Question
How long can I live if I’m taking HIV treatment (ART)?
15 January 2018. Related: All topics, Life expectancy, Living with HIV long-term.
Can HIV kill when you have an undetectable viral load? I’m doing well on medication and how long can i live to the cure? Lastly, why cant I stop thinking about my HIV status – first thing in the morning and also just before I fall asleep?
Polio have been eradicated but why cant scientists do the same for HIV?
Answer
The quick answer is that with modern HIV drugs (called ART) your life expectancy is likely to be similar to if you were HIV negative. The earlier someone is diagnosed and start ART, the quicker any damage from HIV can be reversed.
For most people, HIV is easy to treat and easy to manage. ART can give you a normal life expectancy and an excellent quality of life.
Hw long anyone will live depends on things you can change (smoking, exercise, medication) and thing you can’t (genetics and luck). A study in Denmark (2005) estimated that the survival is more than 35 years for a young person diagnosed with HIV infection and another study in Canada (2003) report that in the US, life expectancy at age 20 years was an additional 58.3 years.
As long as your CD4 count stays above 200 cells/mm3, the risk of most HIV complications is pretty low. At higher CD4 levels – above 350, or 500, or 700 – the risk becomes lower still. Although some health problems are slightly higher in HIV positive people compared to HIV negative people, these risks are also often reduced by ART.
If you continue to take your medication as prescribed and do not miss or taking doses late, then the risk of HIV health problems in the future s very low. However, just as HIV negative people become ill, lifestyle changes to reduce these risks are important if you are HIV positive. For example, keeping mentally and physically active, eating a balanced diet, resting well, not smoking etc).
Having HIV might not always be easy though. The shock of being diagnosed sometimes takes a long time to come to terms with and at the moment you are still working on this. Already, I am sure you feel better than when you were first diagnosed and this will continue to become easier every year.
Most people worry about the impact of HIV on their life. This could bewhy you think about your HIV status on a daily basis. If this continues to be difficult perhaps get in touch with a local support group or ask about counselling. Talking about your HIV status can help you to deal with it and also through group support you can share experiences and also learn from one another. You do not have to deal with it in isolation.
Finally, you asked about research into a cure. HIV is very complex in a way that is different to polio. Although currently there is no vaccine or cure, there is a lot of ongoing research.
HIV treatment is one of the successes of modern medicine. The breadth and expertise in scientific advances has not only developed 30 medications in five drug classes but this research has contributed to many other areas of medicine.
Even though curing HIV is difficult, there are lots of reasons to be optimistic.
This question was updated in January 2018 from an original answer posted in November 2011. (See: Question 10 at this link for more information).
Hi Amina,
Most HIV drugs list feeling sick and vomiting as a side effect. But this is less common and generally mild and short term. But your loss of appetite and vomiting seem to be long term. Please can you talk to the doctor about this. You can check that you are getting enough of the meds to keep your viral load at undetectable. You can also talk about difficulties around swallowing if they are big pills. And there are anti sickness pills that can help, so it’s a good idea to ask about these too. Here are are more details on nausea and vomiting from the guide to HIV and quality of life.
Hi am a girl from Tanzania I was tested and reveal am hiv positive since 2013 but i started medication on 2017 August my problem now is loss of appetite to food, vomiting which led to loss my weight from 68kg to 57kg since I started medication so what can I do so as to be normal? I’m total confused because when I tested I was having 56kg but I was managed to increase my weight up to 68kg and lived happily life without medication,bt since I’m starting to take arvs the the problem begin
Hi Ali,
We are not doctors at i-Base so it’s important that you have your symptoms checked by a doctor. Please can you see the doctor urgently if you think you have heart disease.
Hi,
I’m ali,I use hiv treatment (trumeq) since 3 years ago , I didn’t have any side affect for this , but from 2 months ago I feel my heart not comfort,chest pain , left arm pain sometimes,
Is this sign of heart disease from medication or hiv ?
Please guide me ,thanks
Hi Dev,
When someone is recently diagnosed like you, its common to question what will happen in the future. Talking to others may help. Also HIV is no longer the illness is used to be. Its a very manageable health condition and there’s no reason why you can’t expect to live a long and healthy life.
From the results that you’ve given, its clear that you’re doing really well. Your CD4 has risen drastically and your viral load is nearly undetectable, this is great news. You’re taking control of your health.
With regards to the rash, please talk to your doctor about this. They will be able to give you something. Hair loss isn’t something that is common with ARVs. Therefore, this could be one of many things, of which stress is one.
Hi my name is Dev and im 33 years old, i have found out im HIV + February 2018 with viral load 10milion and my CD4 was 321, My Doctor ask me to start on medication right away.
After start taking the medication for two month on April when i went to do check up and my viral load was 3160 and CD4 1242.
The doctor say the medicine working well on me. but i have side effect like hair start to drop alot and skin rash so on and will this keep continue??
But i always have unsecured filling like how long im going to leave and because i have 3 years old son, im so worried about his future i cant sleep basically every single night. im so worried i will go on stroke if my brain keep working for 24/7 can keep my mind strait every time i keep worrying about my future.
what can i do to make me peace of mind.
Hi Joseph,
Testing HIV positive doesn’t have to impact your lifestyle. Starting treatment and getting your viral load to undetectable means that HIV can not be transmitted if you have sex without using condoms. Once you are stable and undetectable – which is about three months – then you can tell partners that U=U, Undetectable = Untransmittable. You can read more about U=U here. This can make the decision to test for HIV much easier.
I think am HIV positive but I have not gone for testing because I fear the impact it will have on my lifestyle..what should I do?
Hi Hassan,
You being positive shouldn’t be a barrier to you working or studying. As long as you look after yourself and take your meds you’ll be fine. HIV is no longer the illness it used to be. Its now a very manageable health condition.
And Hiv positive person, can I study or work like a normal person?