Author Topic: Personal journey, start of treatment with Stribild (Read 28993 times)

fgh12 · « **on:** May 08, 2014, 11:36:51 am »

Hey guys, I decided to document the start of my journey, and I kinda need the support as I also have 1 friend that knows. Also, while doing my own research, I found it very helpful to read other journals of people starting on meds, it gave me support and the feeling that I'm not alone.

I was diagnosed as positive in September 2013 with a cd4 of 320. Which was a total shock, the reason I was diagnosed was actually because I went in to get PEP, as my date his condom broke and he told me then that he was positive.
In January my cd4 was 690 and 2 days ago it was 800. So September must have been my acute phase.

It's been especially hard for me as am I'm a young doctor myself. I had to find a hospital where I didn't have colleagues I personally knew and I kept blaming myself in the beginning that I should have known better.
Anyway, I found a great doctor and she gives me a lot of freedom regarding treatment etc. I read hundreds of articles and decided for myself that Stribild would be my best option.

So yesterday, I picked up my prescription and in the evening at 6.30 PM I took my first pill. I kept telling myself to man up and don't cry while taking the first pill. Thank god a friend called and asked me to join him to the movies. He doesn't know though.... I took the pill and all these doom scenarios kept flashing through my head.

But absolutely nothing happened! Today i felt fine as well, in 1 hour I'm going to take my 2nd pill, and I'm going to hope everything is going to stay fine....

Are there others men that recently started with Stribild as well?

Will try and keep updating!

Ps, are there any other Positive doctors on this forum? I would love to hear from you

survivor703 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2014, 11:43:31 am »

Hello fgh12, welcome to the forums. I too am doing a "personal journey" of taking the meds, and it's a great idea. It helps others, and it's also a good reference for yourself if you ever need to look back and see how you were feeling on a particular day.

Anyway, congratulations on taking your first pill. You'll do just fine.

Best,
Survivor

fgh12 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2014, 11:48:13 am »

Hi Survivor703,

I was just reading your personal journal as well.
I (and many others I assume) know exactly how you feel.
Good luck with your treatment, glad you've been doing well thus so far

fgh12 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2014, 12:52:42 pm »

So I took my 2nd pill a while ago, and now I'm just sitting behind the computer and over analysing myself if I feel anything weird! I'm assuming in a while when I get used to taking meds I will stop this over analysing....

vertigo · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2014, 01:45:31 pm »

Hello fgh12 and welcome. You've found a good place for support, and you are most definitely not alone with what you're experiencing.

I know a poz doc in real life, but I don't know if we have any participating on the forum. There are some other medical professionals here, nurses I know. Perhaps some will PM you if they want to answer directly.

In any event, doctors are human like everyone else, and the virus is non-discriminatory in that regard. I hope that you're not too hard on yourself over your dx.

As for Stribild, I've heard some guys get nausea with it early on, but that it passes. If you're not experiencing any side effects now, the odds are that you won't.

Renick65 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2014, 05:42:48 pm »

Hi fgh12,

I'm just through month 4 on Stribild after being infected last fall, and I had the same anxiety over potential side effects as you do. In retrospect, I don't know what I was so worked up about, very few people have any side effects of any kind. But we're all worried about being in that 1% or less, aren't we? Starting a regimen of a new-ish drug when it's the first treatment for a new infection can be overwhelming to anyone. If you haven't had a serious reaction for the first couple of days, it's extremely unlikely that you'll have any problems. After the third day without reaction (except for feeling much better!), I figured I was golden. It did occasionally give me a weird but mild headache for the first month, but only when I didn't take it with a regular meal. I have no issues at all now except for a bit of gassy Truvada effects, which again are almost always solved by taking it with a big enough meal.

Good luck with your treatment, it will become routine and you'll feel better about it before you know it.

eric48 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 11, 2014, 07:37:29 am »

I did not know that they are offering stribild for PEP,that was worth learning... Eric

Ann · « **Reply #7 on:** May 11, 2014, 08:27:33 am »

Quote from: eric48 on May 11, 2014, 07:37:29 am

I did not know that they are offering stribild for PEP,that was worth learning... Eric

They're NOT offering Stribild for PEP - it's too new. The OP was diagnosed as a result of the rapid hiv testing you must undergo when presenting in an ER asking for PEP. His rapid test was obviously poz, so therefore PEP was not initiated.

