POZ Community Forums

Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: jonnyboo on October 08, 2006, 10:25:14 pm

Title: side effects how long do they last
Post by: jonnyboo on October 08, 2006, 10:25:14 pm

i am starting my antiretroviral treatment in a week, so i have taken two weeks leave so i can deal with the side effects.

i am looking to go on combivir and nevirapine.

so what will happen? what are the side effects? will i need longer off??

Title: Re: side effects how long do they last
Post by: bubble on October 09, 2006, 12:23:03 am

everyone is different apparently. i started Kaletra/Truvada almost 2 weeks ago and so far for me i've had no side effects really. I was afraid I would be running back and forth to the toilet every second but I'm fine. My doc was going to put me on Combivir but I chose Truvada instead. He said there were no side effects from the Combivir that would keep me from working either. I read on here that one guy didn't start having GI side effects with Kaletra for one month but that was due to alcohol. I guess what i'm saying is that you will just have to see. I was really scared but it's been much better - so much better than i could have imagined. good luck.

Title: Re: side effects how long do they last
Post by: Christine on October 09, 2006, 10:52:29 am

Everyone is different in how they respond to meds, so it is hard to predict how you will respond. My experience has been that the side effects last about two weeks. I have had some meds which the side effects started with the first dose (Invirase, Sustiva), and some which started about 10 days after the first dose (Bactrim).

Try not to worry about it. And IF anything were to occur, call your Doctor. There are options to help with the side effects.
Christine