HAART after 50

[mikeyb39]

I was just reading an article in our local 'Voice' magazine here in texas from a reporter who says below

"Even if an older American has abundant financial resourses to access whatever medical treatment available, the true is that the drug cocktails that have prolonged the lives of younger people just don't work as well for anyone over 50, according to scientifi studies"

Anyone have any comments about that?  i'm 40 yrs old so 50 doesn't seem that far off...lol

[Assurbanipal]

Let me put on my reading glasses sonny.   



I started HAART a couple of months before turning 50.   (5 years ago).

In the longevity studies the best results seem to be for people who get an undetectable viral load and can get their tcell counts back up to the normal range.  A large study has shown near normal life expectancy in those circumstances. 

But even for those who don't get tcell counts back into the normal range, if they stick with the drugs and get to an undetectable viral load there is a strong likelihood of living to retirement ages, it is just a little more likely that people with fewer tcells will die prematurely which brings the average age at death down (i.e. decreases the life expectancy)

The older you are when you start HAART the longer it takes / less likely you are to get tcell counts back into the normal range. 

So there is a kernel of truth somewhere here.  But it appears the reporter has misunderstood it and blown it out of proportion.


Creakily,
Assurbanipal

[mecch]

HAART works for people of any age.  The author is spitting hairs for some reason or other.

[newt]

Some aspects of immune restoration are more difficult for older people. In practice older here means over 30-40 (it's related to the thymus which don't work so well after then to produce new CD4 cells). But in terms of the final outcome, longevity, it might not be significant. Older people lose some CD4 cells each year, but being older, you might not need as many cos there will be less time left to lose them. This said, over 50 and HIV+? Start treatment? Good idea. It's not all about CD4 counts, it's also about accelerated cellular ageing and cardiovascular heath etc.

- matt

[aztecan]

. . . over 50 and HIV+? Start treatment? Good idea. It's not all about CD4 counts, it's also about accelerated cellular ageing and cardiovascular heath etc.
- matt

As one of the more seasoned members of the forum (read: over 50 and poz), I would certainly concur with Matt. As we get older, we have to take more care of ourselves, which means perhaps starting meds more quickly than our younger counterparts. We also have to watch other things, as make referred to, to ensure continued cardiovascular, pulmonary and other health areas.

HUGS,

Mark

[OneTampa]

As someone who has been HIV+ for 26 years and will be 58 this year, I reached my highest CD4 counts ever 2 1/2 years ago at over 800!  I am going into my 11th year non-detectable.  All of this, as I have stated before, on reduced dosage HIV meds for the last 10 years. So, my personal experience runs counter to the supposed less than stellar treatment results that may be tied to an after 50 age benchmark.

[emeraldize]

I started HAART at 57 -- maybe I missed the super-small print that said I shouldn't even try. Kidding aside, my VL dropped promptly to UD and my CD are moving up.

[sam66]

  On HARRT  3 years,  UD after 2 months, CD 677 from 274.    50 years old now

  Doing fine, loving life,  no probs apart from high cholesterol

  Tomorrow is a another day 

[Billy B]

Nearly 56 and went UD fairly soon after starting meds. I have not seen huge increases in CD4s but I am healthy. My IDS did say that most older people take longer to increase their CD4 counts because of the way the immune system works but that the most important thing was to become UD and have stable or increasing CD4%. I am thrilled to be on a combo that agrees with my body and my work schedule.
Peace,
Billy

[mikeyb39]

thanks all for the replies   

[emeraldize]

We're happy to be able to supply them!!!