Question
What is the life expectancy of someone taking ARVs?
6 March 2012. Related: All topics, Life expectancy.
I am HIV positive and have been taking ART regularly for 4 years. My CD4 count is 625 and viral load is 519.
Can you please guide me about prognosis?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
No one can predict how long another person will live. This is because each person is an individual. How long someone can live also depends on a number of factors. Those that we can change such as taking ARVs, diet and exercise, and those we cannot change such as genetics and chance – good or bad luck.
However, studies have shown that these days with access to and careful use of ARVs (antiretroviral treatment for HIV), people living with HIV can have a life expectancy similar to HIV negative people. Please follow this link for more technical information on studies looking at life expectancy of positive people.
In your question, you mention that you have been taking ARVs for four years. It is unusual to have a viral load above 50 when you are on treatment, when did you last have your viral load checked?
Can I ask what combination you are on? Can I also ask how adherent you are to your medication? Adherence refers to taking your medication on time as prescribed. This is important in ensuring that you achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load (under 50).
If you are being adherent and your viral load is not below 50 after 6 months or more on treatment it is very important to discuss this with your doctor as this could mean that you have some resistance to one or more of the drugs in your treatment. Has your doctor discussed this with you?
Best wishes.
It’s not clear whether you are worried about losing weight without trying to, or if you would like to lose weight? If you are losing weight without trying please speak to your doctor. For information about diet and exercise please see our online guide.
Is it healthy to loose weight like being on a diet if my taking medication?
Hi Rogers,
It’s fine to drink alcohol with your treatment. Being late with doses could cause resistance to your treatment though. This is explained in our starting treatment guide.
Been on the meds for 6 years, sometimes takes dosage late and still consume alcohol, what are my chances?
Hi Lillian,
It’s important to try to take Atripla at the same time, but if the difference is less than an hour this is very unlikely to affect your treatment.
I have been taking Atripla for almost two months and I always forget resulting in taking it at different times each day. Does this affect my health even though the time differ by less than an hour?
Hi Zonke,
I’m very sorry to hear about your car accident! I hope you are recovering well.
Being late once is unlikely to have any affect on your health. You did the right thing by taking the dose as soon as possible.
I usually take my ARV treatment @8pm.one day i was in a car accident an hospitalized.i didn’t tell the doctors that I was on treatment as I was unable to speak.The next day my sister brought my treatment and i took them @8am to replaced the skipped one,and again @8pm as usually. Do that have an effect on my cd4 and viral load.
Hi
It is not clear whether your husband knows about your HIV status or not. It sounds like he does not but is not afraid to test himself.
Not using condoms increases the chance of pregnancy and also other STIs. If these are not a concern, then not using condoms should not affect how effective your treatment is. If you are using oral contraceptives, ask your doctor about whether these interact with your HIV meds.
At some point it is important for your husband to take an HIV test. If he is positive, it might be that he also needs treatment for his own health.
MY Q IS AM ON ARV FOR 4MTH MY HUSBAND DON KNOW HIS STATUS WE ARE HAVING UNPROTECT SEX CAN IT EFFECT MY ARV BECAUSE I CAN TELL HIV HIS STATUS.