Truvada + Atazanavir (Reyataz) + Ritonavir (Norvir) Combo

[london553]

Hey guys,

I'm 22 and just moved to London. My CD4 count is only 83 (5.7%) and VL is 40,000. Not great so going to start meds in a week.

After talking with my doctor, I'm starting on Truvada, Reyataz, Ritonavir combo. I'm totally ready to start taking meds but am scared at the same time. I've heard that it can cause yellowing of the eyes. As I'm quite guarded about my HIV status, I don't want people to start asking me about me eyes.

What side-effects have people experienced on this combo??

Any help would be great :-)

London553
 

[woodshere]

Same combo for me, with little to no side effects.  Every know and then I think I might be yellowing a little but realize it's the lighting. 

Good luck

[newt]

ell yes the yellow thing does happen, mostly at the beginning, but for me now, after 3, perhaps 4 years, on this combo, only when I drink too much.

It's not really that noticeable.

A bonus perhaps, the Reyataz makes man tan more easy

Welcome, enjoy London, I did for 13 years

I really had no major side effects to speak of on this combo, I was kinda disappointed cos I  wanted some for leverage over my very new ex who buggered off the Pride weekend before I started meds n never came back 

Everyone is different of course, you will not truly know til you take the damn things, but, virus wise, this is a very good combo, and will hammer your modest viral load to nilch, and hopefully you will feel better, give it time and you might even fell more or less normal (whatever that is)

Good luck

matt (Brighton) the newt

[Winiroo]

My tcells aren't much better than yours. I started the same combo early this year. I had they yellowing of the eyes for a week maybe. No one noticed except me.

[dolcevita08]

Hey London-

I started meds a few months ago with very similar numbers--my CD 4 was 80 when I started (I had a bout with PCP and at that time imy CD 4 was even lower at 34 but rebounded a bit as I got rid of the PCP) and a VL of 100,000.  I have had no side effects to speak of on this combo so far and have tolerated it very well.  As far as the yellowing goes--the only bit I experienced was a slight yellowing of the eyes in my first couple weeks of treatment and that has since completely gone away. When I did have it, it was not particularly noticeable unless you were really looking for it.  As a side note, my VL is now undetectable and my CD4s are on the rise. Good luck with everything, I am sure you will do fine.

Dolce

[PasadenaGuy25]

Hi London,

Don't feel down, it'll pass. I too was scared about the side effects but eventually it becomes a part of you that you just get use to it.   I started these meds back in 2004 and have worked well for me. At first my body would get stomach cramps and head aches but thats it. After the first week everything went back to normal.  Some fo the side effects I have encountered are tingling fingers and toes that last 5-10 seconds, not too bad, and occasional yellowing of the eyes. If peopel ask you why your eyes are yellow say what someone here on the forum said, " I drank too much carrot juice"  that should work. Also some people reported that their skin color turns yellow.  For some their skin color turns banana yellow while others, like me doens't at all. My doctor told me that if gets too yellow one can go outside and take in the sun for 10minutes and that sh ould do the trick.  You'll be fine, hope you feel better! 

There are other postings on this forum that have similar a question to yours.  YOu should scroll down the "treatment and Side Effects" and find other posting.

Good Luck!  

[london553]

My tcells aren't much better than yours. I started the same combo early this year. I had they yellowing of the eyes for a week maybe. No one noticed except me.

Hey, thanks for the feedback. How has your VL changed?? Has this combination worked??

[london553]

Hey guys,

Thanks so much for your support. This has made me feel much better. I'll keep you informed as to how it goes.

On top of all this, I find it very difficult to swallow tablets so we'll see how well it actually goes, lol.

Thanks again 

[newt]

Hey

Don't sweat about your CD4 going up, it will in time.

Concentrate on taking you tabs on time every day. This is your contribution to the meds working. About the same time each day with a little food. The food is important to jelp the drugs get into your body properly. A little fat, not too much, something like a sanwich, Snickers bar, glass of milk will do at a push. This will keep the drug level constant and let the medicine hammer your viral load.

Your viral load is not too high, I expect soon it will be under 50, which is where it needs to be to stop HIV in its tracks.

All the best

- matt

[Winiroo]

Hey, thanks for the feedback. How has your VL changed?? Has this combination worked??

My viral load was at 750,000 when I first started. It went to undetectable within a month. My tcells aren't going up quickly but they are going up. I'd tell you my CD4 count but I cant seem to remember what they are LOL Its either 136 or 176 or something like that. And I think when I started they where below 100.

I have no clue why I cant remember these damn numbers.    Could be because I've been positive for 16 years and my brain is rejecting the information. LOL or maybe not.
My tcells have been as low as 3 in the 90's and the high was somewhere around 600-700. After the deaths of my family I quit paying attention to the numbers and started concentrating on how I felt.
I posted my numbers when I got them so somewhere in the vast expanse of AIDSmeds postings my true numbers are recorded. I know I'm close I just cant remember exactly.

Oh, the viral load is accurate I do remember that one.

I went back and examined my older postings.

I found this :
My viral load went from 750,000 + to undetectable and my tcells went from 21 to 77 in one month.


So there ya go. LOL Maybe I'll remember it this time. 

[flip408]

I had noticeable gas for about 6 weeks, also some itchy scratchy dry skin.   I was worried about the yellowing of the eyes also, but I never had any.  I am sure this combo elevates your bilirubin, they watch mine very closely and even grade it.  So I had the initial spike in bilirubin and its pretty much stayed the same these past 2 years. 

