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Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: newbieguy on August 25, 2010, 10:22:16 pm

Title: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 25, 2010, 10:22:16 pm
Well, the moment has arrived, finals are all over, submitted my paper, and off work for a few days so don't have any excuses left  :) Going to take my very first Atripla tonight, in about an hour.  I am feeling very anxious, excited, and a little scared too. There is truly no going back now! I sort of have my last few years being HIV poz flashing before my eyes a bit, leading up to popping the pill! But I also feel strangely happy and empowered that I am going to start fighting this Damn virus and show it whos really boss! So get ready HIV you bitch Im coming after you now! No more free reign in me. I havent eaten anything for 2 hours to prepare, and Im already missing my evening snack lol but hey I have to follow instructions right. Hopefully I'll "make it through the night" as the old country song says, I will post an update in the morning (if not before) Wish me luck everyone!  :)

xo
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: Nestor on August 25, 2010, 10:26:39 pm
Good luck!
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: Hellraiser on August 25, 2010, 10:28:32 pm
Good luck, don't eat before you take it, watch a comedy or a sitcom before you go to sleep, and if you get up in the middle of the night you may want to crawl if you get out of bed (Extreme dizziness on night 1)
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: WillyWump on August 25, 2010, 10:35:23 pm
Congrats Newbie! Tonight begins the rest of your Healthy, wonderful life!

Good luck!

-Will
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: Granny60 on August 25, 2010, 11:10:05 pm
Good luck. Kick some azz!
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: youngpozwm on August 26, 2010, 12:24:19 am
Hi! I'm excited for you. As you know, I just started (about to pop 3rd pill now) and so far, so good! You have the right attitude...show that SOB who's boss!!! ;) xoxo
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 26, 2010, 09:57:56 am
Hey guys thanks for the encouragement, I made it through the night ok. No really vivid dreams. I got up once but haven't been dizzy at all! I did feel sort of jittery all night, and I don't think I ever had REM sleep, but hopefully that will go away. Im amazed at how easy it actually was. Woke up with a morning woodie too  :)

@youngpozwm: thanks alot and good luck to you too! let me know how ur doing on yours  :)
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 27, 2010, 10:34:13 am
Update, took my second Atripla last night, a bit earlier, around 10pm, hoping to sleep a bit better, and I did, but got up around 3am and wow it was a loopy feeling! This morning, the hangover feeling definately hit me, like I'd had too much vodka last night or something lol. Just feel like Ive been hit by a mack truck or something, but hopefully this is only temporary  :)
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: phildinftlaudy on August 27, 2010, 10:36:42 am
Update, took my second Atripla last night, a bit earlier, around 10pm, hoping to sleep a bit better, and I did, but got up around 3am and wow it was a loopy feeling! This morning, the hangover feeling definately hit me, like I'd had too much vodka last night or something lol. Just feel like Ive been hit by a mack truck or something, but hopefully this is only temporary  :)
Yeah - usually is temporary.  Although, I had about 4 pieces of Popeye's spicy chicken last night and had a plethora of Atripla (Sustiva induced) dreams all the way up until I woke up for work this morning.  Although I don't recall them at all, I know they were cool.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: peteb on August 27, 2010, 10:55:47 am
It gets easier I kinda miss the dreams I loved fighting a purple monster:)
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 27, 2010, 10:56:17 am
@phild: Yumm, spicy chicken! I just feel really loopy and sleepy this morning. Took some tylenol for the headache. Def feels like a hangover.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: phildinftlaudy on August 27, 2010, 11:12:23 am
@phild: Yumm, spicy chicken! I just feel really loopy and sleepy this morning. Took some tylenol for the headache. Def feels like a hangover.
Wait til you take it and drink some alcohol - that can really bring on the hangover feeling - of course, it may just be me and the 9 or 10 Coronas that does it - may not have anything to do with the Atripla  ;)
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 28, 2010, 09:06:28 am
Update....last night, I took it around 10pm, and around midnight, as I was going to bed, I started feeling very warm in my face and my whole head, but just that area. It felt like a major flush or hot flash. There was sweat from my forehead. It didnt last for very long, but I think I just noticed it more because I was in the "trippy" phase of the drug at the time. I took my temperature and it didnt seem to be high or anything, and it went away. Is it normal to have sweating or facial flushing/flashes from Atripla?
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: Hellraiser on August 28, 2010, 09:35:46 am
Update....last night, I took it around 10pm, and around midnight, as I was going to bed, I started feeling very warm in my face and my whole head, but just that area. It felt like a major flush or hot flash. There was sweat from my forehead. It didnt last for very long, but I think I just noticed it more because I was in the "trippy" phase of the drug at the time. I took my temperature and it didnt seem to be high or anything, and it went away. Is it normal to have sweating or facial flushing/flashes from Atripla?