He only recently decided on Stribild as his combo for treatment, after he'd tested poz in September 2013, had it confirmed, and had some labs back. Go back and re-read his posts.

Hi FGH, welcome to the forums. You're not the only doctor here, although the few that we have don't post all that often. They're usually young and newly qualified, or still in med school. Hopefully some of them will pop in soon, read your thread and respond.

You seem to be handling things well, but don't beat yourself up if you have the odd day where it "gets" to you. It can be a real rollercoaster ride of emotions in the beginning, and sometimes that ride can be a bit slow to start. Sometimes it never starts - everyone is different. Just allow yourself to honestly look at and feel your emotions, whatever they may be. And you can always come here to offload some of what comes up too.

You're going to be ok, ok?

Ann

eric48 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 11, 2014, 12:11:45 pm »

Hi fgh12,

Welcome here...

I was wondering if Stribuild will , at some point, be offered as PEP...

Looking forward to read more from you

Eric

fgh12 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 12, 2014, 11:40:19 am »

vertigo Thank you so much. I saw a few posts from other medical professionals as well, but haven't found any poz docs on here yet. I was hoping to, as I wanted to know how they deal with it.

I've kinda accepted it but I have more difficulties with switching to being a patient. It's weird from me, after consultation hours, to leave the hospital and head to another hospital and go sit in the waiting room. It may sound stupid, but I'm used to being in control and being the doctor, reading the lab results etc.
So that is the thing that is really difficult for me and what I would love to discuss with other doctors. Fortunately I have a great doc that gives me lots of freedom and sometimes tell me to try and relax and give him the control.

Also, the stigma like many others. A week ago I was putting an IV in a patient that had difficult veins, but when I arrived, the nurse told me twice to 'watch out cause he's HIV positive'. I just said ok thanks, but of course that's BS cause if you follow the normal rules, nothing should go wrong. Unless I do something wrong with the IV and puncture myself with the needle, she shouldn't tell me that. Stuff like this has happened a few times now and I feel ashamed for my colleagues. I haven't told anyone but 1 friend, and I have to admit, I'm happy I did this.

fgh12 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 12, 2014, 11:52:13 am »

Hi Renick65,

thanks for your message. Indeed, I was very scared to be part of the 1%. I still am but I am more relaxed now. Today is day 5 and I haven't experienced any side effects.
Sunday we had a brunch at a friend, but because of the weather, I left my jacket with my pills at home. So when we arrived I was panicking in myself. I didn't miss it, I just forgot the pill lol. So there I was trying to smile while thinking how I could have been that stupid. There was no option to just go home and get it, so I tried to relax and enjoy the brunch.

In the end, I took the pill 2.5 hours later than I should have. Gilead sciences says you can take a forgotten dosage up to 18 hours after your 'normal' time, which is good. I think for Complera this is 12 hours, so I think Stribild is more 'forgiving' in terms of missed dosage.

Anyway, no side effects till now. I'm going to get some blood work done next week to see how my liver and kidneys are functioning, but I'm not expecting anything weird.
Hope it stays like this, I have to say the medication thing is going much better than expected! Sometimes I just have to think more positive (lol, what's in a word)

fgh12 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 12, 2014, 12:08:12 pm »

@eric48: Eric, The adm is totally right, they are not offering Stribild for PEP. I indeed went in to get PEP but I turned out to be positive already. As for your other question, I don't know. I'm from the EU so our rules are different. Stribild has only been available to us since the end of last year. It is also one of the most expensive all in 1 pills available at the moment, so I don't think they're going to offer it for PEP anytime soon.

@Ann: Thank you so much for your kind words! I feel blessed that nowadays you can just go online and post your concerns and frustrations anonymously. I cannot imagine having to go to a special meeting to talk lol. (nothing wrong with those btw but I'm kinda private). I'm not much of an emotional person. I wanted to start with meds as soon as possible though, as this gives me a feeling of being in control.

