Question
What does a CD4 count of 11 mean?
21 April 2011. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Living with HIV long-term, Newly diagnosed, Starting treatment.
Hi
My friend just got diagnosed with HIV. His T-cell count is 11. What does that mean?
Thanks
Answer
Thank you for your question.
I am sorry to hear about your friend’s diagnosis. It is never easy finding out about an HIV diagnosis and your support to your friend is very important during this difficult time.
If your friend’s CD4 count is 11 then they need to start HIV treatment immediately. For everything you and your friend need to know about starting treatment please follow this link to our guidebook ‘Introduction to Combination Therapy’.
About 25-50% of people with a CD4 count below 50 who start treatment experience symptoms of IRIS (Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome). This is where the immune system, as it starts to recover, suddenly realises that there are a lot of infections it has to fight against that it was perviously to weak to react to. This can cause additional infections like TB and CMV to show and patient can sometimes start to feel quite ill. However, the good new is that w hilst IRIS can make things a little more complicated, it is easy to treat. For more information please follow this link.
Hi Joseph,
If your meds contain efavirenz, then yes it’s common that when you first start you may feel dizzy and weak. This is something that should pass within a few week weeks. For more info, please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/1561
I’m 48 I have just started my treatment, everyday I wake up weak and dizzy. Is it normal?
Hi Thar,
Discriminating against someone because of their status in many countries is illegal and this includes discrimination by employers. If you could let me know where you live, I might be able to help you.
I’m about to start a new job, I think though that they do HIV testing. What should I do?
Hi,
It is unlikely that this is anything to be worried about
It is difficult to talk about your symptoms without knowing what meds you are on. However you should tell your doctor about them. He can help you work out what is causing them and what can be done about that.
I started treatment 1 month ago now an I feel normal but sometims my body is itching an I have dark mark which comes before I take the treatment do u think i need to be worried?
It is good to hear that you have started treatment.
Although a CD4 count of 5 is low being on treatment will help your immune system begin to recover. HIV treatment works very well and many people are able to recover from low CD4 counts like your own. As your CD4 count slowly rises you will become less vulnerable to opportunistic infections.
One thing to be aware of is that some people (25-50%) who start treatment on a CD4 count below 50 experience something called IRIS (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome). This is where you immune system starts to recover and realises that there are infections that it was unable to respond to while it was weaker. This can cause additional infections like TB for example.
The good new is that while IRIS can make things more complicated, it is easy to treat.
You can find information about being newly diagnosed here:
http://i-base.info/if-you-have-just-found-out-you-are-hiv-positive/
And general information about HIV treatment here:
http://i-base.info/guides/starting
Hi i just found out that i’m HIV positive last week and my CD4 count is 5. Am i done already? I started treatment 3 days ago but i feel normal. Thank you.
Thanks, I am not aware of studies showing that age reduces the risk of IRIS but I may have just missed these.
Usually, when age is referred to as having an impact on someone’s CD4 count or immune strength, this would be for someone much older, ie in their 60s or 70s. I’d be interested to see the study.
Great that treatment is going well for you :)
Hi
I would like to add that the risk of IRIS diminishes the older you are.
I had a CD4 count of 20 when I started treatment and was told that because of my age, 45, IRIS would be unlikely as there is a slower response to medication. After 14 months, CD4 is 160 and I feel a lot better.
By the way, I have not had any side effects from my regime of atazanavir/r and Truvada.