Yes those of us who've been on it for a while still feel the "head rush" of blood.  It's a warm feeling centered on your face/head.  We've talked about it in other threads.  This is one of the side effects that does not go away.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 28, 2010, 10:35:48 am
Thanks Hellraiser, I guess now the the levels of it are building up in my system thats why the side effects are coming on. Last night I had the flush feeling, today I feel really exhausted and a little queasy. Pretty unpleasant.  :( On the plus side, I am having good morning woodies lol.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 28, 2010, 07:20:22 pm
update.....tonight I will be taking my 4th dose of Atripla....Today, Ive felt pretty rundown and tired all day, and groggy. Like all I want to do is sleep. My appetite has decreased too. This evening, I noticed I am running a low grade fever of about 99.5, which I will monitor. I hope this is just part of the initial crap I have to deal with while my body adjusts to this pill. Will keep you all informed!
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: youngpozwm on August 29, 2010, 01:16:28 am
Hey man...
sorry to hear about your side effects...i guess we really do all respond differently to treatment... all i've been worried about is some numbness in my arms/legs and that's pretty much it... hope you do well!
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: peteb on August 29, 2010, 10:42:37 am
hope it gets better bro
it takes time
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 29, 2010, 01:03:34 pm
Update....last night was better, I slept through most of the night, and had a WEIRD dream about a masked man on horseback coming through my bedroom window hehe. No headache today, but still lack of appetite and slight quesiness...Hoping this goes away. No real dizziness or anything tho.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: phildinftlaudy on August 29, 2010, 02:14:58 pm
Update....last night was better, I slept through most of the night, and had a WEIRD dream about a masked man on horseback coming through my bedroom window hehe. No headache today, but still lack of appetite and slight quesiness...Hoping this goes away. No real dizziness or anything tho.
I had the same dream with the masked man on horseback coming through my bedroom window --- oops, sorry --- actually it reallly happened - just slighty different - it was a masked man hung like a horse and he c*** on my bedroom window --- go figure... ;D

Glad the effects seem to be dying down for you.  I have my most vivid dreams between like 5-6 in the morning - right before I get up for work.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: Granny60 on August 29, 2010, 07:01:34 pm
phil,  It is interesting that you mention when you have your dreams.  Used to be back in the days of "normal"  dreams they were in the middle of the night,  but hub. says  the nightmares  he has now are usually about and hour or two before morning too.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: phildinftlaudy on August 29, 2010, 07:06:18 pm
phil,  It is interesting that you mention when you have your dreams.  Used to be back in the days of "normal"  dreams they were in the middle of the night,  but hub. says  the nightmares  he has now are usually about and hour or two before morning too.
Yeah - quite strange - the only thing I hate about it is they usually get interrupted by my alarm clark going off - a couple of times the alarm has become part of the dream, which really throws me off in the morning. lol
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 29, 2010, 10:23:44 pm
I had the same dream with the masked man on horseback coming through my bedroom window --- oops, sorry --- actually it reallly happened - just slighty different - it was a masked man hung like a horse and he c*** on my bedroom window --- go figure... ;D

Glad the effects seem to be dying down for you.  I have my most vivid dreams between like 5-6 in the morning - right before I get up for work.

