Question
How long can someone live with HIV?
2 January 2018. Related: All topics, Life expectancy.
How long can a man live with HIV if he was around 18 years old and was healthy when he was infected, both with and without medication?
Answer
Modern HIV drugs mean that life expectancy is now similar for HIV positive people to the general population.
This is based on being diagnosed early and having access to treatment.
The wide range of factors related to life expectancy include: where you live, your income, access to health care, lifestyle (alcohol, drugs, tobacco, exercise and diet) and other infections like hepatitis, genetics and chance – good or bad luck.
Several large studies have been published showing that life expectancy for HIV positive people is very good, and near to an HIV negative person.
Without treatment, HIV will slowly progress in nearly everyone. This speed that HIV progresses varies from a few years to more than 20 years.
Note: this answer was updated in January 2018 from a question posted in August 2008..
Hi John, HIV risk from oral sex carries little to no risk of transmission. Having been on PEP will reduce this risk even further.
Experiencing any symptoms while on PEP are not HIV related as PEP would delay this until after the course is complete.
It is encouraging that you have had a negative HIV test but you will need a follow-up test 6 weeks after the last dose of PEP. Given the risk of exposure you have explained the symptoms you have explained are not the likely result of HIV. PEP does not protect against other common infections and even stress can result in this.
Please see here for more information about transmission: https://i-base.info/guides/testing
Hello. I took pep within 15 hours after oral exposure by hiv positive preson ejaculated in my mouth. While pep within 10 days started to swell lymph nodes under my jaw. It came enlarged. Then I noticed after one week of post pep, lymph nodes on my supraclavicular area is also swollen. I have joint pain, and underarm pain also. At the morning have mild headache. In my mouth there few wounds. I checked 4th gen test one week after pep was negative. Is these signs are common after pep ?
Hi Panda, it is great that you have now started treatment. Have you noticed if you have any problems with this treatment?
How are you adjusting to being HIV positive? Do you have a support network around you to help start to process living with HIV e.g., friends/family, doctors, peer groups etc…?
Has your partner been tested for HIV?
When on treatment, you can expect to have a life expectancy similar to that of someone HIV negative. Treatment is very effective and works to prevent damage to your immune system. You have mentioned that you know you became positive in the last year, this means you are able to start treatment early. Doing this means the impact HIV has on your life is limited and when taking treatment the impact should be minimal if at all.
You can see here for information about starting ART: https://i-base.info/guides/starting
I was diagnosed with HIV about a week ago. My CD4 is 335 and my viral load 77600. I’m 26 I do std test every year same time. Last year I was negative so I know I have it for less than a year. I have the same partner. Now I’m concern of how much this will change my life. I started treatment 2 days after the result. Biktarvy. I can feel my blood running through my veins. I’m scare I don’t know how long I have to live since every case is different. I AM really scare. What can I do ?
Hi Berrity, what additional information do you need?
More information needed
Hi Siva, yes this is possible. Are you taking ART? and do you know your viral load? When on treatment with a viral load below 200/undetectable there is no risk of transmission via sex. This is called U=U and is explained here: https://i-base.info/u-equals-u/