Email 509: CD4 and VL Test Concerns

dear pozziepinoy,

i was in my ARV for 2 months now , since my initial cd4 counts is 318 and they don't take my initial viral load.. my question is ,does the ARV meds are free? if it so, since i have philhealth, why do they did'nt gave me viral load test? i kept on asking the RITM staff and told me that the test of viral load comes 1 year after ARV meds are taken and it was a package of my philhealth..Dr Ditangco explain to us that we deducted or charge all the  
lab and meds quarterly,but how the meds are free and the laboratory like cd4 and viral load are given only once? succesive lab test to be done upon my discretion because i believe i can monitor my viral load every 3 months as needed.now if the said lab test will out of package, please help me explain if ARV comes free and the once or twice a year Cd4 count and annual viral load to be done and charged to philhealth,,why do they not include to  
the package which i think if meds are free, only the test will be charged on my health insurance, i dont have job at the moment and only rely my philhealth in my medication. Bottom line is, the said test is a must and be done respectivelly so where i can be in peace during this time of trials...

thank you so much and hoping for your response soon as you can!

sincerly.
hidingmyself

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Email 495: On PhilHealth?

Good day!

How do I enroll in RITM-ARG? I don't know if I got it right, but the first CD4 test in RITM-ARG is free regardless if I am PhilHealth member or not, and the succeeding tests are not if I'm not a PhilHealth member?

Thank you again.

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Email 494: On Water Intake

Hello PozziePinoy. 

I just want to ask regarding water intake. I'm on ARV na kasi. I have a CD4 count of 3 since I started ARV and I will be on my 6th month this summer. Ask ko lang sana, how often po ba iinom dapat ng tubig para di maxado affected ang liver sa ARV drugs? Ilang glasses of water po ba per day? O di kaya every what time interval po ideally? Thanks po.

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Email 717: Worried About Symptoms

Hi po! I just saw this blog and I read all the share story I'm happy kasi tlgang sinasagot nyo po mga tanong nila which is nkakatulong po sa mga tao confused at mraming tanong about HIV like me..

I'm not an HIV patient pero I know someone HIV+ and I'm here for him tulungan xa at suporthan xa sa dinaranas nya ngaun..

2010 nung na diagnosed xa na HIV+ and sa observation Ko po hndi po xa nagpacheck after nyang malaman un dhil sa hndi Nya matanggap...nging ok nmn xa dati although dumarating ung tym na mdalas xa magkacolds at sore throat take lang xa ng meds at hndi Nya p rin inisip na bumababa na ang immune system Nya...

This year ngstart na nga po bumagsak ang immune system Nya marami na xa sakit na nrrmdaman take LNG xa ng meds and ngpacheck ng cd4 which is 350 something so that tym continue p rin ang lifestyle Nya dhil cguro naisip Nya kinakaya pa ng mga meds ang mga symptoms Nya...

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Email 712: Health is Getting Better!

I just want to share a good news! I just had my 2nd CD4 count at RITM-ARG. From 27, my CD4 count jumped to a whopping 367! I am very happy and blessed that my health status is now getting better. I hope this improvement will continue. To all pozzies out there, never lose hope. Live a normal life. Just like what Pozziepinoy said, we are all in this together. Keep fighting!

RoyalBlood MeanBoi

POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE

Hi RoyalBlood MeanBoi.

Congratulations! I am proud of you!

Stay healthy,

Pozziepinoy

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Email 666: Questions!

Dear Pozzie,

First of all, would like to congratulate you for the strength and advocacy helping people like us.

Recently i was diagnosed of HIV, my CDC4 is 155 and viral load of 228,000+ luckily i have no symptoms, no lesions, no rashes, my CBC is perfect, xray is clear, no other STDs. Im now on ARV lamivi/zidovu 2x a day and efavirenz at night time. The efavirenz is the most i have side effects, at first, vivid dreams, nightmares, trouble sleeping, i wake up every 2 hours but it seems to improve as the days go by. I just have a heart condition, well it is a case of resolved cardiomyopathy ( heart enlargement) but i developed a case of episodal AF atrial fibrialltion ( heart pounding with irregular rhythm and rate).

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What does my CD4 count mean?

(Source: 100 Questions and Answers About HIV and AIDS, 2nd Ed., by Joel Gallant, M.D., MPH)

Your blood contains red blood cells (RBC's), white blood celles (WBC's) and platelets. Lymphocytes are a type of WBC, and the CD4 cell is a type of lymphocyte, the one most affected by HIV. The CD4 count measures the health of your immune system. It should be checked regularly (usually every 3 to 6 months) if you're not on therapy because it measures the amount of damage done by HIV and iit is the most important test for deciding whether you need to start ART or prophylaxis (prevention) for opportunistic infections. The CD4 count almost always increases with effective ART, but how much it will increase is hard to predict.

Once you're on ART, the viral load becomes more important than the CD4 count as a measure of your response. If you're viral load is undetectable - the goal of therapy - it's unlikely that you would make any changes based on the CD4 count. An ideal response to ART is to have an undetectable viral load and a CD$ that's above 500. When you reach that goal, its not necessary to measure the CD4 count more than once a year.

