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 Dee,
Lots of people test positive when they’ve not had any symptoms of seroconversion. If the test that you did was a home testing kit you’ll need to have a confirmation test in a clinic. If it’s confirmed in a clinic that you’re positive, you should be told about ARVs.
Hi i just tested positive and i don’t see any sign of HIV, what must i do?
Hi MEB,
I’m sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. Finding out you’re HIV positive can be a shock for many of us. Please see this Q&A about just having had a diagnosis.
But even if you feel worried, frightened, upset or angry now, it will get easier.
It’s a good idea to go to see your doctor and start to discuss HIV treatment (ART). Your doctor may do another HIV test to confirm your diagnosis. After that you can talk about starting ARVs.
Please see this Introduction to ART. There’s a lot of info in this about starting ART.
Ok I’ve just got diagnosed with HIV, how soon should I let my doctor know, and do I go to my primary care doctor to start arts? Am confused scared. What is the first step to doing this?
Hi Clint,
If you don’t take any ARVs until December 5th, your viral load will rise and there is a possibility that you may develop resistance to your medication. Therefore, it is really important that you get in touch with your clinic and arrange another appointment. As to how you do this, this will depend on where it is that you live globally.
I missed my Adac appointment and now i am going to be off meds till Dec. 5th. thats when my next appointment is. I am on Prezcobics , Tivicay, and Descovy
What is going to happen an can i get my meds sooner
Hi Regina.
What you need to do is start medication. You also need to understand that you’re going to be OK. HIV is no longer the illness it used to be. With medication your CD4 count will rise.
I just tested positive for HIV. My TCell count is below 200. My HIV has, been untreated for 12 years. I know have AIDS. What do,I do?
Hi Musa,
Please talk to your doctor about any symptoms you have. And you can read about HIV tests at this link to check if you’ve had an HIV test within the window periods.
With HIV symptoms but you still test negative what does it mean?