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Having done HIV research at Duke University for over 3 and a half years, an HIV-infected person can live a normal healthy life and have near normal life expectancy, as compared to uninfected individuals, as long as they take their antiretroviral drugs every day for the rest of their lives.
My boss at Duke is optimistic there will be "a cure" one day against HIV, but the big thing about HIV is how easily it can mutate. He does believe one day, instead of HIV positive people needing to take a drug cocktail each and every day, they will simply get a shot one or twice a year, like a flu shot, that will help their immune system keep the virus at bay.
I know many families who've (deliberately) internationally adopted kids who developed HIV from their infected birth parents. The children frequently were inadequately treated in their home countries, but once correctly treated here, are thriving and living next-to-normal lives with normal life expectancy. They look and act like typical, normal, healthy kids now, and with the exception of having to take a few pills once or twice a day, they ARE typical, normal, healthy kids. Medicine has made great progress is treating HIV and AIDS, thankfully, so your prognosis also should be good.
Hang in there - I know it had to be a shock and hard news to receive, but I am thankful you found out and get the treatment you need in order to keep well. Best wishes to you.
I'm rooting for you. The sooner you start the medications, the better. And from what I'm constantly seeing in the news, they're getting better and better, and more and more breakthroughs are being made.
HIV is not the death sentence it was 30 years ago. Now, it's more like a condition -- something that, as long as you're proactive and stay strong, you can pretty much live a normal life.
Don't hesitate to vent, ask questions, anything. We're here for you.
I agree with everyone else here. Hang in there, the good news is you were diagnosed, the meds today are better than ever before. Almost all of us have something or other we deal with, so you are not alone!
Living in Fort Lauderdale very close to Wilton Manors and most of my friends being gay, I have many friends that are HIV positive and leading long, healthy lives.
Like diabetes, this is a managable disease. You can certainly lead a long, healthy life.
Wishing you well - there are many drug options now and I hope you will continue to find options for both support and effective medical treatment that keep you well until an actual cure is found.
Hi everyone! I had an appointment today with a doctor that specializes in HIV, more test were done, and I've been put on the medication that I need right now (I'd rather not go into details on the specific type). Next, I have to have various vaccinations and routinely have my CD4 count tested. My doctor (who is great at explaining things), was encouraging about my prognosis and assured me that as long as I stay on my meds that's prescribed, I should live a long healthy life, but it was important that we found out now instead of later.
To foundapeanut...I plan to be on meds for awhile before I talk to my mom about it, she's in her mid-50's if that's your age group? She has other things to worry about right now.
I'm really grateful to have support from all of you, thank you!
Jay - Glad you got such good news and now have an advocate to work with in your doc. Best Wishes for a long and healthy life!
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