Question
How can I keep my viral load undetectable?
27 November 2023. Related: Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load.
Hi, there. I’ve recently being diagnosed with HIV and I was put on treatment soon after. I would like to know how can I keep my viral load low to a point where it is undetectable. And what are the factors they may lead to a default(since starting treatment I’ve never missed taking my pills). Every now and then I do enjoy some wine (one or two glasses) will this have any impact on my goal of wanting to be undetectable or should I completely quit alcohol now that I’m on treatment.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
It is great to hear that you were able to start treatment so soon. How are you managing with treatment and being HIV positive?
The most importnat factor is to continue taking your treatment daily and at the same time each day. Missing doses or being late (more than an hour) can lead to resistance/treatment failure the more often it happens. In turn this will lead to an increased viral load.
As long as alcohol is not impacting on your ability to take your treatment, you do not need to quit. As long as you are maintaining a balanced lifestyle and drinking alcohol within recommended limits, it is not going to risk increasing your viral load.
If you are ill or have a vaccine, it is advised to wait at least 4 weeks before having your viral load tested. This is because being ill/vaccine can cause a temporary increase in the viral load. This does not affect U=U but it can cause falsely elevated viral load results which you do not need to be concerned about.
Josh.
Hi Anonymous, it is great to hear that you have a supportive group around you and that you are doing well on treatment.
Don’t feel like you need to rush ‘being okay’. Learning that you are HIV positive can be a life changing thing and you are already doing everything correctly.
Going for counselling is an excellent idea. Hopefully it will really help you along in this process.
Hi Josh thank you for replying my question. ( How can I keep my viral load undetectable?
27 November 2023) I have been managing well with the treatment I’m making sure that I never miss my time to take my arvs. As much as I have accepted my status and can see that life does go on, I sometimes still cannot believe that i am living with it (I hope I’m making sense lol). With all of this I’m highly grateful for the support of my family and few of my friends whom I have disclosed my status too. I’m also thinking of starting to go fo counseling, for some reason I feel like I do need it.
Hi Ann, no this is not suggestive of seroconversion. Signs of HIV would not present this soon after completing your course of PEP.
PEP will not stop common infections like the cold or the flu. As you have been on PEP and completed the course correctly, it suggests your symptoms are not HIV related and will be the result of another infection/illness.
For information about testing and transmission see here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
Hi, this is Ann. I had unprotected sex with someone who was HIV positive and I didn’t know his viral load. I went to medical care and was introduced to pep, 16hrs after the exposure. I was given TLD. I finished taking the drugs today but since yesterday, I have been feeling like I want to develop fever. I also have cold flue. Can this be a serecoversion process? I will go back to clinic tomorrow. Please what do I do?