Question
Will Septrin increase my CD4 count?
5 January 2018. Related: Access to treatment, All topics, Newly diagnosed, Opportunistic infections, Starting treatment.
I tested hiv+ in December 2017 and my CD4 count is 913. My doctor starting me with Septrin instead of HIV medication. Is this a good start for me? Will the Septrin increase my CD4 count and prevent me from possible illnesses?
Answer
Hi
I am sorry to hear about your recent HIV diagnosis – how are you feeling?
Although it might be difficult now, I promise it will get easier.
Your current CD4 count is so strong that your doctor might not be able to prescribe HIV meds. Even though guidelines say that everyone should be able to use HIV meds, in a few countries people need to wait until the CD4 count drops to lower levels.
Actually, at counts above 500, the risk from HIV-related complications is still very low, so for most people, waiting a while will be okay. Many people still use treatment at high CD4 counts though so that their viral load is undetectable. This has some benefit for your health and also protects your sexual partners.
Septrin is also called co-trimoxazole. It is a double antibiotic that is active against many infections, especially in people who have a low CD4 count. However, it is not needed in HIV positive people who have a strong CD4 count (above 350 or 500 cells/mm3).
Septrin does not make your CD4 count stronger, and isn’t normally used with such a high CD4 count, unless your doctor is doing this to prevent a specific infection.
Perhaps your doctor has given you Septrin until you start HIV meds. Please ask your doctor what this treatment is for and whether you have the option to use HIV meds.
Hi Namoi, do you have any more information about the dose? A dose of Septrin varies on the reason you are giving it and how it is being administered.
Do you know the units of the dose (e.g., grams, micrograms), how it is being given (e.g., tablets) and your mothers weight (the dose sometimes requires knowing the patients weight).
Have you noticed changes in your mothers health since she was given this dose of Septrin?
Hi my mother been tested hiv positive and also tb she’s coughing blood and the doctor administered to her a high dosage of septrin.Its really affecting her since she’s not eating enough and a dose of 1920 is it really healthy for her?
Hi Hilliard,
This resource is for people who are HIV positive. But it’s important, whether you’re HIV negative or HIV positive, that if you are taking Septrin you should continue and take the whole course. Septrin is an antibiotic that’s used to treat a variety of bacterial infections.
Hi my wife is on septrin now with what I have read am scared.should she stop for her to get pregnant, we both negative