u/Fluffy_Customer9634

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Hi everyone,

I’ve completed around 2 years on HIV treatment, and I wanted to discuss a few things and get some guidance from people who may have experienced something similar.

When I was initially diagnosed, my CD4 was 120. During the first year, I was on TLD (TDF/3TC/DTG). At that time, I honestly didn’t have much knowledge about HIV treatment, ART side effects, kidney monitoring, metabolic changes, supplements, etc.

After around one year on TLD, I was switched to a TAF-based regimen.

Since then, I’ve noticed some metabolic changes, including:

- Noticeable weight gain

- More belly/abdominal fat

- Increased lipids/cholesterol

- Significantly increased triglycerides

- My HbA1c has moved into the pre-diabetic range

I would really like to hear from people who experienced similar metabolic changes after switching from TLD/TDF to a TAF-based regimen.

Did your weight, belly fat, triglycerides or HbA1c improve after lifestyle changes or changing the ART regimen? And what did your doctor recommend?

1. Kidney function / Creatinine

During my initial period on treatment, I noticed my urine looking slightly orange once or twice, although it wasn’t persistent.

My creatinine and eGFR have fluctuated over time.

Current results:

- Creatinine: 1.12 mg/dL

- eGFR: 87

I would like to know from people who have been on TLD/TDF or other tenofovir-based regimens:

Is this level something that needs further investigation, especially when creatinine/eGFR have fluctuated over time?

Would tests such as urine routine/microscopy, urine protein, urine albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) or other kidney tests be useful?

2. CD4 recovery – my biggest concern

My CD4 was 120 at diagnosis, and after around 2 years of treatment it is now around 270.

So although it has increased, I feel that my recovery has been quite slow.

I would really like to hear from people who started treatment with a CD4 around 100–150 and had slow CD4 recovery.

- What was your CD4 after 2 years?

- Did it continue increasing after the second year?

- Did anyone eventually reach 350/400/500+?

- Did you investigate any other causes for slow recovery?

- Did correcting vitamin deficiencies, nutrition, exercise or other lifestyle changes make any noticeable difference?

My Vitamin D was around 21, which is low/insufficient according to my lab reference range.

If anyone has had a similar CD4 trajectory, please share your experience. I’m especially interested in evidence-based supplements or lifestyle changes, rather than random supplements.

3. Foamy urine in the morning

Another thing I’ve noticed:

When I take my ART tablet at night, sometimes my first urine in the morning is quite foamy.

But it is not consistent — sometimes there is foam and sometimes the urine looks completely normal.

Has anyone experienced this?

Could occasional morning foam simply be due to concentrated urine, or should I specifically check for protein/albumin in urine?

4. Stool colour changes

Occasionally my stool colour also changes.

Sometimes it looks slightly yellowish, and occasionally I notice some blackish/darker stool.

It doesn’t happen all the time.

Has anyone experienced similar changes while on ART or supplements?

I’m particularly interested in knowing whether occasional colour changes can be related to diet/supplements, or whether blackish stool should always be investigated.

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Overall, I’m trying to stay consistent with treatment and improve my health, but because I’m now around 2 years into ART, I would really appreciate some clarity from people who have gone through a similar situation.

If you had a CD4 around 100–150 when you started ART and experienced slow CD4 recovery, please share your timeline and what helped you.

Also, if anyone has experience with TLD → TAF switching, weight/belly fat gain, high triglycerides/lipids, rising HbA1c, creatinine/eGFR fluctuations, foamy urine, or changing stool colour, I’d be grateful for your input.

Please share your experience or any useful tests/questions I should discuss with my HIV doctor.

Thank you so much. I’ll be very grateful for any genuine guidance.

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Does anyone know where I can get HIV-related vaccines at lower prices in Delhi, especially PCV20, Hepatitis B (HBV), and HPV?

Any government hospital, NGO, or affordable private clinic recommendations would be helpful. Thanks!

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Hi everyone,

As people living with HIV, we need to monitor CD4 and viral load regularly—usually every 6 months or sometimes quarterly. Getting these tests privately can become quite expensive.

I currently use Dr Lal PathLabs. Does anyone know of cheaper options for HIV viral load and CD4 tests in Delhi/NCR or elsewhere in India? Any government hospital, ART centre, NGO, lab discount, package, or other option would be helpful.

Also, can someone guide me about Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) or any other medical/health card available in India for emergency hospitalisation and major medical expenses? How can an HIV-positive person check eligibility and apply?

Please share your genuine experiences and any useful information. 🙏

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Hi everyone,

I wanted to understand what newer HIV treatment options are currently available in India, especially in the private market.

I’m particularly interested in:

- Newer oral ART options/combinations available in India

- Long-acting injectable HIV treatment options

- Cabotegravir + Rilpivirine / Cabenuva — has anyone actually accessed or used it in India?

- Lenacapavir — what is the current status in India and is it available through the private market yet?

