Hi I have been pos for 6 yrs. My cd4's are 375 and my vl is currently 25000. I want to start meds soon and was wondering how long they last. When your first regimen falls how many more options should you have? Why are people still dying of aids today? Is it ignorance or the problems i read about resistance and running out of treatment options. My husband is negative and i really want to grow old with him, not 80 but 60 would be fine with me, i am 24 now. Do you think with medical advancements i have a chance? Will the new meds coming out extend life expectancy? Sorry for the abundance of questions i just think i am confused about how to look at my future.

I tell my patients starting HIV therapy that I expect most of them to celebrate my retirement in 15 or so years. I am confident that in the setting of motivated patients, skilled HIV care, and access to all available HIV Meds that patients increasingly will be surviving for decades. Effective treatment has been available for 8 years-I have patients who have done well since then with no end in sight. We can't predict the future but I am optimistic. Problems develop or exisit for those with drug resistance, intolerance to medications, or an inability to take medications without missing doses-those issues remain major challenges for us. KH