Question
How can I boost my CD4 over 200? Can I eat oysters and sushi?
6 July 2011. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load.
I am trying to get my cd4 up and wanted to see what I can do to help it push along? I am on meds but my cd4 is still below 200 (since diagnosed 4 months ago). I am undetectable though which is good.
will drinking alcohol make it come up less quick? what other lifestyle changes can I make?
Also, I read in one of the NAM pamphlets that those with CD4s less than 200 are not allowed sushi or oysters – is this true? I love both and would like to see if I am allowed to eat them.
Answer
Without knowing your CD4 count before treatment or the count now, it is difficult to comment in any detail.
In general, it is probably better for your CD4 count to gradually increase over the first year or two of treatment that to dramatically jump up quickly. Many of the highest risks of a low CD4 count come when this is less than 50 and then less than 100. It could easily take a while to get above 200, but the main thing is that you are on treatment now. There isn’t anything you can do to help this increase faster. Stress and worry might keep it lower though.
As your susceptibility to gut infections related to food and hygiene are still a bit higher when your count is below 200, and maybe even when below 350, continuing to be cautious about food for a bit longer might be a good idea.
This isn’t a law though, just advice. Sushi every now and then from a good supplier is probably fine. Anyone can have good or bad luck with an oyster, whatever their CD4 count. Food poisoning is horrible. Similarly lots of HIV-positive people eat sushi. The caution is that when your CD4 count is under 200 your immune system is a bit less strong.
Lots of advice about food cautions are historical from before there was effective treatment. It is still important if your CD4 count is under 100, and this includes avoiding salads that you have not washed yourself. Once your CD4 count is increasing again on treatment continued problems with bugs like crytosporidium or microsproidium are not widely reported.
Hi Nkamaki,
I’m really sorry to hear you’ve just been diagnosed with HIV. Finding out you’re positive is never easy and it’s OK to be upset. Do you have any support to deal with this?
It’s important to realise that HIV isn’t a death sentence anymore. There is very very good treatment for HIV and South Africa has lots of experience in treating it. Being HIV positive shouldn’t stop you doing anything you planned before you found out you were positive.
There are lots of organisations in South Africa to help people who have been diagnosed with HIV. If you follow this link to the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) website you will find contact details for these organiations.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Im very disturbed now i just find out im hiv
Dear Dee
The only medication your father can take to increase his CD4 count is ARVs (antiretroviral treatment for HIV). A CD4 count of 32 means your father’s immune system is quite weak. However, the good news is that, once he starts taking ARVs, his CD4 will slowly start to increase as his immune system starts to get stronger.
Our guide to An introduction to combination therapy provides more detailed information on starting treatment.
http://i-base.info/guides/starting/when-to-start
My father’s CD4 count of is 32 .Help me. What can he do to increase the cd4 and what type of medicine can he use?
Hi Vic,
Any symptoms should be reported to a doctor. Because your CD4 count is low and it sounds like you are in a lot of pain it’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible. If you cannot see your own doctor urgently you can go to the emergency department of a hospital for treatment. We are not doctors at i-Base and we cannot diagnose symptoms.
My cd4 has been decreased to 63 and I’m on drugs since 5yrs. I’m having serious stomach pain and vomiting. I’m scared. what do i do?
Your CD4 count is still very strong and in many countries this would be a reason to consider treatment.
Your doctor will probably want to take another CD4 test to see how stable things are. If it is right to start treatment, then the meds will help you have a long healthy life.
See the Introduction to Combination Therapy for more information.
If you are still very upset from a recent diagnosis, try to talk to a friend or family member who you trust, or to a health worker at the clinic. Perhaps better still is to try and talk to a local HIV organisation where you can speak to people who have already gone through this and who can help make you feel normal again.
This is just a virus and as you learn more information you will get stronger and it will become easier.
Hi, my CD4 is 309, there was this other thing about 23,*numbers,numbers* i dont know what this means. Im so scared, the people at my clinic aint really helpfull. Im not sure what im supposed to do. What do these numbers mean? Am i dying now? *scared,crying* found out about a month ago…
Thanks Jan, you are right that bugs can cause problems at higher CD4 counts too. Anyone with persistent diarrhoea should have tests run to see whether these might be the cause. It is a then a balance between what level of risk or safety that each person wants to make in their daily life.
But nevertheless, infection with microsporidium still happens at higher CD4 levels (even around 296, unless it was an older infection). Because they are not widely reported these days they appeared “to have fallen off the radar” so to speak. This means they can be hard to get diagnosed and cause a lot of problems if left untreated. I just wanted to add a note of caution from my own experience.