Question
What are the risks from changing my atazanavir dose?
15 November 2010. Related: All topics, Changing treatment, Side effects.
In Oct 2008, I have started the HIV treatment and the med combination is as follows:
1. Kivexa 600mg/300mg (abacavir + lamivudine) Dose: 1 tab in the evening
2. Reyataz 150mg (atazanavir) Dose: 2 tabs in the evening
3. Norvir 100mg (ritonavir) * Dose: 1 tab in the evening (* has to be put in refrigerator)
But now because of personal reasons and I am going to change the combination as follows:
1. Kivexa 600mg/300mg (abacavir + lamivudine) Dose: 1 tab in the evening
2. Reyataz 200mg (atazanavir) Dose: 2 tabs in the evening
Q. Is there any side effect or ineffectiveness of medication due to the two cases (I am going to change after two days break). My CD4 is now 515.
Answer
Hi
Other than ‘personal reasons’ it would be helpful to know thay you are changing treatment, and why your doctor has suggested this.
People usually increase from 300mg to 400mg once-daily when they stop taking ritonavir. Ritonavir is used to boost blood levels of atazanavir, which is a good thing. For a few people, they may boost them too much and they get side effects. The boosting increases levels of bilirubin which makes some people skin and eyes look yellow – though it is not doing your body any harm.
If this is the case for you, then switching should reduce this side effect. Because you are stopping the ritonavir, you may feel better generally, will less diarrhoea.
See this link to the i-Base side effect guide for more information.
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