Question
How long will it take for my CD4 count to go back up?
26 May 2010. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, HIV transmission, Starting treatment.
I have recently found out I am HIV positive. I am dealing with it OK. It helps that I have such a supportive family. I went to see my HIV Consultant for the first time about 3 weeks ago she gave me my CD4 count and viral load results.
My CD4 is 77 and viral load is 112,450. She has also said I’ve had it 5-10 years which has worried me. I’ve contacted a few people to tell them to get tested there test have come back clear.
My questions are:
If I have a high viral load isn’t there more chance of me passing it on? (I was the top in all off them)
I was with someone 7 years and their result is negative or so they say!! In all this time is there more chance I would of passed it on to them?
How long will it take for my CD4 count to go back up? I’m not on any drugs at the moment as I’ve been given some tablets to stop me getting infections. (Was given Cotrimoxazole but had to change to Dapsone as I had a reaction)
Is it likely my CD4 would of gone down since the last test? Am I likely to get any OIs (opportunistic infections)?
Sorry for all the questions, but these are what are playing on my mind at the moment.
Thank you in advance
Answer
Thank you for your question.
It is good to hear you are managing to deal with your new diagnosis and that you have a supportive family to help you through this difficult time.
The higher the viral load the more likely HIV is transmitted. That is why if your viral load is undetectable the risk of transmission is very low.
If you were having unprotected sex with your partner of 7 years and he is still HIV negative then he has been very lucky.
If you are not on HIV medication yet and your CD4 count is 77 then you should definitely think about starting in the next few weeks. Once you have started HIV treatment your viral load should go down to undetectable levels (less than 50) within 3 months and you should start to see your CD4 count increase. It often takes longer for CD4 counts to increase especially if they are starting off low. But the important thing when on treatment is to suppress the virus to the lowest levels possible.
It is possible that your CD4 count will have gone down slightly since your last appointment but CD4 counts can fluctuate slightly. For further information about CD4 fluctuations please follow this link to a similar question
If your CD4 count is below 200 then you are at risk of getting opportunistic infections.
For information about starting treatment, CD4 counts, viral loads and other important things related to having HIV please follow this link to the i-Base Introduction to Combination Therapy’ guide
Hello,
Thanks for your email. Having an undetectable viral load wouldn’t mean that you would test negative for HIV. This is because the HIV tests look for something called antibodies, not the virus itself. Antibodies are the reaction your body has to HIV. Even when the virus is undetectable there are still antibodies in your blood, and you will still test HIV+. There is more information about how HIV tests work our testing guide.
hi, i tested positive 11yrs ago and started arv called attripla 3yrs ago with a cd4 of 274 but now my cd4 is 805 nd my viral load has been undetected ever since i started the treatment, my weight was 59 now am at 75, does this mean if i go somewhere and hiv test,it will be negative. not that i want to stop treatment,jst curius
Hi,
Thanks for your email. The only way to know why your doctor is calling is to talk to him. It may be that he just wants to tell you the results of your CD4 count test and discuss this with you. Although it is difficult it is important to try not to get too stressed about what might be happening and it’s better to get the facts from your doctor. If you have any questions after talking to him please let me know and I will try to help.
I’m also hiv/aids but I have’t started to take a medication ,,,bt my doctor called me last day so I’m stressed wat does he want or to tell me..cuz I went to him for cd4 count last week?
Hi Zanele,
Lots of HIV positive women have healthy babies. Please have a look at our pregnancy guide for information about this. If you have any questions I will be very happy to help!
I’ve been hiv positive for 12 years and I started my treatment last year,my CD4 is 230 I would like 2know if I can steal have a chance 2have a baby coz I only have 1child and he is healthy please help
Hi,
A viral load of 61 is very close to undetectable (which is 50 or below). It’s likely that this is just a fluctuation- which is very normal, especially if you are feeling a bit run down- and it should go back down at the next test result. If you were in the UK your doctor would probably re-test your viral load when you got this result, just to make sure it’s not going up. If it is increasing though this would be a reason to check your adherence, and possibly to change treatment. This higher viral load doesn’t mean that you are ill though, and shouldn’t be a reason to worry. Please see this page about viral load fluctuations for more information,
I have a question , I have been positive for about 5/6 years. I am on medication. My viral load has been undetectable almost the entire time that I have been treated. Recently my viral load has increased to 61 & I seem to be very tired. What does this mean ? Could I be getting close to the end of time?
Hi Phindi,
I’m sorry to hear about your boyfriend’s recent diagnosis. It’s good that he is on treatment though, and his CD4 count is likely to increase in time. Please follow this link for information about CD4 count increases.
If you are worried that your boyfriend gets angry more than he used to, or that his psychological state has changed, it’s important that his doctor knows about this. Some HIV medications- especially efavirenz- can affect people’s moods and can cause mood swings. Some people with low CD4 counts may also have infections that affect their brain. If your boyfriend’s personality has changed it’s important to find out why.
If you are worried about your own safety or that your boyfriend may hurt you it’s important to get support, and to put your own safety and health first. Please let me know if you are worried about domestic violence (and the country you live in) so I can suggest local support organisations.
Hi my man is hiv positive since last year and he only staterd on him medication last year december and his cd4 count is low 110 so is it gonna take three months to go up again,and he wants to have a child.im so stressed i don’t now what to do coz sometimes he looses his mind and sometimes he gets angry.