Testing methods abd CD4 count question. - TheBody.com's Bulletin Boards

From the sounds of it you've tested negative well past the 6 month mark unless you have some kind of primary or secondary immunodeficiency that test is conclusive. A CD4 count of 500 doesn't mean you have an immunodeficiency, I just want to clarify that.

I see how you could be somewhat concerned about your CD4 being on the very bottom end of the normal range but it is still in the normal range it being 500-1500. Don't read too much into your CD4 count while yes some people with recent infection can uncommonly have CD4 counts in the 200-500 range. There are also people who have HIV who have 1000-1500 CD4 counts. HIV infection can't be the cause of your CD4 count. If you had elevated CD8 cells that would be indicative of infection but it wouldn't necessarily mean HIV. Basically without a positive HIV test very little can be gained from getting a CD4 count test.

I understand some of your concern about him being skinny and having a gut there are numerous reasons for something like this. I know one of the girls I saw her X BF had this same body type really skinny arms but a beer belly given all of the strange circumstances him having HIV did cross my mind(after all HIV is a wasting disease) but it's also possible he just drank alot, has bad genes, had a bad diet and didn't work out.

Where I live also only infectious disease specialist can order HIV RNA PCR's since they're quite costly as it's used as a monitoring tool for HIV infected individuals. It can also be used for diagnosis during the acute stage before the body has mounted a detectable antibody response to HIV. It can also be used as an aid for diagnosis for people with significantly compromised immune system such as CVID, chronic IV drug use, terminal cancer, chemotherapy, or on strong Immunosuppressive drugs for organ transplant such as tacromilus.

If you had one of these conditions I think you'd know about it. Take me for example with my selective IgM deficiency I've had more than my share of health problems already, chronic fatigue at times, skin issues, a strange very painful infection, allergic rhinitis(sinusitis so bad I had to get endoscopic sinus surgery as well as I get allergy shots and it's still not pleasant), recurrent cold sores. I've been on antibiotics for alot longer than most people my age have due to my sinus issues and skin problems and this one strange very painful infection I had. Albeit I was doing fairly well given everything health wise until I had two causal encounters and then I got severely ill with ARS type symptoms a rash, a fever, my skin got inflammed(seborrhea), extreme fatigue, half a dozen or so cold sores, diarrhea, malaise, painful neck lymph nodes, neurological symptoms, bruises on my thighs out of no where, a significant loss of appetite, I also lost weight as well as some strength in the gym despite the fact I forced myself to work out consistently thank god for caffine and energy drinks even while being so sick ( I was practically bed ridden) shoving as much foot down my throat as possible with my decreased appetite.

All of this and I'm still symptomatic months later, a very noticeable loss of appetite(not feeling hungry) if I didn't know how to eat when not hungry I would have lost quite a few pounds, loose stools, fatigue, neurological symptoms to name a few of my more noticeable symptoms.

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