Norvir,Truvada,Reyetaz sayonara, good evening Complera

[camille07]

Hello pozzers-

I've really enjoyed my time with my first regimen of defense (sarcasm).  I feel like an old lady, physically most days with pain.  My doctor feels it's neither the Hiv or combo.   But I digress.
My doctor said I was looking a not so fabulous shade of yellow, which I have always just dealt with the last four years.  My liver is in great shape it's just that Billy Rubin that manages to get under my skin. 

I felt that if the combo kept me undetectable and an ok cd4 count, who am I to complain if I never felt sick from taking it.

My ID doctor laughed and said I was ridiculous.  That 's a conversation for another time, but it lead her to wanting to put me on a one pill a day regimen. 

After 7 years this is my first med change and there's some trepidation.  Eating 400 calories is actually good for me since I am under weight.   But is there advice or feedback from changing this particular combo to complera.

I had a wonderful time reading the Atripla to complera thread of mayhem, but I was hoping for some additional Complera thoughts. 

Hugs Camms

[camille07]

The reason I started this post is, because I didn't find a lot on people switching from this specific combo to complera.  Not having been on any other treatment, I was really nervous.  At 43, I am poz only 7 years, yet I have so much bone pain and fatigue that I feel as old as my parents.  They are skiing this weekend ha!

As beat down as I feel, I'm grateful that I am breathing and have a partner who loves me.  I have lost friends in the 90s from the azt toxicity (my doctor's words) and know people who have 20+ plus years of enduring this disease outside of these forums.

With that said I tolerated the complera without any issues.  I ate well over my 400 calorie requirement and went to sleep pretty early.  I'll continue to update for my next two weeks and will also post my cd at the end of the month, (as reference, if there are anyone else switching from my combo. 

Cd 4 for the last year hovers around 500.   I'm interested to see if this will push them up.

Camms

[Ann]

Good luck Camms. I hope you find improvement all-round with your new combo and that you continue to tolerate it well.

[camille07]

Thank you Ann.  How are you doing?  You started meds for the first times this past year right?  or am I being forgetful.

Well, it's close to a week now.  My energy is fine, no nausea, dreams have always been lucid so I can't use that as a barometer.  Sleep comes pretty easily.

But the one thing that makes me smile is that I look healthy.  The yellow is gone.  People occasionally would ask if I feel ok.  I know a lot of people who take reyetaz had this symptom only when they first began taking the drug.  For me, the bilirubin always stayed so high.  My doctor said it happens to some people occasionally and is rare.  So I don't want people to think reyetaz will be a problem for them. 

I did notice one thing is that I never curse.  And recently, while driving home from work or to work, I would drop major F bombs, beyond anything I have ever experience.  But then again, that could just be the realization of bad drivers in Jersey (at least in my area)

[Ann]

Hey Camms, it's great to hear that things are going well. Fingers crossed it continues that way.

Dropping the F-bomb eh? I'd blame NJ drivers. I used to hate driving in Jersey when I lived in NYC. There was one Interstate in particular I abhorred - eight lanes of wall-to-wall whacko drivers who couldn't seem to decide which lane they wanted to be in. Used to scare the crap outta me.

Yes, I finally started meds this past July. I went from a VL in the 30,000s to UD within six months (probably within four, as I was at 65 at three months) and my CD4s went from being in the upper 300s, lower 400s to 1050, also by six months. CD4% also improved, from 22 (pre-treatment), to 26 (six weeks), to 33 (three months), to 34 (six months).

I had a few side effects at first, but they were nothing remarkable and faded away.

I went with Prezista, Norvir and Truvada. I had originally decided on the same but with Reyataz, but the more I read about Prezista, the more I thought it would be the better choice. Turned out my doctor agreed, so Prezista it is. I figured if I could take something similar to Reyataz without the possibility of turning yellow, that was the way to go. I'm happy with my choice.

Sorry my response is a bit late - I meant to post yesterday but I musta got distracted by something shiny.

Don't be such a stranger, Camms. I know you're a busy woman, but do drop in now and then so we know how you're doing.

