Forum on Managing Side Effects of HIV Treatment: stoping meds

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		stoping meds Apr 18, 2008 After one year and half on meds(combivir+kaletra) I am undetectable and CD4 630 but the sides efects are big.. I know its bad to stop my meds but I want to!! Can you pls. tell me in wich order do I have to stop my meds so I dont develop drug resistance? Should i stop them all at once? And do you think(of course if i will be lucky to stay that much off meds)after 2 years, for example, would Combivir+Kaletra still work for me? Pls. I need your opinion and thank you!


		Response from Dr. Henry If you in the US or many other western countries there are a large number of possible alternative regimens that could be considered one of which is likely to be better tolerated in your case. I would discuss trying an alternative regimen with your HIV specialist. If you have no drug resistance then stopping a regimen of Combivir + Kalatra rarely would result in new resistance so that regimen would likely work fine in the future. Stopping HIV meds places a patient at risk for a variety of both AIDS and non-AIDS health problems that were well delineated in the SMART Study so stopping treatment needs to be carefully considered. KH

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