Question
Why am I on ilvitrim? (co-trimoxazole)
29 July 2013. Related: All topics, Opportunistic infections.
I am worried why my CD4 count is dropping so fast,what can i do to keep it above 500? I am currently put on ilvitrim, why ilvitrim?
Answer
Hello,
Thank you for your email. Can you give me a bit more information?
It would be useful if you could tell me what your most recent CD4 count is, and the last few results so that I can understand how quickly this is decreasing.
If your CD4 count is above 500, then your immune system is still very strong. This is likely to slowly go down over time until you start ARVs. This is the only proven way to increase your CD4 count.
The CD4 count guideline for starting treatment will depend on where you live. Can you tell me which country you live in? For example, in the UK, the current recommendation is to start when the CD4 count is about 350.
Ilvitrim is a brand name for two antibiotics in one pill. The generic name for this is co-trimoxazole. Other common brand names are Purbac, Septrin and Bactrim.
The two drugs in co-trimoxazole are trimethoprim (TMP) and sulphamethoxazole (SMX). It is mainly used to either prevent or treat infections, including PCP which is a type of pneumonia and toxoplasmosis which can affect your brian.
In the UK, this med is given to everybody who has a CD4 count under 200. In some other countries, especially in Africa, this is used at higher CD4 counts (under 350) because it also protects against a broad range of other infections.
As with any medicine, it is important to ask your doctor or nurse these questions so you understand this part of your life.
Hi Tania, pls ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about this. This is because your questions doesn’t include enough information about your situation for me to be able to answer. thanks.
Hi, my durobac tablets are finished I still have my ARVs, can i breastfeed my 5 week old newborn if they are finished? Thanks.