POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: TruNatrsChild on April 01, 2009, 04:15:50 pm
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Hi, I am a long term slow progressor who responds well to medications along with a high sensitivity to all medications. I get strange side affects from meds. I was put on Isentress and epzicom in January. I've been on Epzicom for years and 3TC since the 90's.
Okay, gradually, since January, I've been getting less and less sleep. I was on Interferon for my Hep C in 97/98 and I am having flashbacks. I had some Temazepam left over from the interferon and started taking that with the okay from my doc. I don't like sleeping pills and usually have no troubles sleeping. I started taking it occasionally, then every other day, last night I took it as usual and well, it's losing it's effectiveness. I don't like sleeping pills and so I googled the side affects of Isentress and I only found 'sleep disturbances' like sleep apnea. I don't have sleep apnea, I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep, plus I am noticing that I often feel like I've drank a few cups of coffee too much during the day.
Has anyone else experienced this or is it one more time when I will go down on the books as the only one with this symptom?
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Someone else seems to think that they're sleep issues are connected to Isentress:
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=21700.0
I've been on it for 16 months with no issues, nor have the handful of people locally I know that are on it for a similar duration with such complaints.
Can you provide links to this google result showing "sleep disturbances like sleep apnea" from Isentress as I can't find what you're talking about. I'm not sure how and HIV medication would cause a sudden thing like that which is normally from an obstructive type issue, but maybe that was a typo. Furthermore, how do you know you don't have sleep apnea? Did you have a recent sleep study done before going on Isentress?
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I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep, plus I am noticing that I often feel like I've drank a few cups of coffee too much during the day.
Has anyone else experienced this or is it one more time when I will go down on the books as the only one with this symptom?
Yes, I had all of the symptoms you stated above while taking Isentress, but I've been on it for the last 3 yrs (2006/2007).........don't worry it get's better, and all of the symptoms should subside, it took me about 6 months to one 1 yr. before I got a good night sleep again, if they don't talk to your ID-Doctor...........
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btw, it's hard for me to speak of specific sleep issues because I've had them for at least a decade -- lots of HIV+ get this so I'm just weary of chalking it up to the meds. I've been on at least six different med regimens during that 10 years.
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Well, I went back and couldn't find the apnea, I was surfing all over and not having slept more than 5 hours a night, I might have mistaken anemia for apnea. I am pretty sure I don't have apnea, I have to be sleeping to have sleep apnea. Except for being on interferon, I haven't had lack of sleep issues from the drugs, I've had the opposite, to the point if I could stay awake for 4 hours, I was happy. I thought that most HIV drugs were 'downers' I've slept so much in the last 12 years.
Well, I am glad to hear that they subside, I can tolerate it if it goes away. Thank you Denny. I've had screaming fights with my AIDS clinic when I was on the interferon, I hadn't gotten more than 3 hours sleep total in 5 days and they didn't want to give me sleep meds. They haven't returned my call today, hence me going online for my own research. This is supposed to be the best AIDS clinic in Northern California. >:(
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Hi Tru, welcome to the forums.
I hear you on the sleep issues with Interferon. I did the hep C treatment in 2002/03 and I never got any sleep for that year either. I used to get what I called "twilight sleep", because I wouldn't be really asleep but wasn't really awake either. Horrible! I tried sleeping pills for a while but they made no difference, they only made me feel even more groggy, but no proper sleep. Maybe that's why your doc didn't want to give you any - they don't seem to have an effect when on Interferon.
Did you get a sustained response? I was lucky - I've been hcv undetectable since June of 2002 (started treatment in April). :)
Ann
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Well, I am glad to hear that they subside, I can tolerate it if it goes away. Thank you Denny. I've had screaming fights with my AIDS clinic when I was on the interferon, I hadn't gotten more than 3 hours sleep total in 5 days and they didn't want to give me sleep meds. They haven't returned my call today, hence me going online for my own research. This is supposed to be the best AIDS clinic in Northern California. >:(
are you talking about C.A.R.E.S.? sounds typical, unfortunately (if it is that one)