Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Email 490: ARV's with High CD4?


Hi POZZIE,

I was recently diagnosed with HIV and I am just about coping up. I was just diagnosed 1st week of July this year. I got my cd4 count and it's still 744 on July29 and the doctor said I don't need to start ARVs. I just read po in some articles that people who start ARVs immediately have better chances of recovering regardless of CD4 count. Shall I still opt to go for ARVs na po or do I just do all natural means to increase my cd4? If I do po, will it  
be free since I'm already a Philhealth member but my cd4 is still 744? My chances pa raw po na I don't have to start pa in the next 3-4 years if I maintain that number. Is it possible po?

POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE

Hi.

Thank you for your email. Thank you for reading the blog.

I am glad that you got diagnosed early as your CD4 is still high. I am proud of you for taking action early. 

It is true that early administration of ARV's can help the immune system to 1. recover faster, and 2. not go down to AIDS level. It is one of the policies now the treatment of HIV all over the world. However, in the Philippines, this is not the case. The reason for this is that ARV's are just grants given to the Philippines by the Global Fund that's why they are for free. We all still don't have a choice but to follow the regulations of the GF and the DOH which is prescription of ARV's only to PLHIV's with CD4 counts of 350 and below as the grant is limited, thus there is a restriction to the administration of ARV's. If only the grant is big enough for the Philippines, then all PLHIV's, even those with higher CD4 can be prescribed with ARV's. For now, we don't have an option. "Beggars can't be choosers", like what I always say.

ARV's are very expensive worldwide. It would cost one around $2000 per cocktail. Of course for a Filipino, that is too much. But in the US, for instance, the insurance pays for it. That is why they have the option to take it as early as possible. In the Philippines, for now, PhilHealth can't afford it for each one of us. For now, let us be grateful that we still have the Global Fund, subsidizing our free ARV's that is helping 4,115 (as of May 2013, Philippine HIV and AIDS Registry) PLHIV's in the Philippines.

I hope I was able to answer your concerns. Feel free to email me again if you have other questions.


Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy


"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
NO PLHIV is alone with his or her struggle with HIV!"

-Pozziepinoy-



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