Author Topic: Tonight's the night... (Read 6760 times)

atlantabro · « **on:** July 20, 2007, 04:14:42 pm »

I have my very first date with lady Atripla. Any advice?

Ann · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2007, 04:19:20 pm »

Hey Bro,

Because your thread is a little time-sensitive, I've moved it to the Living forum, where you'll get quicker responses.

I'm not on any meds myself, so I can't really advise. But, have you read our Atripla information? You may find that helpful.

Hang in there hun, most people seem to do ok with it.

Ann

PS - Good luck!

Iggy · « **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2007, 06:36:09 pm »

Shit - Since I have an upcoming first date with Atripla I am very disappointed to hear he's a woman!

Fuck all!

Obviously I can't offer you advice or guidance - just well wishes on your first date.

red_Dragon888 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:34:34 pm »

just realize the side effects are harsh at first but it gets better with time.

Grinch · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:43:50 pm »

Had my first date with her last night. She kept me up for a while but nothing too bad.

Queen Tokelove · « **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2007, 08:49:03 pm »

Good Luck with your first date. I am not on meds yet but atripla is what I will be taking when the time comes. Thanks Ann for the link. It was very helpful. I do have a question. Does everyone eventually get lipo from taking the atripla?

atlantabro · « **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2007, 09:48:44 pm »

Thanks folks. red_dragon and grinch...what kind of side effects did you experience?

aztecan · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2007, 10:00:01 pm »

Hey Bro,

I am probably a bad example because Sustiva and I didn't play well together, but there are things you can do to minimize any initial side effects.

Don't eat two to three hours before taking Atripla and take it before going to bed. That way, if ti does make you dizzy, woozy or drunk-feeling, you won't notice it.

Take a few days off - just in case. I couldn't drive for the first two days taking Sustiva.

Make your evening meal low-fat or try to decrease the amount of fats you consume prior to taking Atripla. It seems to lessen the side effects.

Put on a comedy or something that makes you happy prior to retiring. It sets your mind up and sometimes makes the dreams more fun. A porn tape can sometimes help, if you've a mind to.

When I started taking Sustiva (Efavirenz), I felt very drunk for the first couple of days, then moderately drunk for the next four or five days.

I had trouble sleeping, weird and sometimes scary dreams. The effects after that varied from an overall fuzzy/foggy feeling to sounding like a blithering idiot.

For me, there didn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to it. It just seemed I would have a couple of OK days and then several not very good days.

I hope you don't experience any of that. I know many people who take Atripla and Sustiva and most do very well. Many have no side effects whatsoever.

Naturally, I had to be different.

Let us know how your first date with Atripla goes.

HUGS,

Mark

atlantabro · « **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2007, 10:44:19 pm »

Thanks Mark...I appreciate the advice. About an hour and a half before I start. Kinda looking forward to the dreams. Am watching Happy Feet now. Should help generate interesting thoughts before I fall asleep. I suspect the hardest part for me will be maintaining the daily regimen. I'm sure after a while, it will become routine, but I'll have to remind myself for the first couple of days. Also, does taking Atripla mean I can't drink anymore?!?!?! I don't think I'm emotionally prepared to break up with Mr. Bombay or Mr. Belvedere. Any advice from the other lushes?

David_CA · « **Reply #9 on:** July 20, 2007, 11:11:03 pm »

Hubby and I have had little to no (noticeable) side effects from Atripla. We've both been on it since Dec. 2006. I'd advise to stay away from fatty foods when you take it. 'Normal' foods don't bother us at all, but chocolate cake, peanuts, etc taken close to or soon after Atripla has made me feel really hung over. I wouldn't stress about it, unless you have bad side effects. I take mine in the morning and can hardly even tell I've taken it. Good luck!

David

ATLcatalyst · « **Reply #10 on:** July 21, 2007, 12:32:30 am »

I had my first dance with the Lady A last October. My only side effect: feeling very groggy for about three days. Afterwards, it was easy breezy. She worked like a charm, though. My VL was below 200 four short weeks later. Good luck...I will send happy thoughts your way.

StrongGuy · « **Reply #11 on:** July 21, 2007, 01:04:42 am »

I'm on it and had no sides - well, with the exception of the first two days I woke up slightly dizzy and lightheaded (same feeling I get the next morning after I take Nyquil).

It went away by day three and that was the last of any side. If you do get sides, don't fret straightaway - give it some time. I have a friend who went three weeks with the vivid dreams and dizziness and then they subsided right fast and, last I heard, he has no complaints.

