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Author Topic: Long term Atripla users (a question).  (Read 5535 times)

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Offline Denvaux

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  • Posts: 353
Long term Atripla users (a question).
« on: July 30, 2015, 12:18:46 am »
This has been my one and only combination therapy; the one pill option was what i most liked about it- I'd rather take just one pill a day instead of two three or many; hence I have remained with this combo in-spite-of the fact that I am tolerating and have always tolerated the side effects- side effects that are clearly not going away.

It's clear reading on here, the experiences of others, that Sustiva is the drug in the combination that causes the vivid and wacky dreams I experience.  The question I want answered is, is Sustiva also responsible for the excessive flatulence or is it the combination of drugs within Atripla itself?  The excessive and uncontrollable farting is annoying and embarrassing and will very likely be the motivating factor for my changing meds. I've been contemplating change for some time but have only procrastinated.
I'd hoped the side effects would go away or at least diminish with time but it is clear to me that this is not going to happen in my case.

Offline MitchMiller

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Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2015, 04:12:34 am »
I take Sustiva with Epzicom and have no GI issues.  The mental issues with Sustiva have been greatly reduced after I switched from a 600mg dose to a 400mg dose.

Offline bocker3

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Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2015, 05:24:07 am »
I've been taking Atripla for close to 10 years -- well started with Sustiva and Truvada before they combined them into one pill.

I think it's the Truvada that causes the flatuence -- although it hasn't done that to me too much.

M

Offline bufguy

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  • Posts: 214
Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2015, 03:25:03 pm »
I've been on Atripla for 7 years and have had no side effects....No flatulence, no mental issues...Have never missed a dose and have been consistently undetectable with a CD4 count close to 1000....
5/29/08 confirmed HIV+
6/23/08 Vl 47500  CD4 511/29% CD8 .60
start atripla
8/1/08 Vl 130  CD4 667/31% CD8 .70
9/18/08 Vl un  CD4 not tested
12/19/08 Vl un CD4 723/32% CD8 .80
4/3/09 Vl un CD4 615/36% CD8  .98
8/7/09 vl un CD4 689/35% CD8 .9
12/11/09 vl un CD4 712/38% CD8 .89
4/9/10 vl un CD4 796/39% CD8 1.0
8/20/10 vl un CD4 787/38% CD8 1.0
4/6/10 vl un CD4 865/35% CD8 .9
8/16/10 vl un CD4 924/37% CD8 1.0
12/23/10 vl un CD4 1006/35% CD8 .9
5/2/10 vl un CD4 1040/39% CD8 .9
8/7/13 vl un CD4 840/39% CD8 .
11/29/18 vl un CD4 1080/39% CD8  .86

Offline hayssam

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  • Posts: 71
Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2015, 10:32:30 pm »
atripla is a life extending treatment.... more also its a problem extending life
what a life should we extend after being diagnosed positive ! am tired :(

Offline Denvaux

  • Member
  • Posts: 353
Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2015, 01:23:42 am »
Todays choices regarding treatment options in western countries are abundant; moreover, in the UK, treatment is free at the point of service.  With this in mind it is something of a luxury to have such a wealth of choice and almost embarrassing to be complaining over something so "insignificant" as flatulence, when just two decades ago the medication options were limited, the side effects often genuinely very harsh, and treatment actually failed very many.

Daily meds is for me a life changing "new skin" annoyance, that has taken a long time to become use to- and side effects aside- it's little more than that. I likely will change my treatment option -as fearing change - dressed up as procrastination, is for me, I suspect, just part of the growing process in this life of being HIV+.

Offline Jeff G

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Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2015, 08:02:53 am »
I agree with Bocker that Truvada is often the cause of excessive gas … it’s to blame for me having it I know . Truvada is sometimes referred to as Tootvada by some of us long term survivor folks .
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Offline thomasgrn

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  • Posts: 26
Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2015, 12:39:00 pm »
I have been taking atripla since 2008, the year I was diagnosed and the only side effect was protein in urine. The best thing about atripla is it is 1 pill and has NO taste. my viral load is undetectable and my C4 count is about 1500!!

Also, without insurance it would cost me 1500 a month, but with insurance I only pay 40. I am looking forward to generic atripla, which, I have heard may be available in 2016
6-6-2017
CD4 Count 1303   VL Undetectable

Offline next2u

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Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2015, 12:48:04 pm »
hi Denvaux,

i was on atripla for about 5 years or so. i made the switch to Stribild about a week ago. when i was on atripla i was undetectable and had no viral load. i had strange dreams like once a year and i didnt have any gas. my biggest issue was the morning brain fog but that became a normal item and it went away after an hour or so of being awake. its really had to quantify or qualify it but it was definitely present.

what meds are you looking at switching too? i hope the gas and vivid dreams go away with the other regiments you are looking at. because i didnt have the same issues (gas, vivid dreams) i don't know how much my experience can lend to yours. i can say that making a switch has been great for me and i hope you have a similar experience. take care and keep us posted.

