Long-term Antiviral Therapy For Hiv Infection

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Raltegravir (Isentress)

What Is Raltegravir? Who Should Take It? What About Drug Resistance? How Is Raltegravir Taken? What Are the Side Effects? How Does it React With Other Drugs? The Bottom Line What Is Raltegravir? Raltegravir (Isentress) is a drug used for antiviral therapy against HIV. It was formerly known as MK-0518. It is manufactured by Merck. Raltegravir is the first "integrase inhibitor" drug. When HIV infects a cell, it combines its...

Ask the Experts

Do long-term antiviral meds cause severe depression & memory loss?

I am a 33 year old guy diagnosed seven year ago and have been on treatment from day 1. I'm on Kivexa Ritonavir & Darunavir plus Ampitriptyline 20mg, Lyrica, Tramadol SR (max dose) & Effexor xl 150mg antidepressants. I have had...

Response from David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W.

South Florida Center for Counseling and Therapy

Thank you for writing. As many as one third people with HIV on long term antiretroviral therapy experience symptoms of depression. Anxiety and neurocognitive problems also occur. The causes are still unclear, although studies show that the... Read more »

Long term effects of therapy for HIV

Recently my husband went to the ER for kidney stones (none were found) and after tests, he was admitted for pancreatitis. The following morning, our HIV specialist saw that my husband had been admitted and after reviewing the report discharged him....

Response from Brian Conway, M.D.

University of British Columbia

I'm glad they seem to have figured out that the problem relates to the bile ducts as this is something that is often easily fixed. As for the organ enlargement, the liver and spleen may be enlarged because of the HCV. In acute HIV, they are... Read more »

Adherance to HBV anti-viral therapy

Dear Dr McGovern,I have a question regarding the anti-viral drug telbivudine. I am taking Tyzeka to suppress HBV replication (without coinfection from HIV or HCV ), but I do not have liver cirrhosis. What is the consequence of a few missed doses?...

Response from Barbara McGovern, M.D.

Tufts University School of Medicine

Thank you for your excellent question. Any time we have to take a chronic medication, sometimes pills are missed. In patients with diabetes or high blood pressure, this can result in a bad outcome, like a hyperglycemic coma or a stroke. However,... Read more »

Long term "salvage" therapy side effects

I am a person who has been hiv+ since the 80's and was one of the first people to get the hiv antiblody test after its release. I started meds soon after there was something available besides AZT, due to a random CD4 count of 30. I then began...

Response from Keith Henry, M.D.

University of Minnesota, School of Medicine

Great question for which there is no good answer other than--watch closely since patients like yourself are the real laboratory for what happens over the long term. As I tell patients - no lab rat has taken those meds for as long as some of our... Read more »

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Drug Therapy after Infected 3 months

Posted by Anonymous

The big debate:

Does it matter if people recently infected start antivirals early or if numbers are good, should they forgo using meds and monitor numbers.

I am wondering if there is any benefit to starting early if it is good for the long term..or do... Read more »

Encouragement from a long term survivor

Posted by ScotCharles, 6 Replies

As many of you know, I was diagnosed in September 1985 in Atlanta by the Red Cross after I gave blood at a company sponsored blood drive. I was lucky I found out early in my infection. I have always had the best of care since my diagnosis and... Read more »

long term side effects

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

It would be interesting to hear from anyone that has been on antivirals for a long time(more than 4 years continously)that have minimal or NO side effects. Physical(appearence wise as well as internal) IF anyone out there falls into this catagory... Read more »

HIV/AIDS LONG-TERM SURVIVORS sought for in-depth i

Posted by Anonymous, 2 Replies

Gay men who have lived consciously aware of their HIV+ status since at least 1986 are sought to provide their personal experiencesemotional, psychological, spiritual, medical, social, legal, &c.for a book to document and preserve the experiences... Read more »

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