Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 02:03:51 pm

Login with username, password and session length


Members
Stats
  • Total Posts: 772946
  • Total Topics: 66310
  • Online Today: 424
  • Online Ever: 5484
  • (June 18, 2021, 11:15:29 pm)
Users Online
Users: 1
Guests: 373
Total: 374

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: Will start meds within the year  (Read 6845 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Lurch

  • New Member
  • Posts: 2
Will start meds within the year
« on: June 26, 2006, 02:12:34 pm »
Hi all.

Well, it's been a while since I left a message or even logged on (I had another log on name, but forgot it so I created a new one).

My Doctor says I need to start thinking about going on meds within the year and suggested I start reading up on what's out there to familiarize myself.  As you can guess, I am a bit overwhelmed with all the different meds out there. I want to have the easiest regimen I can so I was wondering what your opinions are on what the best meds for someone to start with.

Thanks

Offline doyourowndamndishes

  • Member
  • Posts: 85
Re: Will start meds within the year
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2006, 03:00:16 pm »
CRAP!!  I just lost the entire entry!!

OY VAY!!  Let's try again.

Hey Lurch!

Ok, condensed version .... I have a meeting in 15 minutes!  If you have not done so, read the Lessons, especially the section: When Should I Start, What should I take first?  The US HDSS guidelines are very easy to read.

Now, to answer your question is very difficult: it is impossible to predict which side effects we will get, if any, and to what extent.  It could be none, mild, or very severe requiring a change to medications.

I went the PI route but I know many people swear away from them as tmany of them are known to cause lipo.  That's one side effect that many hivers just don't like getting and try to avoid it like the plague.  I started off on Nelfinavir (PI) + Combivir (NRTI) and quickly switched Nelfinavir to Kaletra.  The most common first timer PI regime would be Kaletra + Combivir.  Both are strong meds with great track records.  Kaletra is also known NOT to cause lipo but it is notorious for screwing up your cholesterol and tryglicerides; something you and your doctor will want to monitor.  If memory serves me, that combo is 4 pills 2 times a day: 3 Kaletra + 1 Combivir.  Another choice is Atazanavir + Combivir.  Atazanavir is considered an alternative combination but like myself and many others I know on Kaletra, eventually they make the switch to Atazanavir.  If you go the PI route I know that you don't have to worry about staggering the pills; both combos I mentioned are fine to take together (some pills need to be taken at different intervals and that can be a pain in the ass to deal with). 

If you go the NNRTI route, Sustiva is the main choice.  That one is a hit or miss, love/hate relationship.  Some people love it and respond well, some respond well but hate the side effects and want to get ride of it.  I have no personal experience with it but many of use on here have.  There is a Lesson on this site dedicated to tricks to taking Sustiva.  If you decide to go this way, it would be a good idea to read it first as well.

If you are worried about missing doses and yes, 100% compliance is extremely important for drug success, that you may want to do a Smarties (I'm an M&M kinda guy) trial run first.  Get yourself some pill boxes and fill it with your choice of delicious sweets! according to the number of pills you would be taking with the combo you decide to go with.  Then, set an alarm or anything (I use the alarm function on my cell phone if I feel I may lose track of time) to help remind you to take your pills.  I dose at 7:00 am and 7:00 pm as many meds are absorbed better and it's easier on the stomach if taken with food.  Anyway, do the Smarties dry run for a week or two depending on how confident you feel in remembering to take them once you start.  And if you think 4 pills 2x/day is a lot it really isn't.  I take more vitamins and supplements daily than I do anitvirals!  Once you get into the habit it becomes second nature: you don't even need to think about taking them.  I also find taking pills with meals is just another simple reminder that it is pill time. 

Let me know what you decide to take!

Cheers,

Alan
"All that we are is theresult of what we have thought." -Buddha

Offline J.R.E.

