POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: Billy B on March 22, 2010, 12:15:54 pm
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Hello- I started (Isentress+Truvada AM and Isentress in PM) two weeks ago. I have had 0 side effects until yesterday morning. When I woke up and turned over in the bed I felt a little dizzy, but when I stood up and got out of bed I was fine. The same thing happened today. I have had vertigo for years and about two years ago I started having problens with Tinnitus in one ear only. The good thing is that the ringing in my ear is much better since starting meds. Anyone else have this odd dizziness while in the bed?
Thanks,
Billy
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If your pharmacy does it's job correctly like mine does your bottles of Truvada should have a sticker on them that states "may cause dizziness".
I've been on this medication for years, yet it rarely causes any dizziness. At any rate what your describing doesn't sound like something effecting your quality of life.
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Miss Philicia - Indeed my bottle is marked with the yellow label. I just found it odd that I was dizzy when lying down as opposed to standing and that it occurs an hour before it is time to take my morning pills. I would think that if it is the Truvada then I would be dizzy after taking it, not 11 hours later. It is not effecting my quality of life at all especially compaired to the Atripla that made me wacko!
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Miss Philicia - Indeed my bottle is marked with the yellow label. I just found it odd that I was dizzy when lying down as opposed to standing and that it occurs an hour before it is time to take my morning pills. I would think that if it is the Truvada then I would be dizzy after taking it, not 11 hours later. It is not effecting my quality of life at all especially compaired to the Atripla that made me wacko!
Yeah, I'd probably find it odd that it happens when lying down. Don't know what to tell you about that. Fyi, the few times I've gotten dizzy it's been almost 24 hours after taking it. I take mine with my AM dose, so if I get dizzy getting up out of bed then it's been almost that long since my previous Truvada pill.
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Yeah, I'd probably find it odd that it happens when lying down. Don't know what to tell you about that. Fyi, the few times I've gotten dizzy it's been almost 24 hours after taking it. I take mine with my AM dose, so if I get dizzy getting up out of bed then it's been almost that long since my previous Truvada pill.
Philicia - I should have said 24 hours also as I take my Truvada in the AM. I can deal with a few minutes of dizzyness compaired to hours of it from the Atripla.
Billy
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I can deal with a few minutes of dizzyness compaired to hours of it from the Atripla.
Billy
That's the spirit. Though, of course, if it gets really bad don't hesitate to request a switch to something else. But like most of these issues, your body adjusts after a month or so on an HIV med and any odd stuff like this, at most, only happens once a month if even that.
The bottom line is that Truvada is the most tolerable of the NRTI class, and the least prone to any nasty neuropathy and/or lipo issues, and most HIV regimens have a 2 part NRTI as part of the combo. As someone with both neuropathy and lipo from NRTI's used over a decade ago, a few seconds of dizzyness once a month is really nothing.
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That's the spirit. Though, of course, if it gets really bad don't hesitate to request a switch to something else. But like most of these issues, your body adjusts after a month or so on an HIV med and any odd stuff like this, at most, only happens once a month if even that.
The bottom line is that Truvada is the most tolerable of the NRTI class, and the least prone to any nasty neuropathy and/or lipo issues, and most HIV regimens have a 2 part NRTI as part of the combo. As someone with both neuropathy and lipo from NRTI's used over a decade ago, a few seconds of dizzyness once a month is really nothing.
Philicia- I was lucky enough to have a body that controlled the virus for 15 years. My cd4 stayed around 550 and VL never went over 2500. About a year ago my cd4 started dropping and at 350 and a VL of 8000 my ID Specialist suggested it would be "good" to start. The one criteria for my meds were that I had to be able to continue working. He kept stressing the fact that the meds were so much better now and that I would be fine. The once a day trip pill sounded good but wasn't a good fit with me. The I&T combo is like night and day compared to the trip pill and I am back working 40hrs a week.
Billy
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Philicia- I was lucky enough to have a body that controlled the virus for 15 years. My cd4 stayed around 550 and VL never went over 2500. About a year ago my cd4 started dropping and at 350 and a VL of 8000 my ID Specialist suggested it would be "good" to start. The one criteria for my meds were that I had to be able to continue working. He kept stressing the fact that the meds were so much better now and that I would be fine. The once a day trip pill sounded good but wasn't a good fit with me. The I&T combo is like night and day compared to the trip pill and I am back working 40hrs a week.
Billy
I'm on Isentress and Truvada myself, and have been now since 2006. I've been on HIV treatment since 1993 (my cd4 was <200 just slightly at diagnosis so I'd been infected for some time), and on countless different combos, and I can fairly safely say you picked the one with the least side effect issues. Consider yourself very fortunate that you were able to stay off meds until now, but assured that you selected one of the best options available.
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Billy, that sounds similar to bed-spins to me. Haven't you ever gotten drunk and have the room start spinning when you lay down in bed? It usually seems to happen to younger people the first few times they get drunk, but I suppose it could happen to anyone who isn't used to alcohol. I'm not saying you must have been drinking, just that it sounds similar. :)
It might also be totally unrelated to your meds. You mention having ringing in your ears, have you ever had that checked out? Balance is related to your inner ear, so it might be worth talking to your doctor about your ears if this continues.
Ann
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i recently switched over to truvada which I take at dinner time (6pm). After the first 3 or 4 days, I started having a period everyday of dizziness/fuzziness - every afternoon between 2 and 4pm. Weird huh? It took about two weeks for that side effect to clear out and everything's been fine since.
Hang in there and hopefully this side effect will clear up for you in a short while. ;)
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Billy, that sounds similar to bed-spins to me. Haven't you ever gotten drunk and have the room start spinning when you lay down in bed? It usually seems to happen to younger people the first few times they get drunk, but I suppose it could happen to anyone who isn't used to alcohol. I'm not saying you must have been drinking, just that it sounds similar. :)
It might also be totally unrelated to your meds. You mention having ringing in your ears, have you ever had that checked out? Balance is related to your inner ear, so it might be worth talking to your doctor about your ears if this continues.
Ann
Hello Ann- In the past I have been evaluated by two different ENTs concerning my Vertigo & Tinnitus. I have tried three different antibiotics and steroids to try and clear up the problem. It all started several years ago after a sinus infection. I am not having bed spins but the sensation that when I turn over in bed my head rotates one more time. So instead of round and round it is over and over.
On the plus side, the sensation was less this morning!
Billy
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the sensation that when I turn over in bed my head rotates one more time.
Are you really Linda Blair? ;D
I'm glad to hear it seems to be getting better. May be just a side-effect that will pass. :)
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Are you really Linda Blair? ;D
I'm glad to hear it seems to be getting better. May be just a side-effect that will pass. :)
Ann- I was called a lot worse when I was taking Atripla! ;D
Billy
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Well, the dizziness while in the bed has stopped....Yea! I feel wonderful today and I am full of energy. ;D
Billy
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I'm very happy for you Billy. I'll stay in bed while you make the coffee tomorrow morning.
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I'm very happy for you Billy. I'll stay in bed while you make the coffee tomorrow morning.
Can do!