Question
What are the side effects of TLD?
6 January 2022. Related: All topics, PEP/PEPSE, Side effects, Starting treatment.
Hi guys, I recently had sex with someone who was HIV positive. The next day I went to the clinic and they gave me PEP. I am currently on TLD but I am experiencing a stuffy nose, dry mouth and sore throat. I have little red spots on my legs, like a rash I don’t know if this are side effects or not. Please help.
Answer
Hi, how are you?
TLD is a combination medication. It includes dolutegravir, Lamivudine and tenofovir. As such any side effects are attributed to these medications. Stuffy nose, dry mouth and a sore throat are not a side effect. It is possible to cause a skin reaction and this should be checked by a doctor – the rash on your leg.
The common side effects for dolutegravir include: anxiety, depression, diarrhoea, fatigue, flatulence, stomach discomfort, headache, nausea, skin reactions, sleep disorders, vomiting.
The common side effects for lamivudine include: tummy pain, anaemia, lack of energy, diarrhoea, dizziness, fever, flatulence, headache, insomnia, nausea, low white blood cells, skin reactions, vomiting.
The common side effects for tenofovir include: abdominal pain, anaemia, tiredness, diarrhoea, dizziness, fever, flatulence, headache, insomnia, nausea, low white blood cells, skin reactions, vomiting.
These are the common side effects as listed by the BNF. You should note that while these are all common, they are not common together. It is also common for side effects to only be experienced in the first few weeks of starting medication while your body gets used to it. Common also means that it can be experienced by as few as 1 in 100 people.
Josh.
Hi Will, have these results been addressed by your doctor? At i-base we are not trained to analyse and advise on medical results. There are also likely other factors contributing to these results as you have mentioned.
Hi,Josh Peasegood. Coming back to your reply. I had mild muscle ache and cramps. Sometimes a bit painfull specially during nights. It started at about 13th day after starting PEP.
I checked my
creatinine level – 1.3 (Went high from 0.9 to 1.3)
Vitamin D – 10 (Severly deficient)
CBC count – 12200 . Higher than normal
SGPT – 92 very high.
Other thing
1> Too much stress and anxiety
2> Did not had good meal and did not go out on sunlight.
Hi Will, muscle aches/cramps alone are not suggestive of HIV seroconversion. Have you been doing anything else that could be causing these cramps? e.g., increased exercise?
How are you feeling now?
Muscle ache and cramps is not that bad. Its mild and keeps coming and going. I feel mild pain on thigh, shoulder and sometimes knees. Its been a week since it started. Is this a sign of early infection? I don’t have rash, fever, sore throat, lymph nodes nothing. After a week its kind of disappearing but still there. It happens more often after I take the pills.
Hi Will, these side effects would not be expected so soon into starting PEP. There is no interaction between TLD and Ofloxacin.
How long and how badly are you experiencing these muscle aches and cramps? Have you tried anything to relieve these symptoms?
Does TLD regime have muscle ache or cramping (mild) after 2 weeks.? Took ofloaxin antibiotic as well for 7 days. I donot have any other problems besides anxiety and stress.
Hi Kings, are you taking TLD as PEP? If so PEP is only effective if taken within 72 hours of the exposure. Starting at 84 hours is not going to impact your risk of transmission.
Pins and needles can be a side effect from taking TLD. This should lessen the longer you take it/stop. If it continues please speak to your doctor about this side effect.
Hello guys I’m currently taking TLD, I started around 84 hours after sex with a HIV positive person. Currently I’m having the feeling of pins and needles all over. I want to know if this is a side effect
Hi Meron, no it does not. This previous question may give a reason for your skin being darker: https://i-base.info/qa/803
Does TLD, especially the DTG make the face go dark?