Now I feel better.

[shadowfluid]

11 weeks on Viramune/Truvada. The past 6 days I've felt really good.  Yet today I can't seem to get out of bed.  No energy at all.  Does this happen on HAART every now and then?

[thunter34]

Yep.  It does.  HAART, HIV...take your pick.  It just happens.

[shadowfluid]

Yep.  It does.  HAART, HIV...take your pick.  It just happens.

Venti ritalin please.

[shadowfluid]

Yep.  It does.  HAART, HIV...take your pick.  It just happens.

Oh and I do notice I have to be in bed a few hours earlier....totally manageable now.  Damn gurl, my body took forever to get used to the meds!

[dgr20002]

It all is a part of dealing with the HIV and the drugs. Some days you'll be walking in high cotton and other days you won't even make it to the field.

[AndyArrow]

It all is a part of dealing with the HIV and the drugs. Some days you'll be walking in high cotton and other days you won't even make it to the field.

Agree completely ... some days I'll be running all kinds of errands then coming home doing the dishes cleaning the house tons of energy and then two days later I go to one store and I'm done for the day.  The good news is summer seems to give me more engery too.

AA

[OneMoreGuy]

I normally see a decrease in energy after I take my meds. I am on Stocrin (Sustiva in North America) and Truvada.

So, I take them always at night just before I go to bed and problem solved.

And remember that we all seem to react with a degree of differences to the same meds.

Part of being 'unique'. Oh Joy. 

[rondrond]

Agree completely ... some days I'll be running all kinds of errands then coming home doing the dishes cleaning the house tons of energy and then two days later I go to one store and I'm done for the day.  The good news is summer seems to give me more engery too.

AA

Tons of energy. I will be mowing the front and back yard, cleaning and vacumning, and my sister will be on the phone to Mom...."you should see him, he's unstoppable"...then the next day,  on the phone to Mom..."He's still asleep"...

[Jeff G]

  I have days that are better than others . If I'm very active and busy for a week I find I might need a day just to chill an rest . 

[bimazek]

there are nine human polymerases, and one is reverse transcriptase and the meds can be  3 different reverse transcriptase inhibitors so beside the fact that the meds have to be dealt with by the various organs and such as a chemical (one aspect of side effects) they also slow/mess up some actual cell processes that are necessary for life of human cells human polymerase

one of the human polymerases - this may make the cell do strange things at varying intervals, usually the body has many back up and redundant sub systems so if 3 human polymerases are inhibited then still amazingly things go smoothly, in cell life cycle but this may explain the strange symptoms that occur at random intervals

there is a famous story from the past about the little girl who they gave a tiny bit of arsenic every day and over 9 years she developed tolerance to huge amounts, and then they used her as an assassin one of her kisses was enough to kill the king the point is that the body can develop a tolerance to most chemicals

this gives me hope that i can tolerate the meds

also i think of those plump juicy chicken breasts we all get from the store, those guys are pumped full of antibiotics, anti fungals etc their whole life and they go fine until they are eaten

[Miss Philicia]

lolwut

[shadowfluid]

there are nine human polymerases, and one is reverse transcriptase and the meds can be  3 different reverse transcriptase inhibitors so beside the fact that the meds have to be dealt with by the various organs and such as a chemical (one aspect of side effects) they also slow/mess up some actual cell processes that are necessary for life of human cells human polymerase

one of the human polymerases - this may make the cell do strange things at varying intervals, usually the body has many back up and redundant sub systems so if 3 human polymerases are inhibited then still amazingly things go smoothly, in cell life cycle but this may explain the strange symptoms that occur at random intervals

there is a famous story from the past about the little girl who they gave a tiny bit of arsenic every day and over 9 years she developed tolerance to huge amounts, and then they used her as an assassin one of her kisses was enough to kill the king the point is that the body can develop a tolerance to most chemicals

this gives me hope that i can tolerate the meds

also i think of those plump juicy chicken breasts we all get from the store, those guys are pumped full of antibiotics, anti fungals etc their whole life and they go fine until they are eaten

Stay off the crack when you reply to my posts please.

[shadowfluid]

lolwut

Hey girl....was in bed all weekend...I'm sooo hating my meds.  I'm already ready to change combos. ugh!

[OneMoreGuy]

Is there a reason why you were not started on Truvada + Sustiva (both pills contained in Atripla in the USA) and your doctor opted instead for Viramune? For a few years now, Sustiva (along with Truvada) has been considered the combo of choice for people starting to take HIV meds. Viramune is normally only used as an alternative.

Just wondering...

[shadowfluid]

Is there a reason why you were not started on Truvada + Sustiva (both pills contained in Atripla in the USA) and your doctor opted instead for Viramune? For a few years now, Sustiva (along with Truvada) has been considered the combo of choice for people starting to take HIV meds. Viramune is normally only used as an alternative.

Just wondering...

I had depression/anxiety/sleep issues when I started meds. I'm fine now on that end. Just a little anxiety now.

[shadowfluid]

Is there a reason why you were not started on Truvada + Sustiva (both pills contained in Atripla in the USA) and your doctor opted instead for Viramune? For a few years now, Sustiva (along with Truvada) has been considered the combo of choice for people starting to take HIV meds. Viramune is normally only used as an alternative.

Just won

Sometimes I wonder if my sudden worsening of seasonal allergies since diagnosis have caused me to be more tired.

