Question

I still have symptoms of HIV….?

19 July 2024. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Newly diagnosed, Opportunistic infections.

I am HIV positive taking treatments but am still having symptoms of HIV. How long it will take for me not to have symptoms?

Answer

Answer: Josh Peasegood

Hi, how are you doing?

I am sorry to hear that you are still experiencing symptoms. What exactly are you experiencing?

How long have you been on medication and do you know your CD4 count?

Symptoms of HIV commonly present around the time of seroconversion. it is often experienced as cold/flu like symptoms that last a few weeks. After this HIV will usually become asymptomatic until your immune system weakens and you become at risk of other infections/illnesses.

Treatment will be used to prevent your immune system weakening and allow it to return to a healthy state. Depending on what your CD4 count was at the start of treatment this can take a few months up to a few years.

If you have a CD4 count below 200 most countries will recommend that you be on a treatment called co-trimoxazole in addition to ART. This is an antibiotic used to prevent other infections as your body recovers. It is possible that the symptoms you are experiencing are the result of having a weakened immune system OR it could be something different entirely. Being on HIV treatment does not prevent other regular infections like the flu or COVID.

Have you been to see a doctor about the ongoing symptoms you have?

Josh.