I’m HIV undetectable. Am I cured?

When we throw these phrases around like undetectable it doesn’t mean that you’re cured of HIV. Your HIV test for the antibodies will always come back positive. But that viral load is just getting to a point where the lab can’t see it anymore. And that’s a good thing because it’s not impacting your immune system that strong anymore. But it doesn’t mean that it’s a cure.
Because those tests that you got when you first got diagnosed with HIV, you will still get tested positive when you take those tests over again.
Don’t just stop your medications because you think you’re doing fine and then go back into your doctor’s office later and be surprised that your viral load jumps back up.

Dr. David Malebranche, MD, MPH, a clinician-researcher specializing in HIV, gives the lowdown on all things HIV care and treatment in the latest installment of the #AskTheHIVDoc video series.

 

#AskTheHIVDoc is a video series from Greater Than HIV featuring top HIV doctors providing answers to commonly-asked questions about HIV prevention, testing and treatment.

This information is shared for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. The views expressed are those of the featured medical professional and reflect information available to that professional at time of filming. Always consult a health care provider for any personal health decision.

While we make every effort to keep the medical information on our website updated, we cannot guarantee that the information reflects the most up-to-date research. Also, please note the views expressed by individuals who appear in Greater Than HIV videos and other content are their own and are not made on behalf of any groups/organizations/associations.

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