UK.
Thing is...my doctor told me, when I had full-blown AIDS, that from now on I'd have to be really careful whenever I had a fever. That's what she told me. Therefore, when I had a high fever like that, I panicked. I thought my CD4 might have dropped immensely.
And Ann, its just that Ibuprofen is recommended for just about anything here and I always have a feeling that it's not as effective, depending on the situation. That's just my opinion though. I honestly don't think it works very well for muscle pains for instance, as I tried them with not much success.
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I'm still curious about what Wolfter said about treatment-failure. Do we have any solid information about those cases?
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I'm still curious about what Wolfter said about treatment-failure. Do we have any solid information about those cases?
Go to the Lessens section and search for treatment failures. You'll find numerous articles on different reasons treatments fail. Yes, I have had treatment failures. One was my own fault and another was for no apparent reason.
Wolfie
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Checked the lessons, not much info there backing up your statement. Any links to studies or scientific papers?
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Checked the lessons, not much info there backing up your statement. Any links to studies or scientific papers?
NOPE. Everyone has the same ability to research if they need additional information. I already know what I know. Perhaps the poster who stated that there'd never be an issue with resistance as long as compliance was adhered could post some scientific studies?
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This from the lessions section .
•During treatment. Even if someone is infected with HIV that doesn't contain drug-resistance mutations ("wild-type" virus), genetic changes still occur over time, even before treatment is started. This ends up creating a large mixture of virus in the body. Some of these variants contain the necessary mutations that can partially, or fully, resist an antiretroviral drug—which explains why one-drug treatment (monotherapy) should never be used to treat HIV.
Soon after combination HIV drug treatment is started, the amount of wild-type virus is dramatically reduced. However, if the amount of virus isn't pushed down and kept at very low levels, HIV variants can continue replicating, acquiring additional mutations. And once the virus has accumulated enough mutations, a high level of resistance to the drugs being used can occur, causing viral load to increase and CD4 cells to drop.
A major concern with these mutations is that they can result in cross-resistance. This means that HIV resistance to one drug can automatically become resistant to other drugs in the same class. For example, if you're on a drug regimen that contains the NNRTI Sustiva and your virus becomes resistant to it, chances are that your virus is also resistant to the NNRTIs Viramune and Rescriptor, even though you haven't taken these drugs.
http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/Resistance_7509.shtml .
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Thanks Jeff.
Additionally, our bodies can even change in how we metabolize drugs. I know there are quite a few other reasons also. Inability to absorb the meds correctly, hormonal changes and combination with other drugs are a few examples.
And I'm sure there are more but I don't focus on it. Since I'm on my last therapy available, I just have to trust this one won't fail me.
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In regard to HIV, if you´ve been adherent to treatment, there are no reasons for it to fail
There are several reasons why treatments fail other than non-adherance. Probably not the case here, but this belief leads to the thinking of "AIDS isn't a big deal and can be controlled by pills". People still suffer treatment failures and die.
Wolfie
You´re right, sorry to give an information that is not really exact and thank you for correcting it, I will be more carrefully in the future when I´ll write something...
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After 3 days of a low grade fever and coughing, I am now fever free and my bronchitis is waning. This is the first time I have been 'sick' in 3 years (since diagnoses). Having HIV/AIDS does not mean you are not going to become ill for other reasons. While it is imperative to pay close attention to your health and see a doctor should you become ill assuming a worse case scenario at every fever, cough, whatever is going to make your path a rough one. ;)
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After 3 days of a low grade fever and coughing, I am now fever free and my bronchitis is waning. This is the first time I have been 'sick' in 3 years (since diagnoses). Having HIV/AIDS does not mean you are not going to become ill for other reasons. While it is imperative to pay close attention to your health and see a doctor should you become ill assuming a worse case scenario at every fever, cough, whatever is going to make your path a rough one. ;)
I am hoping my sore throat is just that. My tonsils look like they're touching. Some fever, too. Woke up very cold this morning. I was around partner's family last weekend. It is one of his sisters and her kids to be exact. They are sick all year round. I think they should studied. I knew it was coming. I first had itchiness in the ears, with water not wanting to drain out. Then, my throat began feeling scratchy. So, I am hoping it is just a sore throat, and isn't the start to the flu or respiratory illness.
