Question
How long can someone live with HIV?
2 January 2018. Related: All topics, Life expectancy.
How long can a man live with HIV if he was around 18 years old and was healthy when he was infected, both with and without medication?
Answer
Modern HIV drugs mean that life expectancy is now similar for HIV positive people to the general population.
This is based on being diagnosed early and having access to treatment.
The wide range of factors related to life expectancy include: where you live, your income, access to health care, lifestyle (alcohol, drugs, tobacco, exercise and diet) and other infections like hepatitis, genetics and chance – good or bad luck.
Several large studies have been published showing that life expectancy for HIV positive people is very good, and near to an HIV negative person.
Without treatment, HIV will slowly progress in nearly everyone. This speed that HIV progresses varies from a few years to more than 20 years.
Note: this answer was updated in January 2018 from a question posted in August 2008..
Sir good evening.i am kayal.my realative having hiv.he is taking treatment.but now his age around 60years.how many years can he is live can you tell me.
Hi Dina,
People all over the world are working on possible cure for HIV and have been for some time. Though there is a lot of commitment to developing a cure for HIV, at present there still isn’t one. As for when one will be developed its not possible to say. ARVs, are however very effective at controlling a persons HIV, so much so that the life expectancy of someone who is positive and on effective treatment is the same as that of someone who is negative.
My CD4 is count 548 and I’m under the ART treatment. My question is how long will I live? When will a cure be found?
Hi Manu, I am sorry that this has made you so upset. Although it is difficult now I promise it will get easier. You can take time planning how to move forward, and also about getting access to treatment (ART). It is important to find out your CD4 count though (from a blood test at your clinic). The results will tell you about your risks and need for treatment. For example, unless this is already very low, you can take time to sort everything out. Also, it will be okay to go to the public clinic. Most OIs are not likely to be at risk of most OIs just from visiting the clinic. Please also contact an HIV support organisation – for example the Delhi Newtwork of HIV Positive People (DNP+).
I am very very scared, have been crying since 2days . I never expected this to happen to me
I am scared I am gonna leave my loved ones
Pls suggest me what do I do
I am from India Delhi
Government hospitals are tight packed with patients , I am afraid to stand in queues fearing to catch OI
Private doctors dont deal with it
Pls someone help me here
Hi Nitin,
Info about living with HIV is included in the above post. TB is easy to treat. I’m not sure what you mean by sugar patient.
can you please help me to understand how long a HIV, TB and Sugar patient can live or they have a chance to survive or not. is there any treatment for this condition
Thanks to my father who informed me regarding this webpage,
this blog is in fact remarkable.
Hi Sadik,
Please see Q1 here:
https://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
And the following link:
http://i-base.info/htb/32308
Is there any chance of being infected, doing sex with HIV +ve one, without condom?