Hehe...Ya I wish the dream hadn't ended before I got to see wat he was packing underneath  ;D Today was a pretty good day, I ate and didnt feel so wasted. Tonight will be night 5 for Atripla.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 30, 2010, 05:19:15 pm
update....today will be day 6 on atripla, i felt ok today, still groggy and a bit out of sorts in the morning, but no terrible lack of sleep past couple nights. I sure hope this drug is doing more good than bad to my body! Appetite seems to be coming back
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: Hellraiser on August 30, 2010, 06:18:09 pm
update....today will be day 6 on atripla, i felt ok today, still groggy and a bit out of sorts in the morning, but no terrible lack of sleep past couple nights. I sure hope this drug is doing more good than bad to my body! Appetite seems to be coming back

It took me about a month to be fully functional on atripla and like 3 or 4 months before I wasn't feeling much of anything in the way of side effects
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: peteb on August 30, 2010, 08:38:38 pm
in time you will miss that masked horseman has the refrigarator  been after u yet
I really do miss that
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 30, 2010, 09:01:20 pm
It took me about a month to be fully functional on atripla and like 3 or 4 months before I wasn't feeling much of anything in the way of side effects

sucks to be a totally impatient person then like me I guess, huh Hellraiser?  :) last couple days feel good around 3pm, up in the day, mornings are pretty hazy/groggy and tired. Hope that changes. I gotta be fresh in the mornings. Plus side, crazy horny, no bad insomnia. Minus side, tiredness, sleepiness.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: Granny60 on August 30, 2010, 11:20:58 pm
Hey,  you are on the lucky side. Some report a lot more woodies and damn are they happy,  some report  just the opposite. From  what I can tell,  it seems like the higher CD4 you have when you start and the younger you are, the less Atripla seems to bother you as far as getting used to it or feeling groggy.  What is really important is that if you had not gotten on meds and  the HIV finally got the upper hand, it might have taken years to recover or maybe never.  We are rootin for you! You are going to do good!! hang on the the saddle!
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 30, 2010, 11:31:23 pm
thanks Granny60 for the kind words! I feel I did start at a good time...I wouldnt say I have had any increase in woodies since I started Atripla, my overall libidio has increased though.  Of course Im still less than a week in so we shall see hehe.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: phildinftlaudy on August 30, 2010, 11:34:00 pm
I just popped my nightly Atripla - about 5 minutes ago - now eating a cold cut sandwich on wheat bread --- always boosts my dream quotient when I do that!
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 31, 2010, 12:10:04 pm
update...woke up this morning feeling much less cloudy, probably best morning Ive had since starting Atripla. Still feeling tired on it though, sleepy. Hope that goes away. No sleep disturbance though!
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: peteb on August 31, 2010, 12:26:44 pm
glad to hear its alittle better hand in there bud
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: Granny60 on August 31, 2010, 08:00:34 pm
Hey Newb,  you have a way to go to catch up.  Hubby  added it up (including the few times he missed a dose in the hospital and when he got the boxes mixed up and took a double dose)  and tonight will be his 956th Atripla!  44 to go to a thousand!   It gets better by the day
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on August 31, 2010, 09:01:18 pm
hey Granny60, yep I def got long way to go not even a week into it yet. Overall ok except the sleepiness and wanting to nap all afternoon. Does seem the last 2 days have been better though.
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: Granny60 on September 01, 2010, 12:17:08 am
Hey,  nothings wrong with a nap is it?  Isn't that how all those cute mexicans end up cute with their siestas? ;)  If I can remember that far back .  isn't it nap all afternoon so you can party all night?   ;D Go get um tiger!
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: newbieguy on September 01, 2010, 09:53:58 pm
Update, today was a good day, lots of energy, didnt sleep any during the day, and getting appetite back. Feeling better. I did develop a migraine today, which I get sometimes, and took an excedrin for migraine pills, which stopped it mostly as usual. Bascially doing ok!
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: Granny60 on September 01, 2010, 09:59:43 pm
You are of to a SUPER start!
Title: Re: Tonight's the Night. Taking my 1st Atripla
Post by: eric48 on September 02, 2010, 03:42:50 am
Hi,

Not on same meds as you , but, here, I 'd say  not that bad.

I have been carefull w/alcohol, parties, S*x etc. for a few weeks, just to make sure I was not mistaking one SE for another

Cheers

Eric