Bathroom issues with a twist (this topic has nothing to do with decorating)

[AndyArrow]

In the past I've had the usual problems with diarrhea that so many of us have had thanks to large doses of Norvir.  I was certainly no fan of Kaletra either.    But with lots of Imodium and planning I got through it.

Then comes Oct '07 and I get on my current regimen (less Fuzeon) of Truvada (back then I took the two separate pills Viread & Emtriva because Truvada was too big to swallow) Isentress, Prezista & Norvir.  With this switch using just Norvir as a booster I had almost no diarrhea.  I'm sure the makers of Imodium saw their sales plummet! 

Which brings me to the present day (well, the past few months).  I have stretches of 5 - 7 days where I don't go to the bathroom at all.  I mean absolutely nothing!  Strange thing is I'm not in any pain or discomfort from this like you would think.  Then comes day 8 and 9 and while I don't have diarrhea I'll go to the bathroom 9 or 10 times each day.

So my question is, is this just one more sign I'm some freak of nature or does this sound familiar to anyone else???

AA

[Miss Philicia]

I'm on the exact same regimen as you and I take a crap at least twice per day, every day.  Having no bowel movements as you describe doesn't sound like a properly functioning digestive tract.  What has your doctor said?

[franfrog]

You know before I was even diagnosed both my son and I had the same problems.  As I brought it up to both mine and his doctor, they both seemed to think that everyone has their own schedule and not need worry to much.  I guess being the situation we are in now that it is not the same facts.  I know I had days where I would not go but now it seems that with the medication I go everyday and if not then watch out that 2nd day.

I think it is definitely something to talk to your doctor about, maybe you can add a stool softener to your meds to help.  Not sure if that would necessarily be the problem.
Well I hope you can get on some kind of schedule and good luck.

[AndyArrow]

Thanks Philly -- I haven't talked to my doctor yet.  I have appointments with both my GI guy (for another dilation) and my ID in April so I thought I'd just check here first before I see them. 

My ID doctors office charges you so much to call in and talk with an MA or one of the doctors!    But I don't really have a lot of choices for HIV Specialist in middle of no where Indiana.  Well, I'm not that far out since Chicago is only about 45mins away but who wants to drive that far and then try getting Indiana Medicaid to pay an Illinois doctors office.

My GI guy is great but he's way down in Indianapolis (3hrs away) and he is also a professor at the university hospital I go to down there and then he also has an office site clinic so he is so hard to get a hold ofl.

Thanks fran.  I'm not too worried about it since I don't feel constipated at all.  It is not a problem of hard stools.  It's just so different from my normal schedule -- but I'll check with both docs and see what they think.