Question
Should I worry as my viral load now is about 60 copies/mL?
10 September 2009. Related: All topics.
I’m on TDF/FTC/3TC. My first viral load test on treatment was 42. My second was undetectable. My third, which I’ve just received, is 66. But my CD4 count is going up consistently (started treatment at 268, now over 500).
Is my viral load above 50 anything to worry about?
Answer
Very small viral load increases over 50 are usually either a blip or a lab error.
Blips are small temporary increases that go down again without needing to change treatment. They are normal part of low-level fluctuation. Lab errors are also common as the tests are less sensitive at very low levels.
It is important that your viral load is undetectable, as this is the main task of the therapy and means that the viral replication is well suppressed. You need to talk to your doctor though if you are worried, but I’d expect your next result to be undetectable again without doing anything.
More information about blips and increases is here.
More importantly, please can you check the names of your medications.
3TC (lamivudine) and FTC (emtricitabine) should never be used in the same combination because they are very similar drugs and only one of them would be active. IF you really are on these three drugs please contact your clinic straight away as they will need to change one of those drugs.
It would be more normal to use either efavirenz or nevirapine instead of either 3TC or FTC.
Hi Eddie, do you know what test this was? and was this result given with a unit e.g., copies/mL, LOG?
Hi HIV 1 RNA #2.14 is bad ?
Thanks A Lot for quick respond.
Hi Ko, yes. This is excellent. Your medication is doing very well. It is suppressing your viral load to what is considered undetectable for U=U to apply: https://i-base.info/u-equals-u/
Your CD4 count is in a range that is healthy for those who are HIV negative/on ART. The normal range is between 430 and 1690.
I am taking ART 8 months and Viral load is 61, CD4 count is 475, it good condition?