hi am am 27 year old pos female. i have known of having hiv for 5 years. 3 years ago i started treatment which was sustiva & truvada & have recently in the last 4 motnhs changed the susitva for kaletra due to wanting to have a baby. my problem is over the last 10 months i have starting losing weight again as i did before starting treatment. this is mainly in my amrs, legs face, bum. i am very down about this as i managed to gain all my weight after starting meds years ago & im so afraid of going back there again & becoming depressed. my cd4 is 500 & vl is undetectable. do you know if my meds im on is weight loss associtaed? or is there any extra food intake i could make that could help me gain weight, i eat 3 times a day thats it, would really like to gain a few more pounds again.any help you could give me would really be appreciated. thank you.

Weight loss while taking Kaletra plus Truvada is rare, unless you have an infection or excessive diarrhea, or if your food intake has decreased or activity level has increased.

If you want to gain weight, try to concentrate on "calorie-dense" foods and eat small meals through the day. Peanut butter (natural is better than processed stuff), tuna salad, eggs, cheeses, all lean meats, nuts of all kinds, mediterranean dishes like hummus (chickpea based), etc

Anabolic agents like Oxandrin at 5-10 mg for women have been shown to increase appetite and weight. Also, the use of Marinol, an appetite stimulant that contains THC, the main component of marijuana that makes people hungry, has been shown to have some benefits. But I would probably not try either if you want to have a baby.

Without knowing more I cannot help you. Ask your doctor to refer you to a good dietitian that works with HIV+ patients if you can. Or email me back with more details about your situation.

Good luck

Nelson