Efavirenz Dosages

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Efavirenz (Sustiva)

What Is Efavirenz? Efavirenz is a drug used as part of antiretroviral therapy (ART). It is also called Sustiva or Stocrin. It is manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb. Generic versions have been tentatively approved under PEPFAR (see Fact Sheet 475 ). Efavirenz is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (a "non-nuke" or NNRTI). These drugs stop HIV from multiplying by preventing the reverse transcriptase enzyme from working. This enzyme...

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Efavirenz and Rifafour interaction?

I was just diagnosed with HIV, CD4 count of 4, and although no TB was found, my doctor suspected I have it. I have completed about 1 week of therapy. I am on 4 tabs of Rifafour/day and Combivir and 600mg of Efavirenz. Should my dosage of Efavirenz...

Response from Gerald Pierone, M.D.

AIDS Research and Treatment Center of the Treasure Coast

Hello and sorry to hear about your recent HIV diagnosis. Rifampicin is the main ingredient in rifafour that interacts with Efavirirz (Sustiva). Drug-drug interaction studies showed about a 20% reduction in Efavirenz blood levels from Rifampin. A... Read more »

Dizzy from Efavirenz

I've been on a combination of Combivir & Efavirenz for 3 months and am very happy with the results: Viral Load has gone from >75,000 to <40 & T4 have increased from 180 to 431. So I am not looking to change this cocktail. However...

Response from Andrew T. Pavia, M.D.

University of Utah, School of Medicine

Mark,Side effects that persist for 3 months can be tough to get rid of, as opposed to those you have in the first few weeks. If you haven't already tried it, try moving your efavirenz dose up in the evening perhaps to dinner time, or even... Read more »

Truvada/Efavirenz:Severe breathing difficulty & racing heartbeat

Dear Doctors, Started takinng Truvada/Efavirenz for a month now and dizziness in the mornings, insomnia, being unseady on my feet and rash on my arms and chest (for few days) were some of the main side effects during the first two weeks. However, I...

Response from Keith Henry, M.D.

University of Minnesota, School of Medicine

Assuming that your cardiac and lung exams have not revealed any clear problems some of your symptoms could be due to the central nervous system effects of Sustiva (some patients can rarely experience severe anxiety/panic attacks with... Read more »

Switching from efavirenz

Hi,Some background:I'm a 26 year old male, positive for almost five years. I was diagnosed during seroconversion & took Kaletra & Combivir for six months. My numbers were then good until early last year, when VL jumped from <10k to...

Response from Gerald Pierone, M.D.

AIDS Research and Treatment Center of the Treasure Coast

The side effects are significant enough for you to consider changing therapy. The level of 4,900 is a typical trough level of Sustiva and well above the inhibitory concentration need to suppress viral replication. The most logical thing I think... Read more »

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Efavirenz: ways to fight its sleep-reduction.

Posted by BrokenWingedBird, 2 Replies

If Efavirenz (and Efavirenz along)is really wrecking your sleep quality, then the only solution is to stop taking Efavirenz (and substitute it with another drug).

However, there are ways to ensure your sleep is as good as possible.

Important discovery: Read more »

Super Mareado con Sustiva

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

Hola amigos:

Antes de ayer comence tratamiento con Combivir y Sustiva (Efavirenz). Estoy tomando Efavirenz solamente en la noche como dijo mi medico. Estos dos dias han sido super horribles por el mareo y la sensacion de resaca (hangover) producida... Read more »

Ridiculous night-time brain-acitivity

Posted by BrokenWingedBird, 2 Replies

I was on Efavirenz (Sustiva) for a year. This was about two years ago. And I was one of the several-in-a-thousand who had serious mental side-effects from it. The main problem was horrific dreams that woke me at about 2am and in such a state of... Read more »

Complera, the new once-daily combo pill

Posted by bartleby

new treatment option. here's what you need to know.
Complera (rilpivirine/tenofovir/FTC) is like Atripla (efavirenz/tenofovir/FTC) except it replaces the Sustiva (efavirenz, Stocrin) arm with Edurant (rilpivirine). it has to be taken with a meal.... Read more »

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