POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: red_Dragon888 on May 28, 2011, 01:24:22 pm
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I just want to know if there are good treatments that people are happy with.
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I've been on three combos, but my current one is my favorite:
Prezista and Truvada with a Norvir chaser.
My first, Kaletra and Combivir, made me shit my brains out and turned my blood into butter.
The second, Reyataz with Combivir, worked better but eventually turned me yellow.
And now this one. My complaints are minimal and scarcely worth posting about.
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I just want to know if there are good treatments that people are happy with.
I've been on Atripla a month now..I had a hangover from it every morning for the first week and some bizarre dreams but nothing more than that..After the 2nd week of being on it I noticed no side effects at all..Not even in the morning so I am very happy with it..It's just like a vitamin I take every night now :-)
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Atripla....no side effects. Way easier than most give it credit for. Takes a little time to get used to then its smooth sailing!!
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I will echo what bug and Ac posted. Atripla is the drug that I am taking for HIV. The dreams are still pretty wild one year later but since they are not nightmares, I enjoy them for the most part. Last night one of my dreams was totally in Spanish!
During my first month on it, I was a bit wobbly when I got up in the night for a 'bio break'.
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Truvada and Isentress have been great for me... The only possible side effect I can maybe point to is that I was farting more than normal for the first few months.
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Isentress is a cake walk.
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Kivexa + Maraviroc for 6 years.
Absolute breeze - no side effects, anitinflammatory, anticarcinogenic, great CNS penetration, no sedation, psychiatric, blood lipid, live or renal probs.
Great recovery of CD4's - undetectable in no time - not associated with any vitamin probs or blood markers of inflammation - Maraviroc is thought to be the only approved med so far with anti-inflammatory effects, so much so that I have been able to quit asthma medication.
Couldn't be happier - though am considering switching to a NRTI and PI sparing regimen.
Would absolutely NEVER take a boosted PI, at least not with ritonavir - - ICK!
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15 yrs and 18 meds laters, my current Reyetaz/Norvir/Truvada combo has turned out to be da bomb. ;D
There were a few issues at first adjusting to it, but it was the first combo to get me to undetectable and has stablized my numbers holding me at UD. The daily vomiting that I had been doing with nearly every other regimen reduced to only 6 times a month for a year or two before dwindling down to the point that I haven't thrown up because of my HIV meds in 3 years now.
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I had side effects from Sustiva, Reyataz and Kaletra, but my current regimen of Intelence + Truvada (well, actually Viread + Epivir - same same but different) has no side effects. It's a twice daily w/food, which makes it impossible or difficult for some, but if that's not an issue I would recommend it. Oh, and Intelence has lactose in it, so it's maybe not a good idea if you have lactose intolerance (e.g. bloating from eating dairy products).
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Isentress/Truvada here, but I have no previous experience with other regimens. The initial gassiness noted previously faded and the fatigue I'm tackling right now, I believe, is unrelated. There are others in the forum taking the same regimen without side effects and have experience with other regimens.
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Truvada and Isentress have been great for me... The only possible side effect I can maybe point to is that I was farting more than normal for the first few months.
If I was on your combo Seriously I probably wouldn't even notice that side effect cause I do that alot anyway lol
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I've had zero overt side effects on my 3 regimins. Loved them all! not even a wet fart. But Truvada started giving my kidneys a workout (which is pretty rare, I was jsut a lucky one I guess) so i switched to Epzicom with Prezista and Norvir. Love it. no probs, no nothing :)
Although I will say it takes my body about a week to get adjsuted to med changes. I threw up for a week when I started Truvada, then when I started Epzicom I had rash and itching. But it all goes away.
-WIll
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dwindling down to the point that I haven't thrown up because of my HIV meds in 3 years now.
damn! I spoke too soon and the 3-yr no-barfing-from-my-meds streak is offically over as of 5:45 this morning :P ::)
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damn! I spoke too soon and the 3-yr no-barfing-from-my-meds streak is offically over as of 5:45 this morning :P ::)
Yuk, sorry. Is that common? I havent had any of that and I usually have a quasy constitution.
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Atripla has worked great for me - other than the vivid dreams that I get occasionally - which aren't bothersome at all - I have tolerated it very well. I can eat what I want, when I want, and the once a day part of it is great for someone like me who has difficulty staying on a time schedule on multiple times a day medications.
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What about the foul gas associated with Atripla.
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What about the foul gas associated with Atripla.
I've never experienced that .
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What about the foul gas associated with Atripla.
Truvada is known for its side effect of gas and bloating. Not everyone experiences this of course, but good luck finding a regimen without Truvada in it.
