How HIV/AIDS Treatments Have Changed Since it Began

Linda Freeman: I know when you T-cell get down to 200 there is a. Rebecca Fox: For the past several years Linda Freeman has lived with HIV. She will tell you some days are harder than others. Like 2 years ago when her T-cells drop to 260. Linda Freeman: I was on a urge getting it -- but I started I got on medication, I cry for too month, about taking the medication because I heard so many people were saying about how the medicine react over things but I went on and get on tell me dad I am ready. Rebecca Fox: Ready to live life and chase after her great grand kids, thanks to significant developments and treatments and therapy. The director of one of the oldest HIV clinics in the United States says in the last decade or so new medications mean he seem fewer opportunistic infections. Dr. Malcolm John: And instead we are seeing people being able to live longer healthier lives if they get into care and are able to get appropriate medications we have new classes of drug, entry inhibitor something called CCR5 inhibitor, drugs that we didn't think would be possible five years ago and they are having great results in patients who have gone through multiple treatment strategies. Rebecca Fox: While HIV is now often called a Diagnosis you live with HIV Positive people we spoke with say day to day life is still a struggle. Michael Silvas: I call what I am going through very similar to what I have heard predatory is. Rebecca Fox: There are lingering prejudices and the same drugs that sustain life come with side effects. Pamela Curry: Some of them one in particular typically causes nausea sometimes frequent diarrhea, I have to have them so, now you deal with it the best you can. Rebecca Fox: One area of growing focus is HIV and Ageing which presents its own unique challenges to patients and health care providers. Dr. Malcolm John: we are seeing with lot of other complications that arise either from living longer with HIV or having a longer treatment duration, complication from their medications overtime or from just getting older. So we are seeing a lot of Osteoporosis for example and HIV Positive man something you would think primarily in women right. Lot of heart disease increased rates of lung cancer increased rates of diabetes or kidney problems, liver problems. So it as changed in a sense that there are less HIV specific problems and more sort of Non HIV problems that are worsen by HIV, say about 40% of time that's what we are seeing now. Rebecca Fox: And now more than a quarter century after the epidemic began you meet people like Linda Freeman who are great managing her HIV diagnosis to managing her high blood pressure diagnosis. Linda Freeman: You know I am on medication right now and I take my pill daily, I am just a gone person and I want everybody to know, you know what it is, it is not a sin anymore. Why you are going to draw up because you are HIV positive you have got things to do. Rebecca Fox: After all she has got great grand kids to look after. For icu.com I am Rebecca Fox.