Feeling very tired when begining Combivir and Sustiva

[Vietman]

Dear all,

My CD4 is 238 and my doctor decide me to begin ARV. The theraphy is Combivir and Sustiva. I have taken it for 4 days and see it terrible, especially Sustiva. It makes me feel very tired, dizzy, nausea... I don't know how long these symptoms will be with me. Pls share your experience when using this medication. I take Combivir at 10 am & pm, Sustiva at 10pm, then I go to bed.

Vietman.

[Matty the Damned]

Hey Viet,

There are two things that could be at work here. The dizzy, drowsy feeling is probably as a result of the Sustiva. Those sorts of side effects are experienced by many people who take that drug and they can clear up after a few weeks. Sustiva can also cause sleep disturbances and other problems.

The upset tummy you refer to could well be caused by one of the drugs in Combivir -- AZT, though just about any HIV drug can give you nausea.

If you're symptoms don't go away after a while, ask your doctor to review the situation.

Best wishes,

MtD

[Vietman]

Dear MtD,

Thanks you for your reply. In fact, before I began these medications, I read quite clearly their side-effects and be ready to take it. However, i have been exhausted for a week of ARV. It has been unexpected result. I hope these symtoms will disappeared after few weeks and return me as a normal condition.
The only thing that I am afraid is these symptoms may not clear off completely and I may have light dizzy for a long time. If so, It really makes me do nothing at my office because I can not concentrate and be easy to get angry with another!

Best regards,

Vietman.

[BassMan]

Hi Vietnam

I had a similar reaction to your's to Combivir and Sustiva. I agree with everything Matty said about Sustiva; it's a highly effective drug for getting your viral load under control, but I think there's a general consensus that it's not for everyone. The Sustiva side effects may well wear off in time but if they don't, there are plenty of other options.

Another issue with AZT is anaemia. AZT can cause serious anaemia in some people (as it did with me) which can cause chronic fatigue. Since you've only been on meds for a short time I'd be surprised if you were anaemic so soon, but it's another side effect that you need to be aware of when taking meds containing AZT. AZT is an old drug that I though was falling out of fashion a bit these days. You might want to ask your doc about possibly switching it for Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine) or even switching to Atripla (sustiva/tenofoivir/emtricitabine) which is one pill once a day.

The way I see it is that being on meds is supposed to make you well. Whilst everyone should expect some side effects to deal with, if the meds make you feel worse than before and seriously lower your quality of life then you need to review them with your doc.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Carl
Manchester (UK)

[Matty the Damned]

Another issue with AZT is anaemia. AZT can cause serious anaemia in some people (as it did with me) which can cause chronic fatigue. Since you've only been on meds for a short time I'd be surprised if you were anaemic so soon, but it's another side effect that you need to be aware of when taking meds containing AZT. AZT is an old drug that I though was falling out of fashion a bit these days. You might want to ask your doc about possibly switching it for Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine) or even switching to Atripla (sustiva/tenofoivir/emtricitabine) which is one pill once a day.

An excellent point, Carl.

AZT is well known for causing anaemia and it might be wise to have that looked into, Viet. I note that you've only been on medications for a week and side effects can certainly take a few weeks to settle down. Carl correctly notes that there are other combos that may cause you less problems.

Be sure to discuss all of these things with your doctor and keep us up to date.

Best wishes,

MtD