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Yuk, sorry. Is that common? I havent had any of that and I usually have a quasy constitution.
from 1994 to 2004 I puked several times a day almost every day on probably close to a dozen different medications as they became available. Eventually I moved onto the Reyetaz and the puking went down to only 6 times a month and I thought I was in heaven. LOL Then, as I said, after a couple yrs on this regimen it dwindled down to no barfing. But I knew this morning when I woke up over-heated, with a queasy feeling and the dry heaves starting from something (I usually like blaming the Norvir because I've hated it since it was in liquid form 8 tblspns a day LOL) that it was going to be one of "those" days". LOL The chicken/rice soup stayed down at lunch and I got the front yard mowed, so I'm doing so-so/okay now. ;)
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Truvada is known for its side effect of gas and bloating. Not everyone experiences this of course, but good luck finding a regimen without Truvada in it.
Epzicom (AKA Kivexa) is also once a day, like Truvada.
I left Truvada because of concerns over bone health, but Epzicom seems easy -- and the concerns over heart health with Epzicom appear to be less important in recent studies. The main issue with Epzicom is that some people are sensitive to it and can't take it. But there's a genetic test that screens out most people who will have a problem.
Isentress turned out not to work for me, because of muscle and liver problems. But Isentress/Epzicom felt pretty good otherwise. And even though Isentress is twice a day, it is a heat stable pill that doesn't need to be taken with food -- so you can just slip the second dose in your pocket and take it when it is time. Pretty simple.
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from 1994 to 2004 I puked several times a day almost every day on probably close to a dozen different medications as they became available. Eventually I moved onto the Reyetaz and the puking went down to only 6 times a month and I thought I was in heaven. LOL Then, as I said, after a couple yrs on this regimen it dwindled down to no barfing. But I knew this morning when I woke up over-heated, with a queasy feeling and the dry heaves starting from something (I usually like blaming the Norvir because I've hated it since it was in liquid form 8 tblspns a day LOL) that it was going to be one of "those" days". LOL The chicken/rice soup stayed down at lunch and I got the front yard mowed, so I'm doing so-so/okay now. ;)
That just sounds absolutely horrible. I have a generally queasy constitution so nausia worries me. I havent experienced any on the Atripla. Is it PI's that are generally more ... Pukey? I've thought about what direction to go if ever the Atripla fails me. I can't say PI's are at thr top of my list.
Speaking of norvir though. Isnt there a new booster in development as part of the quad pill? Maybe youll be able to switch out the norvir once its approved.
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Love my only combo..norvir, truvada and reyataz. Had a gas problem at first, but then always did after a big bowl of soup beans and cornbread... :)
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I started meds (Isentress/Truvada) with T cells at about 350 and a low viral load (about 12K). I have no side effects and my CD4s are in the 800 range and have been UD since I started. I feel and look totally fine, live a normal active life, etc.
My biggest fear/concern is losing insurance and not having access to the meds.
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been on atripla for 8 weeks now. no side effects at all....perhaps a weak rash that lasted a day. works like a charm. my cd 4 jumped from 257 to 639 and it stamped my viral load from 250000 to 690. hope to be undetectable in a few more months.
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Maybe youll be able to switch out the norvir once its approved.
oh no. LOL I waited for yrs for this tablet version of norvir and I'm not about to give it up. Besides Reyataz/Truvada/Norvir is the combo that got me to my first undetectable (after about 15 yrs on other meds) and has kept me stable. Heck, 20 yrs later and it helped me to hit 300 cd4s a couple of times. So my regimen definitely isn't "broke" and I'm not going to be changing it anytime soon. ;) :D
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I started meds (Isentress/Truvada) with T cells at about 350 and a low viral load (about 12K). I have no side effects and my CD4s are in the 800 range and have been UD since I started. I feel and look totally fine, live a normal active life, etc.
My biggest fear/concern is losing insurance and not having access to the meds.
Hey is this your first regimin? Did you decide to start with Isentress or was that something your Dr suggested? What made you decide on it? I think if I ever change off Atriple I would lean to trying Issentress. It seems to kncok the viral load down super quick and is realitively easy to tolerate.
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Atripla has worked great for me - other than the vivid dreams that I get occasionally - which aren't bothersome at all - I have tolerated it very well. I can eat what I want, when I want, and the once a day part of it is great for someone like me who has difficulty staying on a time schedule on multiple times a day medications.
The other night I decided to order a late pizza and eat it..soon after I figured I would take my Atripla instead of waiting 2 hours after and my dreams went into maximum overdrive! Fatty foods really will effect the dreams I guess lol...but no other complaints
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Hey is this your first regimin? Did you decide to start with Isentress or was that something your Dr suggested? What made you decide on it? I think if I ever change off Atriple I would lean to trying Issentress. It seems to kncok the viral load down super quick and is realitively easy to tolerate.
