It would only be human to feel nervous about this. I've stopped the HIV drug Tivicay (after only about6 weeks) under suspicion that it was causing the agonising and constant pain in my bowels/stomach. Pain that was unbearable and ended up with me in Emergency with strange doctors grilling me about my whole health history and scared of WTF these strange people might come up with about me, let alone some distressing treatment involved. Not to mention the poking and prodding and my feelings of doo when even the specialist was stumped.
So today is the first day in about 6 weeks in stopping the Tivikay. Another HIV drug failure for me, perhaps. I hope this is the reason otherwise I'm going to have to go through endless tests and procedures as the medics try to find out the cause of such intense pain that I gave a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale.
Any reasonable person would assume a side effect surely couldn't be so bad. However I've learnt otherwise. Side effects, although the HIV drug is working marvelously on the HIV to make you undetectable.
Simplified a lot, so far for me it's been Truvada; accute kidney failure which put me on dialysis for two months and saw me needing a two year brake from HIV meds to Recover. Kaletra; nearly stopped my heart completely causing oxygen deprivation through all my body, exacerbating the kidney failure causing more damage, and giving me brain damage from said lack of Oxygen. Lately Maraviroc: although taken for about3-4 years in about the last year or so went haywire causing constant fainting from extremely and dangerously low blood pressure (along with muscle soreness and extreme weakness where I apparently found out what it must be like to be about 90 yrs old :s).
Which brings me to the Tivikay. During yesterdays doctor's visit I explained by discouragement and the constant pain, and if it meant I was having to live with this to be HIV viral load undetectable I couldn't do it and needed a break from the HIV meds (I've never been in such constant and intense pain for two weeks like I have now). Doc thought that was a very bad idea. I hadn't pressured him in any way and he'd already made a script for the new HIV replacement meds.
So this is it now. If it's not the pills then what is it? I'll have to go through a regime of various invasive tests to see WTF is going on.
Funny story BTW. In Emergency the doc asked me if I'd ever had a camera down my throat to see WTF is going on down there. I laughed, calmed myself, and couldn't help smirking at him. I said "no" and unfortunately in the pain I was in that was about the mostest comment I could come up with. Doc laughed though when leaving. Though about it later at home kicking myself. If I'd have been in a right state of mind I'd have said "No, but the gag reflex will be minimal if you want to do that, ha ha ha ha.....
So now folks. Early signs are perhaps encouraging. I went for 6 hours today without tsking any Panadole. Typing this now I feel in less pain. Nurse David says it will take some days for the Tivicay to clear my system. Let's just hope eh?
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