Please Note: Due to volume considerations, not all questions can be answered. Questions most likely to be answered will be those of general interest to a broad group of visitors to this forum. Questions pertaining to a specific case; requests for diagnosis, medical advice, or second opinion; or requests for opinions about untested alternative therapies will generally not be answered.
This Forum is made
possible in part by GlaxoSmithKline.
|
|
 |
|
Counts good but feel bad
Jun 30, 2008
First i would like to say what wonderful people you are for doing this site.
I am 51, been positive for 9 years. I have been on the cocktail that whole time. currently i am on ziagen, viramune and truvada. I also take effexor and wellbutrin for depression, Lomotil for IBS, Neurontin for minor neuropathy, omeprzaole for acid reflux and i sleep with my bed raised 6 inches because of sleep apnea.
my counts are good. t cells are 600, viral load is undetectable. However i don't feel good. some days i am extremely tired, some days my IBS goes crazy, some days my legs ache so bad that i cannot sleep, some days i am so depressed i just want can't get myself to do anything.
and everytime i go to the doctor with some new symptom they give me a new pill to take. i wonder if taking so many pills is causing my problems. the interractions of the medicines or the side effects from the hiv meds. i just don't know. but feel like i should be feeling better than this. feel like just stopping taking everything or just giving up. do you have any thoughts on this. ways i might change medications that might work better consideirng my hiv status plus my other conditions. or whether these medicines might be interrating with each other in a bad way. i appreciate any help you can give. thanks again very much.
|
 |
|
 |
|
Response from Dr. McGowan
I am sorry you are not feeling well in spite of your success at keeping your virus suppressed.
As far as your HIV meds are concerned, your combination has a low risk of causing lactic acidosis which could give some of the symptoms your described. If your kidney function is normal (a simple blood and urine test from you doctor) then I do not think your HIV meds are the problem.
You have a number of conditions that could cause the symptoms you describe. Sleep apnea can lead to chronic tiredness, depression, troubles with concentration and memory and iritability. Depression, as a cause or effect of your symptoms, may be contributing significantly to how you feel. Chronic pain from neuropathy or stress from your IBS can also feed into this. You should sit down with your primary care provider to sort through all of your meds to prioritize what you need and what you may not.
Joe
|
|
|
 Please remember that this forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not engaged through this
forum in rendering legal or medical advice or professional services. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible
for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither The Body nor any sponsor is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.
Questions and messages posted to this forum are not statements of advice, opinion, or information of The Body, Body Health Resources Corporation or any sponsor of this
forum. While neither The Body nor Body Health Resources Corporation regularly reviews posted content, we reserve the right to delete, move, or
edit postings if we deem it appropriate under the circumstances. Visitors submitting questions remain solely responsible for the content of their
messages.
Information provided by experts is general only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease, or relied upon as
legal or other professional advice. This information is not a substitute for professional advice or care. If you have or suspect you may have a
health or legal problem, you should consult your own health care provider or your attorney.
Copyright notice.
|
|
|
|