I started at 25 CD4, vl 100,000 (?), 4%, was post PCP.  Went to undetectable in one month.  Almost 2 years on this combo, now (6/08) 360 CD4, 10%  and vl still <50. 

Very tolerable, I hope I don't have to ever change. 

Good Luck, I am sure you'll do great.

[weasel]

Hi London ,

                    I started this Cocktail . September of 2004 .

                    I never really noticed yellow , but I am of Mediterranean descent !

                   I started with   101 T cells   and    140,000 plus  Viral load !

                  In a month I was undetectable and have been even since !

                   My T's are up to    499  now , kind of stuck at that number .

                 BUT I was drinking heavily  the last  seven months , NOT a good thing to do to your liver !

                  My only  problem has been I eat like a horse !

                       People tell me I look pretty ! , how nize !

                    I did  mow today to get some more color ! I love color !


                                                                       best of luck , Karl

[allopathicholistic]

After talking with my doctor, I'm starting on Truvada, Reyataz, Ritonavir combo.

/snip/

What side-effects have people experienced on this combo??

Hyperlipidemia for me - probably from the Norvir. Here's a link to learn more > http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/Hyperlipidemia_7522.shtml

[kayakinteddy]

I have been on this combo for more than 2 years.  I did the reyataz trials.  It is the Reyataz that elevates ones bilirubin which in turn cause the yellow eyes.  My bilirubin has been elevated since starting reyataz.  The yellowing comes and goes- s and only one person other than myself or my partner have ever noticed.  I just said I was taking a med that caused it.  No biggie- plenty of meds work on the liver.  Milk thistle has helped with the yellowing tremendously.

As for effectiveness- well, I had 33 t-cells and a viral load over the limit of detection- somewhere in the millions is my understanding. Been undetectable for 2 years and t-cells hover around 400-430.  )  Worth a yellow beadie eye or two, IMHO.

[caliboy]

Hello All - Well, My eyes are beginning to yellow CONSIDERABLY due to the Atazanavir. I started taking it on the 26th of January, 2010 - and now, one month later, people are noticing and commenting on the color. A friend today - who does not know I am HIV POZ - asked if I had liver disease. I said I don't - BECAUSE I DON'T - but it is now noticeable enough to be commented upon.

Is Milk Thistle a SAFE way to combat this yellowing of my eyes? My skin is not yet yellowing - we shall see if it begins to do so. Have any of you been on Atazanavir - had rather severe yellowing of the eyes - and then found that it was less drastic later? How much later? Weeks? Months? What accounted for the change?

I think I have decided that this yellowing is not big deal, and I shall simply put up with it - accept it with alacrity and commit to being the new face of HIV - yellow eyes and all. I can take it - but can they?

[Inchlingblue]

Hello All - Well, My eyes are beginning to yellow CONSIDERABLY due to the Atazanavir. I started taking it on the 26th of January, 2010 - and now, one month later, people are noticing and commenting on the color. A friend today - who does not know I am HIV POZ - asked if I had liver disease. I said I don't - BECAUSE I DON'T - but it is now noticeable enough to be commented upon.

Is Milk Thistle a SAFE way to combat this yellowing of my eyes? My skin is not yet yellowing - we shall see if it begins to do so. Have any of you been on Atazanavir - had rather severe yellowing of the eyes - and then found that it was less drastic later? How much later? Weeks? Months? What accounted for the change?

I think I have decided that this yellowing is not big deal, and I shall simply put up with it - accept it with alacrity and commit to being the new face of HIV - yellow eyes and all. I can take it - but can they?

Milk Thistle has been known to raise the levels of some HIV drugs, especially PIs so if you are taking it, it could actually make the yellowing worse and it could be the reason it has not improved.

I've heard that drinking more than average amounts of water can make it better.

Herbal products can also interact with Reyataz. St. John's wort should not be used with Reyataz, since it can greatly reduce the amount of Reyataz in the bloodstream. HIV-positive people should also be cautious about using garlic supplements or milk thistle with Reyataz—test tube studies suggest that both herbal products can interact with the same liver enzyme system (cytochrome P450 3A4) responsible for metabolizing Reyataz. This may alter the amount of Reyataz in the bloodstream. These and other herbal products should be used with caution, until further studies are conducted.

LINK:

http://www.aidsmeds.com/archive/Reyataz_1563.shtml

[caliboy]

Thanks Inchlingblue. I am aware of the BAD side-effects of taking herbal concoctions with these drugs. Someone in an earlier post mentioned Milk Thistle - that why I was asking if it was safe at all. Drinking lots of water I can do! We just had a 3-stage under-the-sink water filter put in yesterday - that should facilitate my additional water intake nicely! Thanks. XOXO

[BM]

I've been on Atazanavir (Reyataz) since November 2008. The yellowness in my eyes was limited to the area that is covered by the skin; i.e. I had to pull my eyelid down to see that there was yellow at all. Of course, it varies from person to person, but the yellowing does tend to fade with time.

Newt: is it true Reyataz makes you tan more easily? It would certainly explain a lot with my skin tone!

[newt]

Tan..yes. It saves me from looking like I have risen from a coffin for a bit part in a teen vampire series.

matt (the newt) the newt