how long can one stay with the hiv virus before it turns into aids?

Question

If an individual has been diagnoised as HIV POSITIVE how long are they able to stay with out any symptoms of AIDS

Answer 1

Every person is different. I guess it depends on how their body's take to their medication.

Answer 2

There are no outward signs of HIV infection. HIV may or may not develop into AIDS, and it may happen in a year or two, or it may take 10 or more years. After infection with the virus, patients may experience flu-like symptoms a week or two later; but that is not true in all cases, and it clears up in 7-10 days. A blood test at least 3 months after infection is the only way to detect the virus. Although there are 'fast result' tests that give a result in as few as two weeks, the 3 month test with a followup at 6 months is normally recommended. Since AIDs is a syndrome, not an actual disease, it may present in many ways - AIDs is actually detected as an infection by a so-called 'oportunistic infection' - that is, a disease that a healthy person does not normally exhibit.

Answer 3

you can stay at the HIV stage for years. As long as you live a healthy lifestyle, such as, eating right, resting, taking your meds, and following the doctors orders. People can have HIV for quite some time and people who don't know would be none the wiser. It's usually when left untreated and neglected that the disease, like any other, ravages the body and turns into full blown AIDS. Really there is no way to tell specifically because every body and every immune system is different. Just taking precautions with anything and everything would reduce the likelihood. All the best.

Answer 4

I work on an infectious disease ward and it depends on your CD4 count, which shows how bad you have the HIV virus, I knew a woman who was undetected for over 20 years and had no symptoms until she had AIDS, she is still living quite a good life on medication. If you are newly diagnosed ask your doctor to explain your CD4 count to you and find out if you need medication yet or not. They usually give a medication cocktail of drugs that has to be take 12 hours apart for them to work effectively, if they are not taken properly the patient can become resistant to the drugs and they wont work. Most of the HIV patients that i know set alarms to remind them. E-mail me if you want any more info.

Answer 5

There is a BIG difference between HIV and AIDS so please don't listen some of the posters above. It would take too long to answer this fully giving you all the information you need so instead have a look at the Terrance Higgins Trust website (http://www.tht.org.uk/). This contains *facts* about HIV/AIDS and some very good advice about living with HIV/AIDS.

Answer 6

It depends from person to person. Some stay HIV pos for 2 years and develop AIDS and others stay for 15 years or more. There are also some people who are HIVpos and do not develop AIDS through their life. I think it just depends on how lucky you are.

Answer 7

I know someone who was diagnosed in 1988 and he is still alive and kicking as HIV positive with no aids symptoms.

Answer 8

i have been hiv+ now for 13 years, the doc told me that if i was to stop my hiv meds that it would take about 10 years for me to get AIDS. it depends on the person.

Answer 9

No idea but a friend of mine, who is quiet skinny and weak bodied as had the HIV virus for over ten years and is fit as a fiddle.

Answer 10

If you get treatment for your HIV you wont get the symptoms of AIDS. Use condoms!!!!!!! Then you wont get HIV to start with!
Be careful!

Answer 11

10 yrs is the maximum yrs to live w/ HIV before it will be a full blown AIDS but it will still depend on your immune system