A Long and Healthy Life With HIV

By Steven Campa

2 min read

There are moments in my life that I stop and realize that I am almost going to be 30 years old. The crazy thing is that I was diagnosed with HIV a week before my 21st birthday and time is just flying by.

As I age over the years, I can acknowledge that I am aging with HIV. Over the years things like medication and treatment change, but the virus that I live with stays the same. I stay at an undetectable viral level, and I plan on continuing to stay that way.

There are times that I wonder how my life would be if I contracted HIV long before I did. I wonder how different my life might be if I was born in a different decade and saw the beginning of the AIDS epidemic.

Recognizing aging with HIV

National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day is coming up on September 18, and I think it should always be recognized. This national awareness day sheds light on the increasing number of individuals living long and healthy lives with HIV. It brings attention to issues related to individuals over the age of 50 as well as trying to assess their health and social needs.

One great way to spread awareness is to try and encourage older adults to know their status by getting tested. Routine testing should be something that people of all ages should do especially if they are sexually active.

Reflecting on the battles from the past

I cannot imagine how difficult and frightening it might have been to get diagnosed with HIV over 30 years ago during a time when not many people understood the virus. When I was diagnosed in 2014, even with all the advancements, I still did not know what to do. I still panicked and was unsure about my future and my health.

There are so many individuals that are living long and healthy lives with HIV. Many are also getting to an undetectable viral level which means they have so little of the virus in their body that it is impossible to pass the virus to someone else.

In my opinion, I should do more for my community in how I raise awareness around National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day. I am very fortunate to have had a diagnosis during a time when there were so many medical advances and when it was no longer a death sentence.

Showing appreciation for those who came before us

Raising awareness around this day will have individuals think about the time when HIV-positive individuals had to fight each day to stay healthy and strong. I feel the older generation is not shown enough appreciation for all that they have went through and for paving the way for many of us.

Moving forward, I want us all to appreciate those that are over the age of 50 and are living and thriving with HIV. It has not been easy the last few decades for those at the beginning of the epidemic and we should constantly appreciate those that came before us. Soon enough we will also be over the age of 50 and those who come after us will look to us for advice, comfort, and knowledge.

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CommunityMemberfd71f5 Member
I was diagnosed with HIV in 1988. I was 35 years old and single after being dropped by 2 lovers. I was prompted to get tested after a phone call from a lover who was diagnosed after with Kaposi Sarcoma and subsequently AIDS. I was always monogamous in my relationships however he wasn't. I had not dated or had sex since he had broken up with me 4 years earlier so we both assumed that he had exposed me while we were a couple, which had been 4 years. I was devasted when a medical school resident came into an examining room and told me I had AIDS. The term HIV had not yet come into use. I was lucky enough to get connected with one of the top Infectious Disease Specialists in the country who immediately started me on the only meds available for treating the disease. I turned out to be one of the LUCKY ones who were, able to tolerate the side effects of the meds. Over the course of these many years, I've moved on to the latest meds, and have been on Byktarvy since it was introduced. I've been "UNDETECTABLE" for longer than I can remember, which my Dr. believes could be due to the fact that I haven't been re-exposed to the virus. My only wish at this point, is to find someone to share my life with.
1. Robert Brunet Moderator
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMemberfd71f5" user-id="8571276"/> thank you for sharing your story. I remember those days before effective treatments as well. There were so many difficult moments for us, including what to do with our lives after we realized we were surviving and living. I can only speak for myself, but I want you to know that people out there will accept and love us for who we are. I've been in a post-HIV diagnosis relationship for 20+ years now. Please let us know how you are doing and share more of your story with us whenever you want. Our stories are the greatest tool in our arsenal to end HIV. Robert Brunet - (Team Member)