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 there can a HIV positive person get a scholarship in Sweden?
Hi Kennedy,am also Hiv positive.I learned about my status last year on July,i havent told anyone about this but i decided to start the treatment immediately.I decided to take it one day at a time.I hide my meds and i always remember to take them for my sake
Hi Kennedy,
Testing HIV positive can be a tough time for many people, especially if you are young. But did you take the test at a clinic? It could be that they can offer you support. And have you talked to them about starting treatment (ART)? You can read more in this Introduction to ART. It has a lot of info about starting treatment.
But you don’t have to tell anyone about being positive if you don’t want to. However, there are many peer support organisations in many countries around the world. What country do you live in Kennedy? We might be able to connect you to some of them.
Am Kennedy 21 years I tested for HIV positive late last year 2017 which I still don’t no how I got the virus. But my question is how can I avoid my adopted parents to know about my status and how best can I live as Normal person.
Hello Harold,
Congratulations on having a bouncing baby boy! Are you taking HIV treatment (ART)? Being on ART with an undetectable viral load means you can’t transmit HIV. See this question on U=U.
Hello everyone, I was dignosed with HIV in 2012 and my wife has been testing negative all these years despite having unprotected sex. She even gave birth to a negative bouncing baby boy in 2014. My question is: does this happen? Is this she immune to hiv? Or should I say that I am not hiv either? Need your help.
Hi Pius,
What medication are you on? How long have you been on them for?
Is your wife also positive? If she is then yes its ok to have sex without using a condom. If however she isn’t positive, then no its not safe to have sex without using a condom. Once your viral load becomes undetectable it is, but until then there is a risk that she will contract HIV.
Hey I have been tested HIV positive last month but my problem is whenever I take ARV I feel very diz always.
1. Is it normal?
2. How can i get lid off that dizness?
3. Is it not OK to have srx without condoms to your wife who is not on medications?
Hi Kasdril,
Have you always been on medication since being in a relationship?
As long as you’re on medication and your viral load is undetectable then there isn’t any risk to your wife. Please see Q14 here for more info:
http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
With regards to not telling her, only you can make this decision. However, I suspect lots of people would like to know if their partner was positive. Yes there is the possibility of a negative reaction, there is also the chance that they will understand and want to support you.
Good day,I detected my status 3years ago. If am taking my ARV medicine regularly, could it protect my wife to be from contracting HIv from me. I am planning to impregnate her and I don’t want to inform her about my status due to the reason am scared because I don’t know how she would feel and I don’t want to loose her as well because I love her so much
My question is that, how will I protect her by contracting the virus from me. Without telling her..and I will be continue with my medication.