Switching Meds

[atlq]

I have been on a Kaletra based combo for 2+ years. I will be changing my combo this week due to some Lipo issues (LDL and triglycerides). Since I wish to avoid Norvir for awhile my doc and and are thinking of Intelence or Isentress (or possibly both) to add to my Truvada. I say possibly both because I do have some low level resistance to the Truvada already some we feel it may be better to pair it with two active drugs. Anyone on either Intelence, Isentress, or both? i would appreciate any experiences you may have had with side effects, etc!.......

[Miss Philicia]

Hi atlq.  I have been on Isentress for 8 months and it's been remarkably side effects free for me, more-so than any other HIV med I've ever taken and I've been on treatment for 15 years.

[atlq]

Thanks Philly. I've been on treatment a long time also, and have been pretty lucky, in terms of side effects (although some mild  lipoatrophy from years on AZT began showing up around 2001).

I also have some resistance issues (K103N, which knocks out the old NNRTI's and some intermediate resistance to most of the NRTI's), so I want to make sure this combo is potent enough, as well as being tolerable.

BTW, even though I am a LTS, I am new here and really appreciate this forum!...

[Miss Philicia]

Isentress is potent.  I replaced Fuzeon with it, and Fuzeon was the first med to ever get me to undetectable (obviously I have tons of resistance issues too).  Fuzeon also increased my cd4's from the 500's to over 1000, and my % from ~35% to ~40%.  As of my last labs Isentress has not only maintained what I got on Fuzeon, but improved them slightly (vl = <50, cd4 1320, cd4% 44%)

For what it's worth the other meds I'm on with Isentress are Prezista (w/Norvir booster) and Truvada.

[atlq]

That is good to hear. I have been undetectable for 2 1/2 years until last June, when my last two VL's were 405 and 808, respectively. That, plus the cholesterol issues were enough to convince me it was time to change. Nothing is set yet, Prevista is still in the mix, but quite frankly Norvir, even at low doses. scares me a bit....

[atlq]

Gonna start on my new combo tonight...Intelence, Isentress, and Truvada...hope I don't have to take a day off work to adjust....just too busy!...would love to hear from others on the same combo!...

[John2038]

Hi atlq,

we probably have a similar resistance profile (103/108, 184/215 here), and similar issues (triglycerides/cholesterol).

Hopes you will do great on this new combo.

Regarding the trigl issues, reducing the carbs and taking O-3-6 and fish oil, sport and good diet can normally eliminate the problem.
For the cholesterol, I guess it's more difficult as I heard that diet+sport can help in a range of typically 20%.

So the question : Are you stopping Kaletra after having try your best to improve your numbers but without success (tri/chol) ?

Were you taking Kaletra once or twice a day ? For how long ? Twice a day sounds boring !! If you were on 2x / d , what time was it ?

[atlq]

John,

Yeah, we sound pretty similar in terms of resistance-but it was mainly lipids that pushed me to switch regimens-

Appreciate the diet advice - do take some omega three and do 2.5 miles of cardio 3x a week....probably eat to much pasta though!...l...

The Kaletra was twice a day (in treatment experienced patients once a day dosing is not recommended), but all of my regimens have been....you young people and your once a day dosing!....why back in my day...lol...

[atlq]

Well, I started a new combo Friday...replacing Kaletra with Isentress/Intelence (keeping Truvada)...of course it is too early to know anything lasting, but so far the "expected" nausea and headaches have been nonexistent..the only weird thing I have noticed is that the Intelence tabs are like those soft peppermint balls you used to get as a kid at your grandmothers....they dissolve almost on contact with your tongue, so you have to swallow fast!

[Miss Philicia]

atlq, I'll be curious to see how your experience with Intelence is as I don't even know anyone personally here in Philly that is on it yet.  I'm sure I'll go on it at some point sooner than later.  Please keep us posted

[atlq]

will do Philly...and thanks for the earlier info in this thread...hearing good experiences about taking new meds is very heartening....most people only write in with problems, but I think its equally important to talk about our meds when they are working and doing so with few side effects.....we help each other that way and replace irrational fear with a balanced perspective for the newbies...