The thing that does worry me a lot is a potential partner. And I don't mean dates, I mean a real boyfriend. I know it's not correct, but I used to think of myself of being a pretty good catch. Young, Great career and future, model looks (don't laugh, I'm just being honest lol), fun personality. And now, I keep wondering if I'm going to find someone that I can tell the truth. I'm really scared of telling the truth and people finding out through this person. Are there any people on this forum that are POZ on meds and haven't told their partner or current lover? Does being POZ mean that I can only get the left overs now? That is a question that I keep asking myself....

vertigo · « **Reply #12 on:** May 12, 2014, 01:44:18 pm »

Hi fgh, thanks for posting again. Glad the Stribild is working out for you. Taking it a few hours late isn't going to do any harm, but for peace of mind get yourself a keychain pill fob, that way you can carry around a few extra doses with you. Will alleviate the anxiety that comes with missing your regular dosing time.

I can't imagine being poz and not telling a partner. I mean, what's the point of having a partner if you can't be honest about yourself? Not to mention ordinary disclosure for sexual health & legal reasons. That just doesn't add up for me.

Also, most of us pozzies do not consider ourselves to be the "left overs" -- although it's understandable that you might feel that way right now. Why aren't you still a catch? Guess what, you're still the hot young doctor that you were a year ago. Only now with a chronic medical condition, albeit one soon to be controlled. HIV will limit your dating pool a bit, but maybe not as much as you think. How you feel about yourself is going to inform how other people feel about you.

Hang in there, you're doing OK. I hope you can find more than just the one person to confide in, because emotional support is really important -- even for us unemotional, controlling, type-A types.

fgh12 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 12, 2014, 02:07:52 pm »

I didn't mean the pozzies, I meant the really old creepy guy nobody wants to date lol.

buginme2 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 12, 2014, 03:36:36 pm »

I'm a positive guy who's married to a negative guy. We are both at the top of our professions, r rather attractive although not model good looks as yourself and have definitely not settled for leftovers. So why would you?

Not to mention you can go to jail for not telling your partners you are positive. Google HIV criminalization.

fgh12 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 12, 2014, 03:51:16 pm »

buginme2
That sounds lovely. Did you start dating while you were positive?
I wasn't planning on not telling in a relationship but I'm curious if there any guys here that didn't tell their partner.
Yeah, the rules vary per country of course but I am aware of them

PS I was just kidding, didn't mean to sound arrogant, though I do model lol.

Took pill 6 a few hours ago and nothing, I'm feeling relieved...

buginme2 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 12, 2014, 04:12:21 pm »

I found out while we were already dating.

HIV plays little to no influence in our relationship nor in our own personal lives. Of course the first year I was a little obsessed about it, reading all I could about it and doing my own research..just like you are doing now. After so long you stop. At some point you will get on with your life. HIV stops being important. He and I rarely discuss it. Not because we avoid the topic, we just have more important things to discuss.

I'll probably get a bunch of flack on here for saying this but the hardest part was finding friends or others who were positive and professionals. I think it has more to do with they just keep their status private. Which is what I do also.

Funny thing was, this guy who I work with on a regular basis ended up being positive. I saw his bottle of HIV meds in his gym bag. So they are out there.

fgh12 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 12, 2014, 04:39:09 pm »

That's nice, I would like to reach that phase one day.
Being a perfectionist, I feel that being positive is a major flaw, as stupid as it sounds. The obsessed part sounds really familiar, I've spending days and days reading articles.
it.
It doesn't help either that I see poz patients with complications every week. It's a constant reminder that I'm positive and what the future might bring.

