Question

131 comments

1. Sakshi • 5 April 2013

   Good day to you dear…I am 40 year old female recently my cd4 count is 346 and cd3 is 1341..can i start my medicine?…as i don’t have any other disease.. pls advice.

   Thanks & Regards
   Sakshi

2. wiila • 10 March 2013

   You are doing a good work

3. Rebecca McDowall • 27 February 2013

   Hi,

   If your CD4 count is 59 it is important that you start ARVs soon- in the next week or two. This is because a CD4 count this low means that your body is vulnerable to opportunistic infections like TB and pneumonia. It might be that you have just been lucky so far and you haven’t caught any of these infections. But if you do not start treatment it is very likely that you will get ill at some point. The treatment for opportunitic infections can be more difficult to take than HIV treatment itself.

   Although it is normal to be worried about starting ARVs if you follow your treatment very carefully, you have a good chance that treatment will work. Your viral load will drop and your CD4 count will rise to safer levels. HIV treatment is today is much easier to take than it was in the past and side effects are usually mild and easy to cope with. Please see our Introduction to combination therapy for more information about what to expect.

   Please let me know if I can help further, or again in the future.

4. anonymous • 26 February 2013

   I just tested and my cd4 count is 59 they did me another test, what i dont understand is im not feeling sick on anything. How can that be?? I dont want to start on ARV’s. Plz help me!!#confused#

5. Simon Collins • 14 February 2013

   Any test result should be explained by the doctor who tested you or clinic where you had the test. A positive result for an HIV test needs to be confirmed with a second type of test before HIV is diagnosed. If you are HIV positive, the the CD4 count of 350, is an indication that your doctor will talk to you about treatment. Best to get the clinic to clarify whether you are HIV positive first though.

6. sesame • 14 February 2013

   hi i have my blood test yesterday and my CD4 is 350 and its said HIV reactive do i need to worry about it? im still waiting for the result of the second test maybe tomorrow pls kindly advised me coz im totally depressed now thanks.

7. Rebecca McDowall • 24 January 2013

   Hi Lyn,
   You can read it here: http://i-base.info/qa/4053.

   How is your daughter doing?

8. lyn • 24 January 2013

   Hi Rebecca
   I cant track the response you did yesaterday

9. Rebecca McDowall • 23 January 2013

   Hi Lindiwe,
   If your CD4 count is 196 it is important that you start treatment soon (in the next few weeks). This is because a CD4 count under 200 means you are at risk of developing infections like pneumonia. Generally the treatment for these infections is more difficult to take than ARVs.

   There is no other way to boost your CD4 count, except to start ARVs. Although it’s normal to be nervous about starting treatment ARVs are generally easily tolerated and have much fewer side effects today than in the past. You can read about starting treatment in our online guide for more information about what to expect when starting treatment.

10. Lindiwe • 23 January 2013

    Hi, I ve just did my cd4 count and they were 196. My doctor has advised me to start treatment, although i think there contributing factors to the low cd4. Is there other way of boosting my cd4 rather than taking ARVs.