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Email 493: Recovery and Work Concerns

Hi Pozzie! Good Day!

I am a follower of your blog since I was diagnose with the disease. My cd4 count then was just 20, I had Pneumonia and pulmonary tb. I completed my Ptb meds and recovering. After 6 months of treatment my cd4 went to 156. I wonder if the  pace of my cd4 recovery is fast or  is it slow? I will be working again and I am worried if I can still work in graveyard shift  
schedule.

Thank you so much pozzie for this blog, it helps a lot to all plhiv.

Patient 102

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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?

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Email 375: My Brother is HIV Positive!

My brother was diagnosed  HIV positive. He is now suffering from diarrhea, he can't eat and has a rapid loss of weight.  He almost lost hope that he will be better... We are still praying and hoping that he will be ok. Now, he will be confined again in RITM. We almost have no money to support him. But we want him to be ok.  His CD4 count is only 6. Is he 

going to be ok? What am I going to do? We love him so much...we dont want 

to lose him. We want him to live...

XXX

POZZIEPINOY'S RESPONSE

Hi XXX.

Thank you for your email.

I feel your concern about your brother but let me tell you this, as long as your brother keeps a fighting spirit and stays positive and really believes that he will get well; as long as he is the hospital, with all his infections identified and all the tests medicines are given to him, then everything will be ok.  I have talked to a lot of PLHIV's who had single digit CD4 before with multiple infections and they are doing great right now. I know that treatment of opportunistic infections is not covered by the hubs, but since your brother is in RITM Alabang, if you can't afford the medicines or laboratory tests required to determine the opportunistic infections that your brother has, then just go to RITM-ARG and look for either Maram, Ate Beth or Let. If the medicines are cheap, then The Love Fund can help your brother out. If the medicines needed are too expensive and your brother needs confinement and treatment for a long period of time, you can ask the staff to help your brother out through PCSO. Maram, Ate Beth or Let will definitely assist you with all the requirements and once everything is ready, Dr. Ditangco will call me when you are ready to go to the PCSO office so I can help expedite the process.

For the meantime, coordinate with your brother's HIV doctor so you will know the next steps. Also, tell your brother that he needs to stay positive and have a strong heart to fight. Tell him that he is never alone with his fight and that me and the rest of the PLHIV's who are reading the blog will be praying for him.

I hope I was able to answer your concern. Please feel free to email me again if you have other questions.

Stay healthy,

Pozziepinoy

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Email 264: How To Increase the CD4 Count?

Hi Pozziepinoy.

Just recently checked my HIV stat last Jan'13. Positive ;(  & had my CD4 364 count.

I left the country and be back after 2 months, now living a very healthy lifestyle & abstinence. Am feeling very well & positive, is it possible to fluctuate my CD4 count drastically without taking ARV?

Any suggestion on how I can boost my CD4 without taking any meds?

Thanks Poz!

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Email 212: HIV Doctor Issues!

Hello Guys.

How are you? Just like many of the people here, I'm struggling but I'll keep on fighting...There's no other way but to keep alive and kicking.  

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Email 202: Meaning of Numbers

Hi Pozziepinoy.

I was scheduled to go back in friday after i received my CD4 results...And i am a little bit worried...Can you help me interpret this result?

Cd4+[cells/ul] = 76
cd8 = N/a
cd4% of lymphocytes = 4.13%

 Please?  thanks.

XXX

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Email 198: On PhilHealth and Switching Hubs

Dear Pozzie,

Good afternoon, I have a question regarding PhilHealth. My doctor asked me to have my CF1 forms signed by my employer. Now the problem is the person handling PhilHealth in our office is asking why I'm asking for a claim when I'm not yet in the hospital. 

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Email 173: Concerned About Free ARV's

Dear Pozziepinoy, 

Una po sa lahat ay nagpapasalamat po ako syo dahil madami po kyong natutulungan dahil sa blog site nyo at isa na po ako dun.

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Email 169: Managing Potential Nevirapine Rashes

Hello,

I'm going to start my ARV's on January. I'm scared about the effects specially about Nevirapine. Can I suggest it to my doctor to change it? She told me that if rashes will appear she has to take me in. Does she need to change my medicine first before taking me in the hospital? 

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Email 168: Ordering ARV's Abroad

Hi,

First off, thanks so much for continuing to have this site running.  I can see how all of us find it so very useful.

So I'm living with HIV.  Got diagnosed in 2010.  Had two CD4 checks in 2010 and ended at 600+ which I was thrilled about.  But it's approaching 2013 and I figure that must have changed already.

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Is 380 a Good Number?

Hi Readers,

Thank you for reading this blog and thank you Pozzie Pinoy for asking me to make a contribution surrounding the question of CD4 numbers, what they might mean, and what defines a good one.

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Email 164: CD4 Test for Returning Patients

Hi Pozziepinoy,

Ask ko lang need pa po ba magpasked for cd4 sa RITM kung hnd kana newly, I mean old patient ka na sa ARG. Thank you. Stay healthy.

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Email 157: Focus on What You Can Control

Hi Pozzie

It's been a month since when I get tested as a positive. My CD4 count is only 54. I'm hopeless but still trying to be strong for this fight. What is the best thing to do and pls help me...pls..

XXX

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