[Miss Philicia]

Sometimes I wonder if my sudden worsening of seasonal allergies since diagnosis have caused me to be more tired.

I've had years where it certainly seemed that way, or rather I was always someone who had NO allergies, and some seasons after diagnosis I'd definitely get what I thought were allergic reaction of some kind, though probably mild by other's standards.

Then again, I could have just been imagining it

My rule of thumb is as long as I'm not barfing or developing a massive jungle rash I pretty much try and stick it out.  I can only think of one instance when I had to change my med combo due to an actual instance like that, and IIRC it was from Ziagen 9 years ago.

[shadowfluid]

I've had years where it certainly seemed that way, or rather I was always someone who had NO allergies, and some seasons after diagnosis I'd definitely get what I thought were allergic reaction of some kind, though probably mild by other's standards.

Then again, I could have just been imagining it

My rule of thumb is as long as I'm not barfing or developing a massive jungle rash I pretty much try and stick it out.  I can only think of one instance when I had to change my med combo due to an actual instance like that, and IIRC it was from Ziagen 9 years ago.

Seems like EVERYONE was in bed with something or other over the weekend.  I think I need to go back into therapy.  I get really distressed when I get tired.

[AndyArrow]

Seems like EVERYONE was in bed with something or other over the weekend.  I think I need to go back into therapy.  I get really distressed when I get tired.

 
I was only in bed with my cats over the weekend so I guess I'm lucky or unlucky (depending on your perspective).  Therapy can be very helpful for a lot people.  For me spring always seems get to me.  One day it's nice and warm the next day cold and rainy.  I think I would try to stick with your meds as they are for right now unless the syptoms become really hard to take.  I hope things settle down soon.

AA

[shadowfluid]

 
I was only in bed with my cats over the weekend so I guess I'm lucky or unlucky (depending on your perspective).  Therapy can be very helpful for a lot people.  For me spring always seems get to me.  One day it's nice and warm the next day cold and rainy.  I think I would try to stick with your meds as they are for right now unless the syptoms become really hard to take.  I hope things settle down soon.

AA

I'd rather have  nausea for the rest of my life then fatigue. I lead a very active lifestyle (dancer) and haven't had the energy to look for a job.  Begging my parents every week for money for things like gas and food is getting old.  We'll see how the next few weeks pan out. I figured 3 months was plenty of time for the side effects to go away.

[OneMoreGuy]

I agree with you Shadow. Most side effects go away within the first two weeks. Certain side effects, for those of us in Atripla (sustiva / stocrin + truvada) such as always remembering our dreams, will never go away as long as we take the meds.

Fatigue issues can be associated not just with medical situations but also with mental health. But certain medications can increase the 'strenght' of how we react to things that affect our mental state (remembering our vivid dreams while using Atripla is part of that process).

With this in mind, you will need to see if you truly need to change your combo or you need to visit a therapist to assist you in dealing with any remaining anxiety issues you might still have.

Now a days and at your age, fatigue should not be consuming your every hour.

Good luck Shadow.

[shadowfluid]

I agree with you Shadow. Most side effects go away within the first two weeks. Certain side effects, for those of us in Atripla (sustiva / stocrin + truvada) such as always remembering our dreams, will never go away as long as we take the meds.

Fatigue issues can be associated not just with medical situations but also with mental health. But certain medications can increase the 'strenght' of how we react to things that affect our mental state (remembering our vivid dreams while using Atripla is part of that process).

With this in mind, you will need to see if you truly need to change your combo or you need to visit a therapist to assist you in dealing with any remaining anxiety issues you might still have.

Now a days and at your age, fatigue should not be consuming your every hour.

Good luck Shadow.

Thanks for the reply. My fatigue was never this bad...even when my viral load was high in January, even when I was having panic attacks everyday and dancing 30 hours a week and even when I was moderately depressed last November.  It's manageable some days and then it's not.  I guess this is not the best time in my life to be so exhausted esp. when I'm in survival mode...and panicking on how I'm going to eat and finish up college.  i do have occasional mild anxiety and a lingering effect of depression (dreaming for hours--wake up exhausted). I'm sure that's not helping. But the meds from the beginning made the fatigue even more profound. (My doc doesn't believe me)  I'm sick of bitching about this. So i'm just going to give it a go and try not to worry about the situation.  It's just been a horrid 3 months.  I just hate being teased and had about 4 days where i felt normal. Damn you viramune. damn you *shakes fist*

[OneMoreGuy]

I understand you completely Shadow. I am a doctor in psychology and not a medical doctor. Unfortunately, medical doctors many times do not understand the interaction between certain medications and the psyche. But we do. If your fatigue and anxiety issues continue, do try to get some therapy. For many of my patients with similar issues as yourself, therapy has helped.

Good luck.

[shadowfluid]

I understand you completely Shadow. I am a doctor in psychology and not a medical doctor. Unfortunately, medical doctors many times do not understand the interaction between certain medications and the psyche. But we do. If your fatigue and anxiety issues continue, do try to get some therapy. For many of my patients with similar issues as yourself, therapy has helped.

Good luck.

I was thinking about going back. Just had 6 months of intense therapy. It was my first time. I loved it. thanks!

[OneMoreGuy]

Glad I could help. We are all here for one another. Enjoy the rest of your week.