Question
I have a serious rash from starting treatment – should I stop taking my meds?
25 January 2011. Related: All topics, Changing treatment, Side effects, Starting treatment, Stopping treatment.
I am a 30 year old woman I got tested for HIV in 2009 and was found positive. In April 2010 I developed Kaposi’s Sarcoma but had only a few lesions. In December 2010 my CD4 count was 221 and I started ARVs, within a week I developed a very bad rash and they had to change my medication, I had been on this new drug for two weeks and I developed another rash which gets worse every day and I’m seriously considering stopping taking ARVs altogether because I feel like I was healthier without them and the rash is really affecting me, physically and emotionally. Please advice
Answer
Thank you for your question. I am sorry to hear you are having such a hard time taking the HIV medication. Many people experience side effects when starting medication. Some of these side effects lessen 2-4 weeks after starting the meds. If they continue then you should talk to your HIV doctor about changing your meds again until you find the right combination for you. You should not stop taking the meds or you will become sick very quickly and you could end up with resistance to some of the meds. This will limit your treatment choice in the future.
Although many drugs are linked to rash, the severity of rash and how long it lasts varies considerably. With some drugs, if you develop a rash during the first few weeks of therapy you must report this immediately to your doctor. This is because it can sometimes lead to very serious reactions. These drugs are abacavir (Ziagen, and in Trizivir and Kivexa), nevirapine (Viramune), efavirenz (Sustiva), etravirine (Intelence), fosamprenavir (Lexiva) and T-20 (enfuvirtide, Fuzeon).
Other rashes are more likely to be mild and disappear without treatment, or can be easily treated with antihistamine drugs such as cetirizine (Zirtek) or loratadine (Clarityn).
It would help me give you a more specific answer if you could tell me the meds you took previously and the ones you are on now?
For more information please follow this link.
Hi Joan,
What’s your CD4 count?
As the above post explains a rash can be a sign that there is a serious problem with your medication or it can just be a normal reaction and one that can be treated with antihistamines. Therefore, I would advice you to speak to your doctor again and to ask them to give you something for the rash, and to make sure that you aren’t allergic to what it is that you’re taking.
I’ve been taking ARVs for one month now but I have itching. When its hot I have rashes, what can I use to stop it? I asked my doctor and she said that it will go away coz my cd4 was low.
Hi Akona,
Having a rash isn’t normal, and if its causing you problems it should be treated. If its nothing serious then a course of antihistamines should help. However, a rash can also be a sign that the ARVs that you’ve been using are’t the right ones for you. Therefore, you need to talk to your doctor about this. If they won’t help then please try another medical facility.
helo Dr started treatment in May this year but now I developed a terrible rash used tetmosol clinic aqous cream allergex but its not helping me it is becoming worse each day and and its very itchy went to clinic they said its treatment it ussually does that to people so theres is nothing can be done because I asked them to transfer me to hospital and they refused and this is getting worse
Hi Anele,
How long were you on the Atrozia for before you stopped taking it?
If you think that you’re going to default and on a regular basis, then yes it may be better to use a once daily tablet.
Hi I started taking atroiza ARV treatment and I told the doctor I had a little trouble sleeping… the doctor took me off the medication and put me on nevirapine and tenemine so the problem is that I have to take the new medication twice daily, and I have missed a couple of doses because I forget the meds at home or it happens I take it an hour late or so … obviously now I would like to know if I can go back to atroiza I think its better to be able to take the meds abd try to combat sleeping problems than default it
Hi Mpho,
Even if you’ve measles your doctor should be able to give you something for the itching. If you don’t think its measles, then I’d suggest that you see another doctor.
I have started ARV treatment and have developed a rash on my whole body.. went to see my Dr and he assured me it’s not the tablets it’s measles.. But every time after I drank the meds my skin becomes itchy.. Please let me know what must I do..
Hi Busi,
Please see the above post, and also talk to your doctor.
I started my ARV’s a few week ago and i happen to miss a night of my dose a few days ago and i immediately developed a rash and it’s getting worse by the day.
What should i do?