Please Note: Due to volume considerations, not all questions can be answered. Questions most likely to be answered will be those of general interest to a broad group of visitors to this forum. Questions pertaining to a specific case; requests for diagnosis, medical advice, or second opinion; or requests for opinions about untested alternative therapies will generally not be answered.
The participation of Dr. Graeme Moyle in this Forum is made possible by Gilead Sciences.
|
|
 |
|
Senior citizen and HIV
Jul 2, 2003
Hi
I just found out about this page and I think it's great we have the opportunity to ask questions to real doctors. I write because my mom(who is 65 years old) was diagnosed with HIV in May 2003. She got it due to a blood transfusion in December 2001. Needles to say we are all devastated and still can not believe she has it. Back in May 2003 she had the following numbers: CD4 278, Viral Load 12000.
She went to 2 doctors..one of them told her not to start any treatment and monitor her labs quarterly .The other doctor recommends to start treatment. He mentioned that the size of her spleen is bigger than normal. Of course, we are all confused. Sometimes she is very,very tired but they also found that she has mononucleosis. My question is..with these numbers ..what should we do? What is you recommendation in this case with these specific numbers? and why?
|
 |
|
 |
|
Response from Dr. Young
Thank you for your question and sorry to hear about your mother.
There isn't a absolutely uniform consensus about when to start HIV medications. Current recommendations suggest starting therapy in asymptomatic persons with CD4 counts less than 350 or with viral loads greater than 55,000 copies. Nevertheless, it is important to bear in mind several features about women and, hmmm, older patients with HIV infection. First, it is clear that women tend to have more rapid HIV disease progression than men with the same viral load; additionally, for older persons, the amount of CD4 cell rise tends to be less than younger persons.
Based on this, and a general philosophy that says, when in doubt, treat; I'd be recommending considering treatment.
This is not to say that this is an emergent decision (it rarely is), nor does therapy have to be a complicated, side-effect prone experience.
I'd work closely with your mother's physician to discuss the pros and cons of different strategies for therapy, continue to get close clinical and laboratory monitoring.
Good luck. BY
|
|
|
 Please remember that this forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not engaged through this
forum in rendering legal or medical advice or professional services. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible
for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither The Body nor any sponsor is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.
Questions and messages posted to this forum are not statements of advice, opinion, or information of The Body, Body Health Resources Corporation or any sponsor of this
forum. While neither The Body nor Body Health Resources Corporation regularly reviews posted content, we reserve the right to delete, move, or
edit postings if we deem it appropriate under the circumstances. Visitors submitting questions remain solely responsible for the content of their
messages.
Information provided by experts is general only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease, or relied upon as
legal or other professional advice. This information is not a substitute for professional advice or care. If you have or suspect you may have a
health or legal problem, you should consult your own health care provider or your attorney.
Copyright notice.
|
|
|
|
