Any advice???

[papichasing]

It seems like the fevers won't go away. They are driving me crazy!!! I have mentioned it to my doctor a couple of times but I think I haven't been really specific of the severity of the situation so in the long conversations that I been having with him the fevers seems to be ignore. I have an appointment in a few days and this is the first topic I want to address him. Also I feel like I have no energy all the time. I just want to know if any of you had to deal  with something like this after you started in atripla. I started 3 weeks ago and my cd4  was very low when  I was tested with the virus (only 15). Atripla has been very difficult for me to deal with and  I had every side effect in the book. Many of them are gone thanks God. Anyway, any temporary suggestion for the fevers and the lack of energy. Can I take any over the counter medication for the fevers? Really guys I need some advice here because this is depressing me like you have no idea and sometimes I feel so down and frustrated that I feel like I'm loosing faith in myself and I am about to give up. It's been 3 terrible weeks but I want to have my positive aptitude back. I really don't want to give up. Please, any help?

[Miss Philicia]

Are you on Bactrim?

[Hellraiser]

Fever doesn't just happen.  It usually occurs in response to some form of infection.  I'm surprised your doctor wasn't more worried about a persistent fever.  The only thing YOU can do is treat the symptom by taking tylenol or aspirin to reduce the fever temporarily.  How much fever are you running?  Are you having night sweats?  How long has this been going on?

[Bruce]

Talk to your doctor straight away as this might not be related to the Atripla. Try to bring the fevers down with aspirin or ibuprofin. A few good nights sleep will make all the difference and will make you feel more confident about your progress. Hang in there and remember that you are not alone

[kev72]

Hi,

I am not in the medical profession, but like you, I recently started Atripla and have had some side effects. My CD4 is 11. I spoke to my doctor yesterday and he said to expect to feel worse before feeling better due to reconstruction. He asked me to try and hang in there for another week or two and see how I feel. I do not have a fever and I am on Bactrim as a precaution for PCP. I hope you're doctor has you on the same regimen. Hang in there. Call you're doctors office and ask about fever reducer as Bruce mentioned. Good Luck, Kev

[Nestor]

Hi,
 
I won't give medical advice, other than the obvious--talk to your doctor and see what he says--but I can suggest a way of looking at your situation that might be less depressing and that might drive you less crazy. 

Your body is doing a very had job right now--in fact two: it is turning the ship around from 15 t-cells and adjusting to atripla at the same time.  That was not likely to be a piece of cake.  Both of the problems you describe--the lack of energy and the fever--are healing mechanisms adopted by the body for a reason.  Lack of energy is your body's way of sending a clear message: "what you need to do right now is rest.  a lot."  Fever too is a therapeutic mechanism and one that is in fact deliberately induced in many healing traditions.  Can you look positively at it?  Think, "this is my body fighting for me!"  And then not interfere with it needlessly?  Lie in bed as much as possible, drink lots of water, take the atripla, and be patient?

I'm not saying "do nothing"--of course if the fever is really high, or if there is a serious infection behind it, then those things do need to be addressed, and talking with your doctor in a few days will uncover that, hopefully.  But otherwise running around, further burdening your body with more stuff, supressing your body's natural healing mechanisms,  and worrying all sound counter-productive to me. 

Good luck!

[kev72]

Your body is doing a very had job right now--in fact two: it is turning the ship around from 15 t-cells and adjusting to atripla at the same time.  That was not likely to be a piece of cake. 

Wow Nestor, that's exactly what I was trying to say in so many words. You made it very simple to understand. My doctor told me the same thing yesterday. You made it very understandable. I hope it eases his worry.

One thing I thought of after I posted earlier is I wondered if Papichasing has been given anything to help anxiety. One of the things I have found throughout getting the bad news and starting the meds, is a lot of these side effects are mind created. The more you feel rotten, the more you think about it and obsess. Maybe he should discuss with his doctor a small dose of Xanax or Clonazipam to help while adjusting. I am not a drug pusher, but hell under these circumstances it has helped me cope when needed.

[tplmc1964]

Fever is a symptom. Your body is telling you something is wrong. You have a very low CD4 count, your immune system is compromised. Don't mess around with this. If your doctor is not taking this seriously, go straight to the ER. Don't panic, I'm not out to scare you or cause unnecessary alarm, but I've been through this too, a doctor who is too busy to listen and consider what you have and where you are.

Taking Tylenol will bring the fever down, but you're only masking the problem. You may have any number of infections that may or may not require IV antibiotics. PCP pneumonia is at the head of the line for guys with low CD4. Don't screw with it and blow it off, your body and immune system is weak right now.

I would write down all the meds you are on now. Also all meds especially antibiotics that you've been on in the past 30 days. If you do not have health insurance and need a city hospital, (or if the ER is busy and there's a wait) tell the admitting nurse you have chest pain that is radiating down your left arm and into your jaw. This moves you to the head of the line, past the group who use the ER as a private Dr. to treat sniffles. ( I'll take my blows from anyone who thinks this "lying" is wrong...but whatever it takes to be seen immediately is what you want to do.)

Obviously they'll check your heart it will come back normal, then just say, "I'm really scared, maybe it's anxiety..." and go into why you are there...the fever, the weakness. They won't walk out on you. It sucks we have to play these games, but again there are just too many people who are not that sick that are ahead of you and you may have something that needs immediate attention.

Again, I hope I am not creating any alarm, the only alarm I am trying to create is that you don't waste time with a Dr. that is not listening. Private physicians see dozens of patients all day long...many and most are very good. After a while, they just don't "hear" what you're telling them.

