Question
I am experiencing body shape changes on HIV meds (ART)
13 April 2025. Related: All topics, Side effects, Support.
Hi i have been taking Tribuss for the past twelve years..now I’m experiencing body shape changes.
My uper body is becoming very big..and lower part very Thin..what could be the problem
Answer
Hi there
Thank you for posting.
We get a lot of questions about this and I understand this is difficult and upsetting. Many people report body changes since the early days of HIV treatment over 25 years ago.
Back then, the HIV meds were definitely linked to the changes about losing fat from arms, legs, the bottom and sometimes the face. This was called lipodystrophy and there is more information here.
Newer HIV meds used today shouldn’t be doing this, or might have a lower risk.
Sometimes the early HIV meds also caused bigger stomachs which made the changes seem worse. So part of the answer might be linked to your treatment history and current meds.
As Tribuss is an early HIV med that includes efavirenz, please talk to your doctor about using a new combination like TLD which includes dolutegravir instead.
Current HIV meds shouldn’t be causing the same problems, but we still get emails and posts from people saying the same experiences as you are having. This also seems more often from women, so this might also be a factor.
Modern HIV drugs like dolutegravir and bictegravir (integrase inhibitors) and TAF have been linked to putting on more weigh. Some older HIV drugs like efavirenz and TDF have been linked to lower weight. So this might still be an issue. Howevere, switching HIV meds hasn’t showed weight changes reverse.
There is more information about weight gain and newer HIV meds here:
i-base.info/guides/side/changes-to-weight
This means doctors emphasise looking at moving to a balanced diet and being more active with exercise as a way to reverse weight changes.
What has your doctor or health worker said about this. Please make sure they understand how important this is for you. Please make sure you are weighed and have waist and hip measuremenst at every visit – and that these are recorded in your notes.
I am sorry that there is not one easy answer to your question.
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