POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: PJC0510 on November 05, 2007, 12:14:47 pm
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Hello!
I am looking for some advice please.
I am currently on Kaltetra and Truvada (I have been since I was diagnosed). I am having the poop iissues associated with Kaltera and am considering switching to the new drug Prezista.
Does any one know how Prezista is and what are the chance I will be come immune to the kaletra?
Thanks!
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I take Prezista and have been on it for 18 months. It's a very good drug, and much less diarrhea issues than Kaletra (which I was on for year previous to my current regimen). You have to take a small 100mg Norvir booster with Prezista, and Norvir CAN cause some diarrhea, but it's minimal and manageable.
I would assume that if you have no resistance to Kaletra showing up on a genotype test currently and switch to Prezista than you'd be fine in terms of resistance. Have you not discussed this issue with your doctor? I was under the impression that Prezista is still only FDA approved for patients showing resistance issues in the first place, so I'm not sure why they wouldn't try and switch you to another first line PI instead of Prezista. Maybe this issue has changed and/or a creative doctor can get around this -- not sure.
Have you not tried to resolve the diarrhea issues with Kaletra by other routes like consistent intake of loperamide, etc.? If so what are you taking, how much and how consistent?
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I read where you have to be resistent to other drugs to be considered for Prezista. Maybe Atripla is another option.
I take Immodium from time to time but really hate to any other pills in my body, I rarely take any thing for a headache. '
I am going to try the yogurt route to see if it subsides this week, I have an appointment next Monday to discuss it with my Dr, I am also having some slight dizziness which I do not know why....
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I take Immodium from time to time but really hate to any other pills in my body, I rarely take any thing for a headache.
Perhaps you should reconsider this view. It ain't going to change as you journey down your HIV road. HIV=pills... lots of them.
Even with less diarrhea issues than when I was on Kaletra I take TWELVE pills daily for digestive issues. I'm an extreme case, but I took 16 of them while on Kaletra -- and I've had to aggressively deal with this issue for a good decade.. but then I have a lot of resistance issues, and my options are quite limited probably compared with you, so talk to your doctor and see what he says about a switch.
It is what it is.
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I understand that there will be many pills, but I will save my liver functions for the ones I really need for the HIV. I just do not think that pills are the onlky cure all for all issues.
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Well, you're free to do as you wish and suffer needlessly from running to the restroom.
As far as others on the board reading this thread, I am not aware of any long term "liver" issues with the therapeutic use of loperamide. If you'd like to provide some links stating that this is the case feel free to do so. Like I stated, I've taken it for a decade and have no issues.
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Hello
Options:
1. Sustiva, yes much less poop, more tripping (for some people).
2. Reyataz, much less poop, bit of yellowing in some people, and resistance evolution favourable for return to many other PIs including Kaletra and the resistance busting Prezista, kinder to lipids, requires less Norvir to boost << v good this.
3. Prezista, yes, good drug so far, durable, squits seem less in most people - not really a concern losing Kaletra here.
4. Viramune, cousin of Sustiva, only good for men with CD4s under 400 or women under 250 unless perhaps switching with an undetectable viral load, more liver issues, risk of rash, but otherwise a goodie.
Subject to resistance considerations of course.
5. Loperamide, and lots of it as needed. It's impossible to take too much, ignore the packet label. But I hear you on more drugs = bad.
The squits is just not acceptable in my book. What is life if not a well-dammed river?
- matt
Now playing: some javascript rollover effect (I am truly retro)
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Dr Ben was just mentioning to me about Kaletra (which I am on) with Truvada vs Presista. I am not having near the problems some seem to have. I have not done alot of looking at Presista but it looks like they are opening this up to niave folks as well...
I think your viral loads tell all-- you're one where the levels are
definitely sufficient to suppress your virus. Nonetheless, I do think
that we're beginning to see the beginning of better medications than
Kaletra- as seen in the ARTEMIS study.
Ben
http://www.projinf.org/icaac/091807a.html
On my next visit, I plan on talking with the Doc about it..
Eric
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My viral load has always been undetectable, so I guess I will talk with Dr. Kevin on Monday about switching.
I agree that the hershey squirts should not be lived with. Plus the occasional sharts, which I had one last Saturyday, I thank God that they were old boxers!
Thanks for all the information, it is greatly appreciated!
Peace, love and happiness!
Peter!