POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: Magnus on March 08, 2008, 09:04:22 am
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Here is a good article from the UK with a section about the potisitive effects of meds with good brain penetration (page 5): http://www.aidsmap.com/files/file1002420.pdf
My brain is very precious to me (almost more than my body!) and this factor along would lead to choose a regime based on Nevirapine rather than efavirenz.
Anyone have any thoughts on this issue?
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As far as I know, a successful HAART regimen has greatly reduced the incident of dementia in HIV patients. It's generally confined to late stage HIV progression, which hopefully most of us can greatly delay.
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Here's some additional information from the lessons :
http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/Dementia_6900.shtml
And here's another link:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dementia_due_to_hiv_infection/article_em.htm
Ray
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Thanks Philly & Ray-
I guess my first priority should be a highly effective HAART as this seems to delay dementia regardless of brain penetration.
Philly i see your an Viramune, how do you find it?
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I'm not on viramune, though I was on it in the mid/late 90's when it first came out. I don't recall having any issues with it, but that was obviously quite some time ago.
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Oops sorry thats JRE who is on Viramune- sorry about that :)
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I'm also more concern by the brain than the body, and I'm also considering PIs that can pass the brain barer.
Thanks for these good information :)
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Oops sorry thats JRE who is on Viramune- sorry about that :)
Hello Magnus,
I've been doing pretty well with Viramune. It was the first line of treatment, that I was placed on, in October of 03. I am still on it, and continue to be undetectable as of my last blood test.
I was also mentioning here :
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=19447.0
Take care-----Ray
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Just read the other thread, sounds encouraging.
Actually taking pills twice a day sounds manageable.
I guess ultimately the meds i take will depend on whats going to work for me but i want to be as educated as I can before I have that conversation with my specialist.
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I guess ultimately the meds i take will depend on whats going to work for me but i want to be as educated as I can before I have that conversation with my specialist.
Hey Magnus,
You certainly have the right idea. Educating yourself about the meds is definitely something that each of us should do to the best of our ability.
The article you posted was interesting. The list of meds that cross the blood-brain barrier also was interesting. I knew Zidovudine (AZT, Retrovir) was one that did. That is why I have never switched from it.
I didn't know Crixivan (Indinavir) also had good brain penetration. A golden oldie that the docs thought gave me a buffalo hump, it is still a very good med.
Thanks for the info and keep up the good work.
HUGS,
Mark
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Hello Mark
Well i certainly hope my brain is as sharp as yours after 22 years with this disease (unless its cured before then!).
I will certainly post anymore info regarding this brain penetration issue and anything else interesting i can find.
Thanks
Magnus
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Can we first verify that this brain penetration issues is actually really as important as you are making it out to be in terms of HAART treatment? Frankly I think you're over-hyping it.
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Well that's the big question in the article in my first post-
HAART that does not pass the Brain barrier does reduce brain damage, but does HAART that passes the Brain barrier further reduce damage?
Sorry if I'm over hyping it Philly but i do find it a very interesting question:)