I have been undetectable using HAART for aprox 30 months. About 3 months ago I went to Sustiva due to fat problems. However this sustiva seems to affect me mentally. I can't seem to cope with things as I normally would be able.

I am moving over a 1000 miles next week. Packing, and all of the other stresses of moving are being amplified 10 fold by the Sustiva. I do not want to see my current doctor about a different drug, as I cannot go through side effects while I am trying to move, besides I can't get in on such short notice. I will do that once I have relocated.

Anyway I have decided that maybe I should just stop all drugs until I have completed my move and am able to find a new doctor. Would this decision undo any of the good that 30 months of treatment have done?

My baseline cd4 315 and vl 56,000. With HAART cd4 510 and vl undetectable.

Thank you

Potentially. A drug holiday in you would allow your viral load to float back to your baseline within a couple of weeks. Although your CD4 count would not drop acutely. If you were to stop, you should stop everything, because drug pressure in the presence of ongoing replication will promote resistance. We have had some people stop, and restart and reachieve undetectable viral loads again. Whether everyone can do this or there are any long term sequelae from this are unknown. MH