No Hiv, No Aids

In general, your viral load is the most important indicator that your treatment is working. Other important factors are:

• your CD4+ T cell count,
• your recent health history, and
• results of physical examinations.

Your viral load should be tested 2–8 weeks after you start treatment. If your drugs are working, your viral load should decrease. It should continue to decrease as you continue to take your medication.

Throughout HIV treatment, your viral load should be tested every 3–4 months to make sure your drugs are still working. If your viral load is still detectable within 4–6 months after starting treatment, you should talk to your doctor about possibly changing your HIV drugs.

How fast, or how much, your viral load decreases may depend on other factors as well. These factors can include your baseline viral load and CD4+ T cell count (before starting therapy), whether you have used HIV drugs before, whether you have any AIDS-related illnesses, and how closely you have followed (adhered to) your therapy. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about the results of your viral load tests.

CD4+ T cell counts may also help show how well your medications are working. After starting HIV treatment, your CD4+ T cell count should be tested every 3–6 months. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about your CD4+ T cell counts.