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 i used a condom with a hiv positive person but got the fever two days later. Can i have symptoms two after i have contracted the virus
Hi Norma, how long have you been taking ART? and are you now out of hopsital? Being on treatment will suppress your viral load. Even having a very high viral load, medication will help to suppress it. While on treatment, it will give your body a chance to recover its CD4 count. You should notice that your viral load will drop quite quickly. It can often become undetectable within a few months. CD4 count takes time to recover. Unfortunately, starting at a lower count requires more time for it to recover. Even if it is slow, you CD4 count will improve.
When I was diagnosed I was hospitalized with PCP, with a very high viral load of 5 million copies and CD4 count of 16. I was immediately initiated on ART. I am currently on TLD, Bactrim, Isoniazid and Vit b6. My worry is will my viral load ever get suppressed and CD4 increare?
Hi Abuu, PrEP is to be used before an exposure. Are you referring to PEP? This is what is used after an exposure to prevent transmission. In this case it is unlikely to be of benefit as more than 3 days have passed since exposure.
Do you know if the person you slept with is on treatment/undetectable? If so this can reduce the risk of transmission to zero. Please follow this link for more information: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
Hi, am abuu in Nairobi, I had sex with a HIV positive person, we went for a test after 16days of me testing positive on bacterial infection but my the test came out negative, am so worried and my doctor gave me prep do u think it might help me now that it has passed 3days?
Hi Love, this is not the last stage – though it is unlikely to be related to HIV. Have you spoken to a doctor about this?
Have you started HIV treatment now?
I was tested hiv last year but due to the fact I was traumatized I didn’t start taking treatment immediately and now I notice my finger are yellowish and coming off.please is it the last stage of hiv
Hi Erick, I am not sure how to comment as you haven’t asked a question. If this person was on effective treatment, then there is no risk of HIV. If for any reason they were not on treatment, then you still need to take an HIV test to know your status now.
I have sex with a girl who was HIV positive this year in March and i didn’t experience any signs.
Hi Ahmed,
If you’re asking if this combination is OK to take, then yes it is. How is your son doing?