How Long Should One Wait Before Starting HIV Meds

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Ask the Experts

How long can I wait to start HIV Meds?

I am a 45 year old male runner in good shape. I tested positive for HIV about 10 months ago. My initial viral load was around 3,000 and T-cell count at around 550. There was not much change on the second test 4 months later. The following test...

Response from Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D.

Rocky Mountain CARES

Thanks for your post.Most doctors wouldn't recommend starting medications with your current set of labs--indeed, if you were my patient and were not symptomatic, I wouldn't recommend starting until your counts approached 350. --so,... Read more »

How long should i wait (WHEN TO START TREATMENT)

I have a CD4 count of 485 and a VL of 45 000. How long will it be before i should consider meds? I... Read more »

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D. »

Why wait to start meds?

I have been positive for 10 yrs. At 3 yrs positive my viral load was 100,000 although my T4 was... Read more »

Response from David Wohl, M.D. »

Go to Ask the Experts »

Articles

When I Started HIV Meds: Step by Step on a Difficult Road

Lillibeth Gonzalez I was diagnosed with HIV in July 1992. Before starting HIV treatment, my T cells were 868 and I was in great shape, but I was angry at myself for trusting my husband and not wearing protection. I thought I was going to die,... Read more »

The ADAP Crisis: Waiting for Meds

AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) provide access to life-saving medications for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured people with HIV. ADAPs began in 1987, when Congress approved funds to help states purchase the only approved HIV drug at that... Read more »

Waiting for a Transplant: One Man's Story

I was diagnosed with hepatitis B in December 1969. About 25% of people with hepatitis B become chronic carriers, and a smaller percentage of those develop severe liver disease -- cirrhosis. So I'm one of the rare ones. From this smaller group, some... Read more »

Your Ability to Start and Maintain

Keeping Up With Taking Meds All HIV meds go through extensive research to find the optimal dose to keep HIV under control, without causing unnecessary side effects for most people. They're usually taken once or twice a day, with or without food,... Read more »

Connect With Others

Should I Start Meds NOW or WAIT?

Posted by Anonymous, 3 Replies

I just tested positive (and boy is this an emotional roller coaster). My CD4 count is 337 and my Viral Load is 55,000 copies. I am a flight attendant and am about to go into some rigourouse training for 7 weeks. My doctor told me we could hold off... Read more »

should I start meds?

Posted by Anonymous, 8 Replies

I just seroconverted. I had Chronic HIV Infection, which meant that during conversion, I was in the hospital for a while and my body went haywire.

my VL count dropped from 750,000 to 350,000 in four days, and my CD4 count is at 582.

Do I start meds... Read more »

How long were you poz before you started treatment

Posted by pogi12, 10 Replies

Hello,

First of all I would like to say thank you to anyone taking the time to read this and any responses would be much, much appreciated.

I was recently diagnosed HIV positive within the last year. I don't know what my T-cell counts are or my viral... Read more »

Starting meds for the first time.

Posted by glowstixboyoh, 15 Replies

Hi everyone. I am a little angry right now. I was diagnosed poz on march first of this year. I just got my lab results back and people think I should start meds. Its seems to them the virus is newly aquired, but it also looks like my immune... Read more »

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