My experience switching from Atripla to Complera

[jam77]

I switched from Atripla to Complera at the end of May. The side effects gradually built up after more than 5 years, until the beginning of this year, when I got to the non-return point and I realized that it was starting to drive me crazy.  The worse problems were the constant insomnia, the brain fog and the difficulty at concentrating, even some mild psychosis (like songs stuck in my head over and over - replacing my normal flow of thoughs).  All these things were beginning to affect my work performances, my relationships, and just my ability to function as a happy person.

My doctor was not surprised when I proposed to switch, and he suggested Complera, because it's the only 1-pill a day option where I live. The switch was painless, no additional side effects, except some gassiness that went away in a month or so. Also a constant muscle pain (as after exercising) lasted few months but is also fading away.

So went away the insomnia and the brain fog. Finally, after few days, I was able to sleep an entire night straight, while before I would wake up in the middle of the night and be completely awake and unable to sleep for 1-2 hours. The morning fogginess also has disappeared, and the concentration is way better.

My numbers are even better. After 4 months of Complera, my CD4 went up from 875 to 1248, and I'm still undetectable. So that's great news.

Am I perfectly back to normal? Not completely. Over the last couple months some insomnia came back. Not the aggressive atripla type. Now I have a light sleep, I wake up several times during the course of the night, especially towards the morning, but quickly fall asleep again. It's not as before any treatment (I never suffered any insomnia before), but is manageable and, what's most important, I feel rested in the morning.

My concentration is back, I would say almost at the pre-Atripla levels. As other people put it, it's as if a veil was lifted from my brain. I do still feel some side effects  on some days in term of concentration and focus (and still some songs stuck in my head), but again, it's way better than with Atripla. Now, sometimes I think I could switch to a treatment with even lower CNS side effects, but 1 pill-a-day is very practical, and overall I seem to be functioning well with Complera. I'll wait few months and see.

It took me a long time to realize how bad the Atripla side effects were for me, and to finally switch, but I'm very glad I did. I am not the only one with this experience, and I hope my story can be helpful to anyone else who's going through the same problems.

[Jeff G]

You are not alone . There is a growing number of people who are finding Atripla isn't right for them . I had similar side effects for years before I changed my meds .

http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=47901.0

[buginme2]

I switched from Atripla to Complera also and have about exactly the same story as you. 

[Valmont]

I´m very happy with Atripla because it works, but concentration difficulties make me problems, particularly on the morning...  I´m actually no working, with low stress level, but I´m worried for when I´ll be working again...  Also, I forget things, it is hard to remember names, for instance...

I´m worried in switching from this drug that is working quite qell for another that I don´t know what can happen...  In the case of switching to complera, is it posible to go back to atripla?

[buginme2]

I´m very happy with Atripla because it works, but concentration difficulties make me problems, particularly on the morning...  I´m actually no working, with low stress level, but I´m worried for when I´ll be working again...  Also, I forget things, it is hard to remember names, for instance...

Re-read this paragraph Valmont.  You say your happy with Atripla and then list several things that are negative about it. 

I´m worried in switching from this drug that is working quite qell for another that I don´t know what can happen...  In the case of switching to complera, is it posible to go back to atripla?

Yes, you can switch back

[jam77]

I´m very happy with Atripla because it works, but concentration difficulties make me problems, particularly on the morning...  I´m actually no working, with low stress level, but I´m worried for when I´ll be working again...  Also, I forget things, it is hard to remember names, for instance...

I´m worried in switching from this drug that is working quite qell for another that I don´t know what can happen...  In the case of switching to complera, is it posible to go back to atripla?

I felt the same, why changing if it works so well? Until I got to the point that the side effects where affecting my work and my daily life. It took me almost one year to realize how bad it slowly had become. I don't know if I would have realized it if I hadn't read of many similar experiences on here.

Now I am on a different drug that work equally well (or maybe better judging from the jump in cd4), and the bad side effects are practically gone. I sleep, I focus, I'm motivated, I'm happy. So in my experience it was worth switching.

Obviously each of us responds differently to the virus and the treatment. I'm not suggesting that what worked for me would work the same way for somebody else.

But your treatment has strong negative side effects, and other options are available, I think it's worth considering a switch, and discussing it frankly with your own doctor.

Hope this helps!

[Valmont]

Ok, thank you for your answer...

To buginme2:
For sure, I´m happy because of my blood result and because I considérate I tolerate it quite well, also because without it everything would be worst...  But if it exist something better, with less side effects, the choise is done...  It like to read people opinión because it is very helpful and particularly before going to my doc appointment (that way, I go there with a big list of questions...)

To Jam:
I´m aware of that and completely agree...  The fact is if I can have a better solutions, I won´t think about it twice ; but in another way, Atripla is not soooo bad...  In my case I realice I´m slowler because I change of languages and after startting the treatment particularly on the morning I have a lot of difficulty to do it fluently, it is very noticeable when I take the med very late or when I sleep very little, and this did not happened to me before I was on these meds...



I´m also happy to have only these kind of matters, this means my HIV is well controllated...