POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: Joel90069 on July 02, 2006, 06:00:55 pm
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I recently switched from Truvada/ Sustiva to Viramune. I was having bad side effects, particularly trouble concetrating on Sustiva. My first few days on Viramune were fine. I noticed an almost immediate clearing of my fogginess. Friday night I went to dinner with friends. I had a glass of wine and a beer. By Saturday morning I was a basket case. I had an intense depression that was unusual for me. I even started to cry when I went to the store and realized I'd left my cell phone at home; pretty odd behavior! It lasted all day. I was a lunatic! Today I'm fine again. Has anyone noticed a relationship between alcohol, meds and side effects? Or maybe it had nothing to do with alcohol?
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Hello Joel,
I quit drinking back in 1999. The only time I will have a drink, is around the holidays, and my birthday. I also, get completely wiped out even drinking small amounts, so, I have pretty much ruled out drinking.I don't miss is ! I am also on Viramune....
Ray
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I also, get completely wiped out even drinking small amounts, so, I have pretty much ruled out drinking.
2 months ago I had *half* a beer which made me feel drunk
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Well, i don't drink on a regular basis. Not even a glass of wine along with my meals (it's usual in my country). But I didn't give up drinking... i sometimes have one or two "stoli and tonic" or a beer.
I'm on Sustiva and Truvada, which doesn't affect the liver or is affected by alcohol... but i read somewhere that this isn't the case for Viramune (hope I'm not saying something wrong)
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I'm on Sustiva and Truvada, which doesn't affect the liver or is affected by alcohol... but i read somewhere that this isn't the case for Viramune (hope I'm not saying something wrong)
Hello Tugaman,
Actually, (not to alarm you, but to inform you ) several of the HIV medications, can have harmful effects on the liver, Sustiva can be one of them.
Here is a link to give you some info :
http://www.thebody.com/cria/summer02/liver_toxicity.html#nonnukes
And from this site:
http://www.aidsmeds.com/lessons/Hepatotoxicity1.htm
Ray
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Thank you Ray,
Actually, my liver enzymes are normal. I drink very seldom and don't even get drunk. Sorry about saying this it isn't harmful for the liver.... i wasn't sure and i should refrain from saying "medical" stuff without being sure...
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as you know i just switched and dropped sustiva for viramune. I drink... ermmm... alot.
After switching I had less a desire to drink initially, because i was finally feeling tired enough to sleep instead of the insomnia i usually have.
Over the weekend I did have some wine :) and had a much more peculiar reaction of being more emotional and 'pained/stressed' and sadness (much more than normal).
Now, i have had drinks other times since starting viramune and have not had the effect like this.
For now, I chalk it up to some weird brain chemistry of withdrawal from sustiva... hell, if it was giving us side effects when we were on it, it's likely to have some side effects weaning off it.
I don't relate that episode to the viramune at all (though it may be, but that's not my perception). I think it's just residual sustiva which can take up to 3 weeks to cleanse your system of.
Kinda like an acid flashback.
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Hi Joel.....My name is Joel as well. I just wanted to say that my partner who has had to stop drinking entirely due to liver problems (lipodystrophy) can still drink a NON-ALCHOLIC BEER without any problems at all. When he drinks something alchoholic....he develops a fever and sweats....and is very uncomfortable.
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Mine seemed to be more depression and mood. I'm usually really good with stress but my tolerance for challenges have been unusually low. The other odd thing is I never had any of the odd or vivid dreams everyone talks about while taking Sustiva. Since switching to Viramune I started having them. Nothing disturbing but very vivid. Dingboi, you're right, though there is probably still Sustiva still in our systems. For the meantime I'm staying away from alcohol.
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In the interest of science, I will drink a bottle of wine tonight and report my findings in the morning :P
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Excellent... I was planning on mainlining some heroin. We can compare notes.
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I don't relate that episode to the viramune at all (though it may be, but that's not my perception). I think it's just residual sustiva which can take up to 3 weeks to cleanse your system of.
I know the side effects of certain medication with alcohol may differ greatly from one person to another. Viramune is part of my regimen and never had any problems when mixing with alcohol. I'm not a heavy drinker but it happened a few times I had several drinks before a dinner and a bottle of wine while eating( actually taking my viramune with some vino ) and never had any problems whatsoever. When Kaletra was part of my regimen with Viramune I was getting drunk quite fast ( a few beers were sometimes enough ), and when switching to Reyataz/Norvir ( and Viramune still part of my regimen ), it seems to make a reverse effect ( takes more alcohol before feeling drunk ). It doesn't affect my sleep or emotion ( feeling sad and depressed ) either.
The Canuck
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Dingboi, you're right, though there is probably still Sustiva still in our systems. For the meantime I'm staying away from alcohol.
an important distinction is that each drug can affect everyone differently, though there may some more common 'effects'.
I tend to be a heavier drinker ::) of wine mostly. Drinking the same on sustiva didn't bother me at first, then the effects grew. Switching to viramune, drinking the same had almost no effects at all except that one incident (which i still attribute to withdrawal effects) is withdrawal effects possible from sustiva?
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I think it's more likely that there was still some Sustiva left in your system then you were going through withdrawal... but then again, what do I know? :)
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does anybody know anything about any potential withdrawal efects? are they possible with haart?
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Dingoboi, this may answer your question:
http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Switching/Archive/Switching/Q138791.html