Hi doc my names chris im a 22 yr old male who just found out im HIV positive. Went to the doctor today for my intial results and he instructed me that I had a CD4 count of 110 he didnt have the viral load on record. Iv'e been smoking since I was 15 and have been drinking lots of grog to deal with the stress. My fiance who is also hiv positive has a cd4 count of 800. Am I a gonner cause its so low. What the hell do I do. Thanks doc Ps: will my low cd4 count increase hers if we make whoopie :)

Hey Chris,

Sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. Are you a goner because your CD4 count is 110? Nope. But you do have AIDS with severe CD4 depletion that places you at increased risk for opportunistic infections, such as PCP (Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia) and consequently you do need to take action now!

As for what to do next, here's what I recommend:

1. See an HIV specialist physician without delay. That doctor will want to do additional tests, including repeating your counts and getting a resistance (genotype) test to help decide which antiretroviral medication regimen would work best for you.

2. Clean up your act. That means stop smoking, cut back on the grog and decrease the stress in your life. Improve your nutrition and get adequate sleep, rest and exercise.

3. As for making whoopee with your HIV-positive fiancé, use condoms. You don't want to risk cross contamination by picking up each other's viral strains (dual infection/superinfection).

4. Because your CD4 count is below 200, you should immediately begin prophylaxis for PCP by taking Bactrim (Septra) daily.

5. Get informed about HIV and its treatment. Begin by reading the "Just Diagnosed" chapter that can be found under the "HIV Basics" heading on The Body's homepage. From there you and your fiancé should peruse the wealth of information in the archives and on related sites.

With proper and prompt treatment, you could experience significant improvements in your CD4 counts and consequently your immune health.

Good luck.

Dr. Bob