Author Topic: No Side Effects doing fine on HAART please post I'm Scared to start HAART (Read 8749 times)

bimazek · « **on:** November 09, 2007, 11:00:48 pm »

No Side Effects doing fine on HAART please post I'm Scared to start HAART

Please, please in my support groups lots of guys caught HIV in the last year or two and are on Atripla or another HAART combo and they say in group they have NO side effects at all, NONE.

If this is your experience please post here, it will help many people who come later to see that there is hope.

Please post only if you have NO noticeable side effects and tolerate the meds well. Lots of guys in my group say they don't have any problems with the meds.

Also please only post if you were exposed to virus in the last 2 or 3 years or so when the new easier pills came out. Please post on this thread only if you were negative in the recent past like 3 or 4 years.

personally i am afraid to start, i got blood work this week.

I hear if you start when your Tcells are over 350 you have very few side effects.

Please post you good stories here... please thank you

BobF · « **Reply #1 on:** November 10, 2007, 01:06:33 pm »

HI. I started Atripla a couple of months ago and have had only limited issues. I've learned that it helps to take it 2 hours before bed so that it doesn't keep me from sleeping. I have vivid dreams periodically, but that's it so far! I started with CD4's right around 375.

newbie76 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 11, 2007, 01:46:46 pm »

Hello there!
I have started Sustiva and Truvada in May this year. I was understandably scared the night I had to start and had only a small salad early in the evening to minimize potential side effects from the Sustiva and then waited until 22.30 and swallowed my first 2 pills. I was in bed with the lgiht on and my eyes open, waiting. Not sure what exactly for, but waiting nevertheless.

Then I fell asleep, eventually. Slept like a baby. Woke up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet and I could feel the room spinning a bit, but nothing major- Went back to bed and slept all the way through the night. The next morning (a Sunday, I was advised to start at the weekend so that I wouldn't have to go to work), I just felt a bit strange, like if I had a bad hangover, but nothing too bad. By 10am everything was gone.

After more than 6 monhs, nothing happens anymore. Just sometimes if I eat at the same time as taking my pills I feel a bit spaced out. But it's actually a nice feeling. Like if you're a bit drunk!

I hope this combo will keep on working for me for as long as possible because I am very happy on it!

antibody · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2007, 03:24:38 pm »

no major complaints here. I past the year mark on meds back in July. all my liver, kidney, and metabolic type test come out in the normal range. I did have to switch because of CNS side effects from Atripla to boosted Reyataz and Truvada w/ Norvir six months ago back in March. no complaints since then. no diarrhea . nothing. so far so good. I am worried about the long term effects of being on these meds but as of now nothing seems to be going wrong. knock on wood.

bocker3 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 24, 2007, 09:21:50 pm »

Been taking Atripla (Sustiva/Truvada) for just about 2 yrs now. Except for some dizziness the first couple of days, the only side effects were very vivid dreams (I actually liked them). The sustiva actually helps me sleep. Now, if I take my atripla with some high fat foods (especially Krispy Kreme donuts) I feel sort of drunk about 90 mins after.
I've also been taking Reyataz/Norvir for about a year and half (had to add it to the Atripla due to some nuke resistance that I acquired with my virus) -- except for an initial rise in bilirubin, which is back to normal, nothing of note.

Not sure when I was infected -- but had my last neg. test in 2001. Can you explain to me what difference it would make anyway?? I might understand if you wanted input from folks who started meds when the "new easier pills came out", but can't understand why it would matter what the meds were like when one got infected. Just asking.....

Mike

ARMANDO · « **Reply #5 on:** November 25, 2007, 10:23:27 am »

the only problems that i have experienced with truvada is the cramping,bloating and a few times that i have shit in my pants,LOL.OTHER THAN THAT ,NO PROBLEMS!!!

Matthew · « **Reply #6 on:** November 25, 2007, 02:50:46 pm »

Hi,
This is my first post on this site, but I have been on it reading for around 2 years. Anyway, I was diagnosed 2 years ago, and I started Atripla 1 week ago on Nov. 19th. My CD4 had fallen to 302 (17%), VL 44,000. The 1st and 2nd night I had some unusual dreams, and the 1st day I felt a little drugged out. The last 4 nights have been as normal as they were before the drugs.

I would say no worries. I do feel the effects of alchol quicker since starting the meds.

Good Luck.

bimazek · « **Reply #7 on:** November 27, 2007, 02:17:00 pm »

Quote from: Matthew on November 25, 2007, 02:50:46 pm

Hi,
This is my first post on this site, but I have been on it reading for around 2 years. Anyway, I was diagnosed 2 years ago, and I started Atripla 1 week ago on Nov. 19th. My CD4 had fallen to 302 (17%), VL 44,000. The 1st and 2nd night I had some unusual dreams, and the 1st day I felt a little drugged out. The last 4 nights have been as normal as they were before the drugs.

I would say no worries. I do feel the effects of alchol quicker since starting the meds.

