Author Topic: Does Bactrim work ? (Read 8235 times)

Ihavehope · « **on:** January 09, 2007, 09:53:45 am »

My CD4 counts are in the low 200's therefore i was put on Bactrim to prevent PCP while my geno labs come back. Does it really work to prevent PCP?

J.R.E. · « **Reply #1 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:11:36 am »

yes,

it's very effective :

http://www.aidsmeds.com/OIs/PCP3.htm

Ray

Christine · « **Reply #2 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:15:45 am »

Yes...

PCP is not something you want to risk.

Christine

Ihavehope · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:16:53 am »

Thank you J.R.E. for the posting.

Maestro · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:18:33 am »

My uncle HAD PCP way back when and has literally been on Bactrim for years now. His t-cells haven't seen above 200 in a long, long time. He has been PCP free as long as he's been on it. I do worry about resistant strains, but mostly thats just me worrying.

Ihavehope · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:21:10 am »

Hi Maestro

Just curious. Why hasn't medication improved his CD4 counts to go above 200?

Tucsonwoody · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:47:06 am »

I can add my two cents about Bactrim - recently had a really bad case of PCP (my first) - was on an IV for almost a month, then switched to the pill form after getting out of the hospital. Had been taking one pill a day to reduce the chance of it coming back but had to stop it temporarily as it was interfering with some other medications.

My doctor changed me to Dapsone which is also used to fight PCP, especially for people allergic to sulfa based drugs. Dapsone is not considered to be as effective and my doctor said if/when my other issues are resolved I will go back to Bactrim as it is the perfect drug to fight PCP in her opinion. Another great thing about this medication is it's low cost in the generic form.

Maestro · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2007, 11:09:21 am »

Quote from: Ihavehope on January 09, 2007, 10:21:10 am

Hi Maestro

Just curious. Why hasn't medication improved his CD4 counts to go above 200?

Dunno. I have asked thst many times! He has been HIV + since the mid 90's at least and has not seen a cd4 count above 200 in like 7 years. When I first got involved with caring for him, I thought his low cd4 count and low % would be he downfall. But, apparently, it isn't. He is going on despite his low #'s. The highest I have ever seen his cd4 was 186. Most recent was 130's. % has been stable between 11-12%. Makes me think there are many other factors at play here.

M

Jnm594 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2007, 11:23:55 am »

It works for me! Been on it for over a year now. I would suggest a probotic though since for me it killed both good and bad bacteria. I.E. some intestinal problems....But my experience has been very good.

thunter34 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2007, 11:39:31 am »

I second about switching to Dapsone if you should have any trouble with Bactrin. I had an allergic reaction to it. No problems at all with Dapsone. Haven't taken either in about a year and a half.

cubbybear · « **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2007, 05:31:59 pm »

Bactrim works wonders if you aren't allergic or hypersensitive to it. For me, it gave me nausea and vomiting, a rash, and also severe anaemia. I switched to aerosolised pentamidine for PCP Prophylaxis, and it's given once a month. You breath it in via a nebuliser, it takes about 20 minutes, then you're done for another month.

sdcabincrew74 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2007, 06:31:55 pm »

It is a wonder drug when it comes to PCP if your body can deal with it. I have had good luck with it, makes me a little "flush" and sensitive to the sun -- but, I am alive because of it.

koi1 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2007, 06:54:13 pm »

Yes, Bactrim is very effective.

In three days the pain from my pcp was gone! However, if you are allergic to sulfa drugs this may not be the drug for you. I had a severe reaction to it, fever, night sweats red rash all over my body, and elevated liver enzymes, which landed me in the hospital for three days.

Just monitor the side effects. It took 10 days for it to build up in my system to a level that was toxic. But it really works and if your body tolerates it, it is the most convenient prphylaxis (1 dose 3 days a week). Right now I was put on a nebulizer that I go into the the hospital and breathe from a machine for 20-30 minutes. I kinda like it because it is only once a month.

rob

Nico · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2007, 08:55:46 pm »

IHope
Bactrim is effective for most of us, but as Koi pointed out and I am in the same category, Sulfa meds kick my azz. Pentamidine was better in the hospital, but I passed out several times so be careful if you are on it by IV. I took Mepron for four months until my T's climbed out of the risky zone.

You gotta just love Mepron

. It did kill the damn PCP and I am thankful for that. But the cost for one bottle and the trouble getting it was a slight problem, but it did its job.

Good luck and hopefully once your T's are back to you can kick the Bactrim to the curb!

Cheers!
Roger

David_CA · « **Reply #14 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:03:02 pm »

Bactrim seems to work fine for me. At least I haven't gotten PCP again since I got over it in early December. Like Atripla, I really can't tell I'm even taking it. My t-cells were well over 200 when I became very sick with PCP, so who knows how long I'll be on it.

David

Eldon · « **Reply #15 on:** January 10, 2007, 12:29:43 am »

Ihavehope · « **Reply #16 on:** January 10, 2007, 11:07:28 am »

Do we all get PCP at some point in another when poz?

Tucsonwoody · « **Reply #17 on:** January 10, 2007, 11:32:25 am »

Morning Ihave

I don't think everyone gets PCP or any of the many other opportunistic infections people with damaged immunity can get. It all depends on your health and how aggressive the hiv is in your system. If your CD4 is over 200 you are less likely to get PCP but that isn't guaranteed.

If you haven't already read the Lesson here on aidsmeds - you may want to check it out: http://www.aidsmeds.com/OIs/PCP1.htm

If caught early it can be treated pretty well...if caught late, it can kill you and was and still maybe one of the leading causes of death for people with hiv from what I have read.

Having recently been in the caught late category, I can tell you it's nothing to mess around with that's for sure..but there are very effective treatments too.

Hope you never have to deal with it and that you are healthy as possible always.

Kevin

Ihavehope · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2007, 11:34:55 am »

Thanks for the info. I heard of people dying of PCP. I am treating myself on Bactrim regardless of symptoms or not. I started to feel some chest weakness on Sunday but was put on bactrim on monday feel better already but have to stay on it until or while I start meds. How fast does it progress? Does it stay in your system even if you treat it?

Tucsonwoody · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2007, 11:58:39 am »

As far as I know, once you have the fungus, you have it for life but if your immune system is strong enough, it will keep it dormant without any medication. Most everyone HIV+ or not has the fungus, but it just doesn't get a chance to do harm unless your immune system can't fight it.

There are a bunch of things like this that our bodies fight without us even knowing we have them. It's only when our immune system is weakened that they are able to go active.

After my bout with PCP, I took six Bactrim pills a day for a few weeks then dropped to one a day and if/when my CD4 gets over 200 I may not have to take it at all.

Nashvegas · « **Reply #20 on:** January 10, 2007, 12:25:21 pm »

One additional advantage of Bactrim -- as I understand it, it also helps keep you safe from nasty staph infections, which are running rampant across the nation (I'm in DC and it's a huge problem here, for straight and gay, positive and negative alike). I'm dealing with a methicillin resistant staph infection on my forehead (yuck --- I don't look very pretty right now!), and was prescribed Bactrim to deal with it. My doctor told me one of his patients who had repeated staph infections continues to take a Bactrim a day to ward off further infections. Because my t-cells took a 200 point dive in December (from 586 to 377), I'm a little nervous about whether they might be creeping toward the 200 threshold, so it's nice to know that the Bactrim will keep me safe from PCP as well.

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Author Topic: Does Bactrim work ? (Read 8235 times)