Two years on Meds

[TigerMilner]

Well today is the second anniversary of my going on meds and I had my two year check in with my ID specialist last friday. I've been on Complera and have been undetectable since my first check-up after 30 days and am still today. My doctor says my blood work is "absolutely perfect". My CD4 cells have dropped to 489 which alarmed me since they have never been below 500 but he said not worry since my ratio is still at 42%. He said many factors such as stress can cause CD4 numbers to swing one way or the other. God knows I've been under a lot of stress this year. Much of it good stress, but stress nonetheless. Even the unexplained anemea that has plagued me is finally .01 above normal which means I am no longer techically aneamic! That he said could be because I recently started smoking again, which decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood which would cause it to produce more white blood cells, thus no more anemea, but he refused to go so far as to say I should continue smoking lol.

Anyway, for all the newbies who have been posting lately, it does get better. It does get easier. Just stick with it. Take your meds every day. And fuck as often as you want. But try not to start smoking. It's a bitch to quit again. Oh, but I've lost 14 lbs in the last 2 months after several months of emo eating so I'm getting that back on track as well. I haven't been under 150 in a long time. Feels good.

[abearinsac]

Congratulations Tiger!

[PissPigBrooklyn]

Congrats, Tiger. I wish you another year of good news!

[jtonic]

Thanks for sharing, Tiger.

Also, don't be alarmed by a so-called "drop" in CD4. If you're at 489 and you're in good health, then you're in good health. For anyone on meds and reading this, don't compare your CD4 count to another person, and don't freak out if it's lower. Everyone's health is different. Your doctor will tell you when something is alarming.

[bearbandit]

CD4 counts can vary from moment to moment. I always try to have my CD4 done under the same conditions (time of day, snack beforehand, and so on). The only real variable is the nature of discussion with my doctor. 489 is considered, in the UK, too early to start treatment unless there's a pressing reason like a serodiscordant partner (our limit is 350, but I push for the higher limit). But the way CD4 counts change, 489 might as well be 589 - a hundred or so at this level makes no difference. And 42% is just bloody amazing! The once I got above 30% I was well pleased with myself. Here's to another successful years!

[VersatileBreeder]

Congrats on being consistently undetectable for 2 years Tiger! Must feel good!

[Guest thehammerman]

Good stuff! Glad you're healthy and feeling great. Losing excess fat always helps (I've lost 3 stone in the last year and a half - slowly doing it, but keeping it off). But taking up smoking is never good! Ha! But, each of us has our own vices ... If smoking cigs is yours, so be it. Stay well.

[wood]

Thanks for sharing, Tiger.

Also, don't be alarmed by a so-called "drop" in CD4. If you're at 489 and you're in good health, then you're in good health. For anyone on meds and reading this, don't compare your CD4 count to another person, and don't freak out if it's lower. Everyone's health is different. Your doctor will tell you when something is alarming.

This is true. If anyone recalls I posted a while back about a fuck bud who has consistently low cd4 counts, like in the 200-300 range. He has been undetectable for over 6 years, and was on Atripla within a year of initial infection. From what his doc says some people just have lower numbers and for those people its no big deal. Not everyone, including healthy HIV- people have counts over 1000.

In terms of smoking... well I had a family member a while back who was in his mid 50s and was in pretty awful health, drank alot, smoked about 1.5 packs marlboro reds a day, ate like crap and never exercised. He was to his doc, and his doc said he would be dead in less than 3 years if he didnt change... My family member said, "I can quit drinking, or quit smoking, not both" His instant answer was quit smoking. And he did. That was about 10 years ago, and he did quit smoking. Now he still drinks alot, eats a little better, but is actually a lot more active just because he can breath better.

Edited July 10, 2014 by wood

[Blueyedsoul]

That's great Tiger! I bet you're looking hotter than ever.

[TigerMilner]

That's great Tiger! I bet you're looking hotter than ever.

Thanks for all the kind words of encouragement guys! I really appreciate it. As for the smoking, I don't what came over me just about a month ago I had these overwhelming urges to start smoking again and I caved after over five years without a cigarette. Already I'm sick of it. At first it was fun. I was partying a little for two weekends with Pride and all but I don't think I'm going to stay with it. If you have known me long, you know I quit smoking alot. I quit for nine years when my kids were little. And they are already on my case about it. They are worse than having parents. I like being a non-smoker. Soon.

[cumluvnbottom]

Congrats on doing so well. I know the CD4's can be frustrating... I think mine have been over 500 maybe two or three times since testing positive in 2008 (started meds in 2010). All my other numbers look good (undetectable, etc. etc.)... but it still annoys me that that particular number is "too low" (my words, not my doctors). A doctor has suggested that my CD4 count just naturally falls into that lower range (just was never commented on when I was negative).

Anyway, congrats, and good luck with stopping smoking. You can do it!

[rawdicklover]

Good job Tiger!

Now not to be nitpicky, but its a decrease in red blood cells, not white, that leads to anemia

[VersatileBreeder]

Thanks for all the kind words of encouragement guys! I really appreciate it. As for the smoking, I don't what came over me just about a month ago I had these overwhelming urges to start smoking again and I caved after over five years without a cigarette. Already I'm sick of it. At first it was fun. I was partying a little for two weekends with Pride and all but I don't think I'm going to stay with it. If you have known me long, you know I quit smoking alot. I quit for nine years when my kids were little. And they are already on my case about it. They are worse than having parents. I like being a non-smoker. Soon.

Tiger, I'll make a deal with you.... Pick a date you want to quit smoking and I'll join you. We'll see how far each other can get without caving and hopefully neither of us do. We're in the same boat. Let me know man.

[TigerMilner]

Good job Tiger!

Now not to be nitpicky, but its a decrease in red blood cells, not white, that leads to anemia

Red, white, blah, blah, blah, lol. Good catch. It all goes over my head. All I was really thinking at that point was "damn my doctor is good looking...I'd sure like to see his uncut dick..."

I try to take good notes so I can write an intelligent piece, but it's not like we are talking wine here. Plus, I misspelled anemia. But I got my numbers right! Anyway, you got the jest of what he meant.

[TigerMilner]

Tiger, I'll make a deal with you.... Pick a date you want to quit smoking and I'll join you. We'll see how far each other can get without caving and hopefully neither of us do. We're in the same boat. Let me know man.

I like this idea. It won't be tomorrow, but I will let you know. Get some patches....