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 Anonymous,
Both your mother and your sister should be on medication. Its being on ARVs that will help them to control their HIV. Your sister will need to see a pediatric HIV specialist. Your mother a HIV specialist.
They will need their viral loads testing as well as their CD4 counts.
Hi guys, I’ve just learned yesterday that my mom is positive and my 12 years old baby sister, they both haven’t been on treatment….
She says she got neverapine for my bby sis from born.
Is it possible that the virus could have been hiding for all this year’s because she still seems healthy even now?
What help can I get for my baby sister and how long will she live atleast?
Hi Dephney,
If you’ve been at risk, you will need to test. Please see the first question here:
http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
Hi I’m Dephney
I think in HIV positive cause I didn’t do HIV testing but I feel similar symptoms… What do I do,,, im scared of doing HIV test
Hi Woahitsme.
When you were diagnosed were you told what your CD4 count was?
Thought you may feel well, you still have HIV. If you want to control your HIV you will need to be on medication. If you are’t on meds eventually your health will begin to suffer. This will happen quicker if your CD4 is low.
I was diagnosed with AIDS not HIV 3 years ago. I’ve never taken medication. I feel perfectly normal, but at times I feel dizzy.
I often overlook that people are so close-minded.
Hi Someone,
Is there a support group near to where you live? Are you on medication?
hi,
I came to know that I have HIV positive. My body get weak easily and shivers much then before. I’m living in Nagaland state a very remote area . I don’t think I’ll get good medicines for my sickness and I’m 22 and still dependent with my parents .we are from a poor family So I can’t believe my parents can help me in financial for my medications.
now I feel hopeless with my life. though my parents have great hope from me to help them after I get job to help them.
but now I feel nothing… please give me some tips or suggestions. I’m just Alone.
Hi Terri,
Please see Q’s 1 and 5 here:
http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions