POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Pre-HAART Long-Term Survivors => Topic started by: sharkdiver on November 10, 2009, 05:51:20 pm
-
So I've been on the new regiment for 6 months now.
Numbers are still good and undetectable. Although the Reyataz route was the first time I remained undetectable (since beginning meds way back when), the effect on the lipids was scary.
I'm happy to report that my cholesterol is normal. But my triglycerides have been hovering at 1000 (down from 6000 6 months ago), So the doc called and said he wanted to start me up on Niacin. Not Niaspan or extended release because they would be bad on my liver (along with the fish oil..not recommended for me either). I start tonight with a gradual dose starting at 50mg 3 times a day with food to 500mg 3 times a day in about 6 weeks. I hope this works.
Still, Truvada and Isentress has been the easiest on my body so far. oh and this is the first time since I can remember that I have not had any potty problems... (I know TMI)
As I'm approaching my 25th year on this journey, I can actually say I'm ok. No hospital visits in the last 6 months, no weird body stuff going on, been going through a lot of great emotional healing and I'm actually making plans for the future
:)
-
Glad to hear how well you are doing on this. I've been on it almost exactly two years now (though Prezista/Norvir is added on top of this for me because of my resistance profile) and it's been my best regimen.
Good luck with your triglyceride issue.
-
That's great, darling. I just started on Truvada/Isentress, and it's great to hear good about it.
-
I've been on the same combo for about five months now. I still have no problems with it and my lipids dropped substantially when I switched off the PIs and Combivir.
Someone I know said they now get muscle cramps and he wondered if it was the Isentress. I said I had not heard that, although I also get muscle cramps. In my case though, it could be the walking I have been doing lately.
Glad to hear you are doing so well with it and that you are not having the "potty problems." During my years on Crix I had more than my share of those problems, but not since I have switched.
HUGS,
Mark
-
Mark, the pharmacist told me about the muscle cramping side effects with Isentress. He said they can be exacerbated by acid reducers. I take Pepcid (prescription), so I've been on the alert. Nothing so far, but yeah, the pharmacist did say that could be a side effect. He also said to let the doctor know.
-
Mark,
keep us informed about the cramping. Hopefully it's just all of the extra walking you've been doing.
Hugs,
Eric
-
I'd not heard of any pharmacist saying what Betty just said (not surprising since I've been on it much longer), so I was curious and googled about it and see one place that states:
source (http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100005166.html)
Tell your doctor immediately if you experience any muscular symptoms such as pain, tenderness, cramps, or weakness while taking this medicine, particularly if it is accompanied by a fever or feeling generally unwell. Your doctor may need to check for side effects on the muscles by taking a blood test to measure the level of a compound called creatinine phosphokinase in your blood. If this is the case, the test should not be done following strenuous exercise.
-
Thanks for the link Philly, and the info Betty.
The information in the link also mentioned a possible interaction between Isentress and a proton pump inhibitor, as Betty mentioned, and with Nicotinic acid (niacin).
I take both.
I will keep an eye on this and keep you posted. So far, the muscle cramps come at odd intervals and often in odd places. While sometimes in my calf muscles, they also pop up in my lats and other muscles of the abdomen.
Weird, but true.
The creatinine phosphokinase test they are talking about is very familiar to me. We usually call it a CPK, and it was the test done by my doctor to find out whether the statins were causing my achy muscles. According to the lab report, they are supposed to be less than 200, mine were more than 2,000.
That is why I dropped the statins - I had to. It also is what led to the switch to Isentress/Truvada.
I will be keeping a close eye on this. I will also let the person who brought this topic up to me know this so he also can keep close tabs on his cramps.
HUGS,
Mark
-
I guess I'm in the same boat as Philly ... I never had a pharmacist mention anything about muscle cramps. I've been on Truvada/Isentress/Prezista/Norvir (and a PPI Prevacid Solu-tab) since 2007 and so far so good!
I have noticed more potty issues lately but I put that down to not being able to have fiber due to the gastroparesis. When I first went on it I was thrilled and how quickly the potty issues disappeared.
AA
-
The muscle cramps have pretty much vanished, so maybe it was just my old body telling me to lighten up! ;)
I will still keep an eye on this. I also have asked the doctor to include a CPK test when I have my labs done next month.
It never hurts to keep on top of things.
I spoke with another person yesterday who also switched to Truvada/Isentress because of lipo issues.
She reported having headaches for the first three weeks or so. They have pretty much subsided now, she said.
Neither of us reported the potty issues. I know when I returned from my seafaring excursion, I had some issues, but mostly because of all the fat I ate while on ship. :o ::)
Onward and upward!
HUGS,
Mark
-
Oh, I had some sporadic headaches too when I first started Isentress. But having made so, so many regimen switches in my life I can definitely state I've had that with almost every new HIV medication. I always have aspirin on hand for any med change. It was probably only one a week for a month though, nothing to write home about.
-
This person didn't think it was unbearable either. She just noted the headaches because she had switched. Aside from that, she has already noticed very, very positive body shape changes, mostly in the realm of putting some fat on where she wanted it and not seeing the lipohypertrophy advance.
She is a happy camper. Come to think of it, so am I! ;D
HUGS,
Mark
-
I like this combo much better than the previous one (Kaletra/Trizivir). The doc's going to recheck the viral load lab in a month to see if it's improved; if it has, great, if not, he's going to add Prezista/Norvir.
-
I hope it continues to work for you BT :)
I started my second week of niacin at 100mg 3 times a day. A little flushing and feeling a little warm. but nothing too bad.
-
Sharkie,
I too am on issentriss and presista with the norvir. I had both the headaches and the muscle aches for about three months, then it all subsided and I am doing better than I have for about 18 years. These new medications are really making me think about my hard line on a terminal illness. Still, I can't refute that we are all still guinea pigs due to the newness of all these treatments. However, I am not worring about any of my HIV issues anymore, only my teeth, bones, and other aging issues. Mostly I am really living for the first time in years, but the PN still kicks my ass on a daily basis.
Please pass the pipe.......... ;)
P.S. Sharkie, if the niacin works for you, it is really the best therapy for the cholestorol because of it's natural base. I have used it for years with really good success.
-
I like this combo much better than the previous one (Kaletra/Trizivir). The doc's going to recheck the viral load lab in a month to see if it's improved; if it has, great, if not, he's going to add Prezista/Norvir.
Ah, so you switched because you'd become detectable then, and not just because you wanted an easier combo? Kaletra is one thing I do not miss ever! I'm surprised that you were taking Trizivir since you have rather feisty PN issues.
-
Ah, so you switched because you'd become detectable then, and not just because you wanted an easier combo? Kaletra is one thing I do not miss ever! I'm surprised that you were taking Trizivir since you have rather feisty PN issues.
Yeah, my viral load went up to 31,500. I didn't like taking Trizivir, and just the week and 1/2 I've been off, my feet don't feel like numb weights so much (does that make sense). Hopefully my viral load will go up on just the two meds, but at least there's something to add to it that's pretty user-friendly instead of having to be paranoid about the awful side effects of some of the other meds.