I can relate to your professionals and positive sentence. In the medical world it could even harm your career. If patients knew you were positive, would they still let you operate on them or not. So in the end I choose to shut up and keep it to myself

Paladin · « **Reply #18 on:** May 14, 2014, 11:50:14 pm »

Congrats on getting on meds so quickly. Converted and diagnosed early 2013 and after many rounds with physicians, I finally started on atripla, but had such a bad reaction to the pill, depression and insomnia, that I was switched over to stribild even though my doctor didn't have many patients taking it. I have to say that it has been a great pill for the 8 months I have been on it. Side effects have been mostly non existent, my creatinine has been just over the high end of normal but has remained stable and my dr just keeps my bloodwork on a regular schedule to be sure it doesn't change. Also, my viral load dropped to undetectable in less than 60 days and has stayed there ever since. My cd4 has popped up to over 800 after starting at 500. I can only say that stribild has been a great choice for me and I hope that it is for you also. Be sure that you are eating with it, and hopefully you will see great progress in your treatment. Congrats again.

justmints · « **Reply #19 on:** May 16, 2014, 08:40:17 am »

Hey glad things are going well for you with the Stribild. I am on it as well and find it so easy. In terms of Doctors I did see a med student in dundee who has also gone the Stribild route. Which part of the EU are you from?

fgh12 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 20, 2014, 05:23:59 pm »

@ Paladin

sorry I haven't been on the forum in a few weeks.

Thanks for your message! Hm, thats good for you, a good 8 months. I feel a little more relaxed every day.
I'm worried about my kidney function though, I know the Cobicistat 'temporarily' effects the gfr rate and that the changes are reversible, ( http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/770066) but it's not like we're stopping any time soon. Went in for bloodwork today, so next week I'll know more about my liver, kidneys etc. How much did yours drop?

I've been trying to eat with eat, but I don't eat that much fat...

@ justmints

I'm from Belgium. So your journey on stribild has been relatively easy as well?

Question for all of you, do you get gassy a few hours after taking the pills too?

I think it's the Truvada, but I would like to hear some tips to make it better

mecch · « **Reply #21 on:** May 20, 2014, 06:53:57 pm »

Just the leftovers?

Ann · « **Reply #22 on:** May 21, 2014, 04:33:27 am »

Quote from: fgh12 on May 20, 2014, 05:23:59 pm

Question for all of you, do you get gassy a few hours after taking the pills too?

I think it's the Truvada, but I would like to hear some tips to make it better

Definitely the Truvada! (More specifically, it's the tenofovir in the Truvada.) I find that the more I eat when I take my meds, the less gas I experience afterwards.

The rare time I've taken them on an empty stomach (I have to eat at least a snack due to the Prezista I also take) the gas has been unbelievable. Much smellier as well.

I live alone so the gas isn't usually a problem, although I get dirty looks from my cats sometimes.

When I'm in company and the gas strikes, I find an excuse to leave the room for a moment.

fgh12 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 26, 2014, 04:37:31 pm »

Can anyone recommend me some generic vitamin or brand that sells pills that are green/mint coloured like stribild? When in the gym etc I just want to be able to pretend that I'm taking vitamin pills.

Oh and please no lectures on 'you should just use the normal bottle bla bla'

Dan0 · « **Reply #24 on:** May 26, 2014, 04:59:42 pm »

Almost anything that is for a green tea pill/capsule is similar.Not an exact replica, obviously - but it's green and if someone at a gym is getting THAT close to you when you're downing a pill then they have more issues than a tread mill will cure.

I've seen so many supplements, powders and pills popped at a gym that I don't even pay attention to what anyone is juicing up on and they don't care, either. With GNC doing so well, most of the gym bags coming and going have that familiar rattle of pills in bottles. There are so many varieties of 'stuff' - and I'm sure you've seen plenty - that I doubt anyone is analyzing what your on. Green tea.....easy out, everyone knows about it, nothing 'new age' that you'll have to come up with a cover story for, etc. frankly, I just don't think in that environment anyone cares what anyone else is popping or spending too much time watching you.

Why the gym? Just curious. I'd be more afraid of someone ripping off my bag with all the travels to and from, leaving it in the car, forgetting it, etc. I'd opt for the security of knowing exactly where those horse pills are day in and out, knowing (about) how many are there and that no matter what happens, I got my stash !

mecch · « **Reply #25 on:** May 27, 2014, 07:37:03 am »

I agree with Dan. Do you keep your supply of medicine at the gym, or just carry about a single day, a single dose? Get a pill fob and don't think about who is watching you take pills. Or if it really bugs you, take you pills in discrete place.

