•  HIV TREATMENT VETERANS

Should I Switch to Truvada if My Combivir's Working Fine?
I've been taking Combivir (AZT/3TC) + efavirenz (Sustiva, Stocrin) for the past seven years with great results and minimal side effects. However, my doctor wants to switch the Combivir with Truvada (tenofovir/FTC), because he says studies have shown that lipodystrophy is more common among people taking Combivir than people taking Truvada. He also says that efavirenz + Truvada will eventually be available together as a single once-a-day pill. My question is, if Combivir is working for me and I don't have any lipodystrophy, should I change meds just for the sake of changing them?


Am I Injecting T-20 Too Deep?
I recently taught myself how to inject T-20 (enfuvirtide, Fuzeon) into my abdomen. No one has observed my technique; can you tell me if it's correct? When pinching a site, I ensure there is fat, and then insert the needle until I feel a "breakthrough." The needle appears to go all the way in, but it isn't very long; am I injecting too deep? I have not experienced many injection site reactions.

•  HIV/HAART-RELATED HEALTH ISSUES

Will There Ever Be a Non-Toxic HIV Med?
With all the technology we have, why haven't we been able to develop HIV meds as gentle on our bodies as aspirin? Do you think this will ever happen?


Can Liposuction Treat Lipodystrophy?
I'm a gay, 29-year-old man who's been HIV positive for less than a year and is taking HIV medications. Although I haven't changed my eating habits and exercise regularly, I've gained 40 pounds. It's embarrassing and unsightly. I'm considering liposuction for my abdomen and back. What do you think?


Hit by a "Freight Train" of Exhaustion, Other Symptoms
I was diagnosed with HIV four years ago; two years ago I started taking Trizivir (AZT/3TC/abacavir). I've taken my meds religiously, have an undetectable viral load and a CD4 count of 220. The problem is that every now and then, often in the evening, it seems as though my body "freezes up." It hits me like a freight train; I feel tired and my chest becomes sore. Sometimes I get really gassy; sometimes I get a rash on the inside of my palm. Is this all related to HIV, my HIV meds, or just part of getting older?


Fat Loss After Successful Long-Term Treatment
I've been on HIV treatment for almost 10 years; during that entire period, my CD4 count has been well over 1,000 and my viral load right around undetectable. However, I pretty much have no butt, and I don't wear shorts because my legs are nothing but veins, like spider webs. Is there anything I can do about this?


Sudden Weight Loss After Switching Meds
Since my doctor switched me to efavirenz (Sustiva, Stocrin) + Truvada (tenofovir/FTC), I've been losing weight. My doctor said it's because I was working out too much, so I stopped exercising and started eating everything I could, but it doesn't seem to help. What else can I do?

•  HEPATITIS & HIV

Can Liver Health Improve Despite Hepatitis C Relapses?
I have HIV and hepatitis C. I'm taking HIV meds, and have gone through two courses of hepatitis C treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Though my hepatitis C viral load became undetectable while I was on treatment, each time it relapsed as soon as treatment was stopped. I'm about to go for another liver biopsy. Is it possible that my liver might be in better shape despite the hepatitis C relapses?


Large CD4 Drop After Starting Hepatitis C Meds
I'm an HIVer who just started hepatitis C treatment. After only three weeks on pegylated interferon and ribavirin, my HIV viral load was still undetectable, but my CD4 count had dropped from 900 to 568! Why would this happen?


Hepatitis C and HIV Treatment: Taking All My Meds at Once?
I'd like to take all of my medications at the same time -- Combivir (AZT/3TC) and indinavir (Crixivan) for HIV, pegylated interferon and ribavirin for hepatitis C, and gemfibrozil (Lopid) for my cholesterol. Would this be safe? All of the different dosing schedules are messing up my sleep schedule.


Hepatitis B Symptoms
What are the symptoms of hepatitis B?

•  HIV TRANSMISSION

Viral Load, CD4 Count and Pregnancy
Is there a specific viral load or CD4 count that HIV-positive pregnant women need to reach in order to ensure they give birth to a healthy, HIV-free baby?


Can a Tampon Help Prevent HIV Transmission During Oral Sex on a Woman?
I'm an HIV-negative woman in a relationship with an HIV-positive woman. We've tried having sex with a dental dam, but it spoils the mood, so we decided to try using a tampon to "plug up" her fluids. Do you think this'll help lower the risk of my contracting HIV when I give her oral sex?


HIV in Female Ejaculate?
Do you know how much HIV there is in female ejaculate? I had amazing sex with a multi-orgasmic female who ejaculated profusely. We used a condom, but the ejaculate went into my eyes and other places I did not want it to go. What's my risk level?

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