Question
Should I start HIV meds now I have a co-infection?
12 April 2011. Related: All topics, Complications and coinfections, Starting treatment.
Hello,
I am HIV positive with good CD4 over 700 without treatment. I discovered this recently and probably I got it also not long time ago. My problem is that now I have likely picked up a hepatitis infection and my platelet count is around 30,000 and dropping quickly.
Is the dropping of platelets due to HIV or hepatitis?
Is it better to cure this with cortisone or start HIV therapy?
Thanks
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Firstly you need to have a test to make sure it is viral hepatitis that you have and to find out which virus it is – ie hepatitis A, B, C, D or E?
Management and treatment are different for each infection. Some people can clear some types of viral hepatitis without treatment.
I am not a doctor but a HIV treatment advocate and so I cannot comment on what is causing your drop in platelet count. You need to ask your doctor about this.
If your CD4 count is over 700 then that’s really great and you do not need to start HIV treatment just yet. You should try to treat the additional infection first before you start HIV therapy providing your CD4 count stays so high.
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