Question
Why has my CD4 count dropped when I switched doctors?
24 November 2023. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Living with HIV long-term.
I’ve been positive for going on 20 years. I had labs in September and my CD4 was in the 700 to 800 range. I moved out of state, got a new doctor who wanted to run labs now my CD4 is 384 but I’m still undetectable. Doctor said everything was great but I’m concerned about the massive decrease in CD4 should I be concerned?
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Have you also been told your CD4%?
As you are still undetectable it shows that your treatment is still working.
The most likely explanation for this is a lab error. Have you been told when your next CD4 test will be?
As this is such a large drop and nothing has changed aside from your doctor, it is not suggestive of treatment failure or other reasons for your CD4 count to drop. How is your health currently?
What did your doctor say in response to this apparent drop? There are other causes e.g., recent infection/vaccine, the time of day or if you had exercised prior to this test, but it would not explain such a big drop.
Josh.
I was not told my cd4% as far as I know but I have all the lab tests, some are higher than the normal range and some are lower. To be honest I don’t really understand what everything means or what is shall we say normal for me, like I said the test I had in September was higher than the test in November. The only thing that changed besides doctors and lab was me moving across country and not eating for three days. I know I am dehydrated but was before. A friend suggested a drop from 6500 ft above sea level to closer to sea level might have had some affect as well. My next lab is in February.
Hi Michael, how much does your CD4 fluctuate? and has this always been the case?
Can I ask why you didn’t eat for 3 days? Moving across country and living being in a lower altitude is going to have no effect on your CD4 count.
Are yuo feeling healthy at the moment? Do you feel like anything has changed in your health from when you last had your test to now?