Question
Does HIV cause weight loss?
5 January 2016. Related: All topics, Newly diagnosed, Opportunistic infections, Side effects, Starting treatment.
Can facial wasting and losing weight happen prior to starting treatment?
Can they simply be features of HIV (or stress) without being due to opportunistic infections?
Answer
Thank you for your questions.
General weight loss and facial wasting (fat loss) are very different things.
Before effective HIV treatment (ART), wasting and loss of appetite were very common among people living with HIV.
Some of the reasons that caused wasting were nausea, diarrhoea, poor absorption of food, fevers and loss of appetite. These symptoms are largely related to having a low CD4 count and not being on ART.
Information about body changes as a side effect are at these links for body fat changes (lipodystrophy) and fat loss (lipoatrophy).
Losing fat from the face is sometimes a feature of aging – ie it happens naturally as you get older. HIV doesn’t cause fat loss prior to treatment though, and is unlikley to cause it after treatment so long as you don’t use either d4T or AZT.
This answer was updated in January 2016 from a question first posted on 21 May 2008.
I got severe shingles in December 2018. They healed from outside. It seems as if they are now inside my chest. I talk and walk with pain in the chest. Is this after effects of shingles? I’m HIV + and on 500cd4 count.
Hi Tony, It’s good that your treatment looks like it’s working well. But skin problems and fat loss have not been regularly reported with Stribild. It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about these symptoms, and ask for tests to find out what’s causing them.
I was diagnosed more than a year ago and put on Stribild. . I have been undetectable for over 9 months and CD4 was 480 at last count 6 months ago. For 3-6 months I have severe eczema and loss of weight /.body fat . . I eat ok and bowel movement ok
Hi Lathitha,
Weight loss can be due to a number of things, of which one is stress and change in lifestyle. Therefore, as it sounds like your HIV is under control you should talk to a doctor about the weight loss.
Hi. I found out that I was HIV+ in 2016, then I started IPT for the rest of the year. In 2017 I started the treatment and my Cd4 count was 862 and now it’s 1199. The problem is that I’m losing weight so much and I don’t know what’s happening cause I’m taking my medication every day at the same time but I’m confused. Please help or suggest something
Hi andiswa,
Do you know what your CD4 count is?
Even if you aren’t on ARVs and you feel well, your body will be working very hard to control your HIV. This is why its important to take ARVs.
I can’t say why you’re gaining weight, has your life style changed? Also, is there any reason why you aren’t on meds?
I was diognosed Hiv positive 7 years back and still not on treatment but im fine… i dont get sick and im gaining weight …. should i worry?
Hi Patrica,
The side effects that you’re having are common when people starts meds, especially is the medication is Atripla or a generic version of this. They usually go within a few weeks. Your doctor should be able to give you something for the diarrhea.
My Cd4 count is 421 and just started art treatment but I feel tired, my appetite is lost, nausea diarrhea. I’m more irritated with loss of appetite. What can I do?
Hi Vovo, please talk to your doctor about this. Depending on your CD4 count there might be things your doctor can ask about to explain this. Most people put on weight over the first six months, so there is a good chance this will go back up again. Talk to your doctor though so you can deal with this worry.