Question
Is it safe to fast in my situation?
19 June 2009. Related: All topics.
Am a christian who is HIV positive and not on treatment yet, with a CD4 count of above 1000.
Is it advisable to fast for 7 days? This is a fast where you drink a lot of water, juice and in some cases eat fruit. And then break off at 18:00 in the evening. You eat a meal in the evening. Is there any medical effect on my health as of my status? I don’t fast for more than 7 days.
The fasting is for spiritual benefit. Is it safe to fast for HIV positive people?
Answer
Your results are all right and as long as the fast is not the long one that nears starvation, then everything should be all right and you could do it.
It is more problematic for people with very advanced AIDS (CD4 count below 200), where hunger and starvation may further reduce the ability of the immune system to fight off intruders.
Hi Phebian,
What HIV meds are you taking. And how is the treatment going? Do you have access to your viral load and CD4 results? Please let us know.
May I ask why you want to dry fast for 7 days. It’s not going to be good for you to go without water or liquids for 7 days. It can make you very seriously ill.
Please talk to your doctor about your plans for fasting.
Can I do dry fast for 7 days without not eating anything …
Hi Cathy,
This will all depend on the type of fasting. If your medication needs to be taken with food, and how your health is. Though fasting may be important to you, its important that your health isn’t impacted. You should discuss this with your HIV doctor.
He l am pentecostal Christian. I was tested hiv positive in 2014, before that I used to fast a lot. But after fasting for 40 days I got sick. Since then when I ever, I want to fast. After few hours I will be feeling dizzy, hungry, headache and starve like I haven’t eaten for many days. Immidately I eat my food every disappears. I really was to be fast. What your advice please
Hi Anonymous,
If you’re feeling this way, it could be due to you being positive. It could however be something else. If you want to control your HIV you need to be on ARVs. With regards to fasting, not eating for 3 days isn’t something that’s recommended.
Is it safe to fast for more than 3 days while taking only liquids no food? My CD4 count is 420. I m only taking supplements and I have been taking them for 14years now. I’m always tired and lazy. My joints are always painful and having a headaches all the time
Hi Anonymous,
What’s your CD4 count? How is your health in general?
Hi
I’m on Trivenz treatment. Is it safe for me to fast from 6am and break off at 6pm?
I only drink liquids during the day. Water, fruit juice, tea and coffee.
Will this not affect my health as I’m on treatment?
Hi Araujo,
What meds are you on? How long have you been taking them for? How were you before you fasted?
I tried to fast one week after I stop to fast because I felt something were not well in my body. My CD4 is 330. I have 2 weeks after stop fasting but I still have some pain on my chest and lazy. I’m a builder, I feel so tired after work. I don’t know what will affect me.