Question
My clinic changed Atroiza to Luvigen without telling me…
15 April 2022. Related: All topics, Changing treatment, HIV transmission.
I was switched from atroiza to luvigen without nothing being explained?
Should I be worried?
My viral load was 103 in December 2021 which I didn’t understand why because I have been mostly consistent and now more than ever after the results I haven’t missed a single dose.
Is it possible that my viral load is lower than 100. I’m worried because I’m sexually active and my partner and I haven’t been using condoms because I’m thinking I can’t pass the infection to him.
Answer
These are two different types for HIV treatment (ART) so your doctor should definitely have talked to you about this change.
They are both generic versions of ART:
https://i-base.info/guides/12423
Atroza uses efavirenz which is an older drug.
Luvigen uses dolutegravir which is more modern. This is better for most people.
The main difference is that Atroiza needed to be taken at night and Luvigen needs to be taken in the morning.
Please call your doctor and clinic and ask why they didn’t give you this information.
Please do not worry about your viral load. This is still very low and it might just have been a lab error.
This will not have put your partner at any risk.
Hi Phila, thanks for posting about your experience. Your results might be due to one of two things. One is that everything is ok and that the viral load is undetectable again. Sometimes viral load just blips for no reason, even if you have been really careful in taking every dose. The other possible reason is that your meds might have stopped working and you might need to change treatment.
In the UK, your viral load would be checked again now to find out what is going on. If your next viral load is higher than the last one, this might mean changing treatment. This will also depend on which meds you are currently using.
It also depends on which country you are living in as guidelines are sometimes different in terms of when someon should change treatment.
As your last viral load was three months ago, please ask for another viral load test now, even if the doctor wants to wiat longer. Waiting longer increases the risk that drug resistance could become worse.
Hey..I was diagnosed in 2012 and from then being taking my treatment from 3 pills to 1 pill only at night…3 months back I took blood samples the viral load is now more than 500 ..I have been consistent in taking my pills daily so now am puzzled what might be the cause as I have been told am in danger because of that high viral load…also what should be the normal viral load