Atripla vs. Sustiva + Truvada

[vokz]

My doctor asked me to think about whether I would like my prescription swapped (from Truvada + Sustiva) to Atripla when I am next due for a refill at the beginning of February.

A year ago the idea of one pill a day seemed like such a morale booster that I would not have thought twice about it .. but now I am really not so sure.

I have seen a few people claim that they react differently to Atripla (which I just don’t understand), but that is not something that bothers me. I have a very happy coexistence with my drugs and I now find that I am looking at much more subtle factors.

Personally I like the flexibility of being able to occasionally delay my Sustiva by up to an hour - but still take my Truvada on time – when I have eaten much later than usual and will be driving when I come up on my meds.

Basically, I just hate driving when there is a risk of being ‘under the influence’ – and late meals, for me, are the one thing that affect my reaction to Sustiva (still way short of feeling ‘drunk’, but definitely different to how I would ideally like to feel when I am behind the wheel).

I suppose I am looking for feedback from those of you who have made the switch from Sustiva + Truvada, to Atripla, and wondering if you have found the single pill option at all restricting in ways you hadn’t anticipated.

[LPinUK]

Hi Vokz,

I'm also on Truvada & Sustiva.

This is also a choice that I will have to make, but I totally know what you mean when you say you like the flexibility of delaying the Sustiva (for me, I always take the Sustiva before bed ,the time of which varies, especially at weekends)
 
To be honest, I think I'll stay on my current combo, it means I have some control over the 'drunk' felling that I sometimes experience with the Sustiva, man, if I take it with a high fat meal I feel like Ive smoked weed!)

No big difference between 2 pills and 1 in my book !

[vokz]

LP,

Thanks for that. It is nice to know that I’m not the only person thinking along the same lines.

I emailed her at the weekend to tell her that I will be wanting to stick with Sustiva + Truvada for now.

Mark

[yes2life3]

Hi I was just reading your email on your meds..my question is why not take your meds just before bed?  either way you look at it the pills all do the same side effect.[ drunk ] feeling   .atripla is what i have been on for a year now and there is no drifference then what your on now..just leave the bottle next to your bed and always bring a bottle of water with you to bed at night and you will never forget to take your one pill.

[LPinUK]

The time I go to bed varies considerably, on a week night it can be as early as 10pm and then on a weekend if I am out on the town it may be 4am, Im not comfortable with this time difference with the Truvada, but am with the Sustiva as Ive read this has a much longer half life.

[vokz]

Same here.

It is about maintain a therapeutic level of drugs at all times; so – based on the advice I have from several doctors - the window of time in which I am willing to take Truvada (which never gives me a high) is significantly smaller than the window in which I am willing to take Sustiva (which does sometimes give me a high, but which also decays at less than half the rate of Truvada).

[Falkore]

Since I have not been on the Sustiva + Truvada combo, but only the Atripla, I can speak to part of your question.  Since starting my new job, I have gone from working 8am to 5pm, then 1pm to 9pm, to my current schedule of 4:30pm to 3am.  Also, since I get off work at such an early time, there is not always a place open to eat so I have to cook food.  The timing of my medication has varied from anywhere between 3am to as late as 7am.  I spoke with my doctor about the difference in timing and he said that there is not much to be worried about.  As long as I take it I should be OK, the timing is not that important.  My friend, Molten Storm, takes his Atripla every night at almost the exact same time.  So far, no major difference between the two of us.

Hope this helps.

Falkore