Right now my pill fob is one of these freebie little round aluminium ass-trays that pop open and close with a push of the finger. I throw whatever pills I might need during the day and voila.

la-hir · « **Reply #26 on:** May 27, 2014, 08:49:26 am »

Hi all there! Today come my first supply of my medicine. I am first in my clinic who was perscribed Stribild... Nurses, Pharmacist and Dr are exited see how I'll get on this med. So, when I pick my first pack (month supply) from pharmacy I was sitting in small coffe area and buy nice cake with Soya late and take my first pill.

it is two hours later now and I am fine.

if any site effects come - how long after the pill I can expect them? And my other question how long are people already on this med and how they generally do in longer run??? Any ID?
Anyway- going for blood done in two weeks. My last blood was VL 50K and cd4 386 21% I'll keep you up-date how am doing. Lots of love! L.

Dan0 · « **Reply #27 on:** May 27, 2014, 11:14:45 am »

Quote from: la-hir on May 27, 2014, 08:49:26 am

if any site effects come - how long after the pill I can expect them?

You're not going to grow fangs, enlarged breasts or green skin. Everyone is a bit different but for the most part you're going to be disappointed if you ramp up the day thinking there will be these huge noticeable effects. I got gas for a week about 2 hours after pill popping. Yes....run of the mill, not too glorious or particularly interesting gas. There you have it, I admit it, my side effect was that I farted a lot. It's really very much anti-climactic and after a week (when it went away) you wonder what the fuss was about.

You're going to be fine!

eric48 · « **Reply #28 on:** May 27, 2014, 12:02:45 pm »

@Lahir

There are 2 types of 'nasties':
- Adverse events (rash, immediate toxicities); they are very rare (for any of the conventional drugs)
(even some regular poster(s) have had adverse events on Stribild : 1 rash and 1 was feeling real bad)
Some Adverse effects may not resolve with time (severe rash) but most like nausea, dizziness, will...

- Side effects per se: they are developping over time (cholesterol, bone density loss...)
Meds have a physiological cost: they are inhibitors. Inhibitors bind to a X-ase (eg. integrase), but not specifically , they bind to other proteins as well, some of them used by your body
ALL inhibitors HAVE side effects (even non-antiviral inhibitors like statins...). Side effects are there, but, often not noticeable enough to affect quality of life.
The only way to know is to try.

This type of side effect are dose or exposure dependant, but most generally speaking dose dependant (because of the binding)

Stribild is Truvada (TDF+FTC) along with a Norvir-like metabolism inhibitor and Elvitegravir (an Integrase Inhibitor)
Elvitegravir is a very strong binder: therefore only a small quantity is needed: so it's long term effects (if any...) won't be seen soon
Cobi, the Norvir-like metabolism inhibitor, reduces some metabolism routes, hence affects other drugs you might be taking; if you are not taking other medication, then it's OK
Patients on Stribild should remember that they are on Truvada and all that is known concerning Truvada is valid for Stribild

Honestly, with proper follow up by your Doctor, this is very manageable

Things like body shape changes are not really to be expected at all with current drugs

Whichever of the Truvada + X combos can be taken without fear (T+ Viramune (with initiation rules), T+ Efavirenz, T+Rilviripine, etc...)

Eric

eric48 · « **Reply #29 on:** May 27, 2014, 12:18:27 pm »

Quote from: fgh12 on May 26, 2014, 04:37:31 pm

Can anyone recommend me some generic vitamin or brand that sells pills that are green/mint coloured like stribild? When in the gym etc I just want to be able to pretend that I'm taking vitamin pills.

Oh and please no lectures on 'you should just use the normal bottle bla bla'

I see what you mean...

Kivexa , which I take, looks like any of the Orange multi vitamin

S. gets its color from a dye which don't recall (google is your friend)
then type the dye's name into google and you should find other drugs or vitamin with the same color

Alternatively, S. may be small enough to fit into a 000 gel cap which many people making their own supplements use, then S. is not visible and the 000 gel cap is your ordinary gel cap

The gel cap dissolves quickly so this should not be a concern, but, in case you are concerned about adding a layer to your drug, just cut out, or punch the tip of cap

If anyone at the gym asks you what supplement that is, just tell them this is special and if he (or she...) is amicable anough, you might want to discuss it in private ;-)

If you take S. 'raw' and anyone at the gym asks, same procedure applies

Eric

fgh12 · « **Reply #30 on:** June 08, 2014, 08:57:46 pm »

Guys, sorry for my late reply.
I was on vacation for a few weeks.
Thanks for your replies. Dan0 I think the gym popping pill thing might be paranoia. I'm still in the phase that I'm afraid of someone looking at me and thinking HE HAS HIV! And it feels like anyone would recognise those pills, which is of course bs.
Anyway, I decided to just throw the pills in some container of a fat burner supplement I had.
So far so good.

