I am HIV+ for the last 2 years and no side effect from HIV med {kaletra & combivor}. VL= undetectable for a year and now CD4=555,I am doing very well, good appetatite,enough sleep... Can I take a break from the HIV med? For how long?

Stopping HIV meds usually results in a prompt rebound in viral load to pre-treatment levels over 3-6 months and a decline in CD4 count which often mirrors the increase seen on treatment. Thus what often occurs is dependent on a wide range of variable including where you started. I don't recommend stopping treatment in persons with AIDS or pre-treatment CD4 counts < 250. With some regimens (such as with Sustiva) there is also concern about development of resistance when drugs are stopped all at once. Perhaps 5% of patients stopping meds will become ill with an acute retroviral like syndrome and off meds the risk to transmit to others increases in the setting of unsafe sexual or needle use practices. KH