I was diagnosed last December. I'm 33 yrs old and not on meds yet. Over this year, my CD-4 has been as high as 1,100, low as 537, and currently at 800. VL has been high as 24,000, low as 400, and 6,000 last check. I believe I've been infected for 8 yrs, but can't be sure.

I worry constantly about getting the flu. I was diagnosed last year after getting strep pneumonia after a mild flu. Before that, I rarely got sick and haven't been sick since (knock on wood). I have on a couple occasions this year gotten these white spots on back of throat near tonsils. It's not thrush. I don't know what they are called. They look like white zits on back of throat--I know gross but can't think of another way to explain them. My brother, who is HIV negative, also gets these things from time to time. I got them two different times after doing a lot of walking in chilly temps.

I guess my question is--should HIVers worry about every little thing? I try to remember that everyone gets sick. I know several negative people who are constantly sick with sore throats, colds, etc. Maybe I've answered my own question, but I just get so much anxiety whenever I do feel under the weather. My doc keeps telling me my labs are really good; however, I fear my CD-4 could just crash all of a sudden.

Thanks for all you guys do!

Your numbers in general over the last year are great. Almost certainly, you are more attuned to signs and symptoms just by having HIV infection and the knowledge about these things that comes with it. However, no one cannot dispute you having pneumococcal pneumonia. However, this infection develops in many people without HIV infection. All this to say that I agree with your doc. It's important to continue to monitor, but not be completely stressed out about it.