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Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: twofires on April 29, 2007, 07:45:30 pm

Title: old regimen made me sick, new one isn't much better (AZT)
Post by: twofires on April 29, 2007, 07:45:30 pm
I was  on Norvir Truvada Reyataz for a couple years but stopped as it was very hard on my stomach, giving me a good case of GERD (acid reflux)

I just switched (this week) to Combivir (AZT) Viramune and Epivir

now I wake up with queesy stomach whereas previously I usually was puking in the late evening

anyone else have experience with this regomen? does the queesiness go away after awhile?
Title: Re: old regimen made me sick, new one isn't much better (AZT)
Post by: Blixer on April 30, 2007, 01:51:26 am
I have a friend who is on Combivir and Sustiva.  He had the queasy feeling pretty badly for the first week after he started and some for the second.  He said it took him about a month to adjust but now he has been on it two years and has no problems at all.
Title: Re: old regimen made me sick, new one isn't much better (AZT)
Post by: newt on April 30, 2007, 06:13:40 am
Quote
I just switched (this week) to Combivir (AZT) Viramune and Epivir

This is too many drugs.  I guess (I hope) you mean Combivir (AZT+Epivir) and Viramune

This page on nausea and dealing with it (http://www.i-base.info/guides/side/nausea.html) may help

Do you have any idea whether it was the Reyataz or Truvada causing the acid stomach.  Truvada is generally less nauseating than COmbivir.  Tis a bit horses for course though, what suits one person don't always suit another.

Good luck, hope it settles down

- matt
Title: Re: old regimen made me sick, new one isn't much better (AZT)
Post by: twofires on April 30, 2007, 09:16:54 am
actually, it is Zidovudine, Epivir and Viramune. Dr called it Combivir, bottle says zidovudine

We suspect the Reyataz was responsible for the stomach issues; I was using Ranitidine (Prevacid) for well over a year for the acid reflux. Ranitidine is the only GERD med you should mix with Reyataz, something about proton pumps in the stomach (Evil Walmart sells it for $4.00)

I had resisted changing my routine, hoping the GERD was not so much a result of the meds but rather lifestyle.  I finally took a little vacation for a weekend and saw immediate improvement in my stomach.

Thanks for the info page, I read that and I like the idea of dry crackers in the morning; been trying to think what might feel easist on my stomach in the morning and was thinking simple carbs or fruit
Title: Re: old regimen made me sick, new one isn't much better (AZT)
Post by: twofires on April 30, 2007, 09:19:03 am
at least now in the morning I only really dry heaves, whereas before I was actually losing nutrients when tossing my evening cookies!
Title: Re: old regimen made me sick, new one isn't much better (AZT)
Post by: twofires on May 01, 2007, 09:46:19 pm
a week into the regimen, the nausea has dimished a lot!

I was looking up these drugs, curious about the comment from newt that they seemed like an odd combination?

its 2 nucs and 1 non-nuc

is this odd? it does maybe look like i'm getting a double dose of epivir?

will have to ask my doc

Title: Re: old regimen made me sick, new one isn't much better (AZT)
Post by: newt on May 02, 2007, 07:17:48 am
Nausea...good  :)

The standard prescription for this nuke pairing is AZT 300mg + 3TC 150mg taken 2 times a day.

If you are on the two separate tablets Retrovir (AZT aka zidovudine) and Epivir (3TC aka lamivudine), then you are getting the correct dose of the drugs.

If you are on Combivir alone (AZT + 3TC combined into one tablet), then you are getting the correct dose of drugs.

If you are on Combivir AND Epivir, then you are getting an extra dose of 3TC.

2 nukes + 1 non-nuke is a standard formula for combo.

- matt