Question
What does a CD4 count of 87 mean for my health?
9 July 2012. Related: All topics, Opportunistic infections.
What does a CD4 count of 87 mean for my health?
Answer
Firstly, can I ask if you are taking ARVs? ARVs are antiretroviral treatments for HIV. I ask because the answer is slightly different depending on whether you are taking ARVs or not.
The CD4 count is also used to decide if someone needs to start treatment. Because your CD4 count is lower than 350 (or 200 in some countries) this means that your doctor should prescribe your ARVs. After starting treatment most people will see their CD4 count increase. A normal CD4 count is usually between 400 and 1600.
While your CD4 count is lower than 200, you are at a higher risk of infections. Your doctor should prescribe you an antibiotic called co-trimoxazole (often called Setrin or Bactrim) to reduce this risk until your CD4 count is higher. For more information, please follow this link to our guide on CD4 count and the risk of becoming ill.
Treatment for HIV is extremely effective, even starting with a low CD4 count.
If you are already on treatment, then your CD4 count should slowly increase. It may take a year or two until you get to 200.
Hi Gladness
What does your doctor say about this?
Also, what are the current meds that you are taking?
It sound like your doctor should talk about whether there are other HIV medicines that you can change to.
Please let me know what the doctor says.
my cd4 count is always dropping. now is 87 and I am on Arv since 2011 August.