Hugs,
Ann
xxx

[camille07]

All good to hear Ann!  I know I've been terrible .  I do read the forums more often, but I need to post more.  2012 was a hard year, with shingles, a constant sinus infection, Sandy's nonsense etc.  So I hate to post when I don't have anything positive to say, just because I've done it so much.

But I feel like I'm finally turning a corner.  I'm two weeks in on the Complera and it's been really good for me.  My husband even said I look so much better.  I'm really hoping my cd number goes up since it shot up to 700 ish (I think) when I started meds over 4 years ago.  And then they came down and stayed in the 400-500 range. 

I will post my blood work etc, as I'm really curious to see if this makes a big difference.

Cheers, hope all is well on your island.  And again, congrats on the good numbers and results on your cocktail

Hugs

Camms 

[Ann]

Hey Camms, even if you only post to have a bit of a rant, that's ok. I'd rather you came here to rant than stayed silent. I worry about people when they go missing over long periods of time.

I hope you've turned a corner too. It sounds like you have! Please keep us posted.

Things are just fine on the Rock, thanks for asking. The weather is slowly improving and the days are getting longer and that makes a huge difference. Me no likee winter.

Hugs,
Ann
xxx

[camille07]

Ok Ann, I'm going to rant!

Someone put a chair around the corner I was turning and knocked me on my ass!  It seems, I have a severe herniated disc, which I'm getting a epidural for tomorrow morning and (this is fun) a torn rotary cuff in 3 areas.  I knew it was bad, my shoulder blade pain, but this is out of wack, hand, ridiculous, incredulous, that I must laugh.   I'm taking oxycodone for the pain (no advil for two weeks with the epidurals), but that med makes me so incredibly nauseous.  So I went to a natural health food store and STop and Shop and picked up Ginger Beer.  It made all the difference in the world....and it tastes good too, as Lucy would say (Vitavegimen)

Ginger beer is so yummy, sorry non alcoholic, that I'm finally starting putting on a little weight knocking back 6 of these a day.   But I wonder if anyone who has been nauseous from their cocktails if this would help?  There is a high level of ginger, with fruit juices (no pineapple which affects some meds) and sugar cane. 

But I digress...I had blood work drawn yesterday for the Complera and should have results in a week.  Still feeling ok but I must admit, the 400 calorie count is a little challenging, especially at night.  My husband gets home a little later and we've fighting over the left overs and Amy's frozen dinners.  But most times, he's an amazing cook and can whip up anything  400 cal and up.  He's just tired most nights as he manages a group home of men with minds of children...and one young guy has ALS.  It takes a lot out of him which is why we opt for the instant dinners.

Now, back to more important things like the weather .   Yes, I'm looking forward to Sunday, where the clocks spring ahead.  Best time of year I think.  However, I think we have one more Nor'easter heading our way tomorrow night.  It's the last thing Jersey and New York needs.    So many friends and family are in the last stages of finishing their homes and don't need to be flooded out again.
Some homes haven't even been touched do to wars between the mortgage companies, Fema and insurance.  It's a mess. It's unacceptable. 

And my heart goes out to New York.  I see them in the distance from my window, across the bay...Staten Island and the Rockaways.  I pray that the weather does not devastate them more.

I'm off to a full day of work today and see what tomorrow brings....a needle in the back, a nice propofal nap, and nor'easter....love-ly.

Hugs to you Ann,

Camms

[camille07]

GREAT news to report:

I just got my blood work back and for the first time I have a cd above 720 (my highest in the last 7 years).  It's been lingering in the 500s for the last few years, but it hit 1008.  My cd4% is 50 and undetectable.  I'm so happy to know this drug is working for me.  It certainly makes the other health issues dealable knowing I don't have to start a new regimen.

Have a great day 

Camms

[Jeff G]

That's some impressive numbers ... It gives you a peace of mind knowing things are in such good control doesn't it ?

[camille07]

Yes it does.  Especially since there wasn't a lot of information on this drug, since it's fairly new and a lot of people who used it have used it as a first line of defense or switched from Atripla.

I'm am so grateful that it works for me and yes, it comes with a peace of mind.