Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 19, 2024, 12:30:56 am

Login with username, password and session length


Members
Stats
  • Total Posts: 772783
  • Total Topics: 66296
  • Online Today: 244
  • Online Ever: 5484
  • (June 18, 2021, 11:15:29 pm)
Users Online
Users: 1
Guests: 204
Total: 205

Welcome


Welcome to the POZ Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and others concerned about HIV/AIDS.  Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

Privacy Warning:  Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If you are HIV positive and disclose this in our forums, then it is almost the same thing as telling the whole world (or at least the World Wide Web). If this concerns you, then do not use a username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.

  • The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own physician.

  • All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.

  • Forums members must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Posting guidelines, including time-out and banning policies, have been established by the moderators of these forums. Click here for “Do I Have HIV?” posting guidelines. Click here for posting guidelines pertaining to all other POZ community forums.

  • We ask all forums members to provide references for health/medical/scientific information they provide, when it is not a personal experience being discussed. Please provide hyperlinks with full URLs or full citations of published works not available via the Internet. Additionally, all forums members must post information which are true and correct to their knowledge.

  • Product advertisement—including links; banners; editorial content; and clinical trial, study or survey participation—is strictly prohibited by forums members unless permission has been secured from POZ.

To change forums navigation language settings, click here (members only), Register now

Para cambiar sus preferencias de los foros en español, haz clic aquí (sólo miembros), Regístrate ahora

Finished Reading This? You can collapse this or any other box on this page by clicking the symbol in each box.

Author Topic: pregnant and have questions about starting meds  (Read 3621 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline karry

  • Member
  • Posts: 344
pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« on: April 18, 2014, 09:39:48 pm »
I posted this in the women forum already but I think I might get some feedback from the general forum.

So, I am finally pregnant and crazy happy ....but facing a dilemma!
I am in my first trimester. Saw a dr yesterday (not my hiv dr as he was absent). I also met with the pharmacist. They (dr and pharmacist) are asking me to decide if I start treatment right away or wait till my second trimester.

The regiment proposed is a combo : kivexa and kaletra.

My vl is 1500 and cd4 850.
I am treatment naïve.
I am aware of the US recommendations for treatment naïve positive pregnant women is to start treatment in the second trimester. However, Canadian guidelines recommend to start right away (I live in Canada).
The other thing is the financial. Because I work, and have insurance through work, only 80% of my meds are covered. So I will have to spend about 370$ a month on my meds.

I am having difficulties deciding if I start now or wait till second trimester.
Any advice from those with experience with the kivexa kaletra combo will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Happy Karry
Take it a day at a time....and be positive about it too!

Offline pittman

  • Member
  • Posts: 286
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2014, 10:06:52 pm »
I don't know enough to comment on when is best to start for medical reasons. But I thought I would make sure you knew for sure the way your insurance worked.

A lot of insurance policies have an annual max out of pocket amount that you would have to pay. While you may have a 20% co-insurance, at some point that may max out and then you'd be covered for the rest of the year for 100%.  With the cost of the medical care for the pregnancy itself, perhaps you will already reach your out of pocket max and thus starting early won't actually cost you any more, it will just cost you sooner.

You may want to just double check that.

Offline karry

  • Member
  • Posts: 344
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2014, 04:52:10 pm »
Thanks for your input Pittman.
I will be contacting insurance on Tuesday as well as booking another appointment to see my usual hiv specialist to get a second opinion about the meds.
Karry
Take it a day at a time....and be positive about it too!

Offline Jeff G

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 17,064
  • How am I doing Beren ?
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2014, 07:58:20 pm »
Congratulations on the pregnancy ! . I am not much an med advice but I am thrilled you are going to be a mother . 
HIV 101 - Basics
HIV 101
You can read more about Transmission and Risks here:
HIV Transmission and Risks
You can read more about Testing here:
HIV Testing
You can read more about Treatment-as-Prevention (TasP) here:
HIV TasP
You can read more about HIV prevention here:
HIV prevention
You can read more about PEP and PrEP here
PEP and PrEP

Offline anniebc

  • Member
  • Posts: 6,185
  • AM member since 2003
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2014, 08:06:13 pm »
I'm with Jeff, I'm not 100% comfortable giving advise on when and when no tto start meds, I would only advise you talk to your specialist doctor.

