Hi there.

Bloating. Sustiva/Combivir for 6 months. Some cholesterol count in the 600's. Started Lipitor.

I have read many Q&A's at this site about bloating. My symptoms match the questions, but the answers seem naive and dismissive. Is there simply no acknowledgment or solution or consensus for the bloating problem?

Thanks for your post.

I'm sorry that you feel that our answers to others' questions seem dismissive to you. That said, in your particular circumstance, from the very limited information that you've provided, it's clear to me that you definitely would have long-term benefit from lipid lowering strategies.

What's not clear to me is whether your symptoms are due to a drug side effect (HIV or other for that matter) or from an HIV-related complication or a non-HIV-related issue. Gastrointestinal symptoms are very common in the HIV and the non-HIV populations and a directed strategy to addressing the complaint determines a detailed examination of the patient and his or her specific situation. In this, you can see why there isn't necessarily a single one solution fits all "consensus" to gastrointestinal problems.

No matter what, persistent troubling symptoms should be brought to the attention of your healthcare provider and not be left only to advice from on-line forums. BY