Question
How long can I live without HIV drugs?
2 January 2017. Related: All topics, Life expectancy, Living with HIV long-term.
Can you please tell me how long can someone live without taking HIV medication?
Answer
The best way to answer this is to say that modern HIV treatment (ART) means that life expectancy is not affected by being HIV positive. HIV positive people with access to treatment can be expected to live as long as before they became positive.
Without using HIV treatment, life expectancy is related to how quickly your CD4 count drops and how low it gets.
Without treatment, some people see their CD4 count drop to under 200 within a few years of infection, while others people can go for 5-10 years or longer before they need treatment.
See also: Your CD4 count and the risk of becoming ill.
This is different to saying how long you could live. However, without treatment, once your CD4 count falls below 200 life expectancy drops very dramatically.
Note: This answer was updated in January 2017 from a question first posted in November 2011.
Hi Joel,
Yes its very possible for people who are positive and not on meds to look well and feel healthy. However, if someone has a low CD4 count their health will be affected.
Is it possible for someone that has HIV and the person is not talking any treatment and the person was looking healthy and good looking please is it possible
Hi Dee,
My personal opinion is to think the best, and not the worst. Can you let us know how it goes?
Hello Lisa
I actually have my appointment tomorrow morning.. I have been taking all my medication as prescribed but just worry I guess it’s wasier to think th worst rather than the good in the situation?
Hi Dee,
Until you really know what’s happening, its common to question if your ARVs are working or not. Though this creates anxiety, its part of the process. In time it gets better.
Unless you’ve had any serious issues, its very likely that all will be OK. When are you next in clinic?
Hello,
I have been on medication for one month now. Why is it that I keep thinking my medication isn’t going to work ? Is this something others in my situation go through before getting the labs to see if it’s working or not ?
Why do I keep thinking that even with medication I’m still going to die I have done plenty of research and I see otherwise that you can live a normal life but why do I keep thinking it’s not possible even with medication
Do others also fear the same thing while just starting their medication?
Hi Ron, The risk of health problems, such as those related to kidney, liver and heart disease, are higher from not being on antiretroviral treatment (ART). The risk of most HIV-related infections are much lower if someone is on ART. So is the risk of non-HIV complications. This is from a question already answered here. Many other frequently asked questions are answered here.
I was diagnosed 10years ago no treatment what can happen
Hi Ford, We don’t have resources to answer questions about risks and testing. But most questions have already been answered here. Here is the question on oral sex.
Hi. May I asked if you have an HIV , how long does your lifespan ? And Im getting stressed of thinking if i am a negative or positive . My last oral sex was on february 23. And after 4days I experienced some of those early symptoms. Like cold sores and diarrhea. Im so worried about it .. ..