confused - to start medication or not

[corkguy]

Hey All!

I was diagnosed in mid December, I'm fairly certain that I contracted the virus late November. I went to the doctor as I was very ill for 1 week before he suggested a blood test. I am normally very healthy.

My viral load is 40,900 and my cd4 count is 1006. I am a bit confused by those numbers as my viral load seems high compared to my cd4 count.

I as told today by a specialist that he would start me on medication if i was in a relationship or was going to have unprotected sex (haven't had sex since my diagnosis....kinda gone off it ....funnily enuff!) otherwise he was happy to leave me non-medicated.


I am a bit confused as to what to do, he said that it would be atripla, 1 a day regime. Is the objective to stay off medication for as long as possible or is it to start medication, any help?

Also, just read an article bout facial wasting (that made me sit up!). Is facial wasting from having the virus untreated for a long time or is it from the medication?

Cheers

[zach]

welcome to the forums, glad you're here, sorry you have to be... diagnosis sucks, it's a tough time to go through. sometimes it feels like there is so much you have to learn it is overwhelming. don't try to understand everything all at once, it really isn't necessary

it doesn't matter when you were infected, it only matters what you do now, and how you move forward. but it does sound like you may have only recently been infected, it is a good thing you are in care so soon. winning!

you are confusing yourself needlessly about your labs, your numbers are what they are, simply accept them. don't try to read anything into them. it doesn't mean anything other than you are starting this with a high CD4 count (good thing) and a viral load that is manageable (any viral load is manageable)

depending on the protocols of wherever you are located (i'm guessing ireland? cork and cheers were the clues) different countries advise starting treatments at different points. objective? is mostly subjective, if you get what i'm saying.

me personally, i don't see the reason to wait. if you have a choice, if you have access, if you afford it... why not start? those 40k viral cells are replicating, they don't rest. why not hit them now, and suppress them. there are studies that the sooner you start the better your long term health will be. there is also an opposing school of thought.

atripla is certainly an effective medication, but it is not the only option. don't be bullied into a certain med. inform yourself a little bit, use the lessons you can find on this site. good information there.

you really don't need to be concerning yourself with wasting syndrome. you're probably early in your infection and treatment. don't self diagnose, and don't let the internet scare you.

things are going to be ok, just take things slow and easy.

[mecch]

You might as well start.  Can you afford the treatment? Are you ready to stick to it and work out any kinks if Atripla isn't revealed to be the best choice? Start.

In another thread some people are getting mixed "instructions" about undetectable viral load and non-transmission in unprotected sex.  Your doctor seems to have the rational of treatment as prevention. Thats cool.  Just remember you need a consistent undetectable viral load, over a few tests, before you can be confident that you won't transmit HIV via unprotected sex.  Just keep that in mind.

Being on treatment and knowing your viral load is low and your HIV infection is being controlled, this might just return your mojo for sex.  It did in my case. Another little benefit of not waiting.

Don't worry about wasting - its the least of your concerns.

PS when you get your mojo back and are screwing again, also remember that unprotected sex opens you to other STDS...   I don't know about Ireland, but here in Switzerland i was very depressed to hear that the insurance isn't going to automatically reimburse the Hep C cure.  Because its so damned expensive.