Thanks for your all suggestion, the food dye thing is indeed very handy.

Btw, travelling was STRESS! First time with pills. there I was the night before splitting a stack of pills in my handluggage and the other one in my luggage.
Terrified that they would ask me at customs what I was transporting. Even though I had a letter of my physician that said I take Stribild for a chronic disease.
But in the end it went well and I took my pills every day. I had my liver and kidney functions tested and everything was ok.
Next week is another lab trip to determine how stribild is working for my CD4 and VL, wish me luck!

@ LA-hir
Congrats on taking the first stip. I was in your shoes 1 month ago. I was also very afraid of side effects and waiting for something drastic to happen. For me it's also gas.
I noticed when I take a pill without too many calories, I get more gas.
I'm getting used to it still, but hopefully in a while it will pass.
Good luck with your journey, try to relax, in the end all the stress doesn't help. PM if you need anything

fgh12 · « **Reply #31 on:** June 08, 2014, 09:01:48 pm »

DAN0

the gym cause I usually go to the gym directly after work and eat something quickly before I pop in my pill. As my gym has a lot of gay guys, I worry more that one of them recognises my pill. I wish the pills didn't have inscriptions btw.

Eric48, great tip!!!

eric48 · « **Reply #32 on:** June 09, 2014, 06:20:13 am »

Quote from: fgh12 on June 08, 2014, 09:01:48 pm

I worry more that one of them recognises my pill.

The pill 's hidden message is not : I 'm POZ -> I am BioHazards

the truth is : I'm POZ and NOT a risk, because I treat myself

In a big city gay venue (such as a bathroom) you might expect ca. 20% of gays are POZ. at least this is the published polls data here (sauna exit polls...)

Eric

fgh12 · « **Reply #33 on:** June 09, 2014, 03:53:40 pm »

@ Eric48 I see your point and that is true, but I don't want the gay community to talk behind my back. It's a small community here, and especially with my work, I don't want anyone to know so I'm not taking any risk..

eric48 · « **Reply #34 on:** June 09, 2014, 04:05:49 pm »

Quote from: fgh12 on June 08, 2014, 09:01:48 pm

Eric48, great tip!!!

Thanks! you are most welcome...

I was working with these 000 that day and I came up with this just for you

Eric

JosephP · « **Reply #35 on:** June 09, 2014, 09:42:30 pm »

fgh12,
Like you, I was dxd in September 2013 and started on Stribild immediately! I was very scared of the side effects and so far I haven't experienced any...But I can't leave my house without a pill in my pocket and get very nervous if I don't take when I need to.. I have become a slave of the big blue pill!!!
Keep it up, and here among all of us we can share comfort and hope!!! I am still very uneasy with the diagnosis and constantly checking for side effects. Sometimes it gives me the sensation of light drunkenness about one hour after taking it!

fgh12 · « **Reply #36 on:** June 11, 2014, 06:12:21 pm »

@josephP

Thank you for your kind words!
Haha I recognise the 'omg I have to take a pill with me' mentality.
Its been great so far, friday I'm going in for some lab testing, it's been 1 month and a few days now, so we're going to check my viral load and cd4.

fingers crossed...