On a side note, my mom text me, asking what Bactrim DS is. I was wondering if she had found the leftover pills I have from 4 years ago. I asked her why she wants to know. She's had a bad case of bronchitis, and her doc prescribed it to her. I forgot the med isn't just prescribed for HIV/AIDS patients. I sent her a link of info, and suggested she really consider quitting smoking.
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Sorry, but some of these posts seem naive. Treatment failures do exist. I'm only a little over a year into this, and I'm also all for positive thinking, but we're talking about having AIDS here. HAART isn't a cure. It interferes with viral replication in cells, but the disease can still cause a host of other problems in the human body. The doctor told you to be very careful. I would interpret that as making sure you visit a doctor ASAP when you have a high fever, and possibly the flu. Being very careful doesn't just mean worry more about it with inaction. Take an active role for your own benefit. Public service announcements here in the USA re: the flu are directed to children, the elderly, and people with health conditions. We may not think so all the time, but we have a chronic health condition. Better to be safe than sorry. Just my strong opinion tho.
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We're all here to exchange information. Hope you're all doing well. Now listen, it's flu season. It takes a while but you'll soon learn that every sniffle isn't AIDS.
Greg
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Sorry, but some of these posts seem naive. Treatment failures do exist. I'm only a little over a year into this, and I'm also all for positive thinking, but we're talking about having AIDS here. HAART isn't a cure. It interferes with viral replication in cells, but the disease can still cause a host of other problems in the human body. The doctor told you to be very careful. I would interpret that as making sure you visit a doctor ASAP when you have a high fever, and possibly the flu. Being very careful doesn't just mean worry more about it with inaction. Take an active role for your own benefit. Public service announcements here in the USA re: the flu are directed to children, the elderly, and people with health conditions. We may not think so all the time, but we have a chronic health condition. Better to be safe than sorry. Just my strong opinion tho.
My doctor is absolutely right and no, I never forget for one second that I have a chronic health condition...I'm reminded of that every day when I take my HAART combo lol.
However, I do want to know more about treatment failure. I know it occurs when adherence problems happen or resistance happens. But...what if you reached undetectable level and remain like that for 1 year...which means that the combo is being very effective in dealing with the virus and preventing replication. Can treatment failure still happen?
If it's a matter of "Yes, it happens in 1 or 2% of the cases" then I won't even think about it. It's just like saying "Yes, there's a 1 or 2% chance that you might get hit by a lightning bolt if you are walking in the rain". I understand the need for those numbers but they are so low that it's pointless to keep thinking about it, if the chance is 1% and it happens to you then it just might be bad luck.
Wolfter what did the doctor say to you the 2nd time it happened? Were there researchers looking into the case? Because I'd say, when treatment failure happens for no apparent reason, it is a huge deal, isn't it?
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Rockin' (and NY2011),
You should educate yourself and you should be proactive advocates for your health. I doubt anyone here would disagree with that.
However -- you have to learn how to do that without freaking out over every little thing that happens. Most of us have been there and come through -- really it is about time. A cough, sneeze, fever, sore throat, etc, etc -- these are all going to happen to you --JUST LIKE THEY DID WHEN YOUR STATUS WAS NEGATIVE. If you want to live and enjoy your life, you must learn to focus on life and not your HIV. That doesn't mean ignore that you have this infection -- it means figuring out how to live along with it. Don't let it win by taking up so much of your mind. Perspective will, hopefully, come in time -- for now, when you feel yourself freaking out, just stop and take a breath. Ask yourself, did this ever happen to me before -- you'll probably answer, yes.
Hugs,
Mike
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After 2 /3 days of fever, sickness etc im feeling better too!!!!!!
Good that people can share their experiences here
Britchickx
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Rockin' (and NY2011),
You should educate yourself and you should be proactive advocates for your health. I doubt anyone here would disagree with that.
However -- you have to learn how to do that without freaking out over every little thing that happens. Most of us have been there and come through -- really it is about time. A cough, sneeze, fever, sore throat, etc, etc -- these are all going to happen to you --JUST LIKE THEY DID WHEN YOUR STATUS WAS NEGATIVE. If you want to live and enjoy your life, you must learn to focus on life and not your HIV. That doesn't mean ignore that you have this infection -- it means figuring out how to live along with it. Don't let it win by taking up so much of your mind. Perspective will, hopefully, come in time -- for now, when you feel yourself freaking out, just stop and take a breath. Ask yourself, did this ever happen to me before -- you'll probably answer, yes.
