Question
Big CD4/viral load change my first year – should i be worried?
5 June 2015. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Starting treatment.
I was diagnosed a year ago. My CD4 was 370 and Viral load 55000. I started treatment straightaway and was undetectable within 3 months. My current CD4 is 880 and Im still undetectable. Are these numbers normal? There has been such a change in a year.
Answer
Hi,
I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Your numbers are great though. It is normal to be undetectable within three months. This is also the main aim of HIV treatment. Your viral load shows you how much virus is in your blood.
Your CD4 has risen quickly but this is really great – it is not something to be worried about. It shows that your immune system is working well. It is also common for there to be quite a lot of variance in CD4 results. Doctors tend to look at a number of CD4 results and the direction in which they are traveling, rather than focussing on individual results.
It looks like your treatment is working well.
You can find more information about how CD4 and viral load are related in our online guide.
Comment