Question
If my CD4 count is 1295, does it mean I no longer have HIV?
15 March 2011. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load.
I am HIV positive. My first CD4 count was 685 and then it went up to 1295 does that mean I am healthy and is the virus cleared in my body?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
A CD4 count of 1295 is fantastic! However, unfortunately it does not mean HIV is cleared from your body. CD4 counts do fluctuate up and down. It could also be that you were recently infected and your CD4 count is increasing after the initial infection. For more information please follow this link.
The good news is that your immune system is very good as your CD4 count is so high.
What is your viral load result? Usually this would be detectable, even with a high CD4 count, though a small percentage of people (less than 0.01%) maintain a high CD4 count and undetectable viral load, without needing HIV treatment.
Hi I am a 25yers lady and I discovered that I am hiv positive on the 27th of November last year so I started my med with a 875 of a cd4 ..this year around June I stopped the meds and I dnt know what is happening wth me everything seems to be normal but I really want to take them again but am afraid to go through those horrible side effects again
Hi Connie,
It’s great to hear how healthy you are. Your HIV treatment (ART) looks like it’s working really well. But it’s not a good idea to stop treatment. Stopping means that your viral load will rebound and then your CD4 count can start to drop.
Here’s a page from the guide to ART in Pictures. It shows what happens to your viral load and CD4 count when you start ART. But ART needs to be taken every day to keep viral load undetectable and CD4 counts higher.
Hi I’m also HIV positive HV been on treatment for 16months ,and the doctor said my cd4 count is 1500,I started treatment when it was 1340.how health iam to stop treatment
Hi Innocentia,
You can ask the doctor or the clinic about your viral load test results. This will show how many copies of HIV you have in a small amount of blood. Having less than 50 copies per millilitre of blood is undetectable. This is written as 50 copies/mL.
The question is already answered here.
How do you know if your hiv viral load is undetectable
Hi Lubwama,
We are not doctors at i-Base. But it’s really important you go to see the doctor about all your symtoms and get treatment for them. Post testing time can be time that’s spent getting treatment and getting better.
I need answers,theres something that got onto.my leg and has removed the top skin layer.its slow but steady in spreading it has eaten the lower part of my leg.its now slightly black than the upper part.i always feel some fever inside but not too much.i know i have stomach ulcers and syphilis as well.for the moment am afraid to go for testing as iam not prepared for post testing time.what could be the parent cause,ulcers,syphilis or hiv????
I am hiv positive since 1991, during that time my cd4 ranged from lower numbers like 185 when I have started meds to higher numbers like 1200 right now.
Hi Mike E,
There are many people who are in their 60’s living with HIV and living well like you are. Depending on where it is that you live, then you may be able to contact people who are similar to yourself through support groups. In the UK a lot of work is being done with people who are over 50. And what it means to be living with HIV in the over 50’s.
6 years ago I was diagnosed HIV+ with a cd4 count of 330 and a viral load of 450,000. Today my CD4 Count is 1500 and my viral load is undetectable. I take 1 Triumeq pill daily and experience no significant side effects. Btw, I am 67 years old. Are there many people out there who are able to share a similar experience?