"♬♪ I can see clearly now...♬♪" Bye bye Efavirenz, hello Rilpivirine!! :-)

[terrymoore]

So...I am in a very good mood today. A month ago i switched from 9 pills a day (Alluvia + Truvada) to Atripla, very hopeful and optimistic. I was very excited to have a 1 pill/day regiment. The side-affects at first seemed relatively mild and i was convinced that i was of the majority that can tolerate this wonder-pill well. Well... after around a month, and lots of denial, paranoia, mood-swings, foggy-ness and a state of constant confusion, i decided to go see my doc and tell him my situation. After explaining to me the probable cause of my state (the common side-affects of the Efavirenz found in Atripla) he recommended i move to a Complera-like regiment. Basically, the Efavirenz is replaced by Rilpivirine (aka Edurant) which apparently has a much more milder affect on the CNS. Unfortunately the 1 pill Complera is not sold in Thailand (where i live) but, Edurant is, and so is Truvada - in fact i still had 2 bottles from my first treatment regiment. My main concern was the dependancy on food, which, after getting sage advice from others in this forum (you know who you are) i decided was a small price to pay for getting my mind back. I went to the pharmacy, bought the Edurant, and at 8pm, after a few pints of Guinness and some fatty pub food, i made my way to the washroom, where i popped my 2 pills (of course the tiny Edurant pill made it to the floor before it made it to my mouth - Murphy`s Law!). So far it has been very good! I was able to stay out a few more hours and drive home - no foggy/drunk/stoned feeling and i slept like a baby. I woke up this morning chirpy and sharp as an arrow, ploughing through my TO-DO list and feeling like I AM BACK! I know i may be celebrating a bit early, but the sudden clarity is really refreshing. It is great to know that there are alternatives! This song came to mind and i cant stop humming it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSuB4t3q_dA . Thanks for your time and have a great day peeps!

[Jeff G]

Good for you … onward !

[CaveyUK]

Excellent news Terry. Hopefully it will continue to be a med you barely notice taking!

[terrymoore]

Thanks guys! Now my worry is how much food do i really need to eat before taking the meds (is an apple enough? granola bar + banana...etc). And...how do i prevent resistance. I try not to think of the latter, but it is a concern in the back of my mind...

[Jeff G]

Don’t overthink it … you are not going to end up with resistance issues.

I have to take my meds with food and lunch seems to be the best time for me when I consistently eat between 10 am till 2 pm . Just choose a time of day when you know you will be having a meal and take your meds when you eat if you eat at noon one day and 10 am the next it wont matter, nor will it matter if you take them around 2 if you have a late lunch. If you cant plan on one meal a day with a 4 hour window period then … get your life in order boy and get with the program. 

[terrymoore]

Thanks Jeff G!
I have chosen 8pm (Thai time) as my "med-time".
I usually eat late - sometimes after 8 (no later than 9 and in those cases i will take the pills at 9!).
When i travel to Europe 2-3 times a year, i will either have a late afternoon sandwich/granola bar + fruit/whatever or early dinner OR...if i am there for more than a week i will just delay and adjust to the local time. For East Coast USA (i go once a year) i will have it after BF (8am). Its weird adjusting to the new time and well, a bit exciting (?)...

Looking forward to my next med switch hopefully be a shot once a month! :-))) (let`s hope they invent it - or a cure!)

[Expat1]

I tend to wake up late in the morning.  So I decided to take it at the first meal of the day.  Which for me is around 10:30 am. 

I make it a little ritual.  First I always keep a 7-11 frozen dinner in the freezer. In case I am lazy and decide not to make a full breakfast.  In that case its the Entree (say chicken fried rice) and a fruit like a banana and a drink like milk or oh.

I put my two pill bottles on the table.  I start with Recovir EM.  I eat the meal. Then I take the Edurant.  As I use the medicine, i move it from next to me to the far side of the table.  This method has worked for me and remain undetectable.  That's how I do it.  Works for me.  My partner takes meds twice daily and he sets an alarm and if he's asleep he jumps up.  I hear him rattling his meds.   He does it with clockwork precision twice daily 7am. and 7pm.   His meds don't require food.  He doesn't seem to have problems with the Efavirenz.

It took about a week or two for the dreams to fully subside from the Atripla.  The moodiness was gone in 4-5 days.  And you need to get a viral load test about 6 weeks after you switch to make sure the virus continues to be suppressed.  Then again in 3 more months.  Then I went back to 6 month intervals in vl testing. 

Cheers.