Question
What causes my CD4 to drop from 220 to 30 in less than a month?
16 November 2011. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Opportunistic infections, Other tests.
Can you please tell me what would cause my CD4 count of 220 drop to 30 in less then a month?
Answer
A big drop in CD4 count is highly unusual – it can also be a lab error, in which case it needs confirming immediately. Go and speak to your doctor so that they can run the test again. If the results are the same then ask your doctor to check your CD4 percentage to see if there is any changes. If there are changes, then you would need to start or change your treatment immediately. By the way have you started your treatment yet? If so what type of HIV drugs are you taking?
Your CD4 has drop to quite a low level and this means that you are prone to other opportunistic infections (OIs). Many people with very low CD4, even below 10, can still remain healthy. It just means that the risks of being infected by HIV-related illness increases as the CD4 count drops.
Your best option is to see your HIV doctor immediately. Your doctor should be able to investigate the cause of the problem. People with CD4 below 50 is much more susceptible to CMV (cytomegalovirus) – a viral infection that affect your eyes and vision. They will be able to provide you with prophylaxis and also an eye examination.
If you are not on treatment then you must start immediately. If you are on treatment then this means that your treatment is not working for you. Another reason is that you could have another health complication and it has become acute. So further investigation by doctor is needed.
A very detailed answer to a similar question are at this link which you may find useful, and another link about CD4 and viral load.
Dear Osie, thanks for sending an email. It is difficult to answer without knowing if you are now taking HIV treatment. Also, do you know your viral load now and last November.
A CD4 count is quite low and shows that it is very important to start and continue HIV treatment. This will usuallt cause your viral load to go down, hopefully to become undetectable. It should also cause your CD4 count to go higher and becomes stronger.
It is very unlikely that either test would be the same after starting treatment. Please let me know more info bit also please talk to your doctor.
My cd4 count stays the same for 6 months it’s always say 108