Question
Did my lifestyle changes affect my CD4 count?
30 July 2010. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Supplements and herbs.
I was infected in 2008 and found out I was HIV positive this year. My first CD4 count in March was 590 and viral load 6,000. 2 months later CD4 count jumped to 918 and viral load to 10,000.
In the meantime I changed my diet to vegetarian and started yoga. Is this change normal? What should I expect from now on?
Thank you
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Becoming vegetarian should not really impact your CD4 count. However, if it means you are eating healthier foods then it could improve your health in general which might impact your CD4 count.
Similarly with the yoga, if it is making you less stressed and happier then this might have an impact on your CD4 count even though the act of yoga itself may not.
What you should expect from now will depend on your individual system and how quickly the virus progresses. Even though it may be many years until your CD4 count drops to the point where you decide to start HIV treatment, you should begin reading up on the different treatments available and preparing yourself mentally for the years to come.
To help with this you might find it useful to read the i-Base ‘Introduction to Combination Therapy’ guide.
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