Question
What are the most asked questions?
10 October 2016. Related: All topics.
Answer
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
- 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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.
Hi Issac, no these are not cardinal signs of HIV.
As you restarted your PEP after 4 weeks this will not interfere with testing due to it being a short course. As initially said you can do a conclusive test 6 weeks after the last dose of the first course of PEP you took.
As you had already taken a test at 4 weeks, you need only wait 2 weeks from this test to confirm your status.
Thank you once more for your detailed response… As regards how i accessed ARV while not positive, the PEP pack i got when exposed, has 90 days dosage sealed package, so i just continued taking the remaining. i was a UK resident, but the country i presently reside, ARV drugs can be gotten/bought over the counter unlike what is obtainable elsewhere.
Then lastly, is dry cough, burning sole of the feets part of cardinal signs of acute HIV symptoms? must swollen lymph nodes accompany fever/headache in acute HIV? i neither had fever/chills/headache all these while… as am typing this, the perceived cervical swollen nodes has gone!! I have taken the ARV for 5 days now, i will be stopping after today, so i should take a confirmatory test after when from today?
Hi Issac, syphilis alone can explain these symptoms. As can other common illnesses like a cold or covid. Being on PEP will not prevent other common infections that everybody is always prone to experiencing. You can have more than one at once.
Someone having both HIV and syphilis does not mean they will always pass on both, if any. Both will have thier own risk and differences in transmission risk. While already having an STI can make transmission of others more likely this is not guaranteed.
PEP is effective if started within 72 hours. You started at 28 hours meaning the treatment will be as effective as it can be.
You should not be used ARVs when you are not shown to be HIV positive. Treatment before a confirmed result can interfere with test results and delay seroconversion. How did you access treatment when you are HIV negative?
Thank you Josh for the response, highly appreciated. As regards me stating ARVs.. I was very much concerned, that if she could have given me syphilis, and she is not on ARV, she has possibly infected me with HIV(knowing that she will have high viral load, coupled with having syphilis, which increases my risk ratio), and most of the symptoms appeared few weeks after i stopped PEP… having stated the above, could only syphilis explain those symptoms after PEP? any chances she could infest me with only syphilis, and not HIV? when she has both? I understand with PEP every hours count, at 28hrs, chances PEP works has decreased astronomically…? I was resigning myself to the worst case, but still holding that faint chances i could be free, and while still on ARV now, will that affect further testing or seroconversion?
Hi Issac, the 4th generation test you did after 4 weeks will have been 95% accurate. You can do a follow up test in 2 weeks to confirm your result of being HIV negative.
Why have you started ARVs? Your last test was negative and as you have mentioned the symptoms between HIV and syphilis can be similar and you have tested positive for syphilis.
Syphilis is transmitted via direct contact with a sore. Chewing foods and giving them to your boy is not a risk for transmission. There is no risk to your son for HIV transmission either.
For more information about testing and transmission please see here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
good day Josh, sequel to the message that went unanswered, an updated recap of what i wrote!! I was exposed, where i ejaculated inside a friend, after which i insisted on test, she was positive and not on drugs, i commenced PEP exactly 28hrs post exposure, which i adhere strictly for 30days!!! 2 days after i ended PEP, i had a boil in my penis, which oozed brownish/red pus few days after, 25 days later, i had rice-size swells under my jaw and armpit(hence swollen lymph nodes), have had burning sensations on the sole of my feet(even while taking PEP), which was worst after PEP ended, but do come occassionally until yesterday… i do have occassional unproductive/dry cough(is it among symptoms of acute hiv?), had muscle cramps/pains occasional, no fever/chills, sore throat, or headache, i did hiv test at 4 weeks after PEP with 4th gen, it was negative, test for syphilis was positive, i observed yesterday second cervical lymph node rice-size swells, while that of the armpit has gone… i understand syphilis and hiv have similar symptoms, but with symptoms i saw so far, especially the nodes and muscles spasm, and occasional itching with no visible pronounced rashes, i have commenced anti retroviral treatments yesterday, as i felt nothing else could explain those symptoms.. what is the main difference in sympton between hiv/syphilis/herpes? while on PEP and few days after i stopped, i was chewing foods and gave my little boy(less than 1yr), he exhibit rashes all over the body, both in palm and sole of the feet.. did i infest him with syphilis? what are chances of giving him hiv, if i had it?
Hi Rhonda, this depends on the country. In the UK this is not illegal.
Is it illegal to have sex with someone if u HVI and not tell them u have it?
Hi Rhonda, when on treatment and the baby also has a short course of treatment after birth, the risk of transmission to baby is less than 1%.
Successful treatment means HIV positive women all over the world give birth to healthy, HIV negative babies.
If a positive person gets pregnant is the baby born with it?