So in a perfect world , what drugs if you had to be on them would you choose...

[surf18]

that were the least likely to cause side effects? belly discomfort? all forms of lipo?

[leatherman]

since the chances for most short-term medication side effects are under 10% (those are the general ones like nausea etc while one's VL decreases and immune system recovers) and most long-term medication side effects chances are under 3% (like lipo), I'd simply go with any of the first line regimens available in my area.

(It's probably important to note here that with restricted access to HIV treatment, many people can only "afford" to take what is available, and really don't have much in the way of "choice". Even insurance companies often have only certain meds on their formulary, so the real available selection of med is often diminished limiting the patient's "choice")

Of course sometimes meds act differently for different people, so you always take a chance that the outcome will be good not bad. Aspirin kills people daily, yet most people don't think twice about popping one or two to stop a headache (disclaimer: I'm very allergic to aspirin and nearly died twice before figuring out that it was the aspirin). Thankfully, with HIV meds in 2012, unlike in 1992 with only AZT, there are so many options. If something doesn't work well for a person there is always something else to switch to, or usually something to do to deal with the side effect. Sadly no one can predict the future, so there's just no way to know what long term effects await anyone on any regimen.

quite frankly I'm much more of an optimist (even with the AIDS, deaths of partners, house fire, car wrecks, times of near homelessness and poverty that I've gone though). I never imagine myself as the one who WILL experience side effects. Instead I like to take the odds and believe that I'm in the 90+% who won't experience anything but improved health 

[denb45]

In a perfect world, I wouldn't be on any AVR-Meds cause I wouldn't have teh AIDS 

[Common_ground]

Most important for me in a combo:
* As little damage as possible to organs and the body.
* Durability and effective against my strain of HIV.
* Studied extensively.

What doesnt bother me:
* Number of pills - I dont have a problem with many pills or 2 times a day dosing.
* Forgiving on dosing time - I dont miss doses and are always within 1 hour.
* Side effects which are more of an annoyance, but not making any physical long lasting harm.

Right now Im on Truvada and Stocrin. Im not sure if this combo matches my outline.?.

Somehow I have turned against going on Isentress, Complera and newer meds because I fear that If I fail a new regimen I might have to "go back" to an older drug which isnt as easy on my body and It will complicate my resistance profile more than failing a somewhat older regimen. It might not make sense but thats how I feel.

[Billy B]

The two that I am on.
Billy

[buginme2]

Perfect world!

1.  Obviously I would go with an option thate cured the HIV (perfect world and all)

2.  Otherwise I would go with gs-7340 (not out yet) because it has efficency of Tenofovir at a much lower concentration.  That combined with maybe Dolutegravir (because its a once a day option that doesnt need boosting) and another NRTI.  Preferably all combined in one easy pill!

3.  Otherwise I will stick with my Atripla.  I am fortunate to not have any side effects from it and I like the once a day, one pill convenience.

[leatherman]

In a perfect world, I wouldn't be on any AVR-Meds cause I wouldn't have teh AIDS 

<3

[thunter34]

X, K and G...though I suppose you mean HIV drugs, don't you?

In that case, the ones that I am on are fine (Prezista, Truvanda + Norvir). 

[surf18]

Thanks guys! Good posts!

[zach]

in a perfect world, huge bags a marijuana always at ready, 5 grams of dmt per week, and i ain't got teh aids, its a perfect world

atripla for the less than perfect world

[bufguy]

I would continue on Atripla. Four years now, no side effects, consistently undetectable, CD4 1200, once per day dosing and although I have been 100% adherent, Atripla is very forgiving as far as dosing.
In my opinion still the gold standard.