Hi Dr. My daughter was diagnosed with hiv in 1997 and has recently decided to begin taking antiviral medications after her viral load began to climb and her cd4 dropped by 100 cells .We live in a rural area and our family Dr suggested a combination of the drugs combivir and sustiva . My question is do you feel this comboination of medicines is the best treatment for her and if not what would you reccomend .Thanks so much Sincerly , Josephine

Yes - combivir is actually two antivirals in one tablet - azt and 3tc. And sustiva is one of the newer options. And these three meds - in just a few tablets a day - has been among the most successful combinations yet seen in studies. There are some side effect issues to be aware of when using these three - in particular there can be some alterations in mood when starting the Sustiva - but usually these fade away in a few weeks as you stick with it. And the AZT in the Combivir can cause nausea for some - if that is a problem you can consider d4T instead - and just use 3TC separately with the Sustiva if you do.

These simple combinations are impressive in how successful they are. Of course, even though they are simple they need her to take them each day twice a day in order to get the full benefit. But she does her part - and checks the viral load to be sure it worked - it has worked well for many.

good luck. CC