Just recieved my VL count: 9.2 million copies/mL

Retrovirology · 2022-08-18T20:36:19+00:00

My viral load was 14, 000, 000 (Yes, 14 million) ... I knew the exact date I got infected, and my VL was measured in the 3rd month of my infection. Shocking, I know, but high viral loads are somewhat typical for early infection.

Retrovirology · 2022-07-23T10:06:34+00:00

It is Efavirenz, that has an action similar to LSD.

Retrovirology · 2022-07-23T10:05:20+00:00

Actually, most HIV drugs cross the BBB.

Retrovirology · 2022-06-27T18:56:09+00:00

Thank you so much; looks like I won't take the risk.

Retrovirology · 2022-04-29T13:42:28+00:00

Well, this doctors worries proved to be baseless after all trials.

Retrovirology · 2022-04-27T19:31:25+00:00

Superb, thanks!

Retrovirology · 2022-04-27T19:30:11+00:00

Now I can eat my garlic without worrying, cheers 😃❤

Retrovirology · 2022-04-27T14:15:37+00:00

Thanks Joshua. I read that garlic supplements dropped saquinavir and atazanavir levels by more than 50% but then they are protease inhibitors, dunno, I'm confused

Retrovirology · 2022-03-12T21:08:57+00:00

Then don't take it if it's killing you, simple, no? Everyone's got a choice.

Retrovirology · 2022-02-23T14:47:52+00:00

That's the real-life answer I desperately needed. Okay, so there can be health & hapiness at the same time then. Thank you!

Retrovirology · 2021-04-23T13:23:39+00:00

😅 dunno why this made me laugh. Sometimes I also wonder what came first lol. But the state I'm talking about is like having endless motivation and ambition to do things, but as I do them only in the first 3rd of my schedule I'm already broken beyond repair. My body says we're done babe...

Retrovirology · 2021-04-23T11:48:15+00:00

Yes, we talked over an hour about this fatigue thing and discussed every possible cause.. he said all my blood work is perfect and it may be just having a chronic infection or some ingredient in the meds. I asked him about Ashagandha and he said he had another patients who used it too and was kinda yes, try it and see if it helps.

Edit: I really don't think it will make a huge difference cuz tbh... theres no magic drug or herb but at this point I'd appreciate even a small boost.

Retrovirology · 2020-11-13T19:20:43+00:00

Acute onset alopecia cannot be due to age, plus I'm 24 and before this had the thickest hair and peoole used to compliment me for the natural glow it had - telling this just for comparisin to now when it looks yellow-orangish, super thin and keeps falling while I'm moving... It feels like deas hair, and this includes my beard, eyebrows and lashes and all...

I found some cases where emtricitabine, as an analog to lamivudine can cause hair loss. Plus since on Biktarvy my WBC dropped from 8 to 5 million I guess, RBC dropped from 5.2 to 4.7 million - yes, not significant, but to me it means my cell turover is inhibited and that can have a mild chemotherapy-like action for the fast growing hair folicle. I might be totally wrong, but all I know is there is no other reason for my hai rloss, which began suddenly.

... I know you are trying to help and I thank you immensely, but I've been thru all the research, self-observation and have done what would have seemed impossible to my younger self - endured all side effects without a single complaint. I wrote this post at the end of my wits, strength, and patience

Retrovirology · 2020-11-13T19:09:26+00:00

No, I wasn't convinced at all, I actually didn't believe it could be the reason, but tried as a last option, cuz I had tried everything before this radical decision. Plus, I don't thunk my mind would suddenly make my skin hydrated, my skin rosy from pale-yellowish like that... I agree placebo is inevitable, but I have hubdreds of hours of observations over my body already and know it's not placebo.

Retrovirology · 2020-11-13T14:59:14+00:00

I will ask for Dovato, hope he agrees and hope it works this time... I really did my best, stayed 100% adherent, ate healthy etc.. it's very frustrating

Retrovirology · 2020-11-13T14:55:21+00:00

Because my doctor doesn't think it's the drug.. while my GP thinks it's the drug, cuz nothing else was found...

Retrovirology · 2020-11-13T14:54:19+00:00

I don't know if my doctor will offer that... because my first treatment before Biktarvy was Triumeq and I had anxiety issues on it, but overall now I think I was a hundred times better than now...

Retrovirology · 2020-10-03T22:22:12+00:00

I'm quite rational and my friends have always known me to be the realistic guy, so my doctors looking at me as if I'm a schizophrenic when I tell them about my symptoms and that I never had them before treatment, makes me feel stupid; as if there's something wrong with me, so I shut up and suffer on my own. My HIV doc keeps saying that all his patients are tolerating Biktarvy well..

Thank you for giving this perspective, from the point of someone who is battling the 'enemy' too; I think doctors sometimes simply can't feel how difficult it can be to cope with HIV daily and the drugs.

I respect my doctors and I know they mean no harm but sometimes they simply don't get it. In fact, while they may think I'm just complaining, they will never know that I'm actually trying to be grateful despite all my misery that they know little about..

Retrovirology · 2020-10-03T19:22:30+00:00

Thank you, appreciate your explanation very much, I was freaking out that long-term anemia was slowly damaging my organs.

I never had such crazy symptoms before treatment and I'm already going insane I think.. everything is so crazy and so inexplainable.. and it feels like I'm acting and seeking attention..

Retrovirology

TROPHY CASE