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 Bobby, do you know what your current CD4 count and viral load is? and have you now restarted treatment?
After restarting treatment is it recommended to have a viral load test soon after to restarting. This is most importnat if you are restarting the same treatment that you had previously. Testing your viral load will check that your treatment is still working and that there is no resistance to this regimen.
How are you feeling about restarting? and was there a reason you had stopped a few years ago?
How is your health in general and do you have any other concerns about being HIV positive?
I’ve been with HIV since 2021 and only had treatment for a months since then I haven’t been treated…….Now 2024 hope I’ll be fine if I start taking my ARV’s
Hi Zama, I am sorry to hear about your sister. Without knowing the full clinical picture I cannot comment on how she is. At i-base we are not doctors and cannot provide medical advice for which you are enquiring.
What have you discussed with her doctors? and what further information have you been given?
A CD4 count of 20 is low. A healthy range is between 430 and 1690. Do you know if she is on HIV treatment? Treatment will suppress HIV and allow her body to naturally recover CD4 cells and improve her immunity. People can recover from CD4 counts this low. It can take time but they can improve.
More information about HIV can be found here: https://i-base.info/guides/art-in-pictures
Good morning I am very hurt my sister only find out now that she’s sick she lost weight so quick. She is in CPAP machine at the hospital and her cd4 is 20 so how are the chances of survival
Hi Promise, what has been going on since 2007?
Since 2007
Hi Kevin, it sounds like you might be an HIV controller. What is your current CD4 count and viral load.
A few people can control HIV without meds although this is very rare. An elite controller needs to still have a CD5 count above 500 and an undetectable viral load without ART.
If this is the case for you, your doctor should have reported you as a case study because doing this for 40 years would make you unique. If you would like to talk more, please email me at questions@i-base.org.uk
The only similar case is Loreen Willenberg who had an undetectable viral load without treatment since 1992 and who is now referred to as being cured.
https://www.thebodypro.com/author/loreen-willenberg
I am 63 and I have been HIV positive for 40 years and I haven’t had to go on Treatment
Hi Kity, yes, please see your HIV clinic as soon as you can. You might just have been very lucky up til now but your CD4 count might also be very low now. The clinic will want to know you are okay and starting meds will be easy.
Hellow I have tested positive on 2007 but I didn’t use any treatment till now am healthy & strong. But now am ready to face it. Can I start using ARV’s now since it’s been long time