Face HIV with Dr. Watiti
Mar 06, 2007
DEAR Doctor, <br>I am HIV-positive and on free anti-retroviral therapy. I have been taking triomune 40 because I weigh 84kgs, which is above 60kgs recommended for this drug. However, recently I was put on triomune 30 for three months because they said triomune 40 was out of stock.
My drug is out of stock
Dear Doctor,
I am HIV-positive and on free anti-retroviral therapy. I have been taking triomune 40 because I weigh 84kgs, which is above 60kgs recommended for this drug. However, recently I was put on triomune 30 for three months because they said triomune 40 was out of stock. My worry is, won’t this drug be inefficient and cause me more problems? Is it possible to take one tablet and three quarters to be equivalent to 40?
Grace
Dear Grace,
Triomune contains three drugs namely: Stavudine, Lamivadine and Nevirapine in what is known as a fixed-dose combination. Triomune 30 means the Stavudine in the tablet is 30 milligrammes, while triomune 40 has 40 milligrammes of Stavudine. The other two drugs are the same in both Triomune 30 and 40. So by getting a third of a tablet of Triomune 30 in addition to a Triomune 30 tablet, it will not give you Triomune 40 as you suggest.
You should continue using Triomune 30 as your service provider has advised you, until Triomune 40 can be got. Triomune 30 will not be inefficient or cause you more problems.
We at times put our patients who are 60kg and above on Triomune 30 if they have side-effects like pains and numbness in the feet, a condition known as peripheral neuropathy.
It is, however, important that service providers make sure that drugs do not run out after initiating ARVs. This calls for proper planning and forecasting the drug needs of one’s unit.
Lastly, I wish to advise you and others who are on free ARVs that with time donors may stop free supplies. Therefore, we need to develop the capacity to be able to sustain drug supplies after donors, so start saving now!
Will I take septrin all my life?
Dear Doctor,
My doctor told me to start taking septrin 960mg daily, and I have spent six months using it. Will septrin also be used all my life like the anti-retroviral drugs? What are the consequences if one stopped for a while, say for two months? This is because my CD4 count is at 640, which is okay. However, I do not know my viral load.
Grace
Dear Grace,
Septrin is part of the basic care package for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWAs). The others are safe water and hygiene, insecticide-treated mosquito nets and good nutrition. Since your CD4 is high and I hope stable, you should discuss with your doctor who will advise you on the continued use of septrin.
We sometimes advise our patients to take septrin on alternative days though this at times confuses some of them who start taking ARVs on alternative days instead!
Some of our patients who have high and stable CD4 counts do not use septrin, but we review them regularly to see that they are not in danger of being attacked by any serious opportunistic infections.
When managing HIV/AIDS, we try to empower our patients so that in the long run, they can do ‘self-management’, where the patient will know much about the disease and the drugs they are on. This helps them make informed decisions about their lives without fear of hurting themselves.
Good care of a chronic illness, like HIV/AIDS, involves the healthcare giver assessing the patient and advising him or her concerning their condition. They must agree on what should be done while the healthcare giver assists the patient to make an informed decision regarding whatever they take.
Lastly, the caregiver must arrange for other care-givers to come in since HIV/AIDS is a multifaceted disease, which needs a team of people with different skills to deal with the patient.
Send your question on HIV to
Health Editor,
The New Vision. P. O. Box 9815, Kampala or
health&beauty@ newvision.co.ug
Dear Doctor,
I am HIV-positive and on free anti-retroviral therapy. I have been taking triomune 40 because I weigh 84kgs, which is above 60kgs recommended for this drug. However, recently I was put on triomune 30 for three months because they said triomune 40 was out of stock. My worry is, won’t this drug be inefficient and cause me more problems? Is it possible to take one tablet and three quarters to be equivalent to 40?
Grace
Dear Grace,
Triomune contains three drugs namely: Stavudine, Lamivadine and Nevirapine in what is known as a fixed-dose combination. Triomune 30 means the Stavudine in the tablet is 30 milligrammes, while triomune 40 has 40 milligrammes of Stavudine. The other two drugs are the same in both Triomune 30 and 40. So by getting a third of a tablet of Triomune 30 in addition to a Triomune 30 tablet, it will not give you Triomune 40 as you suggest.
You should continue using Triomune 30 as your service provider has advised you, until Triomune 40 can be got. Triomune 30 will not be inefficient or cause you more problems.
We at times put our patients who are 60kg and above on Triomune 30 if they have side-effects like pains and numbness in the feet, a condition known as peripheral neuropathy.
It is, however, important that service providers make sure that drugs do not run out after initiating ARVs. This calls for proper planning and forecasting the drug needs of one’s unit.
Lastly, I wish to advise you and others who are on free ARVs that with time donors may stop free supplies. Therefore, we need to develop the capacity to be able to sustain drug supplies after donors, so start saving now!
Will I take septrin all my life?
Dear Doctor,
My doctor told me to start taking septrin 960mg daily, and I have spent six months using it. Will septrin also be used all my life like the anti-retroviral drugs? What are the consequences if one stopped for a while, say for two months? This is because my CD4 count is at 640, which is okay. However, I do not know my viral load.
Grace
Dear Grace,
Septrin is part of the basic care package for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWAs). The others are safe water and hygiene, insecticide-treated mosquito nets and good nutrition. Since your CD4 is high and I hope stable, you should discuss with your doctor who will advise you on the continued use of septrin.
We sometimes advise our patients to take septrin on alternative days though this at times confuses some of them who start taking ARVs on alternative days instead!
Some of our patients who have high and stable CD4 counts do not use septrin, but we review them regularly to see that they are not in danger of being attacked by any serious opportunistic infections.
When managing HIV/AIDS, we try to empower our patients so that in the long run, they can do ‘self-management’, where the patient will know much about the disease and the drugs they are on. This helps them make informed decisions about their lives without fear of hurting themselves.
Good care of a chronic illness, like HIV/AIDS, involves the healthcare giver assessing the patient and advising him or her concerning their condition. They must agree on what should be done while the healthcare giver assists the patient to make an informed decision regarding whatever they take.
Lastly, the caregiver must arrange for other care-givers to come in since HIV/AIDS is a multifaceted disease, which needs a team of people with different skills to deal with the patient.
Send your question on HIV to
Health Editor,
The New Vision. P. O. Box 9815, Kampala or
health&beauty@ newvision.co.ug