POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => I Just Tested Poz => Topic started by: Vertice on June 05, 2010, 01:36:52 pm
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First of all, I want to thanks all those amazing, caring and compassionate individuals that are constantly supporting and giving great and positive advice to us newbies.
Since I found the site, I religiously peruse the postings, news, drug charts, etc. and it has helped me decide When to start treatment and even which combo I want to be on, I learned from you guys, the importance of zinc, selenium, vit D, fibre supplements, and know what has worked in case of nausea, diarrhea, dizziness...
I tested + in Jan 2008 and my CD4 numbers have been ranging from 375 to 470, the viremia between 20-60 K, I am pretty healthy and more on control now that I became more informed. Knowledge is power !!
My GP asked me to consider a clinical trial which compares the Gilead Quad (elvitegravir+Truvada+cobicistat) vs. Truvada/Reyataz/Norvir, after learning more about this double blinded study, I decided to take Isentress/Truvada instead, so I filled my Rx few days ago, and am waiting till the end of June to start therapy. I had lots of anxiety about privacy/disclosure between my insurance and employer, so I contacted the privacy officer of the insurance company, he emailed me their policy and assured me total privacy. I also didn’t know if Isentress was going to be covered, but was pleasantly surprised when they dispensed both (Raltegravir/Truvada) for 3 months and had to pay 6 dollars in total, so I hope to be able to tolerate them and not develop any resistance.
I am already taking Calcium and Vit D daily, since my BMD is in the lower normal range, but I do not know what, if any, can be done prophylactically to protect the kidneys, I guess I will keep and eye on my GFR and creatinine.
Another important question about my future combo is about timing. I am planning to start with Isentress/Truvada in the morning and Isentress at night. If for any reason I want to change and take Truvada at night. What is the best way to do it? 2 Truvadas one day or skip Truvada for one day? I do not think my GP has much experience with this combo.
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Vertice,
Welcome to the forums. Glad to see your starting therapy and the truvada/Isentress combo is a good one.
To answer your question, I would start taking meds as you suggested T/I in am then I in pm. If you want to switch--- Do not take two truvada on the same day. Wait until your vl is undetectable (preferably for 3 months), then take the truvada the next day. This scenario is very cautious, but why fool around. Once you have your virus under control, you can make changes rather easily.
Good luck,
v
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Another important question about my future combo is about timing. I am planning to start with Isentress/Truvada in the morning and Isentress at night. If for any reason I want to change and take Truvada at night. What is the best way to do it? 2 Truvadas one day or skip Truvada for one day? I do not think my GP has much experience with this combo.
Welcome to the forums, it sounds like you have a good handle on things.
I'm curious what country you're in that 3 months of Isentress is $6! That's amazing.
I'm on Isentress/Truvada, since July 2009 and doing very well. Once the drugs are in your system the timing does not have to be perfect but what I recommend is that you stick to as close as possible to perfect timing while you still have a viral load, just to be on the safe side.
Your first dose, whether it is AM or PM should contain both Isentress and Truvada, you would not want to have your first 8 hours of meds to be only Isentress in your system. If you start with an AM dose of both and a PM of only Isentress I would stick to that format until you are undetectable. Chances are that with your viral load you'll get to UD pretty fast but you'll need to confirm with a blood test. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes about a month, maybe less.
After achieving UD if you want to switch the Truvada to your PM dose, if it were me I'd take it in the afternoon on the first day after switching and then the day after that take it at night. If you just took it at night the first day after switching it would likely be fine but better to be on the safe side.
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Wait until your vl is undetectable (preferably for 3 months), then take the truvada the next day. This scenario is very cautious, but why fool around. Once you have your virus under control, you can make changes rather easily.
Hey veritas, sounds very reasonable thanks a lot for the welcome, to be the first one to respond and the good advice.
I'm curious what country you're in that 3 months of Isentress is $6! That's amazing.
Hi Inchlingblue, I am very fortunate to have a fantastic Benefit plan, where I pay only 3 Canadian dollars for prescription, so 3 for Truvada and 3 for Isentress, my GP prescribed for 3 months and 3 refills, so if everything goes well I would not need another prescription for 9 months. Hope it stays that way.
if it were me I'd take it in the afternoon on the first day after switching and then the day after that take it at night.
Very good advice too, so if for any reason I need to switch, I will wait to be UD then gradually change so the delay with Truvada will only be 6 hours, as oppose to 12. Thanks for your informative postings Inch, since you are on the same combo I have learned a lot from your experience.
V.
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Very good advice too, so if for any reason I need to switch, I will wait to be UD then gradually change so the delay with Truvada will only be 6 hours, as oppose to 12. Thanks for your informative postings Inch, since you are on the same combo I have learned a lot from your experience.
Keep in mind since Truvada is once a day it's every 24 hours, it's the Isentress which is every 12 hours.
Once undetectable the timing can be off by a few hours if you're late or whatever.
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Keep in mind since Truvada is once a day it's every 24 hours, it's the Isentress which is every 12 hours.
Yes, I will keep that in mind, thx Inch.
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Yes, I will keep that in mind, thx Inch.
Hello Vertice- I am on the same meds and take the two pills in the AM and one in the PM. My IDS suggested this schedule because some people can have mild sleep problems with the Truvada. Other than a few seconds of very mild dizziness the first couple days I have no notable side effects. I actually have more energy now and that is great for someone close to 51 years old.
I also became UD in just six weeks and CD4s went up by 50!
Peace,
Billy
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Hello Vertice- I am on the same meds and take the two pills in the AM and one in the PM. My IDS suggested this schedule because some people can have mild sleep problems with the Truvada. Other than a few seconds of very mild dizziness the first couple days I have no notable side effects. I actually have more energy now and that is great for someone close to 51 years old.
I also became UD in just six weeks and CD4s went up by 50!
Peace,
Billy
Hey Billy...thanks for the posting, it s great to know people who is on the same Meds. I will be starting with the same timing as yours, hope to get your numbers as fast too.
I was thinking to use a pill box for AM & PM meds, but the product monograph recommends to keep the pills in the bottle they came in. Not sure how important that is.
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I was thinking to use a pill box for AM & PM meds, but the product monograph recommends to keep the pills in the bottle they came in. Not sure how important that is.
Transparent pill boxes are extremely useful because you can see if you have taken your dose or not. Without them it's easy to take a dose absent mindedly and not be sure if you took it or not. You don't need the one with AM and PM on it, I think that's overkill.
I recommend you get at least two transparent one week pill boxes and fill them up every two weeks. You might want a small pocket size pill box you can put in a pant pocket in case you will be going out.
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Brilliant !! thx again.
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You might want a small pocket size pill box you can put in a pant pocket in case you will be going out.
or a pill fob to put on your keychain for those times when you need to take pills and you're out and about ;)
(http://www.medids.com/img/chrome6.gif)
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or a pill fob to put on your keychain for those times when you need to take pills and you're out and about ;)
What a cute pill fob, Leatherman, I would definitively get one of those. thx for your many postings to this site.
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Welcome, Vertice.
A lot of pill boxes here: http://www.forgettingthepill.com
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Great link Borzel, I need one of those watches too!! thank u, btw glad you have such a good response to your supplements regimen!!
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Took my first 2 pills this morning and no adverse events yet (4 hours later).....how anticlimactic :D
Our little earthquake yesterday was more exciting !!
Hope it continues that way.