Atripla- Blotchy Skin?

[Papillon_44]

Anyone experiencing blotchy skin on their face with Atripla?  I have some rosacea like symptoms that have gotten worse since I've started Atripla (tenofovir (Viread), emtricitabine (Emtriva),  efavirenz (Sustiva)).  It almost looks like a fungus on my cheeks- the skin is mottled looking- but it isn't itchy or bumpy like a rash.  It is only on my face too.  I don't know what to think.  I am embarrassed to go out looking like I do.  Anyone experience this? 

[RapidRod]

Nope and I've been on Atripla since it has been out.

[Hellraiser]

Anyone experiencing blotchy skin on their face with Atripla?  I have some rosacea like symptoms that have gotten worse since I've started Atripla (tenofovir (Viread), emtricitabine (Emtriva),  efavirenz (Sustiva)).  It almost looks like a fungus on my cheeks- the skin is mottled looking- but it isn't itchy or bumpy like a rash.  It is only on my face too.  I don't know what to think.  I am embarrassed to go out looking like I do.  Anyone experience this? 

How long on atripla and what were your starting numbers?  I had a pretty severe "outbreak" type reaction for a couple of months after starting atripla as time wore on (and my CD4 rose) it went away.

[Zohar]

I had blotchy skin when I was on Atripla and it returned to normal when I came off it. But when I started my next regime - Nevirapine and Truvada, it happened again. I'm now inclined to believe it was the Truvada that caused it.

[Papillon_44]

My CD4 was at 240 and my VL was at 35,000.  What the Fuc@?  I thought this drug was suposed to help improve your health not make you look like crap!  Frankly I would rather be dead in a coffin than have to endure all the weird side effects HIV meds cause- they seem to be TOXIC.  My personality has changed, my sleeping patterns have changed, my skin is ruined and now my hair is starting to fall out....  Alll these HIV drugs cause some sort of permanent damage to your body and to me it's not worth it...

[Miss Philicia]

Alll these HIV drugs cause some sort of permanent damage to your body and to me it's not worth it...

Simmer down darling -- I know the feeling of bad reactions to meds, but trust me when I say if you don't resolve what's going on with this one drug there are other things to switch to that won't cause such mayhem. 

You stated on July 6th that you've had this issue previously, but it's just worsened.  Skin issues suck, and no you're not being vain.  I'm not an Atripla expert but some have reported a rash while their immune system adjusts itself, but then it goes away.

If you think you'd rather be in a hospital bed with PCP rather than taking HIV medications I'd just advise not to do that, because it's way worse than a month of bad skin.  And like I said, if this doesn't simmer down for you in time you can rightfully be insistent with your doctor about changing to another medication regimen.  It's not like Atripla is the only thing on the market, it's just the only regimen that comes in one dose.

[Papillon_44]

I had the mild rosacea just a few months prior to my starting meds and it has gotten worse by 10 fold.  It’s not a rash it is red blotchy marks (with some normal color spots inside) that don’t go away. 

People talk about how bringing your VL to undetectable as the goal- but at what cost?  What are the long term effects of these HIV drugs?  Liver problems, Kidney problems, Sleep problems, skin problems, hair loss, neuropathy and dementia?  And you are supposed to take even more drugs to address the side effects which compromise your health even more.  I used to be scared to even take an aspirin. Now I’m stuck with a potentially debilitating and disfiguring HIV medication regimen.

The long term effects of these drugs are just as ruinous as PCP or any of the other opportunistic things that happen with people with AIDS.  It just happens over time instead of sooner.

Is it worth it all to have a quantity of life but no quality? 

[jonny81]

Just going through your other posts - and yes duuuude you need to chill out. Yikes.

Like anything in life - give it a little time.

Jx

[debsd222]

I had blotchy skin when I was on Atripla and it returned to normal when I came off it. But when I started my next regime - Nevirapine and Truvada, it happened again. I'm now inclined to believe it was the Truvada that caused it.

Ive had little red lesions on my arms since I started on meds....I take truvada so Im wondering if thats the culprit. They dont go away. Mostly ugly but itchy too. Doc says if they're still there next visit he'll biopsy them...which seems weird to me, Id think a culture would be more appropriate because they're little open sores. Guess Im not really a doctor, just think I am.

[Zohar]

I had open sores on my ears when I was on nevirapine and truvada. It was one of the reasons I had to stop that regime, along with the generalised intensely itchy rash I experienced.