PPI (for gastric probs) and HIV meds

[marriedmansam]

I wonder if anyone can help me with a simple explanation?

I am recently DxD (Aug 2011) and when i saw the doc at my last appointment he did a full baseline assessment of me, mainly checking out my sensitivity to touch/ sound/ light etc.

As part of the discussions i mentioned that i use LANSOPRAZOLE now and again for a long term gastric problem (hiatus hernia) and he made a comment that they interfere with one of the protease inhibitors in the HIV meds that might be prescribed to me.

I know that meds might be some time away for me - but i am keen to know if using Lansoprozole means that i will not be able to use atripla.

any and all advice is welcome.


Sam

[Ann]

Sam, Atripla does not contain a Protease Inhibitor (PI). It contains two Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) (aka nukes) and one Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor (NNRTI) (aka non-nuke).

You might want to spend some time reading about the individual meds in our Treatments section. You can also read about how the different classes of drugs work on the virus in the HIV Life Cycle Lesson. That will give you a better idea of what you're dealing with concerning the different meds.

I know this is all pretty confusing when you're new to this, but it does get easier in time. It doesn't help that in the UK, most doctors refer to the different meds by their generic name, while here in the forum most people refer to the meds by their brand name. Even after ten years, I still don't have all the different names for the individual meds down pat. I know quite a few (the ones most often prescribed), but I often have to double check some. So don't feel bad if it drives you batty. It still drives me batty after all these years.

[SteveInToronto]

Hi Sam

I take PPIs for gastric issues as well. There are a few HIV drugs you can't take while also on PPIs. When a HIV drug is not compatible with a PPI it is noted on the drug information pages Ann linked you to. For example, I could take Atripla, but not Complera (because it has rilpivirine in it, and the PPI decreases concentrations of the drug).