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FAQs About Facial Wasting From The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums

Basics and Prevention | Treatment | Personal Stories

Basics and Prevention

I am experiencing fat loss and veins in my lower legs. I'm on Kaltera and Truvada. Is there a better drug regiment for me?
Can I change my meds to reduce fat loss? I'm taking Combivir (AZT/3TC) + Viread (tenofovir) + Sustiva (efavirenz, Stocrin), and I've begun to notice a lot of fat loss under my cheekbones. What meds can I switch to in order to decrease or stop this fat loss?
Is stomach bloating a side effect or symptom of lipodystrophy?
Is my testosterone gel contributing to my lipoatrophy? I have been using testosterone gel for over three years, and my new doc tells me that it could be contributing to my lipoatrophy -- Is this true?
What is lipodystrophy? Is it a side effect of HAART or is it directly related to HIV disease progression?
Will my fat come back? Will our bodies recoup the lost/transferred fat deposits once a viable treatment for lipodystrophy has been found? Or are these fat deposits lost/relocated forever?
I am currently on a regimen of Zerit, Kaletra, Viread and T-20 and have experienced some facial wasting. If I cut out the Zerit from my regimen, would my facial wasting reverse?
What non-surgical procedures can I do to stop facial wasting?
Lipodystrophy scares me. Does it occur in all people with HIV or as a side effect of HIV medications? I'm no Brad Pitt, but I like the way I look! How do I keep my physical appearance the same so I don't have to walk down the street with my head down?
My doctor switched me to Lexiva/Norvir with Truvada once a day. I am tolerating the regimen well, but am scared of facial wasting. Do you know if this regimen causes it?
Do HIV medications effectively prevent facial wasting?
I have been on a regimen of Sustiva and Combivir for the past two years. My doctor, however, has suggested reducing the AZT content primarily because both she and I have noticed some facial wasting. This will mean changing from Combivir to two 100-mg tablets of AZT and one 150-mg tablet of Epivir twice a day. How common is this practice?
I've been on meds for six years, five years with efavirenz and Combivir (AZT + 3TC). My CD4 count is 1100 and my viral load blips up and down over the detection limit. I really would like to stop taking my drugs to slow down the steady path towards greater facial wasting. What do you think?
I've been on 3TC and d4T for seven years and am just beginning to see signs of facial wasting. Should I consider switching the 3TC for tenofovir (Viread) to stop the wasting, even though my current regimen has worked extremely well against HIV?
Can anabolic steroids make facial wasting worse?
Is facial wasting more common in people who take d4T (Zerit)?
Are there any vitamins, supplements or foods I can take that would help prevent or reverse facial wasting?
Is it possible to have facial wasting without ever being on HIV meds?

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Lipodystrophy & Other Metabolic Complications

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