Hi,

Thanks for posting your query.

I see that you have tested positive for HIV recently with a CD4+ count of 60. I am sorry that you are suffering from TB as well. I am glad that you have started the anti-retroviral treatment as well as the anti- TB treatment.

Please do not say that your CD4+ count is ‘just’ 60. With effective treatment and with good compliance from the patient, CD4+ count will eventually increase. This is because as the viral load decreases with the anti-retroviral treatment, the CD4+ count will increase. This has been proven by well-documented studies.

Coming to answers to your queries:

1. You would live longer. There is no specific answer for this. Death could be due to accident, heart attack, homicide, suicide. HIV may not actually be the cause of death. My point is - No doctor will ever predict a patient's longevity.

An example: A documented study shows that persons with CD4+ count of 11 at the time of initiation of treatment showed a drastic improvement in the same levels at more than 200, after completing 24 months of treatment.

2. There are adverse side effects of the drugs that you are on. You may be experiencing it definitely by now. Liver dysfunction and jaundice, bone marrow depression, neuropathy, loss of weight, nausea and indigestion are common side effects.

However, the benefit from the treatment is more than the risks associated. My suggestion for you is to continue the treatment.

3. You need to take the regular course of multivitamin supplements to reduce these. Specific symptoms may be managed by your primary treating doctor at the GH as and when they arise.

4. You need to take a diet XXXXXXX in proteins and energy as well. Include a whole egg in your diet daily, a glass of milk, lots of spinach, and pulses and nuts, almonds and olives as well.

5. Eating nutritious food, continuing the treatment regularly, mild to moderate physical activity every day, a peaceful and positive mind can help you in leading a long and healthy life.

In my clinical practice, I have many people with HIV infection who were diagnosed with HIV, 10 to 15 years back and are currently in excellent health and they continue to do so.

You have a long way to go and only you can live your life to the fullest and to the maximum.

You are on the right path. Follow your doctor's suggestion.

Let me know if you have more concerns. Keep me posted at this link.
WWW.WWWW.WW
All the best.

Take care!

---

Hi,

Good to hear from you again, but sorry to hear the wrong, negative thought process that is going on in your mind.

Let me tell you one thing, your lifespan is already reduced due to the HIV positive status. Why do you want to further shorten it by committing suicide? We all get to live only once, please try to live a good quality life now rather than thinking about the lifespan, the HIV infection and the medications.

Please remember it is the quality and not the length of time that you live, that matters.

Coming to your current problems:

1) I am glad that there is so much improvement in your symptoms. Smile!!, there is so much improvement in your general health. You are able to eat better, less fever, fewer headaches, less earache.

2) Severe tiredness is probably due the effects of the anti- tubercular and anti-retroviral medications that you are on. The low hearing ability is probably because of a sensorineural hearing loss due to HIV infection by itself. A complete audiogram can help us in finding the exact cause and manage accordingly.

3) Lower voice may be due to pharyngeal wall (Throat) irritation due to inflammation. You may have irregular and frequent menstruation due to Tuberculosis per se. The pain in your leg seems more like due to Neuropathy and not due to bone marrow depression.

The reasons for all these is because of the interaction between the dying virus and the raising CD4+ count in your blood. It is a good sign overall excepting the low hearing.

How to overcome? - You should be taking B-complex group of vitamins by now on a daily basis. If not, start them right away. A single capsule of Multivitamin every day will solve most of your problems. I hope you are following the diet that I mentioned in my initial reply.

Nothing is serious; you are doing very well right now. Consult an ENT specialist who can do an Audiogram and treat you accordingly. And, follow up with your General Physician. There is no need to consult Neurologist at this point.

You already know the cause for all these. Stop worrying about the future; try to live your everyday with XXXXXXX happiness and peace. Please take it ONE DAY AT A TIME.

You will do well soon. Keep me posted.

Take care.

---

Thank you too.

If you are satisfied with the answer, please close this discussion and write a review.

You can write back to me at this link in future, if in need.

WWW.WWWW.WW
Take care!

---

Hi,

Pleased to write back...

Skin and nail changes is most likely the effects of your general condition. Are you eating well and drinking enough water?

Medications given to you may not be contributing to the skin effects; however other causes such as skin infections (fungal) / nutritional deficiency need to be ruled out too. Have you seen your treating doctor?

In all probabilities, I do not think this is something serious and it should improve with good protein XXXXXXX food and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Drinking plenty of water to improve body hydration will also improve your skin texture and colour. Please consider your diet and water intake seriously in addition to the medications. I also urge you to follow up with your treating doctor if you last saw him/her a while ago. He/she can rule out other specific nutritional deficiency / infection. I hope you started the multivitamin pills as suggested in my previous reply. You may continue it for added benefits.

I understand you are concerned and probably depressed too; but keep up the good hope. Things will not improve drastically with this infection, but there is definitely a XXXXXXX of hope. Apart from healthy and nutritious food, plenty of water and regular medications, we do not have any other remedies.

You will feel better. Stay positive. You can write back to me for any other assistance if needed.

Best Regards

---