- Any newer INSTI-based or 2-drug regimens that people are being prescribed privately

- Any recent developments in HIV treatment in India that may not yet be widely available through the government ART programme

I'm not looking for medical advice or a recommendation to switch treatment. I'm mainly trying to understand what is actually available in the Indian private market right now versus what is only approved/available in other countries.

If anyone has personal experience with newer ARTs or injectables in India, please share:

1. Medicine/brand name

2. City/hospital or type of provider (no personal information needed)

3. Approximate cost, if comfortable sharing

4. Whether it was locally available or imported under a special/named-patient route

5. How you accessed it

Also, if anyone knows a good HIV specialist/ID (Infectious Disease doctor) in India who is experienced with newer ARTs and long-acting injectables, please share the doctor's name/city or DM me.

Would really appreciate recent 2026 experiences, particularly from people in India who have actually explored these options.

Thanks!

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Hi everyone, I’m HIV positive and have been on ART for almost 2 years.

I started with TLD (TDF/3TC/DTG). After being on TLD for around 2–3 months, I started experiencing back pain. Despite this, I continued TLD for about a year. Later, I shifted to a TAF-based regimen because of concerns about long-term kidney/bone effects.

Initially, the back pain improved after switching to TAF, but recently I’ve started experiencing mild back pain/discomfort again.

My two questions:

1. Has anyone experienced back pain or similar discomfort on TLD and later on TAF? Could ART be related, or should I look for other causes?

2. I became undetectable within about a month of starting ART. However, after almost 2 years of treatment, my latest viral load is 44 copies/mL. Why might it still not be consistently below 20 copies/mL despite being suppressed for a long time?

Would really appreciate experiences or insights from others on ART.

Hi everyone,

I’m based in Delhi NCR and planning to apply for the HSBC Live+ Credit Card.

Here’s my profile:

- CIBIL Score: 700

- Annual salary: ₹15 LPA

- Salary account: SBI

- Existing loan: ~₹29 lakh outstanding

- Current EMI: ~₹36,000/month

- No major other liabilities/issues

As far as I know, Delhi NCR is a serviceable location for HSBC.

Do you think I have a reasonable chance of getting the HSBC Life+ card with this profile? Also, would the existing loan/EMI significantly affect the approval despite having a ₹15 LPA salary?

Would appreciate experiences from anyone who has recently applied for or received this card.

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Hi everyone, 38M here, living with HIV.

I was diagnosed in September 2024. At the time of diagnosis, my creatinine was around 0.87 mg/dL and eGFR was 114.

Since then, my kidney numbers have fluctuated. Recently, my creatinine increased to 1.20 mg/dL and eGFR dropped to 87. I also sometimes feel discomfort/pain around my kidney area, although it is not constant.

My viral load is currently 44 copies/mL.

I was previously on TLD (TDF/3TC/DTG) and was concerned about the possible long-term kidney and bone effects of TDF, so I later switched to a TAF-based regimen.

I wanted to ask others:

Has anyone experienced similar fluctuations in creatinine/eGFR while on ART?

Can eGFR move from 114 to 87 and later improve again?

Should I be concerned about a creatinine of 1.20 at age 38?

What kidney tests should I discuss with my doctor — urine protein/ACR, urinalysis, ultrasound, etc.?

Could the kidney-area discomfort be unrelated to kidney function?

I know Reddit isn't a substitute for a doctor, but I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have had similar experiences and what their doctors recommended.

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Hi everyone,

This is my first post on Reddit, and I'm hoping to hear from people who have gone through something similar.

I was diagnosed HIV positive in September 2024, when my CD4 count was around 120. I started ART soon after diagnosis and have been on treatment continuously.

Today marks almost 2 years on ART, and my latest CD4 is 271.

My viral load has been suppressed on treatment, but I'm concerned that my CD4 recovery seems quite slow. Going from 120 to 271 in almost two years feels disappointing, especially when I see people online reporting much faster CD4 recovery.

I understand that everyone responds differently, especially when starting ART with a low CD4 count, but I would really like to understand:

- Is 271 after around 2 years considered a slow/inadequate CD4 recovery?

- Can CD4 continue increasing significantly after the second year?

- Should I be looking at my CD4 percentage as well as the absolute CD4 count?

- Are there any other things I should get checked, such as vitamin deficiencies, thyroid, TB/other infections, etc.?

- Are there any supplements or nutritional changes that are actually useful for overall immune health or CD4 recovery?

- Has anyone here started with a CD4 around 100–150 and eventually reached 350, 400 or 500+?

Regarding ART, I was initially on TLD (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate + lamivudine + dolutegravir). Because I was concerned about possible long-term kidney and bone effects of TDF, I later switched to a generic Biktarvy-type regimen containing bictegravir + TAF + emtricitabine.

I'm not looking to replace medical advice or change medication based on Reddit. I mainly want to hear from people with similar experiences and understand whether this kind of CD4 recovery can still improve with time.

Thanks in advance to everyone who shares their experience.