Question
25 October 2023. Related: All topics, Complications and coinfections, Newly diagnosed, Side effects.
Hi guys. I’ve started my HIV treatment months ago. I’ve started loosing weight. I don’t know if it’s because I was recently sick cause I had flu or what but the nurse said I shouldn’t have flu while I’m on meds. It has come back again due to eating ice. I don’t know if I should be concerned?
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Are you feeling better?
What is the name of the meds you are taking? and do you know how much weight you have lost?
And have you been told what your CD4 count is?
Being on HIV meds will not stop other infections. You can still get the flu and be ill.
It is possible that you are currently more prone to other infections as your body is recovering from HIV. Having a string of infections can cause you to lose weight. How have you been eating?
Most HIV meds that are used now lead to weight gain. It is the older meds that caused problems with weight loss e.g., stavudine and zidovudine. Occasionally it could be seen that efavirenz could also cause this, which is a drug that is sometimes still used.
Josh.
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