Atripla v issentress

[tommy246]

It seems more and more people are being put on issentress. I would like to ask is there anyone who started on atripla and the switched to issentress. If yes can you physically feel the difference if so what are the changes. Secondly is issentress when taken with truvada more expensive than atripla.
I live in spain so my meds are free through the national health system and doing fine now in my eigth month on atripla but i keep hearing so many positive comments about issentress i was thinking of changing if allowed. Would this be foolish .im doing fine on atripla numbers and blood test wise but just seem to lack energy and not my old up beat self.

[Billy B]

It seems more and more people are being put on issentress. I would like to ask is there anyone who started on atripla and the switched to issentress. If yes can you physically feel the difference if so what are the changes. Secondly is issentress when taken with truvada more expensive than atripla.
I live in spain so my meds are free through the national health system and doing fine now in my eigth month on atripla but i keep hearing so many positive comments about issentress i was thinking of changing if allowed. Would this be foolish .im doing fine on atripla numbers and blood test wise but just seem to lack energy and not my old up beat self.

Hi Tommy- This site is full of people who switched. The CNS effects of Atripla drove me insane in a short time. No sleep, fog head, loss of appetite, fatigue, dizziness , hot flashes, inability to work and just bizarre crazy thoughts. I tried it for two weeks and stopped! My HIV/IDS said there was no need to suffer and switched me to Isentress & Truvada. I take I&T in the am and then the other I in the evening. Another great thing is there are no food requirements for I&T.  He told me that most doctors started people on Atripla (unless there is a resistance problem) because it is once a day and has one copay. Most people do fine on it but that was not the case with me. I don't know if age is a factor with Atripla failure, but I am now 50. I now have two co pays but I was also able to go back to work full time the next day after starting I&T. Since you are use to the Truvada in the Atripla then I would bet that changing the Sustiva for the Isentress will be a + for you.
Peace,
Billy

[loop78]

Hi Tommy,

Both Atripla and Truvada + Isentress are great combos. Atripla is a once daily combo, while Truvada + Isentress is (still) a twice daily combo. Both are very effective, though Truvada + Isentress has a more favorable side effect profile.

I don't know whether lack of energy might be related to the efavirenz in atripla or not, though it is well documented that some people experience CNS side effects with atripla. If you feel it may be med related you should tell your ID doctor to see if a change of meds is required.

However, current Spanish guidelines do not recommend using Isentress if there is other preferred combo available, due to its high price, so you may be offered another possibility (a PI, for example, such as reyataz).

Bottom line is that if you feel you're suffering some kind of med side effect you should bring it up next time you see your id doctor and take it from there.

[Billy B]

Tommy- My HIV/IDS did not want me to go with a boosted reyataz combo because it is not as liver friendly as Isentress. He also said that even though Isentress is new, the trails and history has shown it to be very lipid (lipo) friendly.
Billy