Question
Are Aluvia and Ranega the same medication?
6 November 2023. Related: All topics, Changing treatment.
Hi, I just want to find out if Aluvia is the same as Ranega. My mum has been given a Ranega instead of Aluvia. I’m really not sure if she should take it.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
No these medications are not the same.
They are both medications to treat HIV but they contain different drugs.
Aluvia is a combination of 2 drugs. It is usually combined with another drug to make a complete 3-drug regimen that can be used to treat HIV. How long has your mum been using Aluvia? and has she had any other drugs alongside it?
Ranega is a generic version of TLD. TLD is a common treatment that many people are being switched to. Is this something your doctor has talked about. TLD is generally better tolerated with fewer side effects which is why people are commonly switched.
Using Ranega while waiting to talk to your doctor will not risk Aluvia not working if this was an error. Both treatment will work to suppress HIV but they do so in different ways.
It is still better for your mum to take some medication instead of none. If this was an intentional switch most people find they do well on Ranega and it is easier to tolerate within their day to day lives.
Josh.
Hi Mmaserame and thank you for the question.
Some of the early HIV meds had fat loss as a side effect.
So if your previous treatment included AZT (zidovudine) or d4T (stavudine), these drugs could have caused your legs and arms to lose fat.
This side effect is called lipoatrophy.
Although TLD is unlikely to reverse the fat loss, it should stop it getting worse.
Also, what has your doctor said about this.
Please talk to the doctor so they understand how this is affecting you.
In general the first step is to make sure your doctor knows about your concerns and that your weight and waist are measured and recorded in your medical notes.
The doctor should then look for possible causes and will talk about diet and exercise etc.
This link has more information about fat loss as a side effect:
https://i-base.info/guides/side/fat-loss-lipoatrophy
When I started on ARVs in 2007 I was on a 3TC combination but it didn’t do well with me and I got very sick. Then I was switched to Aluvia which helped suppress my viral load but my body changed I have a big tummy, thin legs and arms, my buttocks disappeared. Now I’m switched again to TLD. Is it safe for me to switch?