Good Luck.

matthew thanks for posting and thanks for sharing your experience
your great results with meds give me hope and peace this is good news to hear
i wish you best of luck

bimazek · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2008, 06:45:02 pm »

looks like my numbers up I may have to go o HAART very very soon
still very scared
worried about how i will feel
on the meds
not sure if i can do this every day forever
for rest of my life

but i have having all these classic terrible small signs of problems

i can say one thing, vitamins and suppliments have not done anything in my humble opinion

post your experiences going on HAART

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2008, 07:07:06 pm »

Look Kid if you're so terrified of the pills, don't take 'em. See how well you do then.

Matty the Damned is pretty sure that at the first sign of some decent thrush or a lusty outbreak of seb derm you'll high-tail it to your doctor and start howling for medications.

I suspect this has very little to do with you being frightened of side effects and more to do with the fact that you just can't cope with being HIV positive. A cursory reading of your posting here suggests that you're long on denial and fairly short on reality.

Outside of this place and your dinky little support group, I'd wager you conceal your HIV status to the point that you'd lie about it if asked.

MtD

joemutt · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2008, 01:14:58 am »

You're looking for guarantees where there are none.

sacinsc · « **Reply #11 on:** January 14, 2008, 03:54:23 am »

I agree, no guarantees. I know people on the same combo that I am on and do have side effects. Personally, there is no health issue that I can attribute as a side-effect to my combo. I found out though that if I take them with lots of food I get bad cramps, so I take it later after a meal. No more problems. But there are other people here on my combo that have had yellow eyes, (OK I did have that once, but it was my fault really) they get bad heartburn, etc etc. You won't know the side effects until you take the pills. Period. There are so many listed on my combo I could turn into a freak of nature if I had them all....bottom line is, other than the one time I looked like demon from the yellow eyes, I have been fine. You probably will to. If not, then the doc will change the combo so that you are.

Matt

vokz · « **Reply #12 on:** January 14, 2008, 05:37:45 am »

I can’t say that I have NO side effects; but I have learnt to manage my life and medications in such a way that I don’t notice any side effects, sleep normally and don’t have to think about what/when I eat.

I think it would be unreasonable of you to expect to be able to start taking your medications and notice nothing at all; but, given a few months and a little patience, there is a good chance that you can learn to live with the drugs (adjust medication times, be aware of what/when you eat etc.) and experience minimal, or no, noticeable side effects.

Sherbert · « **Reply #13 on:** January 14, 2008, 09:17:37 am »

I started meds scared like no other... I was okay up until the night that I was to begin, then I had an emotional break down from being scared.. Since starting them though, I feel a lot better. Im on Truvada, Norvir, and Rayatez...At first I had really crazy trippy dreams and was dizzy and felt like puking for an hour or two...but after about a week I noticed that it started to go away... I've been on my HAART treatment for ummmm..4 months now I think, and very rarly do I get nausua ....All seems to be going well with it, and I have adjusted to it. The most important thing is to remember to have a system that helps you remembering to take them.. I just use my cell phone alarm clock..I would have to say the only thing I dont like, is that I have to eat with them....Sometimes Im just not hungry...but I also take marinol, so I always got the munchies....I love it...! Hope this helps a little...

budndallastx · « **Reply #14 on:** January 17, 2008, 09:12:32 pm »

Like you I was scared senseless about starting HAART. I have been on Sustiva and Truvada for 14 months with no major problems. The first night on Sustiva was wild with the room spinning as I got up in the middle of the night to take a leak. This quickly disappeared within a couple of days. I had wild dreams but no nightmares and they have slowly become less frequent. The Truvada caused a slight itch for about the first week but benedryl kept it under control. All in all, I have been doing great and my counts are slowly increasing. The best advice I can provide is to follow the directions on waiting two hours before taking Sustiva. You'll adapt to the drugs and if you have concerns after taking them, be sure to talk to the doctor since they should be well versed on side effects.

Good luck !!

BT65 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 17, 2008, 10:15:18 pm »

I really don't know what all the fuss about Sustiva is about. I loved the side effects from it-reminded me of the some of the good old days. The difference being now, I'm taking something that will actually help me.

SanDiegoMan · « **Reply #16 on:** January 18, 2008, 04:35:52 pm »

Hey there I see you probably have as many responses as you need to your post on Nov. 7 . However I would like to add one more to the many positive responses I am sure you received. I have been on my first regimen for over a year and have had ABSOLUTLEY NO SIDE AFFECTS! I know this isn't the case for everybody but that is my experience. I am taking truvada, Norvir, Reyetaz 3 pills 1 time in the morning and all is well. I am curious to hear how it is going for you now that u have probably started yours. No matter what just keep trying to find the combo that works for you. I can't find the words to adequately describe the feeling of relief and hope that knowing that your undetectable brings. Admittedly my status as undetecable has has come at little or no expense to my health It may be different for a person who's changed meds several times before finding the combo right for them. Any questions you have please feel free to ask. My email is steven_winsett@yahoo.com GOOD LUCK and God Bless!! Steven

libvet · « **Reply #17 on:** January 20, 2008, 12:49:21 pm »

Been on Sustiva for 8 years now (switched out combivir for truvada a few years back).

I work full time and am doing great. Your mileage may vary, but remember people are much more likely to post their bad experiences and side effects than people who are having no problems with them and it makes things look scary.

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Author Topic: No Side Effects doing fine on HAART please post I'm Scared to start HAART (Read 8749 times)

BobF