--- Quote from: weasel on February 01, 2013, 11:44:04 PM ---
Weasel .
P.S. Just got back from a 300 mile round trip to my I.D, Doctor ???
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Wow. 300 miles. Sometimes I get annoyed when I have to take the metro downtown to go to the doctor cuz "it's such a hassle." Doesn't compare to a 300 mile trip.
Lobo.....good to hear your crapping like a normal person.
Ann:
--- Quote from: LoboDog on February 01, 2013, 08:58:24 PM --- After 4 years of diarrhea, I finally had a normal bm... I just needed to share this tiny little victory.
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I hear you loud and clear. I also celebrate the days when I have a normal bm. I do a little happy dance outside the bathroom door when I'm finished. ;D
Sounds like you were already suffering from hiv-related dire-rear, which I also have through the years. It sucks that your first doctor put you on Kaletra (yes, may he rot in hell indeed!).
I finally went on meds (after many years of stable numbers) but I knew it was unlikely that it would do anything to alleviate the diarrhea and I was right. My only fear was that the low-dose Norvir (Prezista, Norvir, Truvada) would make it worse and it did for the first week or two, but things have settle back down to how they were before.
I can't take imodium (it makes me super nauseous) but I do take a varying amount of dihydrocodeine (30-150mgs) to keep it under control. I was afraid at first that I'd have to up my codeine dose, but if anything, I've been able to reduce it a bit.
--- Quote from: buginme2 on February 02, 2013, 12:53:35 AM ---Wow. 300 miles. Sometimes I get annoyed when I have to take the metro downtown to go to the doctor cuz "it's such a hassle." Doesn't compare to a 300 mile trip.
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I wonder what you'd think of having to get up at 4am* in order to fly across the Irish Sea to get to your hiv appointments. And not getting home again until around 9pm.
I'm happy enough to do it, because the quality-of-care where the alternative is concerned is absolute crap, even though it would only mean two 20 minute bus rides as opposed to three-plus hours each way of taxis and flights, including time spent hanging around in airports. My health is worth the inconvenience.
*Part of the reason I get up nearly two hours before my taxi arrives (@5:45am) is so I can get the morning's diarrhea out of the way before I'm stuck in a taxi or airplane.
LoboDog:
--- Quote from: weasel on February 01, 2013, 11:44:04 PM --- If your MEDS make you have diarrhea GET TO THE I.D. DOCTOR AND TELL THEM TO CHANGE YOUR MEDS !
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With my first doc, I begged, pleaded, etc to change me. He said that it was working and he wouldn't do it. To this day I don't understand his reluctance. I am open to take any of the meds... I just think he was a quack.
Like Weasel says though... tell your doctor to make the switch... if you don't get help that way, switch your doc.
LoboDog:
--- Quote from: Miss Philicia on February 01, 2013, 09:50:20 PM ---Just curious -- didn't you guys use imodium/loperamide when on Kaletra? I think I took 8-10/day but at least it prevented daily diarrhea.
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I tried everything... imodium makes me gassy and doesn't solve it. The last thing I wanted was to be gassy with explosive diarrhea. Very very very bad combination. You don't know whether to toot, poop, laugh or cry...
Miss Philicia:
If the choice is annoying flatulence or crapping in my pants in a public space then the decision isn't really difficult for me.
As far as changing to another HIV regimen to solve the problem unfortunately at the time I had no other alternative until something new was FDA approved. That ultimately meant taking Kaletra for something like five years.