Briefly. 50 yrs. Diag 8 years ago , Hetro. Numbers up/down. Have taken meds on and off ( STI) Last VL 15000 T's 202. But so much depression from other life junk I really do not have any joy for the future ( do not tell me go get SSRI comeon !!) So when is it OK to say had life , enjoyed a lot of it and now ready to move to another plane?? $1500.00 a month to make drug co's rich for what ...Old Quality vs Qty question . Feel so much beter off meds regardles of # so why should I be made to feel like if I do not take 20 meds a month and work out etc... I have a disease and want to let it ( God) take its course , why should I have the pressure to hang on a bit longer , give Glaxo a few more bucks ?????

Where is the pressure coming from? The decision to take antiretroviral medication or not is entirely yours. Treatment is not forced upon you, nor should it be. You are the one to decide if you prefer not to take antiretroviral medications and accept the risks that go along with that decision.

However, if you are depressed, you should seriously consider getting a psychiatric evaluation. Depression can cause a person to feel more more pessimistic about life and about the prospects of treatment. Depression can cause hopelessness about the future and a feeling that treatment and life itself are futile. I have treated people suffering from depression and seen them regain hope and a desire to live. And SSRI's are not the only available treatment. Cognitive therapy and intersonal psychotherapy are appropriate treatments for some types of depression, and there are a variety of other antidepressants if medications are indicated.