I had the drunkenness the first day but I thought maybe it was me being nervous..

leatherman · « **Reply #37 on:** June 11, 2014, 06:24:02 pm »

Quote from: JosephP on June 09, 2014, 09:42:30 pm

.But I can't leave my house without a pill in my pocket and get very nervous if I don't take when I need to

never leave home w/o it
... and this will help keep it from getting lint-covered in your pocket

Dan0 · « **Reply #38 on:** June 11, 2014, 06:47:12 pm »

I have one of those on my car/work keys. If I DO get stuck somewhere for whatever reason, I will have two things with me - my cell phone and my keys. At least I always have that one-night back-up just in case. And people have so much clutter on their keys rings that I can't even think of a time it drew anyone's attention.

leatherman · « **Reply #39 on:** June 11, 2014, 08:19:20 pm »

Quote from: Dan0 on June 11, 2014, 06:47:12 pm

And people have so much clutter on their keys rings that I can't even think of a time it drew anyone's attention.

that's one of those things I think is a silly worry. So dang many people take meds these days, does anyone really think that someone is paying attention to the meds some one is taking? and is anyone, who is worried enough, not smart enough to come up with a lie?

i would think that most queers* who have had to change pronouns during casual discussion about their relationships should surely be able to say something about the meds rather than "they're my AIDS meds". LOL

*I'm not suggesting that all the members here are gay; however HIV disproportionately does affects MSM.

Dan0 · « **Reply #40 on:** June 13, 2014, 02:01:20 am »

I never gave it a thought and frankly, it's no ones business. The only time someone said anything was when they were playing around with my keys and said, "What's this? coke?"

I laughed cause I never thought of that, either. I'd be much more paranoid of someone snooping in my phone than my medicine cabinet (s).

fgh12 · « **Reply #41 on:** June 17, 2014, 09:19:49 pm »

lol, I'm buying one of those, the smallest one possible!
True, everyone is taking meds for something nowadays.
You know, I wish they would give you the option to buy the pills without the letters on them, that would make it even better!

fgh12 · « **Reply #42 on:** June 24, 2014, 06:01:06 pm »

So today, after 1.5 months I heard that I'm undetectable! woohoo! Very happy

leatherman · « **Reply #43 on:** June 24, 2014, 06:34:42 pm »

WooHoo!

zach · « **Reply #44 on:** June 25, 2014, 12:48:11 am »

i'm tell ya, its that last full moon, and mars in retrograde, we're all going undetecable!

fgh12 · « **Reply #45 on:** June 26, 2014, 07:54:08 pm »

haha indeed!!

InquisitHIV · « **Reply #46 on:** July 16, 2014, 05:08:11 am »

Allow me to intermingle, something I express frequently , if ya wanna be UNDETECTABLE on Stribild avoid ANTACIDS.

Dan0 · « **Reply #47 on:** July 16, 2014, 07:15:56 am »

I've been undetectable for YEARS on Atripla and Stribild. I also have GERD that I've taken over-the-counter antacid for like they were after dinner mints. My doctor....my ID....only had a concern for my teeth and prescribed Prilosec.

That was one doctor. After ten years and a switch to a new ID doctor his only concern is that I might want a new prescription for a new location.

InquisitHIV · « **Reply #48 on:** July 16, 2014, 07:30:34 am »

Just confirming,,,

Are you saying that in your opinion, it is safe to take Antacids with Stribild?

What do you mean by 'a new prescription for a new location?'

I'm suggesting that its going to be easier for most folk to reach UNDETECTABLE by avoiding Antacids at the same time as taking Stribild, perhaps you disagree?

Dan0 · « **Reply #49 on:** July 16, 2014, 07:46:04 am »

...and what does YOUR doctor say about this? When you inquired of him/her what was their response?

I'm saying that my physician of over a decade who has experience in HIV from the onset didn't have an issue with over-the-counter or prescribing antacids. Do all Doctors think this way? I don't know, I've seen two and both I trust and both had the same conclusion.

If someone has a question on their ability to reach UD and take antacids, then they need to consult their physician and not obsess over everything they read on a discussion board, see on Youtube or hear from Miss Cleo. On a Dante's Inferno type scale, GERD is not up there with other afflictions but if you truly have it, then you would certainly bring it up to your doctor. It's horrible.

So, what I'm saying is that what anyone does after watching Youtube, reading a board or whatever is completely up to them. Hell, it's YOUR body! However, at the end of the day if they have concerns they need to ask their doctor instead of suffering needlessly because they read somewhere that taking antacids will impact their being undetectable.

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