New diagnosis, drs don't seem concerned

[lovefishing]

Background, I learned of my status after a screening (Feb 2023, no symptoms).  Went to my dr, they did a confirmation test and checked levels (VL 250,000, CD4 627), sent to specialist who did a full spectrum check (Hep A/B/C, full std panel, cholesterol, etc, etc), everything there normal.  Then, nothing.   Followup got pushed to Apr, then May, and I'm left scared to touch anyone but it seems nobody in my med community is overly concerned.   See if my primary care will cancel the specialist and start something like Biktarvy now, or will another month not matter that much?

[Jim Allen]

Hiya,

Sorry to hear about the diagnosis, but glad it got picked up on during routine screening and before any HIV could cause any significant damage.

Except for the stressing about starting treatment, how are you otherwise feeling/coping?

Look, starting treatment sooner is best practice for various reasons, and if you had been within the first few days or weeks of acquiring HIV, I could understand a reason to rush to reduce the size of the viral reservoir; equally, if you had worse lab results, I could appreciate an urgency to prevent further damage to your system. However, this doesn't seem to be the case, and I doubt a month will make any difference during this stage, and I would not lose any sleep over it.

That's just my thoughts and how I would approach this if it were my healthcare, but it's not mine, and ultimately its up-to-you, it is your healthcare, so do take control.

start something like Biktarvy now

sent to specialist who did a full spectrum check (Hep A/B/C, full std panel, cholesterol, etc, etc), everything there normal.

Any particular reason you mention Biktarvy? Also, did one of the Doctors mention this, and did the specialist run a resistance panel yet?
 
Anyhow, I wish you well.

P.S. Slightly off-topic, but your post reminds me of a recent conversation about how different things are now compared to 10-15 years ago, let alone 20 + or even 30 years ago. When I acquired HIV, treatment was not an option unless I had a touch of AIDS first, and most of us did not want to start treatment unless we had to. Then, 15 +- years ago, treatment really had improved dramatically and starting treatment sooner was better but often still delayed. Nowadays, the meds are far superior, more is understood, and it's finally becoming accepted that preventing damage and starting treatment ideally on the same day of diagnosis or at least as soon as possible is best.

[lovefishing]

No particular reason for biktarvy in particular; I’ve talked to one other person I know who is positive, that’s what they’re on.    I think it was just more of a concern that the sooner my VL is undetectable the sooner I’m less of an environmental risk to anyone around me.   

[Jim Allen]

I think it was just more of a concern that the sooner my VL is undetectable the sooner I’m less of an environmental risk to anyone around me.   

I'm left scared to touch anyone

You can touch people, if they want to be touched. Nobody is at risk of acquiring HIV from us during day-to-day contact regardless of our viral load.

[Tonny2]

            ojo.            Hello there!!!



As Jim mentioned, waiting a month won’t make a difference so, please relax…envío risk? No comprender, having hiv does not make you radioactive. Your cd4 is good so you are ok. As soon as you start your med and you are adherent to it, you will be ud then, you will be feeling more relax and continue with your normal life…did the doctor do a resistance test?, if he did, maybe that’s the reason he made you wait before start treatment.



You have done yourself a favor, getting tested for hiv, now you know you acquieref it, now you treat it. It’s a tough dx to get but, fortunally, it takes just one pill a day to control the virus so you.can go back and take control ntrol of your life again…if you go to party, don’t forget the balloon… please keep us posted…good luck

[Tonny2]

            ojo.            Hello there!!!



As Jim mentioned, waiting a month won’t make a difference so, please relax…envío risk? No comprender, having hiv does not make you radioactive. Your cd4 is good so you are ok. As soon as you start your med and you are adherent to it, you will be ud then, you will be feeling more relax and continue with your normal life…did the doctor do a resistance test?, if he did, maybe that’s the reason he made you wait before start treatment.



You have done yourself a favor, getting tested for hiv, now you know you acquieref it, now you treat it. It’s a tough dx to get but, fortunally, it takes just one pill a day to control the virus so you.can go back and take control ntrol of your life again…if you go partying, don’t forget the balloon… please keep us posted…good luck

[Tonny2]

                 Ojo.                 Oops! I don’t know what happened. Double reply. Sorry.

[lovefishing]

Well, just as an update, went to another dr, they scheduled specialist after a couple weeks, started treatment that day.  30 day blood test results came back, dropped from 250,000 to 110.  I mean, from a scientific standpoint I know I wasn't radioactive, but I still felt like it.  Looks like things are as going as well as I can expect.  Thanks for the support here, I needed it.

[leatherman]

great to hear that your numbers have already improved so much!

I mean, from a scientific standpoint I know I wasn't radioactive, but I still felt like it

I think we have all felt that way at some point. Especially after diagnosis getting that first really high viral load count. However there's really only two people you might have been radioactive for: any receptive (anal/vaginal) sexual partners with whom you used no protection and anyone who shared a hypodermic needle after you. Towards everyone else, whether your VL was undetectable or 8 million, you were of no danger. .

A nice note to remember: as soon as you reach an undetectable viral load and stay that way for at least 6 months, you won't be a problem to your receptive (anal/vaginal) sexual partners even without a condom (undetectable = untransmittable)