Question

I'm positive at birth – how do I maintain my CD4 without treatment?

10 January 2012. Related: All topics, Living with HIV long-term, Newly diagnosed, South Africa.

Hi, I’m 15years of age recently been diagnosed HIV postitive. I have never been on treatment and was infected at birth. My CD4 count is above 350 and I would like to keep it that way. How am i going to maintain this?

Answer

Answer: Li Marhaban

I’m very sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis.

How are you coping? Was this something that you thought might be possible or was this a shock? Do you know other people your age who are also HIV positive?

I can understand that that you are concerned about starting treatment. This is the case for most people, at any age. Having HIV is never easy but it is important for you to know that with today’s drugs, HIV is a treatable and manageable infection.  At present there are over 30 different types of HIV medication that are available.

Treatment can give you a near normal life expectancy and a good quality of life. If you have been healthy for this long so far, you have been very lucky.  Many people live with HIV for years without getting ill and without needing treatment. Knowing that you have HIV now is important because now you can get monitoring, treatment and support.  It is important to take one day at a time and to continue to find out more information on HIV as well as treatment.

So far your CD4 count is still above 350 and this is a good sign.  But at the same time, considering treatment in the near future is probably a good idea, even if you are feeling healthy.  Here in the UK, our guidelines recommend starting treatment if someone has a CD4 count drops below 350.  This is because the lower your CD4 count gets before you start treatment, the less likely it is to reach ‘normal’ levels once treatment has started. This is similar to South Africa where the new treatment guidelines also recommend starting at around 350.

Please follow this link to view a graphic, which explains this better.

You do not have to start your treatment immediately.  You can take your time and choose to decide when you are ready.   It is also your choice as well to which drugs you choose to take.  This link can help you with these choices.

You can still maintain a healthy lifestyle if you decide not to be on treatment.  It is best to keep a well balanced diet and some general exercises can also help to reduce stress and anxiety.   However at some point, you will need treatment.  Treatment stops the virus from replicating itself and slowly your CD4 count will increase again.  It is a very good idea to get to know something about treatment now, before you need it.  Having the knowledge means you are well informed about treatment. This gives you a more control and means you can plan your future in a positive manner.

Please take a look on this link for more information on ‘Introduction to combination therapy’.

Finally, I wondered if you know about the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa. They have a great history or producing information about treatment and support for HIV positive people.  Here is the link to their website.