Meal of choice with Complera?

[kr3900b]

Hi! Wondering for those of you currently on Complera, which meal do you take it with and what do you generally eat? I would prefer breakfast since that's my most regular and consistent meal but I'm not sure how I would meet the 400+ calorie requirement (without porking it up on fast food type breakfast!)

[Torchwood]

I use breakfast.

Scrambled eggs with cheese and cream cheese.
Bagel with cream cheese. ALOT of cream cheese
Eggo's with Syrup

Jazz up your normal breakfast with cheese and cream cheese, you'll find it is easy to hit the 400 calories. Also count the calories in your morning coffee, tea, soda or whatever. It is easy to hit the 400 calories.

[kr3900b]

Those seem reasonable! Thanks for the suggestions. I guess breakfast will become my new splurge meal :-)

Btw looks like you've had great quick results on complera. Congrats!

[mikeyb39]

There are healthy options for breakfast as well.  Eggs, oatmeal, fruit, yogurt.  It doesn't necessarily  have to be fast food.  Even if on a diet, a big breakfast is always important, its what you eat during the day that can be detrimental to your diet.  good luck!

[newt]

2 eggs on brown toast is 350-375 calories, more if fried (but that's not healthy, fried) so adding a yoghurt smoothie is prob enough calories and you can skip one 300 calorie meal and still lose weight.

2 eggs a day is fine, just hold off the steak in the evening. :-)

- matt

[regul8er80]

I am not sure where people are getting that you need to consume 400-500 calorie meals on Complera. I am also taking Complera and I went to my doctor because I was concerned about that statement. He said that it does not have to be 400-500 calories. He said to just take the pill with food. Also, if you go to the Complera website, it states: Always take Complera with a meal. It does NOT state any amount of calories. I take my pill in the mornings with a bagel and cream cheese. Some times I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with it. Some times I just have a plain bagel. The important thing is that you take the pill with food. Solid food. Solid food helps get the right amount of medicine in your body. The people in this forum need to stop thinking they are doctors. They need to stop giving out information that is not accurate. If you want to learn about this med then go see your doctor. This med is still relatively new and so it is still being researched.

[kr3900b]

Actually it comes directly from the makers of the drug.  After posting this thread I found: http://www.complera.com/hiv-treatment-diet/
This calls out the minimum calorie requirement as well as sample food choices.

I ended up not going on this regimen because my VL spiked up.

[Unstoppable]

Lots of useful information here! I just wanted to post what information I obtained about this because it's a big concern when it comes weight gain and internal organ care.

I was told by the Pharmacist that I obtain my meds from that not only do I have to take the pill with a meal, but I have to take it with 400+ calories of "bread/cake" types of food to help absorb the meds and keep my stomach from burning out.
He even informed me that protein shakes don't count for sure.

I asked two of the doctors I see, one wasn't sure, the other didn't know but both after a month or so came back and said yes, take the meds as stated above.

I was on a Dunkin Donut diet for a while, 1 cake donut + breakfast sandwhich + orange juice.

Instead of being rail thin I gained some weight I've always needed on my body (of course) became undetectable, t-cell counts sky rocketed, and no internal problems.

Just wanted to ask around to see if anyone else is on a great diet for Complera that's a little bit healthier but still keeps the "bread type" aspect.
I started on the oatmeal, silk soy milk and a fruit smoothie diet.
Thanks guys!! Someone has to figure this out!

[Torchwood]

I don't eat breakfast and take my Complera in the morning. At first I tried to eat something for breakfast and finally gave up. 3 years later, still UND and have a great CD4 count with all of my bloodwork NORMAL for the first time ever.