Forum on Managing Side Effects of HIV Treatment: News that Atripla is causing lipoatrophy?

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		News that Atripla is causing lipoatrophy? May 13, 2009 I was on combivir and sustiva a year and a half ago and I asked an HIV specialist and this site what I could switch to so that I could get some fat back in my legs and arms. I was told Atripla. Now I am hearing, again from this site as an answer to another question of mine, that Atripla is another drug linked to lipoatrophy. Does anyone, ANYWHERE in the medical and scientific community know what doesn't cause these issues so I can switch and get a semblance of my body back???? So frustrating and infuriating..... Dom


Advertisement Response from Dr. Henry Though patients on Atripla have developed lipoatrophy the overall rate is low (perhaps < 5 % over first several years). The general experience in patients who switched from Combivir (containing AZT) to Truvada (a component of Atripla)has been a slow increase in peripheral fat that appears to continue for at least several years. There is not much data yet available on the long term effects of many of the newer drugs on peripheral fat or newer drug combinations (including NRTI sparing regimens) so that situation is indeed frustrating for many as you well express. Possible treatments for lipoatrophy that have shown early promise in research studies include Nucleomaxx (uridine supplements) and rosiglitizone. KH Want to read more questions and answers on this subject? Our experts have answered many similar questions!

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