The timecourse graph

[milker]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here.. and got my first results today ! cd4 432 vl 54500. My doctor draw me a graph explaining where he thinks I am in the "process", and I found the same graph online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Hiv-timecourse.png. I believe I got infected in early dec '06, seroconversion mid jan '07, blood test done feb 22 so he says that my results are actually "good" and would place me on the descending slope for the vl and the rebound slope for the cd4. However I know cd4 will then go back down and i'm prepared for that.

I like that graph and it was very helpful to me to understand why people are not put on meds immediately, why some show vls in the millions when they get tested right after they get the "flu" symptoms, why we would need meds at one point, it be right away, a year later or 6 years later. I wanted to share that graph with you in case you hadn't see it. Of course it's over simplified, and everyone is different, so exercise judgment !

As for me, i'm doing great, a bit confused with how to handle dating at this point, but there is no urgency on that one

Milker

[tigger2376]

Theres some really useful stuff on here in the 'I just tested poz' part of the forum, in the 'welcome' thread, sorry, I'm a klutz with links but its easy to find.
Talking of finding, how did you find this site? I'm damned glad you did..there's a lot of information, support and generosity of time and thought here.
Dating...well thats another story. Maybe at the moment,whilst I know human comfort is SO important, just sit back and deal with the huge amount of information and stress you are being bombarded with.
You seem like you dealing with this in a very practical and phlegmatic way
We are here for you
x

[milker]

Yea i'm sure the graph was here already, but when you come here there is so muuuuuuuuuuuuch info you don't really know where to start and how to interpret all those results you see from different people in those posts, and I didn't think there would be a graph so i didn't search for it 

Yeah the entries in wikipedia for "hiv" and other related entries are pretty good and very interesting to read, as long as there is no editorial conflict (that would be shown on the page you're reading) then you can pretty much take the article as being correct.

My mood is good, i'm relaxed and in a "wait and see" position. No panic, I expected a sudden scare or sudden drop in my mood but so far so good, I think communities like this help tremendously and my ID doctor is so nice and explaining things so clearly that helps a lot too

[Worried2006]

Hello Milker.

I would like to ask a question if that is o.k, i have been worried about HIV for a few months and would appreciate your feedback.

Can you remember going through sero conversion and if so what kind of symptoms did you experience during this time.

Thanx.

[milker]

Worried, I could tell you the symptoms I had, but I got an STD at the same time of the seroconversion so I don't know which ones were due to seroconversion and which ones were due to the STD (and no I won't go in the details of what was the STD with you as this is not the place).

In any case, you have read many many times that symptoms are NOT a way to discover if someone is HIV or not. I read the posts in "am I infected" and saw your posts. You should go get tested for STDs and like Andy said there is nothing in your post that is remotely linked to an HIV infection.

A lot of STDs are easier to get compared to HIV. HIV transmission is difficult, I'm sure you have read the lessons about transmission. If you have a rash, a chancre, itchy skin, etc, then you must see a doctor that will do the appropriate tests. Nobody can give a diagnosis via the internet, but we can tell if you were at risk for HIV or not, and if everything happened like you explained in your posts then trust Andy and Ann in their judgment.

I know you are worried, I was worried, everyone was worried, but banging your head against the wall waiting for someone to say that you're infected won't help. What would you do then? Bang your head more and then discover that you're negative when you're transported at the hospital for too much head banging?

So go get tested for STDs, but don't hurt your head and don't hurt your mind

And also, do not hijack posts it's bad

Hugz,

Milker.

[Worried2006]

Thanx for you advice Milker,sorry to hijak post.

[suzieque]

Hi,
 Just to pop in here, although you seem very upbeat about the timegraph that you suggested, remember that everyone is unique, and also with treatments ( or, if you are lucky enough to be asymtomatic, without!!) you can have a great and lovely long life!! I was diagnosed 14 years ago, with a very poor prognosis, and here I still am, happy, active, loved and full of life!! I am on meds (have been on and off over the last 6 years) and they are not without their own problems, but are improving all the time ( almost none of the meds now were in use when I was diagnosed!). SO here is to growing old and loving it!!
               Best wishes,
                       Suzie

[herewego]

Couple of dumb questions (I never was good at science or graphs)

On the wikipedia chart, cd someone explain to me the measuring system for the viral load...10 to the power 2 means?

also, what's a treatment-naive HIV infection?

tks all

[milker]

10 power 2 = 100. You just add two zeros. 10 power 6 = 1000000, six zeros.

Treatment naive means that you never used drugs to treat the disease. The day you start drugs you are "treatment experienced"

Milker.

[megasept]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here.. and got my first results today ! CD4 432 VL 54500. My doctor draw me a graph explaining where he thinks I am in the "process", and I found the same graph online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Hiv-timecourse.png. I believe I got infected in early dec '06, seroconversion mid jan '07, blood test done feb 22 so he says that my results are actually "good" and would place me on the descending slope for the VL and the rebound slope for the CD4. However I know CD4 will then go back down and i'm prepared for that.

I like that graph and it was very helpful to me to understand why people are not put on meds immediately, why some show vls in the millions when they get tested right after they get the "flu" symptoms, why we would need meds at one point, it be right away, a year later or 6 years later. I wanted to share that graph with you in case you hadn't see it. Of course it's over simplified, and everyone is different, so exercise judgment !

As for me, i'm doing great, a bit confused with how to handle dating at this point, but there is no urgency on that one

Milker

Milker:

Yeah, the graph does explain a lot, and how the decision to go on or resume meds is dynamic, not simplistic. I've had a total of 11 years off meds and 5 years on, so this kind of thing is very important to me. Also, I want to encourage newly-poz not to rush into treatment automatically.

Now, as for dating...GET OVER YOUR CONFUSION; there is A BIG RUSH! There are so many losers out there, your participation in the dating pool is sorely needed NOW! Hurry! DON'T DELAY. lol.    -megasept

[milker]

lol megasept, it's only been 3 weeks since my first post, i was such a newbie that day

I learned a lot since march 8, got myself self-study classes about molecular biology, chemistry, infection diseases etc lol and i had sex first time this week since the infection so i'm getting there fast! 

Milker.