Question

How can I calm my anxiety about my treatment?

22 July 2023. Related: Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load, Living with HIV long-term.

I have been taking Triumeq for about 10 months, since my diagnosis and my last doctor’s appointment in December was good, everything was fine. I started a new job where i’m more active and in a dryer environment. I stopped taking my medication for about 5 weeks because they would make me stay up long nights and sleep past my alarms at work and i was getting in trouble for being late.

My doctor rescheduled my appointment from March to July and I started taking my pills again but i’ve noticed 2 swollen lymph nodes in my neck and i’m losing a lot of weight. I’m a big dude (6’7 340lbs) so me being able to feel my collar bone or my stomach is a lot smaller is not typical. I got my labs done back in April and I have a Viral Load of 379 which is a lot better from December (57,000) but they didn’t do my CD4 count because it’s not close to my appointment date but in December it was 538.

I’m just scared something is wrong and I can’t be seen for another 2 months. How do I calm myself down from having the worst anxiety ever?

Answer

Answer: Josh Peasegood

Hi, how are you?

I am sorry to hear you are feeling so anxious.

It is great that your viral load is being suppressed. This shows that your treatment is working. You also have a healthy CD4 count showing that HIV is not having an impact on your immune system/health.

It is great that you restarted taking your pills. What time of the day are you taking them? Triumeq contains a drug called dolutegravir. This is a drug that can cause problems sleeping.

Taking Triumeq in the morning can help prevent these side effects.

Have you noticed any other symptoms aside from the swollen lymph nodes e.g., pain, fever, runny nose?

You have mentioned weight loss. Do you know how much? You have said that you are in a more active job. It is likely that this job will have caused some weight loss. Has anything else changed e.g., eating less/more, changing what foods you eat?

Josh.