Question
How long does it take to become undetectable?
13 November 2015. Related: Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load, Changing treatment, Sero different couples.
Me and my girlfriend have been having unprotected sex for 3 months between August and October. She told me around the end of October that she”s been HIV positive for 5 years. She’d been undetectable. I also went with her to get her HIV viral load test and her viral load went up because she stopped taking her medicine in October for about 3 weeks to a month. She stopped taking it cause she felt depressed. Her viral load was about 1600 and her CD4 is over1300. We use condoms now since her viral load went up but we still both perform unprotected oral sex on each other. I was tested almost 2 weeks ago and I was negative. I had a antibody test and a HIV viral load test.
She started taking her medicine again around the end of October and has been taking it since. The name of her medicine is called Complera. How long will it take her viral load to drop? How long will it take her to get undectable again? Will her body become resistant to Complera?
Answer
Hi,
So your girlfriend should quickly become undetectable again. Viral load drops very quickly with effective treatment and you girlfriend’s is quite low already. People often become undetectable within a month of starting.
The risk of transmission of receiving oral sex generally, and giving oral sex to a woman are both likely to be zero, or close to zero. For your test to be accurate you should test 28 days after your last exposure. This means after the last time you had unprotected sex with your girlfriend when she wasn’t on treatment. That test will pick up 95% of infections. This pretty much shows you are HIV negative. Then, a test at 3 months will confirm that.
You can find more information about testing in our guide.
You don’t say if Complera was the same medication she was on before. If it was the risk of developing resistance is lower than if she stopped gradually, taking some here and there.
She could ask at her clinic if they have resistance testing available. If not her viral load going down and then becoming undetectable is a sign that she is not resistant to the meds she is on. In the future it is important for her to keep taking her meds.
If she has side effects that are affecting here she should take to her doctor or clinic. They can change her to a different combination, rather than just stopping.
Hi Elly,
Your comment has already been answered here http://i-base.info/qa/14043
Do you have another question?
Iv been on treatment for 10months now and Iv never missed .can I be undetectable?
Hi Paul,
Acriptega contains dolutegravir, lamivudine (3TC) and tenofovir. These three drugs could be used as PEP. But the HIV meds you are given for PEP can depend on what country you live in.
What did the doctor say when they gave them to you? Please let us know.
Is Acriptega a PEP?
Hi Vee,
If you haven’t been using treatment, your partner has basically just been really lucky. He is however still at risk, so unless your viral load is undetectable you shouldn’t be having sex without a condom. Also as you’re pregnant, it’s VERY important that you use medication, if you don’t you are risking the health of your child.
Hello, i tested HIV Positive 3years back met someone over a year back .now i am 7 months pregnant with his baby , i was on testament whatsoever we both tested again today am positive his negative and we have been having unprotected sex over a year now …i dont understand how it happens please explain
Hi George,
When someone starts medication their viral load should become undetectable within 1-3 months of starting medication. It can however sometimes take longer.
I started medication last month how long will I take for me to go undetected
Hi Gee,
First, I’d like to say congratulations on the news that you’re going to have a baby.
It’s great that you’ve started HIV treatment (ART). Starting ART is the best way to look after your health and your baby’s health.
It’s not ideal that there’s been a two week treatment break. But it’s good that you’re back home and back on ART. The aim of ART is to get viral load to undetectable by the time you’re due to deliver your baby.
Please talk to the clinic about the side effects of your HIV meds. You can ask if there are other meds that will be easier for you to take.
If you live in South Africa you can contact the Treatment Action Campaign at this contact link. They can help with local support.
And here’s the guide to HIV pregnancy and women’s health.
Hi, I’m 8 months pregnant and I’ve just recently found out I’m positive in month 6 of my pregnancy (when I started going to the clinic for ANC checkups) and I’ve since been on treatment. I was away for two weeks and it happened that I forgot my treatment at home.I’m back now and back on treatment and i’m experiencing the same side effects I experienced when I first started the treatment. My CD4 count is 894 and a viral load test will be run in January. What are the chances of infecting my unborn baby?