regards,
~d
midapr07 - seroconversion
sept07 - tested poz
oct07 cd4 1013; vl 13,900; cd4% 41
feb08 cd4  694;  vl 16,160; cd4% 50.1
may08 cd4 546; vl 91,480; cd4% 32
aug08 cd4 576; vl 48,190; cd4% 40.7
dec08 cd4 559; vl 63,020; cd4% 29.4
feb09 cd4 464; vl 11,000; cd4% 26
may09 cd4 544; vl 29,710; cd4% 27.2
oct09 cd4 ...; vl 23,350; cd4% 31.6
mar10 cd4 408; vl 59,050; cd4% 31.4
aug10 cd4 328; vl 80,000; cd4% 19.3 STARTED ATRIPLA
oct10 cd4 423; vl 410 ;); cd4% 30.2
jun11 cd4 439; vl <20 ;); cd4% 33.8 <-Undetectable!
mar12 cd4 695; vl ud; cd4% 38.6
jan13 cd4 738; vl ud; cd4% 36.8
aug13 cd4 930; vl ud; cd4% 44.3
jan14 cd4 813; vl ud; cd4% 42.8
may14 cd4 783; vl *; cd4%43.5
sept14 cd4 990; vl ud; cd4% *
jun15 cd4 1152; vl ud; cd4% *
july15 - STRIBILD
oct15 cd4 583; vl 146; cd4% 42
mar16 cd4 860; vl 20; 44

Offline jabez

  • Member
  • Posts: 99
Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #9 on: August 23, 2015, 01:45:40 pm »
I've been taking Atripla nightly for 8 years.  I did have the vivid "Sustiva dreams" for the first few weeks of therapy, and I do recall having some GI issues that I blamed on the Truvada.  But both of those annoyances went away pretty quickly.     
Sept 2007 -- CD4 = 68; VL = 469,000
Started Atripla Sept 21, 2007
Nov 2007-CD4=217;VL=332
Feb 2008-CD4=237;VL=<50
Apr 2008-CD4=271;VL=66
Aug 2008-CD4=440;VL=52
Jan 2009-CD4=403;VL=61
May 2009-CD4=480;VL=129
Sep 2009-CD4=376;VL<40
Jan 2010-CD4=476;VL<40
Jul 2010-CD4=539;VL<40
Jan 2011-CD4=461;VL=53
Jul 2011-CD4=515;VL<20
Jan 2012-CD4=506;VL=54
Aug 2012-CD4=440;VL=21
Jan 2013-CD4=447;VL=<20
Jul 2013-CD4=406; VL=<20
Feb 2014-CD4=450; VL=<20
Aug 2014-CD4=535; VL=<20
Feb 2015-CD4=535; VL=<20
Aug 2015-CD4=707; VL=<20

Offline Denvaux

  • Member
  • Posts: 353
Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2015, 02:12:23 pm »
I managed to get an emergency appointment with my consultant tonight and talked through the options about switching.  I was booked for later this month but I have had enough of this Atripla combination and it's whacky vivid dreams brought about by I suspect -Sustiva.
I'm going to give Eviplera a go for a month or two to see how I get on; it's basically two of the same active drugs found in Atripla, but the Sustiva is replaced with ricpivirine.....   but will it be a better option I wonder?    :-\

Offline Denvaux

  • Member
  • Posts: 353
Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2015, 04:03:00 pm »
Correction, it's a three drug combination regime, two of the drugs are also found in Atripla so no change there, and the third replaces the not wanted Sustiva.  I think I'll start in the morning and not take the dreaded Atripla tonight!    :)

Offline Denvaux

  • Member
  • Posts: 353
Re: Long term Atripla users (a question).
« Reply #12 on: September 06, 2015, 08:16:09 am »
hi Denvaux,

i was on atripla for about 5 years or so. i made the switch to Stribild about a week ago. when i was on atripla i was undetectable and had no viral load. i had strange dreams like once a year and i didnt have any gas. my biggest issue was the morning brain fog but that became a normal item and it went away after an hour or so of being awake. its really had to quantify or qualify it but it was definitely present.

what meds are you looking at switching too? i hope the gas and vivid dreams go away with the other regiments you are looking at. because i didnt have the same issues (gas, vivid dreams) i don't know how much my experience can lend to yours. i can say that making a switch has been great for me and i hope you have a similar experience. take care and keep us posted.

regards,
~d

When I spoke to my Dr last week I made it very clear that Sustiva had to go as I believed and still believe that Sustiva and me do not get on.  The option for the  switch to Stribild was put on the back burner due to cost- it's very expensive.   We don't have private insurance policies here, at least not as the general rule; our health care is paid for via taxation and is free at the point of service.  This being the case, the less expensive option is always touted first and I was offered four non Sustiva containing combinations as an alternative (Stribild being the last).  Anyhow, to think I stayed on Atripla for some 2 years or more...I really was crazy to do that.... today is only day six on Eviprela and already I am sleeping right through the night, the whacky dreams have not been evident at all and I wake up clear headed.  I just hope that no new side effects creep in over the next month.   ;)

 


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