Question
Why is my CD4 count not increasing?
19 May 2010. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Changing treatment.
Hi
I have been HIV positive for a number of years and have only ever been on 1 medication, Atripla.
My CD4 count fluctuates between 208 to 248 but never goes higher. I have never missed a dose of medication and my viral load is undetectable. My doctor says this is nothing to worry about but I could change medication if I wanted to.
Would changing medication help or am I better to stick with Atripla?
Thanks
Answer
Thank you for your question.
The most important thing is that your viral load is undetectable.
About 25% of people who start HIV treatment with a CD4 count between 100-200 do not reach a CD4 count of 500 or above even after 7 years of good adherence to their medication.
It does not mean your medication is not working properly. Changing your medication is unlikely to increase your CD4 count. It is your decision whether or not you decide to change treatments. If you are finding Atripla easy to take and you are not experiencing any side effects then you may want to think about sticking with Atripla for a bit longer.
CD4 counts are affected by stress, underlying infections, the time of day when the test is taken, exercise and many other factors aside from HIV treatment. These external factors could be affecting your CD4 counts and making them appear low.
For further information please read this similar question by following this link
Without more details about your CD4 history and treatment history it is difficult to know what information would be useful. CD4 counts usually change slowly, so if you have just started treatment it might just take more time.
Dear all even my cd4 is nt increasing i am takeing unani medicine but i dont know y my cd4 is nt increasing pls any one could tell me