Starting Treatment

• I am taking Sustiva + Combivir, and I want to be as adherent as possible. What's the best and easiest way to schedule my doses?
• I recently started taking Sustiva + Combivir, and I already missed one dose of the Sustiva. Does this put me at risk for resistance?
• I decided to start HIV meds -- Sustiva + Truvada -- even though my CD4 count was 503. Did I make the right decision?
• My doctor thinks I should start taking Sustiva + Truvada now, but I'm worried about possible side effects like lipoatrophy. What do you think I should do?
• My doctor says Sustiva + Truvada is the gold standard for treatment right now. Do most patients starting on this regimen do fine with it and have low to no side effects?
• I've just been diagnosed with HIV with a viral load of 48,000 and a T-cell count of 575. Should I consider starting treatment with Sustiva?
• I may soon have to start HIV treatment, and I'm concerned that some meds may increase my ADD symptoms, specifically my difficulty concentrating. Would you recommend starting with Sustiva or something else?

Switching Treatment

• My doctor has me taking Sustiva even though I've shown resistance to it. Is it doing me any good to still be taking this med? Can I switch to another NNRTI?
• I am currently taking Sustiva + Combivir, and I'm hoping to become pregnant soon. Do I need to switch any of my meds? And if so, what should I switch to?
• I've been taking Sustiva + Combivir for almost four years. It's been a really successful regimen for me -- undetectable viral load, high CD4 count and almost no side effects -- but my doctor still thinks I should consider switching to Atripla. What do you think?
• If for some reason I was without my meds, could I take my friend's Atripla instead of my Sustiva + Truvada without any worries?
• I think I'm experiencing all the classic Sustiva side effects: fuzziness, anxiety, insomnia and depression. What can I do? Do I have to switch all of my meds, or can I just switch the Sustiva?
• After 10 days on Sustiva, I got a full body rash that itches horribly and won't let up. Plus, I'm having trouble sleeping. Nothing seems to help. I really want to stop the meds for now. What do you think?
• After a few months on Truvada + Sustiva I realized that the side effects of Sustiva were not subsiding. Can I safely switch back to my old regimen?

Side Effects

• I had some horrible side effects the first few weeks I was on Sustiva. Since then they've cleared up almost completely, and the treatment caused a huge drop in my viral load. So hang in there!
• Could Sustiva be the reason I've become unfocused, lethargic and less productive in the mornings?
• I've been on Atripla (Sustiva + Truvada) for over two months, and I just started to develop blotchy, itchy rash. Could this be a side effect from the meds? And, if so, why did it take so long to appear?
• I am currently taking Sustiva + Truvada, and my liver enzymes are doubling with every blood test. What should I do?
• I used to love my sleep, but now, after taking Sustiva for five years, I have been having problems with insomnia. What do you suggest?
• I just started taking Sustiva, and I'm suffering from slight insomnia and weird emotions late at night. How long do these side effects usually last?
• Are the side effects of Sustiva only active in the sleeping hours after a bedtime dose, or will the effects dull my mental reflexes throughout the following day?
• I'm on Sustiva + Truvada and, at times, feel depressed and negative. How does one differentiate between clinical depression and simply situational depression? Could the Sustiva be to blame for the intensity of these emotions?

For frequently asked questions on other HIV/AIDS topics, click here.