treatment
For long periods, often several years, the body copes effectively with HIV. The number and percentage of CD4 cells fall, but usually stabilise, and during this period, most people feel normal and suffer no obvious ill effects. Despite this, damage is still being done to the immune system.
If you test positive at a clinic and have no noticeable illnesses then the chances are that you don't need to start treatment straight away, and the clinic will monitor your health and explain your treatment options.
- CD4 cell count tests measure the level of CD4 cells, a certain type of white blood cell. These tests can measure the decline of your immune health. However, taking medicine can slow the decline of your immune health. In fact, many people who start anti-HIV therapy experience a significant increase in their CD4 cell counts.
Doctors encourage people to start anti-HIV therapy when their CD4 cell counts are 200-350. However, these are arbitrary numbers used in studies of anti-HIV drugs. By itself, a CD4 cell count doesn't tell us enough about the state of disease. It only shows that the level of CD4 cells is below normal, to varying degrees. Getting the full picture of your HIV disease requires monitoring your general health and additional tests, especially the viral load test.
- Viral load tests measure the amount of virus in the bloodstream. They can generally predict how quickly HIV will damage the immune system. In effect, these tests predict the loss of CD4 cells: the higher the number, the greater the risk of damage to your immune system. Using effective treatments can greatly reduce the level of HIV and slow its rate of disease progression.
For more information on treatments and their side effects
www.aidsmap.com or www.ibase.org.uk
For more information about when to start treatment visit
For advice on living with HIV then visit -
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