Question
Missing occasional doses and no longer being undetectable.
7 March 2022. Related: Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load.
Hi, I was diagnosed with HIV in 2020 and have been on treatment since. I was undetectable within six months of treatment, unfortunately last year, December, my viral load got to 103 because of some of the inconsistency. I would forget to take my pill or will be away and not be able to take it in time. I changed my pill time to a more suitable time however, so I would like to know how long will it take for me to be undetectable again? I have been consistent for the past two months now.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Did you have a second test to confirm your viral load? Blips are quite common, the majority being lab errors. Other infections, like COVID or the flu can cause a temporary blip. This guide will explain further. Missing an occasional dose of medication is unlikely to cause a blip.
A viral load of 103 is still technically considered undetectable when referring to U=U. Sometimes being detected is a matter of the type of test done. One lab may consider anything under 100 undetectable, whereas another anything under 50 is undetectable. However they both mean U=U is valid, the difference being how sensitive each test is.
If this was a one off, it is likely that you are already undetectable again. Have you had any tests following on from your last? 2 months should be more than long enough to return to an undetectable status.
Josh.
Hi Sofia, yes it will be possible to be undetectable again. Though do remember that 103 is still considered ‘undetectable’ as U=U still applies.
I haven’t done another test since the one that revealed 103 viral load. The thing is that I do my tests in a public clinic and I will have to wait until June to get another test done, hence I was asking if it is possible that I could be undetectable again.