What Medications Should One Start On For HIV Infection?

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When to Start Anti-HIV Medications

Terms Used in This Fact Sheet Antiretroviral: A medication that prevents a retrovirus, such as HIV, from making copies of itself. Anti-HIV medications are also called antiretrovirals. Antiretroviral therapy (ART): The recommended treatment for HIV. ART involves taking a combination of three or more anti-HIV medications from at least two different drug classes every day to control the virus. CD4 count: The number of CD4 cells in a sample...

Ask the Experts

Start medication with one kidney, if so which ones

My background: I just got diagnosed as being HIV+ on June 14, 2005. Second test confirmed it a week later, with viral load of 5840 and CD4 count of 346. I also donated 1 of my kidneys to my older sister in Dec 2003. Prior to June 2005, I tested...

Response from Gerald Pierone, M.D.

AIDS Research and Treatment Center of the Treasure Coast

Since you were not infected with HIV when you donated the kidney, your sister is not at risk. Donating a kidney is a very considerate and caring act; I hope that your sister is doing well with your donated kidney. Since you have a recent infection... Read more »

Risks and benefits of starting meds at the onset of infection - START study

Hi, Ive been HIV + for five years; my viral load is undetectable and my CD4 count is 1230. I decided to start with my medication regimen (truvada/sustiva) at the time of seroconvertion (viral load was 80,000 and CD4 was about 900. My decision was...

Response from Gerald Pierone, M.D.

AIDS Research and Treatment Center of the Treasure Coast

Hello, and thanks for posting. We don't know the best time to start HIV medication. There has been a trend towards earlier treatment as the medications have improved. The expert panel that formulates the DHHS guidelines was split about evenly... Read more »

When should HIV infected patient start taking medicine?

Good afternoon doctor, a close relative of mine was recently diagnosted as HIV positive. She informed the family that her doctor said she did not have to start taking medicine yet. I am concerned she may be in denial and lying. Could that be...

Response from Joseph McGowan, M.D., F.A.C.P.

North Shore University Hospital

The current guidelines suggest to start HIV treatment if either one has symptoms of HIV infection or if one's CD4 count is below 500 cells/mm3. Some studies have even suggested that it might be appropriate to start when the CD4 count is above... Read more »

Can EBV infection be cured? (EBV is one of the viruses which cause cancer in HIV-infected patients)

I have a history of Hodgkin's Disease, cancer of the lymph nodes. I've heard that EBV infection can often cause lymphoma. I've had HIV for 9 years. I'm doing well, but I know I'm not "cured." I've heard...

Response from Bruce Dezube, M.D.

Harvard Medical School

You ask an excellent question! Sounds like you've done okay in terms of your Hodgkin's disease. It is indeed true that the EBV virus is found in the vast majority of patients who have HIV-related Hodgkin's disease. It is also true,... Read more »

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Starting meds soon, can he start now?

Posted by Anonymous, 2 Replies

My partner has an appointment for the middle of next week to get set up for meds. He was diagnosed this past summer and had a CD4 count of 199 at that time and PCP (that's how we found out). He had previously been misdiagnosed as having Crohn's... Read more »

HIV son's dad starting to make the the turn

Posted by Anonymous, 5 Replies

Anger will only destroy the person that is angry. The dust is starting to settle now that its been a few weeks and Im calming down and appreciative of the grace of a few folks here whi have HIV and are gay but maintained grace under fire which I... 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 »

To start or not to start.........

Posted by ameoli, 3 Replies

Hello all ~

Brand new member here. My father was diagnosed just over a year ago, and has not yet started meds. Within that time he moved to another city, and found a new doc. The first doc told him to wait as long as possible before starting meds,... Read more »

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