Dr Henry, I am a 27 yr old male recently diagnosed with HIV. I also have reasonably noticeable and severe cerebral palsy. When the time comes for me to start meds, will there be any related side effects?

I also have an alcohol problem, as much as I hate to admit it. I use alcohol to not only mask my c.p. but also provide an escape from what I perceive to be a depressing life.

Will my above average alcohol consumption affect the disease progression of meds that I will inevitably have to take? My CD4 = 950 and v.l. is undetectable.

Can you recommend anything further from here?

Best wishes,

(PS: someone else obviously wrote this for me)

Modest alcohol use generally is OK with most HIV meds. Your have remarkably good blood results for someone who is HIV infected (are you sure you are infected). With underlying brain/nerve disease I often would treat HIV sooner than ordinarily in order to protect from additive nerve damage which can be caused by HIV itself. I generally would not treat someone with blood test results like yours though would follow closely. KH