Just started Triumeq...side effects anyone?

[dallas nk]

HI,

I just started Triumeq earlier this week after being diagnosed in September of this year. I was interested in joining a research trial in which my doctor and the trial expert had to run tests, etc. to to determine if I would qualify so my treatment was postponed a few months. Now, I know that the strain that I was infected with wont allow me to participate in the study so my doctor prescribed my Triumeq. Can anyone tell me a little more about this drug, its side effects, the things I should expect from it? Is there any life threatening side effects I should be alarmed about?  Does it cause redistribution of fat?

[Jim Allen]

Hi

Triumeq is great stuff it's what I take.

Look you simply should expect no lasting side effects at all, stop worrying about "what ifs" . In short other than suppressing HIV and maybe a few bad dreams as your body adjusts.

Your doctor should have also gone over this with btw and tested if you have any serious allergies to the drug.

Jim

https://www.poz.com/drug/triumeq

[FarmBoy]

dallas- I was just dx'd 3 months ago too and they started me on Triumeq at the beginning at October.  I've had no issues with it.  I take it with breakfast each morning.  I tried 1x when I got up on a completely empty stomach but had stomach pains and gas, so with the food it's been good for me.  It's also been very effective.  I was still suffering from some of the acute infection symptoms when I started, and they stopped within a couple of days after I started - it was like I could feel that the virus was getting killed and my body was responding so fast.  Also, my VL went from >275,000 to <20 in 4 weeks on Tri so it is super effective.  My ID doc said don't expect to get to UD until 3-6 months.

As for the long-term side effects: heart disease, fat, etc, I understand that the likelihood is extremely low.  My ID doc said that they must put the warnings on the label due to the history of ART meds, but he feels that the new drugs are extremely safe and there have been no replicated trials on these drugs to show that there will be issues.  I'm not an expert by any means but I'm glad to have the drugs today vs the ones many on this forum started with.

Hoping the best for you and hope that you'll have good results with triumeq too.

[dallas nk]

Do you take at the same time everyday? This past week (the first week while taking), I began taking it at 7:30 am the first few day but missed Sunday's dose and ended up taking it at 9:30 am but got back on track Monday. Do you think that might affect it in some way? I heard possibly about the virus becoming resistance if I don't take my med's everyday at the same time?

[Ptrk3]

With today's meds, you just need to take your regimen daily.  No worries: you are fine.

[FarmBoy]

I take my Triumeq with breakfast.  Sometimes its 6:30 am and on weekends it may be 8:30 am.  I have a pillbox to make sure I take it everyday. 

If you search Dr. Joel Gallant's blog at hivforums.tumblr.com you'll find multiple answers to that question like this: "Timing is not important, but consistency is. You can take your medications late, but you need to take them. Significant treatment interruptions can increase the risk of resistance." and " Take it every day.  It doesn’t matter when."

[harleymc]

A few hours one way or the other is not an issue. HIV doesn't carry a stop watch around. These are medications that are robust, anything too fiddly gets weeded out in the drug trials.

You don't live for your pill(s), the pill(s) are there for you to live long and well.

That wellness includes not having anxiety about not having a routine that is the same 24/7.

If for some reason Triumeq isn't a good fit for you, there will be other possibilities.

[CaveyUK]

Personally, I do think it's important to try and stick to the same time when you first start HIV meds (ie. when not UD) as it helps build the routine and prevents putting too much leeway which results in forgetting.

Once UD, there is more flexibility - as Harley said - these drugs have a decent half-life. But by that time, it will be built into your routine to take each day, whereas it isn't so much in the beginning.