Hugs,
Mike
Thanks for the words Mike. To be honest I don't freak out usually....but having a high fever without any other symptoms rang the alarm bells big time for me. I'm pretty convinced at this point that it was part of a proper flu situation but it really caught me off guard.
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Wolfter what did the doctor say to you the 2nd time it happened? Were there researchers looking into the case? Because I'd say, when treatment failure happens for no apparent reason, it is a huge deal, isn't it?
My treatment failure was when I was on Kaletra/Combivir. I had an idiot doctor at the time and have no idea why it failed. That was the first time I had a resistance test done to determine what the next combo would be. He basically said it just happens sometimes. He had me continue on that regimen even though I was rapidly progressing to AIDS again. I wasn't my best advocate for too long.
The last failure was totally of my own doing. Don't want to go off on a tangent why, but I will say that that I'll NEVER do that to myself again. That was just a short while ago and it was my darkest days of my fighting this virus.
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My treatment failure was when I was on Kaletra/Combivir. I had an idiot doctor at the time and have no idea why it failed. That was the first time I had a resistance test done to determine what the next combo would be. He basically said it just happens sometimes. He had me continue on that regimen even though I was rapidly progressing to AIDS again. I wasn't my best advocate for too long.
The last failure was totally of my own doing. Don't want to go off on a tangent why, but I will say that that I'll NEVER do that to myself again. That was just a short while ago and it was my darkest days of my fighting this virus.
I'm sorry to hear that, it must have been pretty hard and pretty fuckin scary as well.
Far as I know I'm only resistant to Effavirenz, therefore no Atripla for me. I think I was lucky to have a good doctor from the get go, he was very thorough about everything and never treated me in a condescending way (as a lot of doctors tend to do).
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It was pretty much the nature of the beast in the early days. When I tested positive, there weren't many options for healthcare. My regular doctor tried to learn about the virus but soon had to refer me to a "specialist" quite a distance away.
I have since surmised that many of the Infectious Disease doctors who were trust into treating us, didn't have much compassion or understanding. I felt like he was a minster as much as a ID doctor.
It wasn't too critical at first as there wasn't much knowledge about this disease and no treatment options. It was usually a yes, "you're getting sicker" type thing with no guidance.
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It comes down to common sense. What would you normally do for a fever, cough etc? No one is suggesting not going to a doctor, the preponderance of posts are about the application of common sense. I don't get the impression that anyone here is taking their status lightly or ignoring their 'chronic' condition, on the other hand, not every sniffle, fever and cough is something to do with AIDS.
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It comes down to common sense. What would you normally do for a fever, cough etc? No one is suggesting not going to a doctor, the preponderance of posts are about the application of common sense. I don't get the impression that anyone here is taking their status lightly or ignoring their 'chronic' condition, on the other hand, not every sniffle, fever and cough is something to do with AIDS.
Thanks for writing that.
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funny that my use of "chronic condition" is sorta mocked in an earlier post. What do you call hiv? A minor inconvenience? I'm doing fine. I go on ski trips two times per month. I hike and bike and go to the gym 4x per week. I travel internationally to some great places once in a while. I volunteer with JA (junior achievement), I participate on a team sport and have an active social life ... so I'm not sitting around monitoring my health every waking minute, nor was that the implication. I know that chances are very good that you will survive your fever without consequence, and that it's probably not anything serious. Just sayin' that it's prudent to just take things more seriously. My lab results are great, and I mix a health regimen with an active and healthy life. I also address health issues when/if they come up, more often than I used to, as common sense would have it, and leave it to the professionals to tell me it's nothing. That's just my approach.
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funny that my use of "chronic condition" is sorta mocked in an earlier post. What do you call hiv? A minor inconvenience? I'm doing fine. I go on ski trips two times per month. I hike and bike and go to the gym 4x per week. I travel internationally to some great places once in a while. I volunteer with JA (junior achievement), I participate on a team sport and have an active social life ... so I'm not sitting around monitoring my health every waking minute, nor was that the implication. I know that chances are very good that you will survive your fever without consequence, and that it's probably not anything serious. Just sayin' that it's prudent to just take things more seriously. My lab results are great, and I mix a health regimen with an active and healthy life. I also address health issues when/if they come up, more often than I used to, as common sense would have it, and leave it to the professionals to tell me it's nothing. That's just my approach.
In this forum, we run the gamut do we not? For some of us - I daresay for many newly infected, it's a matter of funding treatment. For many people in their early twenties, it means thinking about thing like insurance and job security and other things that are normally (and logically) postponed for a decade or more.
