First let me say, thank you from the bottom of my heart to you and all of the doctors that contribute to the vast information on this site. It truely is a god send to so many of us.

I know that there is a lot of different opionions due to lack of studies on early & Acute HIV treatment. With that said. I was desperatly hoping to get your opinion if I was your patient.

I was Diagnosed Acute HIV December 2006 after suffering from the classic Flew like symptoms. My viral load was 33,000. CD4 348. 1 month later, Viral load 55,000 CD4 645. My doctor then put me on Atripla because he feels treating Acute HIV is the best course.

3 months later CD4 650 Viral Load Undetectable.(I love Atripla) I now have a new doctor because I moved. He does not agree with my early treatemnt and sees no reason for me to continue my treatment on Atripla and said he would be happy to assist my transition to stoping all meds if I choose to follow his opinion.

I trust & respect both of these doctors, I am conflicted as to wether I should continue Atripla or stop taking meds.

If I was your patient, with the limited information I gave you, what would you suggest to me. Thanks again for your advise.

PS. no side effects from Atripla, But I do experience fatigue from time to time.

It is a shame that you have received conflicting information, leading to confusion. There is a growing consensus among HIV treaters that HIV therapy during acute HIV infection can have benefits. However, this is not a universal opinion and there are no hard and fast data to indicate this should be the standard practice.

The idea is that treatment during early infection can preserve parts of your immune system that can best fight HIV - this ability to fight HIV will come in handy later in the course of your infection.

How long to keep on therapy started during acute infection is unclear. Many will stop treatment after 1 to 2 years.

At our center, we treat HIV during the acute phase - often, but not always, as part of a clinical study. So, if you were my patient, I would have started your therapy. Were you to transfer to my care on therapy, I would continue it as I see no harm in keeping it going for another year or so. Then you and your doc can look afresh at the data available and decide whether to stop or not. You and doctor #1 came up with a plan. I would work that plan.

DW