Prezista, Truvada, Norvir- Weight gain?

[friendlybrawly23]

I currently have been taking Prezista, Truvada, Norvir for 6 months and have been the only medication I've been taking since i was diagnosed positive 6 months ago. I gained a significant amount of weight. I weighed 160 when i started the meds and now im 200 in a span of 6 months. Has anyone else had similar weight gain with these medications? If so what did you do to lose the weight? Besides eating healthy because that is what I've been doing.

[hivtalian]

Hi hugo,
I take the same since 4 months + isentress.
Actually I noticed a small increase in my abdominal fat (I usually work out 4 times a week and eat very healthly) and I was kind of alarmed...
But since 1 month I've changed my workouts doing more cardio and now I gained 3 kg of lan mass and don't have that fat over my abs.
I think our drugs can slightly increase abdominal fat (in some people) but you can work on it with physical activity... that's my experience:)

Good luck !

PS have you noticed any change in your face? sometimes I feel like my cheek are thinner but maybe i'ts just an impression...afgter just 4 months everyone says it cant' be lipo.. (I really hope so because that's a big fear I have:/ )

[weasel]

       Hi Hugo , nice to meet you 

       I've been HIV Poz  longer than you have been alive 

       On a good note , I am on the same MEDS as you ,   I do not believe
       these MEDS cause weight gain .

        Are you taking any thing for anxiety ?  I have found that to be a real
       issue to weight gain .   

       I have to watch what I eat , I gain weight very easy , but in my case I
       consider it to my age  .

       I would suggest becoming more active .   

        I've read a few of your posts , I hope you are feeling more in control
      of your life .   HIV  is not the end of the world , forgive me for saying
      you could have a way worse health issue . I lost my older brother years
      ago from a brain tumor , when I am down and out , I have to remind myself
      I have lived a very long time with HIV and for the most part life is good .

                                                 be well ,   Carl

[mikeyb39]

i'm on prezista, norvir, Isentress and have the same type of weight gain happen to me as well.  I was 172 when I started and my weight went up to 205 like in 4 to 6 months.

When my doctor checked my cholesterol it was pretty high and told me I had to drop 10 or 15 pounds, so I've been doing the gym more often and watching what I eat.

My doctor also put me on a low dose of Adderall to try and help boost my energy levels throughout the day.  I've lost about 8 pounds past couple months.

[DodgerDawg]

Hi, I was diagnosed about the same time as you, and I am on the same meds as well ,  even starting at about the same weight as you. I started meds in hospital the end of January 2014, at a weight of 164. As of today, my weight is 195. However I'm 6'5" and that is an ideal weight for my height.  Checking your weight every day at the same time, and knowing what your BMI is, and where it should be, is a great help.

Take care, Kevin

[Mrmojorisin]

I have been on that regimen for just over 2 years now. When I started I was 130lbs..about 35lb below my normal weight. I was back to my normal weight within about 6 months and have maintained that weight..Other than regaining my normal appetite, I have not had any abnormal weight gain..

[salviati]

Hello you all,
I am on the same regimen and had the opposite symptoms. Never been so slim in my life, so different things happen to different bodies.

[salviati]

I take Truvada, Atazanavir, Norvir, don't work out right now and never been in better shape. These meds may have long term side effects but as per now all they do to me is good, I feel good all the time and my weight is consistent. Of course I watch what I eat.

[zach]

i am on the OP combo, i have been for about four months now. my starting weight was 135lb my normal weight is 160, but haven't seen that in a couple years. since starting meds my weight has not moved up or down

[wolfter]

I switched out of my combo and added Prezista and Norvir along with my Truvada and Intelence.  During that period, I lost more weight.  It had nothing to do with the meds but rather other factors that were happening during that time.

One must consider a host of factors before automatically blaming the meds.  I'll limit my responses as to not usurp the thread but most of the time, weight gain/loss is simply a matter of calories consumed v's calories spent. 

