Fuzeon, Aptivus, Truvada good combination?

[roly62]

Hi, I'd like to know if there someone that use this kind of therapy, I started two years ago and  at the moment it's ok but I'd like to know other opinion, particulary about fuzeon and side effects.
Thanks to all in advance.

Rolando

[Miss Philicia]

Howdy Rolando.  I am currently on a similar HIV regimen, but instead of the Aptivus I am on Prezista.  Otherwise it's the same -- Fuzeon and Truvada, with a small Norvir booster which I assume you are also taking with Aptivus, correct?

I have had WILDLY amazing numbers from the combination, and my physical health is like night and day in terms of fatigue issues.  Aside from injecting myself twice daily I could not be happier... alas my injection site reactions are worsening by the week (the first year was quite manageable for me though) so when the new drug, Isentress, is approved by the US FDA in the next few weeks I will be substituting that for Fuzeon.

Before starting this current combo in May, 2006 my VL had never been suppressed during 14 years of treatment.  It routinely sat at ~30,000-40,000 so at it was stable, just high.  My cd4 before this combo was ~500 so it was not shoddy, though when I was first diagnosed it was <200.  I've probably been infected for close to 20 years.

You ask about fuzeon's side effects, and for me there have been none other than ISR's.  I use a Biojector mechanism instead of the supplied needles, as I was able to score one from the manufacturer during a drug trial.  For some reason the Biojector has still not gotten FDA approval though, and I know that you are in Italy so perhaps you've not encountered this contraption.  Just google the name if you want to see what it looks like. 

Otherwise the Prezista/Norvir sometimes give me mild diarrhea but NOTHING like previous PI's did.  Nothing.  So I really should not complain.

I have two friends locally that are on the same combo that you are on, and I know our AIDSmeds board member, Catman, is on this Aptivus combo with Fuzeon.  All of these people have had really good results from this regimen.

[fixy22]

I'm a newbie here and I don't understand one thing:
since Truvada is a combination of two drugs (Emtriva® (emtricitabine 200 mg) and Viread® (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) - why in your combo are you taking four drugs? I read only about three drug combos...

For three years I was on Truvada, viramune and a lot's of prayer - and id did wonders for me. My t-cells went up from 50 to 1600 ( yes - not a typo ) but vl went also up to 20000. I'm currently dealing with this situation so I will post later when I have more info.

[Miss Philicia]

1 word:  RESISTANCE

PS:  norvir in this instance is ONLY a booster, so it doesn't really count.  You only take 100mg of it.