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Ask the Experts about Choosing Your Meds
How long after Diagnosis Should I be Put on Meds?
Oct 1, 2008
I was in the hospital with Pancreatitis and was diagnosed with HIV. My first set of tests came back with a viral load at 470 and a CD4 count of 293. It has been one month since my first set of labs, and I am going back to the doctor today for my second set of labs, and wondering if I should be on any HIV medication because my CD4 is lower then the set guidelines. Also I am wondering if I should typically see any kind of rise in my CD4 count. How long does it typically take for the CD4 count to bounce back after a hospital stay?
Response from Dr. Young
Thanks for your post and I'm sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis.
If your second CD4 count test confirms a level less than 350, then you should be started on medications in the near future. It's possible that your CD4 count was suppressed because of the pancreatitis (as would often happen with an acute illness), hence it is very important to confirm the first lab test before concluding that you need to start medications.
There are a lot of other diagnostic tests that your doctor should perform before deciding on what medications to start- namely HIV resistance tests, evaluation of liver, kidney, heart and bone health (to name a few). I'd recommend getting your immunizations for pneumonia (Pnemovax) and influenza too.
Once antiretroviral combination therapy is started (and taken), we'd expect to see at least a 100, if not 250 cell increase in CD4 counts in the first year.
Best of health to you,
BY
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