I just wanted to come in and congratulate you on your pregnancy, I can understand you being crazy happy about that.  ;D

Aroha
Jan :-*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Never knock on deaths door..ring the bell and run..he really hates that.

Offline mikeyb39

  • Member
  • Posts: 980
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2014, 08:33:50 pm »
Congrats on your Pregnancy!  I don't know much about it, but I was reading in below article.  It looks as though if you have viral suppression then its better to cut the risk of transmission even more.

I'm sure you have read stuff like this, but I will copy the link I was looking at.

http://www.uptodate.com/contents/hiv-and-pregnancy-beyond-the-basics
11/02/2010  cd4-251, vl-591000
12/09/2010  started Atripla
02/18/2011  cd4-425, vl-800
06/10/2011  cd4-447, vl-70
10/10/2011  cd4-666, vl-80
01/05/2012  swiched med (prezista,norvir ,isentress, )
02/10/2012  cd4-733, vl-UD  Viread removed
06/10/2012  cd4-614, vl-UD
12/14/2012  cd4-764, vl-UD
09/01/2013  cd4-785, vl-UD
03/06/2014. cd4- 1078, VL-UD
09/05/2014  cd4-850 , VL-UD
09/05/2014 switched meds isentress, prezcobix -still only two antivirals
10/14/2015  cd4-600 , VL-UD

Offline Theyer

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,701
  • Current ambition. Walk the Dog .
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2014, 06:23:05 am »
Congrats you crazy happy fool, talk with your ID doctor make your decision, then coz you are now a Mother it will be THE RIGHT ONE .
"If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to help people ."  Tony Benn

Offline OneTampa

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,021
  • "Butterflies are free."
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2014, 09:08:19 am »
Karry,

Congratulations on your pregnancy! You are "carrying" love, hope, joy and life in that little bundle.  For a safe arrival, consult your Doctor. 

Wishing you good Mother all the best.

Take care.

 :)
"He is my oldest child. The shy and retiring one over there with the Haitian headdress serving pescaíto frito."

Offline BoiBoy

  • Member
  • Posts: 44
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #8 on: April 21, 2014, 09:44:41 am »
Congrats, Mommy.

Offline karry

  • Member
  • Posts: 344
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2014, 12:43:30 pm »
Thanks to all of you for sharing my joy and for your kind words.
I will be seeing my hiv specialist on Friday. So will definitely decide about date for starting treatment this weekend.

I also checked with my insurance and was informed after a max of 3000$ per calendar year my meds are going to be 100% covered. Still a chunk out of the pocket but for my baby I am willing to pay more than that!!!

Overall, I am very happy.... my partner is going around all dreamy and planning about painting the room etc and taking the baby to play soccer!!!.... and I am just a few weeks along! Lol.
Thanks for your support
Hugs
Karry
Take it a day at a time....and be positive about it too!

Offline Joe K

  • Standard
  • Member
  • Posts: 5,821
  • 31 Years Poz
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2014, 02:42:02 pm »
Karry,

What a fortunate child to have a mother like you.  I know you will do what will be best for your family, as you could do no less.

Congratulations!!!

Joe

Offline karry

  • Member
  • Posts: 344
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #11 on: April 25, 2014, 07:25:25 pm »
Thanks Joe!

Update: finally saw my dr today and I decided I am starting meds tomorrow morning.

Picked up my prescription from the pharmacy. I am pretty confident its the right choice and I think everything will be ok.

So I am mentally prepared to start. I am setting my alarms for kaletra for morning and evening and kivexa for the mornings.....
So here we go.... celebrating my last evening of being treatment naïve with a warm cup of milk!
Karry
Take it a day at a time....and be positive about it too!

Offline skeebo1969

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,931
Re: pregnant and have questions about starting meds
« Reply #12 on: April 25, 2014, 07:51:51 pm »


That is some awesome news!  My wife and I went through all of this 6 years ago and have been blessed with a healthy little girl who is excelling in both school and sports!

 Congrats!

 Thomas
I despise the song Love is in the Air, you should too.

 


Terms of Membership for these forums
 

© 2024 Smart + Strong. All Rights Reserved.   terms of use and your privacy
Smart + Strong® is a registered trademark of CDM Publishing, LLC.