HIV is no longer an absolute death sentence that kills you in a few years due to medication advancements which are better tolerated and more effective. In the past doctors recommended not starting medications until your immune system (CD4 cells) diminished to a dangerously low level that risked infection and cancers. Today, newly diagnosed HIV+ patients are started on medications immediately after diagnosis. This typically involves taking 3 medications that cost about $25-30,000 a year; not to mention doctor and laboratory bills.
If you pass the virus to a sexual partner without their knowing you are positive, they can sue you for damages and you risk criminal prosecution which will label you as a sex offender for the rest of your life.
If an HIV+ individual remains on triple medications throughout their life, studies have shown there to be a near normal life expectancy minus 5 years. Unfortunately, there is increasing instances of virus resistance to different medications, so that about 5% of all patients on medications have medication failure that can result in a series of medication trials toward older medications that have more side effects and toxicities. When here is medication failure, due to noncompliance of 1-3 times a day medication schedules every day for life OR drug resistance, the immune system progressively diminishes within a year or two. When CD4 levels drop below 200, there is a large risk of infections and various types of cancers. One does not actually die from HIV, one dies from infections and cancers that run out of control with an absent immune system.
When an HIV+ individual is compliant with treatment over time, the risk of passing the virus to a partner during unprotected sex is about 4% (96% effective). Even though viral levels may be undetectable in a medication treated HIV+ individual, the virus still sheds small amounts of virus into the semen in about 25-50% of people.
Patients on effective medication do not get sick more easily than others when their CD4 levels are greater than 350. Normal CD4 levels are usually around 1000-1200. If one is unable to afford medication and remains unmedicated or has a resistance to medications, when CD4 levels drop below 350, one can pick up infections more easily. When CD4 levels drop below 200, the risk of infection increases substantially; as so various forms of cancer. However, even with medication and undetectable virus levels, there is a general greater risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and stroke) compared to HIV- individuals.
A major problem that comes up for HIV+ individuals taking medication is the extensive adverse interactions they have with other medications, so can complicate the effective treatment of any other condition. There are certain organ toxicities that can occur with different medications –- mostly liver and kidney.
Additionally, like cwilbur, mentioned, there is significant emotional and social complications and difficulties when dealing with HIV. So add in financial and physical repercussions of contracting HIV, I would strongly recommend anyone who is negative to do what is in their personal power to avoid contracting it by reducing one's risk at all cost.
