Switching Atripla to Intelence + Truvada???

[GChastain]

Hi everyone,

first of all sorry about my English, Im writting from Spain so I may have some spelling mistakes  .
I tested HIV + las October, my CD4 were low (230) and VL 15700, so my doctor recommended star straight away. My first combo was Viramune + Kivexa (in Europe is called Kivexa, Epzicom in the USA I believe). I had severe rash after two weeks and she said that I was allergic and that was better to switch to Atripla.
I started Atripla in November and had some trouble to sleep, in fact I just sleep 4-5 hours since i started with it. So my face reflects fatigue...
I did my blood test one month ago and today I went for my results. Unbelievable but I´m already undetectable and my CD4 raised to 564!!! In only 3 months!
So my doctor asked me how I was feeling, and after I told her that I have problems to sleep she said to switch to Intelence + Epzicom (or Truvada) and in 6 months switch to Complera (as still in Europe is not available, but will be in 6 months)
She said that Intelence + Truvada is quiet tolerable, with very little side effects, good in long term and that is no need to have problems to sleep when there r so many combos available...
I must say that she is a very good doctor, with more than 15 years experience working with HIV patients and is in the HIVACAT team (that is the Spanish project for the development of an HIV vaccine) so I guess that she knows what she is doing...
My question is: Is it normal so many changes in such sort period of time??? Would I get better on Atripla if I remain on it (she says that the side effects that u have after 2 months of treatment normally stay...)
Is anyone on Intelence + Truvada? Whats ur experience???
Aso she said that Kivexa (Epzicom) has less side effects than Truvada, but I have read that is slightly more associated to face wasting and lipodystrophy...
In any cases she is recommending me to try this combo and if after 6 months I wanna star again with one pill combo go to Complera.
I told her that I need one week to do my research and decide. There is no much info about Intelence + Truvada to be honest... So dunno what to do! I have my next appointment next Monday!

[GChastain]

Oh, also I must say that I was taking Atripla 6 days a week instead of 7... I read that  the dosage of Atripla components  exceeds the amount required by your body to keep HIV in check and was my personal choice to do it this way... The results were very good as I said before, undetectable in less than 3 months of medication. (In Atripla just 2 months as I was in Viramune for 2 weeks and then I stopped 2 weeks before starting with Atripla)

[buginme2]

Sounds like your doctor is pretty on top of things.  She is right, if you cant sleep with Atripla its perfectly reasonable to switch to something more tollerable.

Intellence is a fairly newer medication.  I have never taken it. 

Like your doctor also said if you really need the one pill option you can chanve to Complera in six months when its available in Spain.

You should really dicuss with your doctor about skipping your meds one day a week.  It may be ok with Atripla, but if you change meds and continue to skip let your doctor know so she can monitor you (or tell you to stop if your new med isnt as forgiving as Atripla is).

[mecch]

Oh, also I must say that I was taking Atripla 6 days a week instead of 7... I read that  the dosage of Atripla components  exceeds the amount required by your body to keep HIV in check and was my personal choice to do it this way... The results were very good as I said before, undetectable in less than 3 months of medication. (In Atripla just 2 months as I was in Viramune for 2 weeks and then I stopped 2 weeks before starting with Atripla)

Is your doctor aware of your dosing??

I am glad you got the results you needed, and quickly. 

For anyone else reading this thread, it is highly unusual for anyone to be adjusting daily dosing and especially so during the first start of HAART.

[GChastain]

yep, she is aware.. and she told me not to do it   

[Anqueetas]

I was on Entelence+Truvada for one month, no side effect what so ever but its require twice a day dosing(no food restriction). I switch to Viramune+Truvada because it is so much cheaper(about 20 times cheaper) and I can tolerate it without any side effect.

[GChastain]

An update about my Atripla experience. After 3 months of treatment, side effects are mostly gone. No problems to sleep and overall feeling great. I dont even feel dizzy anymore and I never had the vivid dreams.
Also I must say that the first two months I lost weight and I was quiet concern as my face got slimmer, so I was also freaking out because of this matter. But this last month I started gaining weight again and everything is back to normal.
It took three months to adjust so Im staying on Atripla.
For those who are starting treatment, keep a positive attitude and let ur body get used to it. 

[Common_ground]

An update about my Atripla experience. After 3 months of treatment, side effects are mostly gone. No problems to sleep and overall feeling great. I dont even feel dizzy anymore and I never had the vivid dreams.
Also I must say that the first two months I lost weight and I was quiet concern as my face got slimmer, so I was also freaking out because of this matter. But this last month I started gaining weight again and everything is back to normal.
It took three months to adjust so Im staying on Atripla.
For those who are starting treatment, keep a positive attitude and let ur body get used to it. 

This is like word by word my exact experience with Atripla as well.