42yr old female, HIV+for 17years, was on D4T/AZT/3TC for years, now on Trizivir and Sustiva for years. Skinny face, arms, legs, no hips or butt anymore. Lots of and increasing belly fat, particularly above umbilicus, truncal and breast fat. Rotten body image. Normal random glucoses. Been on actos for 3 mos. No change. Any hope for actos working in longterm for reducing belly fat? Is my other med regimen just making things worse? Thanks for your answer, Hiding Under Tunics.

This is a very difficult problem. How a person looks has such an effect on the way others relate and even how they feel about themselves. So sorry that you have had these severe changes. These changes are associated with the disease itself and the interactions of some of the medications. The medicines you are on are lower risk than others.

However, there are few treatments that have actually been found effective to reverse the changes you have experienced. The diabetes medicines have been found to slow the progress, but I do not believe there is evidence that they reverse it. Human growth hormone may be helpful. Check with your doc.

Be well.