Complera update - had setback on Day 6

[wylidas]

I had a major setback today with my switch to Complera. I am on Day 6, and I had a major bout of anxiety and panic that seemed to come out of nowhere. As I type this, I am still feeling the ill effects from it.

Now I am scared to continue forward with taking the COmplera, and I am wondering if I should switch back to my old regimen or not. I seem to have some issues with every HIV drug regimen I have tried thus far, except the Epzicom/Reyataz/Norvir combo I was on for 4+ years, I managed to stay on it and consistently take it with minimal issues until I got hooked on Ativan last year. Now ever since coming off that drug, I seem to have issues tolerating ANY HAART regimen. This is the 3rd one I have tried. Wondering if I should just go back to my E/R/N combo and stick it out til I am past the worst of this benzo nightmare. If you're not familiar with benzo withdrawal, google it and take a look. It's a nightmare for thousands and thousands of people all over the world, and I happen to be one of the lucky ones.

I think my doctor was honestly placating me with this last switch because he honestly believes this anxiety is gonna be with me no matter what regimen I try. I just don't know what to do anymore.

Has anyone else dealt with HAART and benzo usage or recovery? It seems to be like finding a needle in a haystack to locate anyone who can honestly understand what I am going through. For those of you who are fortunate enough to tolerate your HAART regimens with little or no major s/x, I really envy you. I want nothing more than to be able to stick to my HIV cocktail and get better. It's not easy when you have gone through this ordeal with anxiety and addiction.

I welcome any constructive and positive comments and feedback from anyone...

[buginme2]

Hey, I don't really have any advice.  Just sorry to hear you have been going through this.

When I started HIV treatment I developed some anxiety symptoms also (I had never had anxiety pre HIV treatment).  My doctor has prescribed Xanax.  I try not to take it, but sometimes I have too.  Hearing your story reaffirms that for me.

Was your anxiety better on the ERN?  Why did you switch from that?

[wylidas]

buginme2- I will give you a brief rundown on my history with anxiety:

I started E/R/N in 2007 (it was my first HAART) and took it every day without missing a dose up until January 2011. When I first started taking it, I remember having some mild anxiety and experiencing chest tightness, but it didn't freak me out. Prior to 2007 I had never had an issue with anxiety, and I drank coffee and even had stints with drug abuse when I was younger and never had problems with any of it. In 2008, I started experiencing my first panic attacks. I thought I was having a heart attack the first time I had one. Was prescribed xanax (as needed) and having xanax seemed to help me control them. I rarely used the xanax, and I eventually learned to control them on my own because knowing what they were and that they would go away tends to keep them from happening as much.

All of this was under control until January 2011 when I was in a bad relationship and my anxiety spun way out of control and I started having chronic panic. I was put on Ativan (because it was longer acting than Xanax) and I was monitored by a psychiatrist. I ended up staying on Ativan for nearly 8 months, taking it every day. Sometimes twice a day. This was where the problem became worse. I came off Ativan in September 2011. Since then, my body has been in a constant state of shock and I go back and forth between depression and extreme anxiety. I had actually been making very steady progress over the last 2 months, where I hadn't had any major setbacks until I started Complera this last weekend, and now today I am in the worst setback since I came off Ativan last fall. I don't think it can just be a coincidence.

So you;re right to be very careful with the xanax. But, I was also on xanax for a few years taking it VERY sparingly and never developed a problem til I took Ativan daily last year. So don't be too frightened. Just be conscious and cautious and you should be ok.

I changed from the E/R/N combo last week because I was hoping that a change in HAART meds might actually make me feel better. Like I said, it was a pretty stupid move and now I am regretting it. My doc was not convinced that a med change was in order, but he was willing to try it to see if it would provide me any relief. Now I am not so sure I should have switched at all.

[justinslyriq]

That's terrible that anxiety has set in on your 6th day. Today is my 6th day and I'm still w/o side effects. I hope you're able to overcome this because you truly deserve it. 

[Ocean1617]

@wylidas.....

I don't have any advice or any helpful tips or anything, as I am new at taking HIV medication. I have just been on my first HIV medication, Complera, for less than a week. My heart goes out to you and I hope you feel better really soon.

[gadawg1979]

The first two weeks on Complera almost killed me... I was in an immune response so bad that I had to take a course of steriods. It is getting better now I still hot flash every night about an hour after I take it and the large meal in the evenings is hard to stomach I may try to transition to taking it in the morning and see if that helps.  should get my first post meds labs on Monday so we will see how well the first month went