Question

What are the most asked questions?

10 October 2016. Related: All topics.

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

About half of all the questions to i-Base are covered by the questions below.

Please check this page before asking a question. If your question is covered by the topics below, we forward you to these answers first.

Top questions

1. Why doesn’t i-Base answer questions on HIV testing and transmission?
   Important to answer this first. We do care but we also have limited resources. Instead we have published lots of online resources that already answer questions on testing and risk. This answer explains this and includes links.
2. Can I increase my CD4 count without ARVs?
   Short answer – only ARVs can increase your CD4 count and keep them high. Not vitamins, not supplements, not so-called “immune-boosters” which are scams, not diet. Read the full answer for details.
3. What can make efavirenz (Atripla/Tribuss etc) easier – or should I change?
   Side effects with efavirenz can be difficult. Efavirenz is one of the drugs in Atripla and the many generic versions that include Atenef, Atreslawin, Atroiza, Citenvir, Heftenam, Odimune, Tribuss, Trivenz, Truno, Trustiva and Viraday.
4. What happens if I am late or miss a dose of meds?
   There is some flexibility in dosing, especially if you have been undetectable for some time. Aiming for the same time is a good habit but every one is late of misses a dose sometimes, without any harm. See the full answer for details.
5. How can one partner test positive and the other negative?
   Sometimes this questions comes from the positive partner and sometimes from the negative partner. Often both partners can be confused because they might.have not use condoms, even for several years. The explanation in this answer explains this is common – and just the result of luck.
6. Can HIV positive people have a baby? 
   Sometimes this comes from a positive man and sometimes from a positive women. HIV treatment covers all situations. It lets couples conceive naturally if the man is positive and the woman is negative. It also protect the health of the mother and baby during pregnancy if the mother is positive.
7. What happens if I stop taking treatment?
   Short answer: your viral load will rebound quickly and your CD4 will then start to fall – usually to the level before you started treatment. Please see the full answer for details.
8. What does the number mean on an HIV test result?
   We don’t answer test question but we get this a lot from outside the UK. Short answer: less than 1.0 means you are HIV negative. See the full linked answer for details.