Side-effects of HIV/Drugs Short-term ·
It’s important to say that the effects of AIDS are far more devastating than the side-effects of HIV drugs, and that HIV has killed thousands of times more people than the drugs used to treat it. The death rate from HIV has come down by over 75% in Scotland in the past 10 years, and a gay/bi guy newly-diagnosed with HIV in his mid 20s now has a life expectancy not far away from the average.
HIV itself can sometimes cause effects if left untreated, even in people with high CD4 counts. These can include weight loss, subtle neurological problems, gut problems and so on.
However if you have an adequate CD4 count these days, you’re more likely to have to deal with a side-effect of the drugs you take to stop AIDS rather than AIDS itself.
Short-term side effects typically last for a few weeks after you start a new drug regime and are a sign your body is getting used to the drugs. They may include nausea, diarrhoea, skin rashes, fatigue, restlessness or headaches. They don’t by any means affect everyone and also tend to disappear, with no longer-term implications.
Some drugs are associated with specific side effects: for instance, the drug efavirenz (found in Sustiva and Atripla) may cause dizziness, disturbed sleep, vivid dreams and depression. Most short-term side effects, including these, disappear within the first two months of starting therapy and many people have no short-term side effects at all.
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