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.
Does it mean that when you are HIV positive you will loose weight.When does that start.Can I survive for the next 20 years if I was infected in 2016
Hi Small – thanks for writing – and I hope you are doing okay. What is your current CD4 count? I ask this because even if it is high, your could still start treatment if you want to. One advantage would be that will an undetectable viral load your partner would not be at risk.
Your doctor is also giving you good advice about trying to stop smoking. Quitting takes time though – most people try at least 6-10 times before they are successful. The earlier you stop the better though, but it might take a while.
Without more details I can’t comment on your partner’s status. Even if he think he is negative he might be positive. Why not talk about HIV in a general way without it being about either of you. For example you cold talk about the PARTNER study showing treatment reduces HIV transmission.
http://i-base.info/qa-on-the-partner-study
It is difficult to deal with a new diagnosis on your own. Why not contact a local organisation to join a support group – or join the online forums at http://www.poz.com. You can always contact us using these online forum if you are having a tough time.
Hello All
Im Small, im hiv positive since June 2016 and i’m not on any medications yet. the doc said i’ll be getting my medicine over 1 to 2 years time. i’m worried about myself because ever since i found out that i’m hiv+ i can’t seem to stop smoking or drinking, well i always did smoke and drink,it did not increase but the doc said i must stop smoking. i’m also seeing someone and i don’t know his status well he said he is negative, but i’m not revealing my status to him because we not serious. just sex, protected sex, but the condoms sometimes break, well we were having sex before i found out i was hiv+ and i don’t know if he is lying to me or not. i need someone to talk to every now and again my family is not aware of my status. thanks for this web.
Hi Sahrad – yes, lots of research – but this is still likely to take many years.
Hi I am small businesses worker i want to know is there any more medicine research going to cure the whole subject
Hi Sweetness, what does your doctor say about this? If the weight loss is not explained by changes in your diet or by being more active, your doctor needs to look for other causes. Tell your doctor that an unexplained weight loss of more than 10% of your body weight over a year is serious. This is as serious as an HIV-related infection. What is your CD4 count? Do you have other symptoms? If you don’t want to do this online you can email me the details to:
questions@i-base.org.uk
I’m HIV positive from December 2015. I’m using treatment for it since then but I’m losing wait from 69 kg to 59kg now. I want an advice I was wearing size 36 now it’s 34 I’m 43 years old.
Thanks – a balanced diet is good for everyone.
Good to hear information about the diet I should eat while I am on HIV treatments
Hi Tebogo. it sounds like you are already making changes to be healthy.
The main one is that by being on treatment your CD4 count will get stronger and you should also put on weight. Without more details about your current weight and heigh – and any change – it is difficult to comment.
Once you are on treatment, the same health advice is the same for HIV positive people as for the general population: eat a balanced nutritional diet (fresh vegetables and fruit, fish and chicken rather than red meat, not too much fried food etc), keep physically and mentally active, try to stop smoking cigarettes.
This link has more detail about diet:
http://i-base.info/guides/side/diet-a-balanced-diet-and-your-health
Pls talk to your doctor about plans to have a baby in case they can help. This is all good news. Lots of positive people are deciding to have children. If youe fiancee is also on treatment this will protect both her health and the baby.