DR;

I recently started treatment with viramune,sustiva 800mg, ziagen and epivir. I had previously changed due uncontrollable diarrhea on epivir, ziagen and viracept.On day 11 I awoke to a full red raised body rash and was taking benadryl to help on day 14 I increased to twice daily dose as my doctor had not instructed me otherwise. The next day saw him and he said take the viramune once a day till the rash resolves this was tuesday last week. wednesday that's when he increased the sustiva dose due to an article I had read, by Sunday rash was gone increased back to twice a day dosing of viramune. On tuesday noticed a rash to my trunk and by wednesday had fever 102; call and started prednisone 60mg sliding scale for 8 days. My Question is; I've had no other side effects from these drugs, in fact put on weight and was able to function again prior to the rash which is just irritating. My DR said that if the prednisone doesn't work he'll have to switch to PI'S and I don't want to take them, is it possible to be hypersensitive to viramune and stop taking it and continue on Sustiva as the rash resolved while I was taking 800mg and return 36 hrs after starting full dose viramune? I need a second opinion thank you.JG

It may be possible to continue just the sustiva since it rarely is associated with very severe rashes (unlike viramune). Also using AZT/3TC (Combivir) is another option/possibility. KH

Keith Henry, M.D.