Question
My viral load went up from undetectable to 200 copies/mL but I never miss a dose…
26 April 2007. Related: Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load, Changing treatment.
I tested positive last year with a CD4 of about 150. I started treatment with Dapsone to build up my immune system for 3 months before i started treatment with Sustiva (efavirenz) and Truvada (tenofovir+FTC). I have never missed a single dose of my medication but a month ago after my normal 3 months blood test the doctor told me that my viral has changed from undetectable to about 200. He took my blood sample again for a repeat test. How could this have happened to me?
Answer
Thanks for posting your question to the site and allowing us to reply online so other people can see the answer.
It is always worrying when our lab results change.
With viral load results that ‘blip’ above undetectable this can be caused by:
1.
Hello Everyone,
I am new to this site,
I have Recently been diagnosed with HIV.
I too am currently on meds daily and taking life one step at a time as this diagnosis has changed my quality of LIFE immensely.
Living with HIV isn’t the end of our lives.
It requires a lifestyle change and gives us a new perspective on how we view LIFE.
For me,without my knowing,when my viral load got too high and my cd4 cells weren’t able to fight anymore,my immune system completely went haywire and caused my body to go in disarray, to dysfunction…
I lost my ability to walk,bathe,hold items,write,play my instruments,wearing an adult diaper because I couldn’t get to the bathroom on my own..and then diagnosed with a syndrome called Gullain Barre Syndrome…Which in turn resulted in a positive HIV test..
I am 40 years old and I was healthy.
Walking around not knowing I was filled with a virus that could have potentially took my LIFE.
When I first tested I was already at the stage of AIDS…and now 5 months later,under the care of my team of specialists,I am now undetected…yes, walking again with a walker,using the bathroom on my own,.
Taking it one day at a time.
I want to just say this::
Living with HIV isn’t the problem.
We can live just as long as someone that doesn’t have it..as long as Your taking your medication and making wise lifestyle choices.
You have to be at peace with yourself and everything in your LIFE and trust that everything is going to be fine…even living with the HIV/AIDS VIRUS…you have to ACCEPT YOUR LIFE CHOICES and be okay with the consequences of your actions.
♡ Live Your Life.♡Love your LIFE.♡
If you change the way you think,the things you think about will change.
Take it one day at a time and get better.
God’s Got The Rest.
Trust The Process.
Everything is going to be fine.
Hi Nombuso,
Its great that you want to restart meds, this is a positive step.
If you’re in South Africa, then yes its common that a new clinic will want a transfer letter. If this is something that you can get then please do get it. If this isn’t possible then explain this to the new clinic.
Hi
I am HIV positive and I stop taking taking treatment last year Mayb may so this year I went to the clinic for a retreat and now I am emotional ready for meds but they told me to go back to my previous clinic for a transfer letter .is that acceptable?
i, too, had a vl test come back saying it was 224 when before it was undetectable. I tried to tell my doctor it was a “blip” but she wasn’t buying it. left me feeling kind of scared because I haven’t missed a dose either since I’ve been on these medications. honestly, this has never happened and it made me feel powerless. I continue to take the same meds and the doctor said she will test again in three months.
people don’t understand how lonely these three letters “hiv” make some of us feel.
Hi William
How are you coping with this.
Vrial load of about 40,000 is okay – but it is often a reason to start treatment. Actually, recently most people start treatment even with much lower viral load.
Also, what is your CD4 count – as this is a more important test?
The links below might also help.
Just diagnosed – info if this is all new
http://i-base.info/just-found-out/
Guide to treatment – with info on CD4 and viral load
http://i-base.info/guides/starting
I just got tested for positive, i went ahead to do 3 more test to know if my results was clear, its now confirmed that im positive. I’m not on retroviral but my viral load log units is 4.641 and HIV- RNA copies is 43730 cp/ml. I want to know if it’s high or low.
Hi JP,
A low, but detectable viral load could just be a blip. Please see this page for information about viral load blips and how to deal with these. Please let me know if you have any questions after reading this.
Mine vl was undetecable now I get my results my vl is 61 but cd4 is 281
Thanks for letting us know what happened. It sounds like you just a had ‘blip’ results, which is very common, and that this was a lab error as several other patients had the same result.
This is why it is always very important to get any unexpected test result confirmed with a second test, before worrying too much, and certainly before making any change to your treatment.
If you are in the UK, then i-Base have a treatment phoneline, but although the calls are taking by HIV-positive poeple, it is not a general support line.
You could try joining one of the online discussion forums at aidsmeds.com
Hello. My viral load is now undetectable again and the Doctor says he has no clear explanation of what has happened. He claimed that five of us had the same problem in the clinic and all suddenly improved.
Living with HIV has made me loose all my motivation and drive in life. I do not know what to do although I am grateful to benefit from access to life saving medications. Do you have a chat line for people living with HIV so that i could interact with people with the same condition? Thanks