Question
Are my CD4 and viral load results after treatment okay?
19 September 2011. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Starting treatment.
Answer
Hi
There is a wide range of response to treatment.
Most people who start with a very low CD4 count take longer to see this sort of increase. In your case you have just been lucky in getting an earlier response.
Just as the speed of response varies, so does the range at which CD4 count increase to. As your first results has been good, you could reasonably expect future CD4 counts to increase over 200 in the future. If you are lucky it could rise higher still. It is usually safe to stop prophylactics meds after your count has increased, but your doctor will advise you on this based on your medical history.
Your viral load is responded very nicely too. The specific response varies in different people.
Your viral load has reduced by over 1.5 logs (see this fact sheet on ‘logs’).
It is pretty likely to be undetectable or close to this for your next result, so long as you have been taking every dose of your meds on time. Are you also taking your darunavir 30 minutes after a meal? This is important to get your meds to work at their proper strength. Information on darunavir. Detailed information from the Summary of Product Characteristics.
Although the type of food does not mater, unless you do this the drug levels are reduced by 30%.
Food will also increase the levels of tenofovir (one of the drugs in Truvada). This might also help your viral load come down a little faster.
Hi
Ativan (lorazepam) has many uses including helping to reduce anxiety, the risk of seizures and is sometimes used as an anti-nausea med or to help sleep. It is also sometimes used when someone is withdrawing from alcohol use.These are usually only for short periods.
Without knowing why you are being prescribed this it is difficult to comment.
The symptoms of weight loss and darkening skin should be discussed with your doctor. Try and be specific – ie how much weight have you lost and over what period of time. If this the weight loss is significant, this might be a reason to start HIV meds. Similarly for skin changes. If these are significant, then a skin specialist should become involved.
Im positive my cd4 is 360 but I’m on ativin and vitamin B complex. My skin is becoming dark and im loosing weght?
Great things are going well. I’d assumed you were taken ritonavir as this is essential with darunavir – but I should have checked too.
I should have said that I take the ritonavir as well of course in case you were wondering. Seems to be going well with no adverse effects.
Yes. The more detailed product information says to take with food or within 30 minutes of a meal. The type of food does not seem to matter.
http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Product_Information/human/000707/WC500041756.pdf
Without food, drug levels drop by 30% so this is important.
The types of food studied were following a standard breakfast, a high-fat breakfast, a nutritional protein-rich drink, or a croissant with coffee.
See The Effect of Different Meal Types on the Pharmacokinetics of Darunavir (TMC114)/Ritonavir in HIV-Negative Healthy Volunteers.
I take the darunavir and Truvada WITH breakfast not after every morning. I presume this is OK as the patient information leaflet says to take with food.