GayHealthBlog Q&A: Will HIV meds keep me healthy forever?
ASK the DOC: Will HIV meds keep me healthy forever?
I’m a 24 year old gay man, and I just started a once a day HIV med, but am being treated at a public clinic and didn’t ask enough questions of the doctor. I’m wondering how long I will have to stay on medication and if I will ever have to take more than one pill in the future? Will I be able to stay heathy?
Given that you are asking these questions, your health care provider is really not spending nearly enough time with you! These are important questions and a lot depends on your comprehension of the answers. As of today, this moment in our knowledge of HIV treatment, once someone starts on medication, it’s forever. Ideally your numbers are going to improve, your T cell count go up and your viral levels fall to undetectable.
If you take your medication incorrectly, skip doses or stop altogether, those numbers are going to revert very quickly. If you are on Atripla, which is the only antiviral regimen so far that is one pill once a day, that is a great regimen and it works extremely well and will work for many years provided you NEVER miss a single dose. If you start missing the virus could become resistant to the medication and you’ll need a different regimen. No other regimens are as simple as Atripla.
But yes, you can stay very healthy for many years taking medication for HIV.
Next time you see your provider you should insist that they spend a little more time with you going over this stuff. It’s really important that you feel comfortable and knowledgeable about what you’re doing. Good luck!
– Susan Ball, MD
thanks, you have made me feel better, ive been on atripla since 10-08, and im feeling good, walking 30 mins and day, and my viral load was undectable after a month on it.
Hi – hangin there…some of my clients are going strong 27# years with HIV
bostonpianoman
hi i have been on antiviral med since 1985 my viral load as been undetectable and my partener remains hiv neg we have been together all this time i was positive when we started dating we are happy and i am very healthy
I played safe as long as before we knew how to prevent it and then with so many dead it was very unusual to have sex raw. Too risky and it still is. But I always feared I had it. I wouldn’t allow myself to know it for sure. I knew it too, but I wanted to not have to think about the fact that I had it every day. At least my way it wasn’t a constant reminder of my guilt and shame, society’s, and mine. I waited and when I was so weak and my Dr told me I was going to get tested and he had never Told me anything before, it was always a discussion. I was at 32 T cells and more than one Dr asked me if I had my affairs in order. I was not given meds for a month while they tested which drugs I could have that I wasn’t maybe already resistant to due to the meds my partner/s may have been taking. Was misdiagnosed with lymphoma when 2nd biopsy said + signs for lymphoma seek treatment. They were wrong for 2 weeks. Felt longer. I’m a smart man, my affairs were in order. I could in no way take care of myself for 3 months. My mother and my aunt had to fly 1000 miles to do the job of me and household. But in 3 months I was back at work, full time. Lucky I sit all day in sales. I did everything my second HIV Dr told me. I was very suspicious in the 1st Dr I could see, cause I would have seen anyone with first appt. He put me on ativan and yes it helps your nerves and helped me sleep. It helped me sleep all day and every day but not at night as much, more like a cat during the day. It was awful and Dr 2 was horrified. Of course in 2 mth I was addicted one per day. Takes 4 no sleeps to get over it. Morale, make sure you trust any Dr in front of you and remember when they are in that room its because of you and You made that appt to get help so demand it. Take your medications and get as much movement and as you can to keep you fit. Watch what you eat a bit and don’t worry that can be a fun thing to learn to do and you will like a lot of it more. Nutrition is just as easy to quickly fix as anything, and you can still have anything during your week. It was maybe 6/7 yrs by now. I don’t know, I’m not counting but I’ve been able to handle many longer journeys abroad after that first year. I have a lot of side effects but I don’t think they get me down, its the 46 that gets me down cause my body is too skinny to ever be in any shape. Always thin so need to remember to eat. Hope you will too. You will be pretty good just ask questions to all new signs, pains or strange symptoms. Undetectable means you are where you want to stay, but that sure doesn’t mean you cannot pass it to others.
I appreciate the info also. My first POZ was in April of 2008. My numbers have been, according to my doctor, unecessary to be on anti vitals. I would like to know where I can find more research on whether getting down to undectable at time of of contraction or whether the route of prolonging starting as long as possible is better? Do you have a preference with your patients or place for research. I’d appreciate your feedback.
have been on drug since 2006 and just recently a friend adviced me to use native herb whice l have being taking for 2 mouths and l was not take my antiretrov drug. but later found out that the native herb did not work cos l went for test so l went back to my white drug which l left for the past two mouth. the problem with me now is that my body hich me anytime l bath with cool water or if am in some where cool all my body will be hiching me. what should l do? as l have come back for the antiroviral drug will it work on my system anymore? pls l really want to know. thank you very much.
my husband is hiv without symptoms since the age of 24 and is now 39.they are now going to put him on meds. they wanted to put him on meds 6 years ago but he had now medical.now he minimal coverage thou his job. what meds will keep him healthier and alive.and how is he going to pay for these meds.he is american and i am canadian who’s deported from the states and i can not help much from here so i’m trying to do some research for him. any answers are greatly apprieciated.
was tested yesterday and prelim is positive but waiting on confirmation tests my new doctor assured me that i could live a long life with the regimin and hope this is true kinda scared but determined this wont beat me its time to live more healthy and take care of the body i have and wish well to all others for a long beautifull life still in shock here and quite overwhelmed but anyways love n peace all !!!!
BUEO MUY BIEN POR CAPACITARNOS
GRACIAS POR CUIDARNOS