I know...I went in with seroconversion two years ago to a Dr. that specializes in HIV. He told me I had a fever that would just work itself out. Two years later, my CD4's crashed and my VL was 48,000. Had he listened, and done an HIV test, I could have avoided a lot of complications. I do take full responsibility here, I do not blame my doctor for my diagnosis. It's a learning curve and one I'll share with you...don't wait. Persistent fevers are telling you something isn't right. YOU are your most important patient. Don't waste anymore time. It's Tuesday night, not a big night for most ER's...you may get in pretty quickly and you'll be in a place that can help you immediately. Don't wait.

Good luck, keep us posted.

Tim


 

[Miss Philicia]

I don't think most doctors would dole out an HIV test for a patient with a fever.  If you were a sexually active person you should have gotten one done every six months, along with a full STD panel.

[RapidRod]

Fever is a symptom. Your body is telling you something is wrong. You have a very low CD4 count, your immune system is compromised. Don't mess around with this. If your doctor is not taking this seriously, go straight to the ER. Don't panic, I'm not out to scare you or cause unnecessary alarm, but I've been through this too, a doctor who is too busy to listen and consider what you have and where you are.

Taking Tylenol will bring the fever down, but you're only masking the problem. You may have any number of infections that may or may not require IV antibiotics. PCP pneumonia is at the head of the line for guys with low CD4. Don't screw with it and blow it off, your body and immune system is weak right now.

I would write down all the meds you are on now. Also all meds especially antibiotics that you've been on in the past 30 days. If you do not have health insurance and need a city hospital, (or if the ER is busy and there's a wait) tell the admitting nurse you have chest pain that is radiating down your left arm and into your jaw. This moves you to the head of the line, past the group who use the ER as a private Dr. to treat sniffles. ( I'll take my blows from anyone who thinks this "lying" is wrong...but whatever it takes to be seen immediately is what you want to do.)

Obviously they'll check your heart it will come back normal, then just say, "I'm really scared, maybe it's anxiety..." and go into why you are there...the fever, the weakness. They won't walk out on you. It sucks we have to play these games, but again there are just too many people who are not that sick that are ahead of you and you may have something that needs immediate attention.

Again, I hope I am not creating any alarm, the only alarm I am trying to create is that you don't waste time with a Dr. that is not listening. Private physicians see dozens of patients all day long...many and most are very good. After a while, they just don't "hear" what you're telling them.

I know...I went in with seroconversion two years ago to a Dr. that specializes in HIV. He told me I had a fever that would just work itself out. Two years later, my CD4's crashed and my VL was 48,000. Had he listened, and done an HIV test, I could have avoided a lot of complications. I do take full responsibility here, I do not blame my doctor for my diagnosis. It's a learning curve and one I'll share with you...don't wait. Persistent fevers are telling you something isn't right. YOU are your most important patient. Don't waste anymore time. It's Tuesday night, not a big night for most ER's...you may get in pretty quickly and you'll be in a place that can help you immediately. Don't wait.

Good luck, keep us posted.

Tim


 

I don't know what ER you use. but are Triage Nurses are very wise to that.

[tplmc1964]

I live in Dallas, a guy died in the ER at Parkland  because he waited for over 24 hours to be seen. Maybe I over reacted, I have no idea where you live.My point is, you've expressed a concern that your doctor isn't "hearing" you. You have a low CD4 count. Someone needs to hear you.

If you want to wait, then wait. Take two Tylenol and keep the fever down, until you can be seen. You asked the forum for an opinion and mine is  I would just go to a hospital that's all. Private physicians are wonderful people to help us through the day to day stuff, but your post sounded like you were panicked and no one was helping. I don't mess around with infections, the longer you wait the harder it is to treat. If you don't want to lie, then don't. Just a suggestion to be seen quickly maybe that's unfair to others. Unfortunately I live in a big city and I see this all of the time. Pardon me if I offended anyone.

As for the second reply, as I stated I don't blame my doctor if I did I wouldn't still be going there. I except 100% responsibility for my condition, no it is not up to them to recommend an HIV test. I know better and yes I should have been on top of that. I was also under the stupid impression that oral sex is safe. It's not. Therefore, at the time I had considered myself to be practicing relatively safe sex I was infected. But when the fever lifted and I went about my life, I never once thought it was HIV. So now I warn everyone, even if you think you are infected, get tested and don't wait. Don't learn the hard way.

So, good luck, I hope they can find out the cause of your fever and you can gain some comfort whichever way you decide to go.

[papichasing]

Guys  God bless you for your replies. Last night  after reading them I felt way more optimistic and positive. I am definitely going to call my doctor today to have a talk about the fevers. I think that yesterday I was feeling a little bit depressed but I called my best two friends and they came over running and helped me to snapped out of it. Then when I came home I read you replies and they made me understand that even if I don't know any of you in person I am not alone here. God bless each one of you!!!

[kev72]

Keep up the faith! I am happy you are feeling better. Many of us are in the same boat as you, just starting the new medication as well as starting it at a later stage. Read all of the Atripla posts and see how great everyone feels on it as well as the climb in the CD4s. Doing this has made me feel much better. Talk to you're doctor if you are having periods of anxiety and depression. a light medication may help. We are dealing with a lot and the less stress the better. Have a good one Kev

[Bruce]

Well, you know what they say a problem shared is a problem halved. One thing at a time, but the most important thing is to talk to your doctor, not just about the fevers but also about your worries and fears.

You are not alone and are not the first one to feel like this. It WILL get better just be strong.

Bruce