Latest surrogate markers

Byjonathan

Some readers have asked what effect the ARVs are having on my CD4 and PCR (“viral load”) markers.

I’ve updated the charts I’ve kept since 1998 with the latest results, up through July 24, 2012. You can also find these and other medical records by clicking on the “attachments” tab at the top of the page.

The most obvious change is the PCR, which dropped by 2 logs in the first month. The CD4 count and percentage—the numbers I’m much more interested in—have reversed their decline, but the results are not as spectacular.

A caveat: there is more to this story than I am able to share yet. I’m not trying to be mysterious, but I have to balance my ability to carry out my objective to share information, with the reality that few, if any licensed doctors in my area would approve of my strategy to greatly reduce the risk of adverse effects, and I know some of my doctors read this blog. I am hoping to find a way to resolve this dilemma soon.

Markers related to liver function, etc. are all good.  I continue to have low hemoglobin, hematocrit and RBC counts, and a few other markers that are out of range, but not significantly so.  Side effects have been minimal, and the fatigue has not improved.

I’ll write more when I have more time.

Wait... there's more!

  • 97

    97. That’s my latest CD4+ count, less than half the count from six weeks ago.

    That’s it. I have tried as many alternative treatments as I can think of to reverse the decline. I will be starting my third round of pharmaceutical ARVs as soon as I can get a prescription and fill it.

    This decision has been a long time coming, and in hindsight, I probably should have restarted a few months ago. There’s nothing magical about 97, or being below 100, but it’s as good a breaking point as any. I’ve long argued that there are two things to keep in mind about CD4 counts: one is the long-term trend; the other is single- or low double-digit counts.

  • Reduce AIDS drug toxicity and side effects

    I embarked on my third course of ARVs since 1998. For ten of the sixteen years I have been HIV-positive, I was able to manage well enough without ARVs and I continue to believe there is no reason for otherwise healthy HIV-positive—let alone negative—gay men to take these drugs. To those who want to wave a recent study about the benefits of early intervention in my face, I would ask them why they put so much faith in a science that has utterly failed us to date.

  • The truth about Truvada: PrEP won’t stop AIDS

    I’m willing to grant that gay men are entitled to use PrEP… provided they have access to all the information they need to make an informed decision. Informed consent has been a hallmark of the HIV and AIDS research and prevention efforts for three decades, and that shouldn’t be waived for the campaign favoring PrEP.

    Gay men deserve to know that all the claims for Truvada reducing the risk of acquiring HIV-positivity  are based on trials—funded by Gilead—that emphasized the importance of using condoms…

  • Confessions of a heretic AIDS dissident

    You might not know it from reading the comments left here on my blog, but there are more than a few AIDS dissidents who really don’t like how I think or what I write about.

    There’s a whole thread on a very popular Facebook page called “Rethinking AIDS”, discussing my open letter to Dora. Last I looked, that thread had nearly 100 comments, and very few of those comments were about Dora, Ruggiero or the defense of academic freedom.

    No, the gist of the thread was whether or not I am in “the AIDS Zone.” It seems that because I did not use “air quotes” around the term “HIV disease”, I’m not really an AIDS dissident. Others took issue with my post for daring to publish that some AIDS Rethinkers hold a very narrow view about “HIV” and “AIDS”, while others of us are merely “questioning” the whole affair. None of them chose to comment directly to me here.

    Some of the most visible and vocal Rethinkers seem intent on imposing their own “beliefs” (another loaded term that deserves quotes) on the entire movement. There has long been a tendency to try to impose a sort of litmus test to determine whether or not one is a true “AIDS dissident”.

    Since I first met the AIDS dissident community via the AIDS Myth Exposed forums—since renamed Questioning AIDS—several years ago, I’ve become aware of several of the various factions, distinctive personalities and divisions within that broad group. Now I’m finding it ironic just how guilty some of these people are at their own version of “bone-pointing”.

One Comment

  1. Thanks for giving an update, and for giving me a heads up on the forums. I did have a couple of follow-up questions though, that you are free to answer or else decline to answer.

    What have your doctors said about this level of progress so far? Are they satisfied that things are progressing fast enough (are you satisfied), or are they entertaining other treatments/meds possibilities? I know having a CD4 under 200 puts most ID doctors into panic mode over their patients. Mine sure was when my numbers were at a similar level.

    Also, how are you holding up with side effects? I told you about the problems I had when I first started medication (feeling drunk/groggy in the mornings, upset tummy, etc), but everyone is different. If I could give a couple piece’s of advice that seems fairly universal though, avoid any foods at night when you take them, especially fatty foods. This really sucks if you like to pig out later at night like I do, but it does seem to be effective in helping reduce side effects. Also, if you are a drinker, its a good idea to practice a bit of moderation too, as alcohol seems to slam dunk my ass while on the meds. I was never much of a big drinker to begin with, but these days on nights out with my friends I have maybe 1 or 2 mixed drinks or beers tops.

    I hope you are feeling better, and talk to you soon.

    KWAL (Kyle).

    Reply

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