choosing meds

[kai10040]

I have been very reluctant to start taking meds and now, since my CD4 count is down, my doc is urging me to. Its obviously very hard for me to make this step. I guess it helped me stay in the state of denial.I read alll about side-effects and am very concerned.Anyone can give me advice what to do?

[allopathicholistic]

I have been very reluctant to start taking meds and now, since my CD4 count is down, my doc is urging me to. Its obviously very hard for me to make this step. I guess it helped me stay in the state of denial.I read alll about side-effects and am very concerned.Anyone can give me advice what to do?

when were you diagnosed with hiv? (month & year)

[kai10040]

since Sep.'04

[redhotmuslbear]

since Sep.'04

And what have your last year's worth of labs shown?  Has a genotype been done to see if your bugs are resistant to anything?

Keep in mind that every medication has potential side effects, some more likely and/or more serious than others; yet, there's always some risk of a problem.  IMNSHO, of the HIV meds available, the first-line ones I steer friends away from are Sustiva and Atripla, AZT and Combivir, and protease inhibitors;  and the combo I favor is Viramune plus Truvada.  Even on that regimen there's still the risk of non-nuke hyper-sensitivity and kidney issues from the Viread in Truvada, but it is overwhelmingly well-tolerated and imposes three pills a day (2+1) spaced by 12 hours.

Peace,
David

[aztecan]

I have been very reluctant to start taking meds and now, since my CD4 count is down, my doc is urging me to. Its obviously very hard for me to make this step. I guess it helped me stay in the state of denial.I read all about side-effects and am very concerned.Anyone can give me advice what to do?

Hey Kai,

The first thing I would do is have a heart-to-heart with your doc and make sure he/she has ordered a GART to determine if you have inherited any resistance to any of the meds.

Second, talk with your doc about what your particular fears are regarding side effects, i.e, lipodystrophy, peripheral neuropathy, cns issues, etc.

Then discuss your lifestyle with him/her. Can you handle taking pills twice a day, or is once better for you? Do you work nights? Do you work in the sun all day long? Do you have any history of depression or psychological issues the doc should know about? I think you get the idea.

By discussing all of the above, you and your doc can tailor a cocktail that best suits you and your lifestyle.

Now, you said you have been very reluctant to start meds. OK, this is a very important issue and one you will have to come to grips with.

Once you start, it is important for you to take your meds as prescribed every day. Unless you are committed to doing this, your chances of jacking up your regimen and developing resistance are increased.

None of us wants to take pills every day. But it is much better than the alternative, which too many of us have seen or experienced first-hand.

I think of it as exercising my control over my life. The meds are my way of telling the virus I am in control, it is my life and I'm not going to let it continue to make the decisions for me.

As for side effects, yep, there are some with just about every med. But that doesn't mean you will experience them. Some do, some don't. There is no way to know until you try.

Let us know what you decide to do and what regimen your doc is recommending.

HUGS,

Mark