  • Member
  • Posts: 8,207
  • Positive since 1985, joined forums 12/03
Re: Will start meds within the year
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2006, 07:56:44 am »
Hello Lurch,

Just to add, to what Alan has stated, if you click the link below, there is a good lesson from this site, on starting meds. Take your time going through it

Click here to start :

 http://www.aidsmeds.com/lessons/WhenToStart1.htm


 Several pages into that lesson, is this chart, which shows the three classes of drugs, and the preferred regemens, I think you will find this helpful also :


 http://www.aidsmeds.com/lessons/WhenToStart7.htm



Take care----Ray



Current Meds ; Viramune / Epzicom Eliquis, Diltiazem. Pravastatin 80mg, Ezetimibe. UPDATED 2/18/24
 Tested positive in 1985,.. In October of 2003, My t-cell count was 16, Viral load was over 500,000, Percentage at that time was 5%. I started on  HAART on October 24th, 2003.

 As of Oct 2nd, 2023, Viral load Undetectable.
CD 4 @676 /  CD4 % @ 18 %
Lymphocytes,absolute-3815 (within range)


72 YEARS YOUNG

Offline Blixer

  • Member
  • Posts: 712
Re: Will start meds within the year
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2006, 04:16:08 pm »
Lurch,  You have already gotten some great advice here.  I only had three months after my diagnosis before I started meds.  I talked to a lot of people and did some reading and my first choice would have been sustiva and truvada.  But I had the opportunity to join a study.  Part of the study was double blinded. I took the study because I thought it would give me closer monitoring and because it had the resources of the Washington University Clinical Trials unit behind it. (in the end, that really didn't make a difference).  I ended up being in the sustiva arm.  But I did have some serious side effects to the "other" drug.  They were serious enough that the study was unblinded. I found out I was on sustiva and epzicom.  I had none of the normal side effects, just some intense pain, probably from the abacavir.  Anyway, they changed one of the drugs and I'm on sustiva, epivir, and videx ec.  After about 40 doses the pain and aching side effect seems to be clearing up.   So basically, go with a good combo and maybe you won't have any side effects at all.  If you do, most people say they will clear up or at least be tolerable.  I've known individuals who had some issues for a week and then it got better and now a year down the road they say they have virtually no side effects at all.  For me, it looks like a couple of months may take care of my side effects.  AT least I'm hoping.

I'm still partial to the sustiva/truvada (which I've never been on because of being in the study).  But that combo will be available as a single pill later this year.  On the PI side, I'm told that one of the better tolerated combos is Reyataz boosted with Noriv and Truvada.  The Epzicom is also a very effective drug as long as you don't have a reaction to the abacavir in it.  I have a good friend who was in South Dakota who was on sustiva and combivir and after a short bout with side effects he says he does great and goes on with life like normal.

There are plenty of combos out there.  Just find the one that works for you and is easiest to remain compliant with.  I like the once a day dosing of several of the combos.  It just seems to be so much easier to make sure I get them taken. I take mine all together at about 6 AM every morning.  With many of the once a day dosings you do have a bit of a window for taking the drugs.  My pharmacist said that I had about a 4 hour window and would still be considered totally compliant if I did it within that window.  But it all depends on the combo you are on.

David
Diagnosed 1/9/06
8/27/2007 CD4 598, 29%, VL 58 (72 wks)
11/19/2007 CD4 609, 30%, VL < 50 (84 wks)
2/11/2008 CD4 439, 27%, VL <50 (96 wks)
5/5/2008 CD4 535, 28%, VL <50 (108 wks)
10/20/2008 CD4 680, 28%, VL <50 (132 wks)
Changed to Atripla in 2012
1/14/2013 CD4 855, 35%, VL <40

Offline blondbeauty

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,787
Re: Will start meds within the year
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2006, 06:33:02 pm »
My Dr. is going to put me on Sustiva/Truvada. Donīt ask me why...because its the first line treatment he uses in all his patients. He says I am going to do great.  :-\
The only member in these forums approved by WINBA: World International Nail and Beauty Association.
Epstein Barr +; CMV +; Toxoplasmosis +; HIV-1 +.
Counts when starting treatment:
V.L.:80.200 copies. CD4: 25%=503
Started Sustiva-Truvada 14/August/2006
Last V.L.count (Oct 2013): Undetectable
Last CD4 count (OCT 2013): 52%= 933

Offline Lurch

  • New Member
  • Posts: 2
Re: Will start meds within the year
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2006, 11:23:40 pm »
thanks to everyone for  the advice.
Part of me wishes my doctor would just tell me what to do rather than give me the opportunity to study my options.  I just want to tell her to give me latest and easiest regimen.

Anyway,

thanks everyone

 


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.