Question
My CD4 is still under 200 after a month – is this okay?
11 September 2014. Related: All topics, Newly diagnosed, Starting treatment.
I was just diagnosed with HIV 30 days ago and my doctor started me on Striblid.
I just went back for a follow up after 30 days and my CD4 count was 195 and my viral load was 210,000. She was very happy with my results and that the medicine was working.
Do I have anything to worry about since my cd4 count is below 200?
Answer
Hi
Thanks for your question.
To be able to comment on your response to treatment though, I really need to know what your CD4 count and viral load were before you started treatment.
If your doctor is happy with the results, then everything is likely to be fine.
There is no need to be worried about your CD4 count.
Whatever it was before you started treatment, getting to around 200 means you are in the clear for most HIV-related complications. CD4 counts usually take a few months to increase and a slow and steady increase is actually likely to be better than one that increases very quickly.
However, as your viral load is still very high, it would be interesting to know how much this has dropped.
Viral load should usually decrease by at least “one log” after a month. ( a “log” is like knocking a zero off the number). This would mean that your pre-treatment levels would have to have been higher than 2 million copies/mL for a log drop to mean it is now about 200,000.
If you pre-treatment viral load was lower than 2 million, then your doctor should check that you are taking the meds in the right way. For Stribild, this includes taking them with a meal that (probably) needs to include some fat. Your doctor should also check you are not missing doses – and that if you take a multivitamin, this is separated by at least four hours.
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