Question
I am HIV positive – can I drink alcohol or eat pork?
7 January 2017. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Starting treatment, Supplements and herbs.
Hello,
I’m 29 years old and have been HIV positive for almost one year. I have known about my status since December last year. I’m currently living in Germany due to studies and I would like return to my country (Mexico) at the end of this year. My questions are:
1) I have attached the results from the last analysis that have been done and I would like to hear your overall opinion on these and if I should focus in some particular issue.
2) I’m aware that between the last two analyses I went to a party and I drank too much alcohol (about 1.5liters) and I regret it. When you are not on therapy is the alcohol more likely to affect me than when I am on therapy? I mean does it decrease my CD4 and increase my viral load? I don’t want to drink alcohol anymore but it would be nice to know.
3) The Dr. suggested I should not eat pork. I am making big changes in my lifestyle (diet, exercise, etc) and I would like to know if it is possible to estimate when I should start the therapy? I’m worried since I don’t know if I’m going to stay in Germany or move back to Mexico. I’ll be able to know by the end of this year but not before.
My Dr. provided me with this website and I find it amazing with all the information that it’s available for us to learn about the subject.
I really want to thank you all for the great work you do!
Answer
Thank you for your question, and for the feedback – and for your doctor :)
I will try and answer your questions according to the numbers you have given above.
1) Firstly, we are not doctors but HIV treatment advocates.
Monitoring your blood tests you should focus mainly on your CD4 count, your CD4% and your viral load. If you have changes in your liver enzymes, cholesterol or kidney function tests then you would need to monitor those as well.
2) Drinking alcohol will not affect your viral load or CD4 count. T
Moderate alcohol use should not be a problem. It is your decision if you don’t want to drink anymore but it should be because it is what you want to do rather than because you are HIV positive.
The reason you may have been to told to avoid excessive alcohol is that excessive alcohol use can damage the liver. The liver is the organ that filters drugs from the blood so if the liver is damaged then the body has trouble with the HIV treatments.
However, an interesting study showed that HIV positive people not on treatment, might have higher levels of alcohol, (than on ART).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22495786
Also excessive alcohol use can mean that people on medication may forget to take their treatment. This can lead to resistance which means the medication will no longer work.
3. Being HIV positive doesn’t mean you need to change your diet – other than to a more healthy one. A more healthy lifestyle is good for lots of reasons but can still eat the foods your want, including pork. Perhaps ask your doctor the reason they said this.
4. Since 2105, HIV treatment (ART) in generally recommended for everyone, even at high CD4 counts. This means it is good for everyone to think about HIV treatment.
If there are practical issue that mean you cant get treatment for a short time, then if your CD4 count is very high (over 500), this is usually also okay.
Once on treatment your viral load should become undetectable within the first three months.
This Introduction to ART has lots more information.
This answer was updated in January 2017 from a Q&A first posted in May 2010.
Hi ShilAh,
Being diagnosed can come as a shock, give yourself some time to breath, you’re going to be OK.
Talking to someone might help. If its a support group that you’d like to join your local clinic might be able to help you with this. If there isn’t a local support group there are online support networks out there, maybe you could try one of these? This is one that might work for you:
https://www.poz.com/
With regards to travel, yes you can travel when you’re positive. Some countries do have restrictions, but most are welcome people who are positive. If there’s somewhere were you’d like to go, please let us know.
Its still very possible to have relationships when positive, lots of people do and with people who are negative. Just give yourself sometime. Accepting and getting used to your status could make dating easier.
Are you currently on medication?
I was diagnosed on Valentines day this year. I won’t lie, its still a massive shock because I’ve been mostly careful my whole life. I’ve a 3 year old son who’s negative. I’ve been looking for love, but I don’t know what to do. I’d like to travel outside of East Africa for work, is this possible. I find myself crying most days, its getting me down. Is there a support group I can join?
Hi, this site is very informative thank you guys big up spread the information.
Hi Shan, There’s a lot going on around cure research at the moment. But there isn’t a complete cure. Here’s more information here about the HIV cure puzzle.
Hai,i heard about the scintists discovered a vaccine for the complete hiv cure and it is in observation ..how many years will take to available in treatment
Hi Wavion,
There aren’t any restrictions for people who are positive visiting or working in Germany.Like other countries in the EU there are laws that protect and respect people who are positive.
ARVs are readily available in Germany. Info about how the health care system in Germany works can be found here:
https://www.howtogermany.com/pages/healthinsurance.html
Hie am a young gay man aged 26 diagnosised with HIV last year Semptember and l started my treatment that time,my CD4 count was 187 so was also introduced to cotrimoxazol tablets to boost my CD4,my last check up my doctor reduced my dosage of my ART tablet saying my blood was too concentrated w it,am a drinker bt not a drunked,my biggest worry is my family does not know my status and they are in the process of processing my papers to go to Germany for my attachment for social work for a period of a year and after that to find work there,will the German Government allow me and will l get access to therapy while there.
Hi Jose, As it says on this question above, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol is not a problem for your HIV treatment. It sounds tough that you feel you don’t fit in. But the i-Base guide to your quality of life can give you some tips. Here’s the page on having a balanced diet and your health. You can talk to your doctor about making sure your treatment fits in with your schedule.
Hi!
I am from Guatemala being tested positive last year, I am still in the learning process of what dos and donts regarding my diet, alcohol consumption, traveling with my meds, what countries I am banned to enter and many other considerations.
I am under treatment, not many side effects but my lifestyle has changed I feel like I do not fit in any space despite the problemas that in my country HIV people faces. Alcohol is one of the fears I have. I have reduced alcohol consumption since I am taking my pills but I am a wine lover.
Hi Sankar,
If you want to live well with HIV, you’ll need to be on treatment. This is because only ARVs can control a persons HIV.