Hiv Increased Sickness From The Flu

Here's a taste of what TheBody.com has to offer on this topic:

Get the Facts

Flu Season and Living With HIV

Introduction What Is the Flu? How Do You Get the Flu? Who Is at Risk For the Flu? What Are the Symptoms? How Do You Diagnose the Flu? How Do You Prevent the Flu? How Do You Treat the Flu Virus? How Do You Treat Flu Symptoms? What About Flu Shots? Concerns For People Living With HIV Concerns For Pregnant Women, Children and People Over 50 Introduction Influenza, or simply the flu, is a serious respiratory infection that makes...

Ask the Experts

DOES FLU INCREASE VL COUNTS??

I recently had a "24 hour flu", for lack of a better description. Two days after being sick, I went in to have my three month check. My report card was good-CD4 increased to 630 and everything else was in normal limits, but my VL went...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

He is correct. Other infections can raise HIV viral load levels transiently. It is not related to "interfering" with the assay. Rather, other infections stimulate the immune system, including HIV infected cells and this causes a short bump... Read more »

Can HTLV be responsible for increased colds, flu, etc.?

I have HTLV type I or II and am interested to know whether this could be the cause of increased infections such as laryngitis, colds, etc. I have been out sick frequently lately from work and it would help if I could explain this to my...

Response from Bruce Dezube, M.D.

Harvard Medical School

HTLV I and II are viral illnesses quite distinct from HIV. At one time, HIV was known as HTLV III, but that was very early on in the HIV epidemic when we didn't know as much about HIV. HTLV I can indeed cause a whole series of medical... Read more »

HIV and HIV-related sickness

Hi!Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. My boyfriend was diagnosed with HIV on May 20th, with an exposure date of April 8th and textbook symptoms 2 weeks after exposure. He has always had a fast metabolism so is trying to eat more...

Response from Nelson Vergel, B.S.Ch.E., M.B.A.

Program for Wellness Restoration

It is important to find out what his CD4 cells and HIV viral load are right away. Those two numbers can tell us a lot about his health.Flu like symptoms without having the flu are not uncommon in those with HIV, specially with higher viral loads.... Read more »

can flu-shot increase size of lymph nodes?

Thanks the great services you offer on this website. I have been HIV+ probably since 1990 coz' I have been in a monogamous r/ship with my husband who is negative. I learnt of my status in October '02. Lab results in october'02 (CD4...

Response from Bruce Dezube, M.D.

Harvard Medical School

It would be unusual for a flu-shot to cause such a lymph node swelling. However, I imagine that if you were to scratch the site of injection, a lymph node in that area of the body could swell.I would give it a few more weeks, and if the left armpit... Read more »

Go to Ask the Experts »

Connect With Others

Worried Sick.. Is Yeast Infectious for HIV? (Long)

Posted by kdman, 1 Reply

Hey all,

I've been reading these boards and Dr Bob's Q&A's over the past month and a bit... and it's helped as well as disheartened at the same time.

I've been a textbook "Worried Well" over the past several weeks. I hope to believe that severe... Read more »

scared sick or HIV?

Posted by QQQ, 2 Replies

Can anybody help? I had unprotected vaginal sex with female a met in a bar back in mid april 2000. She was slightly menstruating at the time. I developed some small zits around my groin area, but they went away after a week and have not returned.... Read more »

Sick or just sIcK?

Posted by Anonymous, 2 Replies

Well, I had protected vaginal intercourse with a girl a couple of times and she gave me a BJ after vaginal intercourse (no condom). I didn't go down on her. She tested negative for HIV cause she knew I was worried and she wanted a relationship. I... Read more »

What's the point...... sick of being sick

Posted by Anonymous, 7 Replies

I think I have lost my desire to keep fighting this disease. I am always tired and the meds make me sick.

My viral load is 30k and my cd4's are around 300... but I am just tired of it. I have was diagnosed in 97 and started feeling ill around the... Read more »

Connect on Our Bulletin Boards »

Tools

My Health Tracker

Assess Your Risk for HIV

Find Local HIV/AIDS Services

Resource Centers

Guides for People With HIV

View All of Our Guides >>