Q and A

Question

How do I know if my ARVs are working?

I’ve just started taking ARVs, how do I know that they are working?

Answer

Thanks for getting in touch.

To know if your ARVs are working or not, (which ideally they should be) you need to have your viral load tested as well as your CD4 count. Theses are the tests that are used to see how HIV is affecting your health. In some countries viral load tests aren’t common, however CD4 counts are usually available. For more info about these tests, please see here:

https://i-base.info/guides/starting/two-essential-blood-tests

6 comments

  1. Simon Collins

    Hi Sarah, please don’t worry about this. Great you are now on treatment. I hope your partner chooses treatment too at some point but you are not at any risk. You are both likely to have the same virus already.

  2. Sarah

    Hi what if I just started treatment but my partner and I are still having unprotected sex and his positive as well. What are my risks

  3. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Jr,

    Drug resistance is commonly associated with poor adherence. However, it can in some instances also happen if someone adheres to their medication. There’s more info here:

    http://i-base.info/ttfa/section-3/18-drug-resistance-to-arvs/

  4. Jr

    What is the common reason why HIV patients develop drug resistance? If i am adhering to my medication as prescribed can I still be susceptible to resistance?

  5. Roy Trevelion

    Dear Worrier,

    Even if a cure comes for HIV you will still test antibody positive. That’s the way the immune system works when it reacts to an infection. So detecting antibodies is what this test did. There’s more info here. Your HIV viral load says <50 copies/mL, which means under 50 copies and so that means undetectable.

    It sounds like your meds are working. But you can ask at the clinic to check this. And also to check that I've read your comments correctly.

  6. Worrier

    Hi I have been HIV undetectable for 4 years

    My most recent test came back today and it states the following:

    HIV 1/2 Antibodies DETECTED in this sample by 3 assays
    HIV type 1
    Known HIV type 1 infection
    HIV type 1 RNA not detected (<50 copies/ml)

    What does this mean?
    Are my drugs not working? I have not been the most compliant person recently and was wondering if i may have given a chance for resistance to build

    Or Is this a superinfection?

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