Prezista, Norvir, Truvada....HELP!!

[2ndtymearound]

Hello all this is the first time I am posing.  I have been Poz since 2007 and have not been on any meds.  My T cell count has dropped so my doc believes its time to start meds.  He is starting me on Prezista, Norvir and Truvada on my first round and I am wondering if anyone has been on this combo and can give me any insight. 
Also i have a bad adherence to medication, not because i don't want to take them but because I forget.  I work a crazy schedule and go back and forth between days and nights.  Anyone have any suggestions to overcome that also.  I really am hesitant to start because I don't want to mess up.  Thanks for your help.

[nbalt2]

Well, I sympathize.  I just started on the same COMBO.

But I question why you started w this one.  I began w Atripla...it's 3 pills in one and you take it at night before going to bed...and remembering one pill helps.  But I guess your schedule makes this hard/impossible!

.In terms of remembering rather than relying on your memory...I have a crazy Attention deficient lifestyle, I use those pill containers, line up in little compartments (feel like my grandma but) a week at a time...so you can see if you have taken your pills...and if you do it at the same time each day, it's easier (and correct) to remember...for me at breakfast cause I eat breakfast and our regime requires food. It ought to be what ever meal or eating time you are most regular with.

I am new to our combo, but I think it's important to see what kinda food works best to make the prezista/norvir go down well.  For me it seems to real food.... you def want to figure this out since diarrhea can accompany the norvir/prezista combo.  Good luck w it.  I hope it works well for us both. It seems to be going ok for me so far, but it has only been a week.

[newt]

Hello, welcome

The forgetting thing is important.

Depends what you mean by forgetting tho, if you mean TIME OF DAY then this is a good combo to choose. You can take it once a day in one go, with some small amount of food if need be rather than a meal, like a Snickers bar or milk drink, or even milk. The timing is quite forgiving and +4 hours shouldn't matter.

Setting an alarm (or two) on your phone/watch helps, as does being a squirrel and stashing a dose or two in various places.

If you mean FORGETTING THE DOSE FULL STOP, I would talk to your doc about this. It's a bad way to use combo (I guess you know this). Would be better to try and work a plan to remember before starting.

I do have to say the pharmokinetics (how the the drug is processed by your body) of Reyataz are better than Prezista, and therefore more forgiving timewise in general, but the difference isn't that great. This might be something to also talk to your doc about.

The first month is most important in terms of strict timing.

Hope this helps, and good luck

- matt

[AndyArrow]

I take a Prezista, Norvir, Truvada (plus Isentress) and take it 2x a day ... but I've been poz for 15yrs and have been through a few different meds.

The amount of norvir is relatively small so you might not have a problem with diarrhea if you are lucky ... I don't! 

The point I wanted to make if you are on a single time dosing and you switch between working nights & days I would try to find a time when you are always awake no matter what your schedule is that day.  Maybe taking your pills at 5pm would work better for you than in the morning or at bedtime like a lot of people.  Since, adherence is so important really think this out before you start.  Like newt said cellphone alarms are a great reminder!

AA

[2ndtymearound]

Thanks everyone for ur imput.

I really try hard to take my medication on time everytime but sometimes it slips my mind.  Thats somethin i gotta work on I know it esp before i start this medication.  Not sure why my doc put me on this regimine but I do know he wanted to initially put me on the one pill a day but because of my hectic schedule he said it wouldnt be good to use that one because of the side effects but would consider moving me to it if i could adhere to this regimen and get a more steady schedule.  I know the consequences of not taking my meds and its really important to me and i am going to push hard to make it work......I have no choice at this point i have to. Just wondering if anyone was on this combo and if so what the side effects were

again thanks peeps for ur imput.

[ChefDD]

PNT is part of my combo along with Intellence  and Isentress. What works for me and has for a while is laying out the pills in a weekly pill box. Sunday night is pill distribution. I sit down put on some music and distribute the little "thangs" into the pill organizer. During the week, I just pull out the box for the day and I am on my way.  Sometimes , I will say to myself, " Did I take the noon meds?" The only thing I have to do is look at the organizer for a visual reminder. I have been on antivirals since 1988 when Hivers took azt every four hours. Eat a good meal with the Norvir and Prezista until you see how your body is going to adjust.  Good luck,  ChefDD