I spend a quite a bit of time during my doctor's appointments discussing nutrition and weight issues.  He had me consult with a nutritionist a while back that worked a little bit.  Perhaps your doctor needs to address such a radical weight change.

[Since1993]

Within six months of starting my regimen of Prezista, Norvir and Epzicom, I gained back 30 of the pounds I had lost.  I think its difficult to determine if your increase in appetite is caused from improved overall health status or the medications itself. 

When I was ill and lost weight, I developed body image issues because I felt skeletal and unhealthy.  I would avoid looking in the mirror nude because I felt like I had the body appearance of a 70 year old man (I'm in my 40's).  Now that I've recovered some of the weight, I'm beginning to feel overweight.

I personally don't mind carry around a few extra pounds and being healthy because I now have the ability to exercise and can make adjustments to keep my BMI closer to normal.

Norvir has gastrointestinal side effects which include diarrhea, which you think would detract from weight gain. 

[poztoo]

take Isentress, Intellence, Prezista, Norvir AND travuda. T's 1200, VL ND. But gained 20 unwanted pounds. recently started new diet, and workout plan. Hope it works

[mecch]

take Isentress, Intellence, Prezista, Norvir AND travuda. T's 1200, VL ND. But gained 20 unwanted pounds. recently started new diet, and workout plan. Hope it works

Hey welcome back! How r u....

On another matter, that sure is a long list of many drugs.   Do you take all that now everyday? Why, may I ask? Multiple resistances???

[Sean Castleton]

I currently have been taking Prezista, Truvada, Norvir for 6 months and have been the only medication I've been taking since i was diagnosed positive 6 months ago. I gained a significant amount of weight. I weighed 160 when i started the meds and now im 200 in a span of 6 months. Has anyone else had similar weight gain with these medications? If so what did you do to lose the weight? Besides eating healthy because that is what I've been doing.

Hi Hubro,

As aforementioned, I had been working out with weights for quite some time before taking Truvada and have a high metabolism and never had a problem with weight gain, even at the age of 43. After taking Truvada for several years, I began getting a fat gut and "man boobs". I asked my doctor to change my meds regimen, but they said that it would be best to remain on my present regime and refused to change it.  I am not an extremely vain person, but I hated seeing all of those years of weight training go down the tubes. And would I take my shirt off at the beach, let alone go to a beach again? So I can relate to your concern.

What did help me a liitle, was cutting down on my intake of carbs and stepping up the cardio. Hope this helps.

Sincerely, Sean.

[mecch]

What did help me a liitle, was cutting down on my intake of carbs and stepping up the cardio. Hope this helps.

Sincerely, Sean.

In the other thread you seem to say you reclaimed your pre-treatment body in a few weeks by stopping tri-therapy.

[owt]

God, now i'm sure i'm not mad, i thought i was the only person in the world that suffer this.

Last year i was on Truvada/Reyataz/Norvir in just 4 months i gained 22 pounds i told to my doctor about this also told her my appetite increased a lot! and she told me that the medication was not the reason. i had a very hard depression problem and my appearance it's very important for me, i feel very bad this way i don't want to be fat. i know this sound a little selfish but if there's people in the world with a worst condition doesn't mean that i will be ok being fat.

i also have a worst condition Kaposi Sarcoma, and liver problems with Atazanavir for that reason i dropped the meds for a month, in that month i lost 11 pounds coincidence?

i think this is a side effects of the Protease Inhibitors, could someone tell us something about this?

Now i'm on Truvada/ Prezista/ Norvir ... i weight 175...20 pounds more that the last year my belly is so big and my legs and arms very thin.. so? i don't know what to do.

i'm not a very active person but since i started to gain weight i try to take healthy food 1 hour of cardio daily and i can't loss  any weight it is very frustrating. 

[floridartist]

Im a Norvir, Truvada and Reyataze with weight loss, I wouldn't mind a hospital stay for awhile in which they stuck an IV in each arm, filter my blood, then pump some good fresh blood in me with a bunch of healthy nutrients, and toss in about 10 extra pounds while they are at it, Is this possible ?