This is my first (and so far only) regimen. I started meds in July of 2009 and Isentress was approved for first-line use about a couple of months after that so my doctor at the time was hesitant to start me on it since it officially was not yet approved for first-line use.
I had done a lot of research and felt strongly that I wanted this combo so I insisted and he gave in. He was concerned about less adherence due to the twice-a-day dosing.
I've been very good with adherence overall. One time I missed a morning Isentress/Truvada dose about a year ago and, coincidentally enough, last night I missed my evening Isentress dose.
Even though it's twice a day with Isentress, the timing does not have to be exact, especially once you are undetectable. I like the fact that it doesn't matter if you take it with or without food so I don't have to be timing my meals. To me having to time my meals is more of a hassle than twice-a-day dosing.
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"Even though it's twice a day with Isentress, the timing does not have to be exact, especially once you are undetectable. I like the fact that it doesn't matter if you take it with or without food so I don't have to be timing my meals. To me having to time my meals is more of a hassle than twice-a-day dosing."
My thoughts exactly! I work in medical and have some crazy hours. I have to eat when I can wheather it is 4pm, 2am or who knows what time. I never know when I am going to leave work because it depends on how crazy it is. I tried Atripla and found it impossible to coordinate not eating and the crazies of the Sustiva.
I switched to I&T a year and a few months ago and things could not be any easier. I take my I&T around noon and then the I at midnight. I keep two days worth of meds in my travel bag just in case I have to go with a patient to an out of town hospital.
Billy B
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Been taking meds 19 years out of 21 years poz...each regime tended to get a little better each time, but this last one has been the absolute best.....absolutely no side-effects(the usual...weird dreams, anxiety, nausea, gas, bloating, chest pain, fatigue, high triglycerides, loose bowels, rashes, lipodystrophy)...aside from a bit of dizziness the first few days, nothing....except that I believe it may have made me impotent....not exactly what a guy 52 wants to hear, but it may be due to aging, and HIV...see my Dr. next week about it. Aside from that, I couldnt be happier with how they are working. Energy is back and I have a feeling of well-being I havent had in years. I will get my viral load and H/S count next week, and hopefully Ill see a good result there too.
Celsentry 150 mg bid
Isentress 400 mg bid
Reyataz 300 mg bid
Norvir 100 mg once a day
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I'm not even getting gassy with my Truvada/Isentress combination. I haven't tried anything else, but happy with it so far my first week into it.
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Let me start by saying that I am one of the extremely lucky ones in that I tolerate most meds very well, and have experienced very few side effects of my meds. The first cocktail I was on (2 years ago) was Prezista, Norvir & Truvada. The only noticeable side effect - I think of the Truvada - was insomnia, which I still suffer from. But - the Prezista & Norvir combo shot my triglycerides level sky high - so 4 months ago my doc replaced the Prezista/Norvir combo with Viramune, keeping me on Truvada as well. Results of my most recent blood work was very encouraging - my triglyceride levels plummeted, my viral load is still undetectable, and my CD4 count is finally going up (very very low for 2 years). And again, no noticeable side effects from the Viramune. Will be switching to Viramune XR after my current script runs out, so we'll see ... but lucky to have suffered very few side effects during treatment so far...
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Any med can cause bloating or gas, secondary to depleting natural gut flora and causing microbial leaking from the gut (mainly PI's).
Can be corrected with diet, inulin fiber or a range of supplements.
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I've been on Atripla a month now..I had a hangover from it every morning for the first week and some bizarre dreams but nothing more than that..After the 2nd week of being on it I noticed no side effects at all..Not even in the morning so I am very happy with it..It's just like a vitamin I take every night now :-)
Atripla at the beginning. OMG...it looks the end of your world...
Then, after, every side effects would disappear and it becomes very much friendly. You feel like there is no Hiv and can live with it forever. But my question if that will continue untill the end. 8)
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I honestly cannot recall all of the combos that I have taken over the years. But for the most part it was smooth sailing with a fw minor bumps here and there. I was on AZT for awhile, that didn't go over so well. There was another drug I was was on for the HepB called Alpha-Interferon. Daily injections for 16 weeks, and every day the side efects got worse. By the end I was having anxiety attacks at random, always felt like I was going to throw up at a moments notice, fevers and diarrhea. The topper was when the little voice in my head insisted that I kill myself because it wasn't working. That was the only inner dialog that went on inside me for the better part of a year because the shit didn't work the first time, and I had to do it all over again.
With that one major exception, it's been pretty painless, as I tend to have the constitution of a lab rat.
CaptCarl
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I often wonder what things were like (side-effect wise) 10-20 years ago when we don't have the drugs we have today.
I think a lot of my fears came from my the notion that we still have to take mega doses of AZT from which people die of side effects than the complication of the illness itself.