Good luck.

ndrew · « **Reply #12 on:** July 21, 2007, 01:16:54 am »

Good luck with your date, she can be intimidating, however its all good (sorta) when you get to know her...

Drew

Nadine · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2007, 07:00:34 am »

Hey Bro,

Hope all went well last night....Hubby has been on the same meds for almost 2 years now, he still feels groggy most mornings and has been through the bad dreams...he switched from Truvada/Sustiva to Atripla a few months back and things seem to be easing up a bit. I don't understand why though, since they are the same meds.

He has lost his taste for drinking, it wasn't a conscious thing, it just happened.

Best of luck to ya!

atlantabro · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2007, 11:39:34 am »

I just woke up from my first date. no vivid or weird dreams. damn. but my head feels 50 pounds heavy and I'm kinda in a daze. think i'm just going to lay around until this headache passes.

i really appreciate everyone's advice and date stories. i've been really reluctant about starting meds for several months now because of all the potential physically noticeable side effects. its good to hear that lady atripla has been effective in spreading good fortune to those who sleep with her. i'm looking forward to increased CD4 numbers and lowered/undetectable VL counts.

please keep the advice and date stories coming. thanks again folks.

Ann · « **Reply #15 on:** July 21, 2007, 12:27:18 pm »

I'm glad to hear your first date went ok, aside from the headache, anyway.

You mentioned last night that you're a little worried about missing doses. You might want to get yourself a daily pill container, one that you fill up once a week. This way, if the pill is gone, you know you took it and it it's still there, you didn't. Setting an alarm for the first few weeks when it's time to take it might help you get into a routine as well.

Hope it just gets better...

Ann

ATLcatalyst · « **Reply #16 on:** July 21, 2007, 01:12:56 pm »

Glad to hear that your first night went well.

I agree with Ann regarding setting an alarm as a reminder. I have programmed my cell phone to remind me, since it is never more than an arm's length away.

MoltenStorm · « **Reply #17 on:** July 21, 2007, 02:48:50 pm »

This September will be a year since I started seeing Lady Atripla on a nightly basis. (Damn, that tramp gets around, lol). The most notable side effects were:

1: Hot Flashes about an hour or so after swallowing Lady A's love juices. These continue to this day.

2: Chilled in the morning. Every action has an opposite and equal reaction, I suppose. These don't happen every morning, but are a frequent occurrence.

3: Wild, vivid dreams. These happened for about the first month or so. Every now and then it will revisit for a night, but it's completely random these days.

4: Feeling buzzed (and a good one, at that). This still happens shortly after the hot flashes pass. This buzzed feeling lasts for about 2-3 hours. Why drink when you get drunk nightly with no hangover the next morning? - my new philosophy on drinking.

5: Intensified Itchiness. This only happened for about the first two months. It seemed to center on the back of the head, but also happened on other parts of the body. I can only describe it as an itch, intensified. It quickly passed though upon scratching.

6: Nausea. This only happened the following morning of the first night of dating Lady A, but should be noted. It has never happened again.

7: Dizziness. This only happens if I go to sleep and wake up before the effects have passed.

These days only 1, 2, 4, and 7 happen regularly. 3 happens rarely. 5 & 6 never happen.

Edited to add numero siete (number 7).

cjc · « **Reply #18 on:** July 21, 2007, 04:58:51 pm »

Hello atlantabro. Glad to hear that you first date with Atripla went well. I have been on that combo since Nov2006 and was on Truvada/Sustiva before that. They are the same thing. I take mine right before bed and usually feel fine in the morning.Occasionally I get an upset stomach but am never sure if it's the Atripla or whatever food I might have had the night before. Good luck and I hope she treats you as well as she has me. Cristy

atlantabro · « **Reply #19 on:** July 23, 2007, 01:09:12 am »

Just swallowed my 3rd dose of Lady Atripla.

Second night/day went fairly well. Woke up later than I expected but that's probably due to staying up until 3a watching Big Brother after dark. Didn't have much of a headache, but felt a little groggy after first waking up. Was extremely tired around 4p and ended up taking a 2-hour nap. Woke up and had a sudden burst of energy so I went jogging. Ate dinner at 730 and am now starving.

All in all, after 2 dates...Lady Atripla may prove to be a good friend. I do wish she'd grant me the vivid and sometimes interesting dreams others have experienced, but I'll take what I can get.

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Author Topic: Tonight's the night... (Read 6760 times)