POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: Dave32839 on April 14, 2013, 01:19:21 pm
-
When I first started on HART, I had real problems with Atripla and then Norvir so my doctor switched me to Truvada and Isentress and I've been better comparatively.
However I'm still really off when it comes to my nerves and emotions. I wake up each morning with my hands and legs trembling and a sensation of impending doom. Add a little real life stress to the mix and I'm a mental basket case. The trebling last until around 3 each day then mellows to a general "hum" throughout my body. My doc doesn't want to admit that it might be a side effect of the meds and has called my condition an anxiety disorder. I've been on SSRIs and xannax and stopped taking them after a few months as they were no help. I'm really needing some confirmation that it might be the Truvada. Anyone else have an "Anxiety Disorder" that started, "coincidentally" with beginning a Truvada/Isentress regimen...?
Any advice or simple "me too" would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
-
Anxiety, etc is an uncommon side effect of Truvada (5% or people or less)
- matt
-
I never experienced this when I was on Truvada. It sounds pretty distressing. I would ask your doctor to switch you to something else.
-Will
-
Hi Dave, welcome to the forums.
It would be unusual for the Truvada to be causing your problems - it's more likely the Isentress. Some people have insomnia and/or mood problems with Isentress, many more than have problems like you're attributing to Truvada.
When you say you had problems with Norvir, what were they? Norvir is only used these days as a booster for another PI, such as Reyataz or Prezista, plus Truvada. The most common side-effect of Norvir is diarrhea and/or nausea. Was that the problem?
You've likely been on Truvada the whole time (it's a component of Atripla) and if you weren't having nervousness/anxiety while on the combo that included Norvir, then that means Truvada isn't the likely culprit.
Could you get back to us with a little more detail regarding what the second combo was and why, exactly, you couldn't tolerate it?
Ann
-
Thank you Ann,
It's difficult to say when the anxiety started exactly, it's been years. I was diagnosed when I had Initial Onset Syndrome and my doctor said it would be best to start Meds immediately, so the stresses of suddenly finding myself Poz kinda clouds the timeline. That and life ain't easy. I started on Truvada -Reyataz -Norvir combo and it gave me diarrhea. I switched to Atripla which really messed with my mind so I went back to Truvada but with Isentress. Sleep is a big issue. I haven't slept through the night in years. And sadly there isn't a sleep aid that I can take without being angry, crying or vomiting the next day. I'm contemplating switching to Complera but after the sleep aids made me angry I fear it will too. At this point I'd trade diarrhea for a good nights sleep and a sense of peace any day.
Thanks again!
-
Hi Dave , it might be helpful for us to know the time frame you were on each regimen , it could make a difference in the responses you get concerning side effects .
I found Imodium or the brat diet helped control my diarrhea when I was on Norvir .
-
Hey Jeff,
I'm embarrassed to say how long this has been going on. I started the Truvada Reyataz Norvir cocktail in Sept 2006 and stayed on it for about 18 months. The diarrhea was just in the mornings and once I was empty it wasn't an issue the rest of the day so I never mentioned it to my doctor. I recall there being some tremble in my hands during that time but I figured that there would always be some side effects no matter what I was on so I was resigned.
My doc offered me Atripla after it was released around March of 08 and I immediately had problems. I never got over the feeling of being stoned with paranoia and it made life pretty hellish as I was fixated on the death of loved ones and car crashes. But at my doctor's urging I gave it 6 months to see if I'd get used to it. It was then I started to lose weight due to stress killing my appetite.
So December of 08 I went back on Truvada but with Isentress. I've been on it ever since. And since we've tried all the anti-depressants, anti-anxiety and sleeping pills, giving each at least a few months to be effective but they didn't help and have side effects of their own so we stopped them.
Aside from my problems with meds, I'll admit my life has been pretty sucky the last 6 years and a certain amount of stress/anxiety is part of being alive. I just can't get over the feeling that the meds have something to do with raising the base-line of stress where I start each day to something not too far from terror. We've all had days we wanted to stay in bed, but I just want to crawl under it...and stay there.
Thanks,
Dave
-
I'm with the others here that doubt Truvada is the culprit for your problems . I was on Isentress for a few months and I didn't respond because I had resistance issues . I was really happy in the end because I became really depressed while on it , I have had depression problems in the past but I really do feel the Isentress was the cause of it this time . The depression resolved when I changed meds , I'm now on Intelence / Truvada and am over the moon happy with it .
I'm a LTS so I'm hard wired to be concerned when people change meds allot but I have changed my thinking somewhat now that we have more choices . I had a hell of a time getting my docs to hear me and to agree to change my meds from Atripla to ANYTHING else so I realize working this out can be challenging but if your quality of life is suffering I would insist that my doc hear my concerns and address them .
-
Thanks to you all. Your input has been very helpful.