For others, it's a little more than that. For some of us, we have done enough battle with HIV that our bodies are simply damaged, and we have to work around that. For some of us, the diarrhea won't likely ever go away, the PN and other painful body changes are permanent. The ship of "minor inconvenience" has sailed.
And of course, for some of us, AIDS is what we look at in the mirror every day. AIDS is what we are reminded of - not when we face a pill bottle, but when we face an agonizing trip to the doctor with a cane or a wheelchair. When we see the glances from people who think that they look away before we notice. When our ability to make new friends, forge new connections, seems exhausting when so much of our personal topsoil is a dedicated graveyard.
We really are all here, and have things to teach and learn. From the people for whom HIV is, and will be No Big Deal, to the people who are quite literally on borrowed time, whose bodies if not spirits are broken. I imagine it's difficult to be on one end of the spectrum and not take offence when the other end speaks up - but I think it's important that all sides be heard, be given the dignity of their presence.
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I just got over flu. Almost a week in bed. It included fever and muscle aches, and SINUS CONGESTION..... And I had the flu shot... And on the third day feeling sick I went to the doc and he said I had the flu. Listened to my lungs, inspected my sinus, etc. No special medicine required. ibuprofen. sinus spray.
Miserable enough to lay in bed with the flu, you don't want to be worrying about your impending death from AIDS.
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Oh yeah, Rockin, also it started with a sore throat that went away. Then it was a day later the flu hit. And it came on rather slow, actually. And wasn't the worst flu ever. Long and medium I'd say....
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In this forum, we run the gamut do we not? For some of us - I daresay for many newly infected, it's a matter of funding treatment. For many people in their early twenties, it means thinking about thing like insurance and job security and other things that are normally (and logically) postponed for a decade or more.
For others, it's a little more than that. For some of us, we have done enough battle with HIV that our bodies are simply damaged, and we have to work around that. For some of us, the diarrhea won't likely ever go away, the PN and other painful body changes are permanent. The ship of "minor inconvenience" has sailed.
And of course, for some of us, AIDS is what we look at in the mirror every day. AIDS is what we are reminded of - not when we face a pill bottle, but when we face an agonizing trip to the doctor with a cane or a wheelchair. When we see the glances from people who think that they look away before we notice. When our ability to make new friends, forge new connections, seems exhausting when so much of our personal topsoil is a dedicated graveyard.
We really are all here, and have things to teach and learn. From the people for whom HIV is, and will be No Big Deal, to the people who are quite literally on borrowed time, whose bodies if not spirits are broken. I imagine it's difficult to be on one end of the spectrum and not take offence when the other end speaks up - but I think it's important that all sides be heard, be given the dignity of their presence.
I ♥ this post! Spot on! :)
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In this forum, we run the gamut do we not? For some of us - I daresay for many newly infected, it's a matter of funding treatment. For many people in their early twenties, it means thinking about thing like insurance and job security and other things that are normally (and logically) postponed for a decade or more.
For others, it's a little more than that. For some of us, we have done enough battle with HIV that our bodies are simply damaged, and we have to work around that. For some of us, the diarrhea won't likely ever go away, the PN and other painful body changes are permanent. The ship of "minor inconvenience" has sailed.
And of course, for some of us, AIDS is what we look at in the mirror every day. AIDS is what we are reminded of - not when we face a pill bottle, but when we face an agonizing trip to the doctor with a cane or a wheelchair. When we see the glances from people who think that they look away before we notice. When our ability to make new friends, forge new connections, seems exhausting when so much of our personal topsoil is a dedicated graveyard.
We really are all here, and have things to teach and learn. From the people for whom HIV is, and will be No Big Deal, to the people who are quite literally on borrowed time, whose bodies if not spirits are broken. I imagine it's difficult to be on one end of the spectrum and not take offence when the other end speaks up - but I think it's important that all sides be heard, be given the dignity of their presence.
Nice writing - Well said
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I also wanted to add that it is perfectly normal to think about the worst. that's human nature. To be honest, I also feel the same way sometimes. Now I have this sore on my mouth, I am thinking is it HIV related? HIV is causing this? I am sure I would have not thought about these stuff pre HIV. I also have had the flu few weeks earlier and I would be wrong if I did not admit that HIV didn't cross my mind. Again, obviously as others reader suggested that the best would be to go the doctor I suppose:)