Question
I'm HIV positive and on Bactrim. Can I continue take Centrum multivitamins?
2 March 2012. Related: All topics, Drug interactions, Newly diagnosed, Supplements and herbs.
I am newly diagnosed with HIV. I am taking Truvada (tenofovir + FTC), Stocrin (efavirenz) and Bactrim for lung infection. Can I continue take multivitamins?
Answer
I am very sorry to hear about your new diagnosis and the lung infection.
You can take multivitamins with your current medication. There is no drug interaction between the multi vitamins and your HIV medication, including Bactrim. However, if you want to take other supplements or herbs, please talk to your doctor about it first as they have the potential to interact with HIV treatment.
Vitamins, minerals, and other supplements have no direct activity against HIV and are not a replacement for antiretroviral therapy.
Please look at this link for more information on vitamins and supplements.
When someone who is newly diagnosed, there are a few factors that you need to know about starting treatment. This is a link for more information about starting your treatment.
Can I ask whether you currently have any support? Getting support from your local support group or a counsellor can help you to come to terms living with HIV. In addition, you will be able to gain and share experiences with others who are in the similar situation as you, rather than having to deal with it in isolation.
Can I take multiforce alkaline powder with my HIV medication
Hi Mary,
I’m sorry you’re in so much pain. Is it Neurobion you’re taking? This is a supplement of B vitamins.
Do you have access to your CD4 count and viral load results? And please let us know what HIV meds you’re taking. Is the doctor helping you with choosing the pain killers? It’s a good idea to ask them because some meds can interact with your HIV treatment.
I am 15 year survivor and only started treatment in mid 2016. The treatment has been good and my health has always been great. Last Year December I developed shingles. My immune system might have been affected by stress. I underwent treatment, but the pain is not going away, and i am told it takes a few months to completely disappear.
I am however on some neurobin to assist the nerve to regenerate. How does one live with so much pain
Is there anything i can do. Used all sorts of pain killers.
Hi Pamella,
What ARVs have you just started? These symptoms sound severe. So it’s important to talk to the clinic and check they’re not a severe reaction to the ARVs. If they are serious side effects you can talk about changing to other meds.
The clinic should have your CD4 count and you can ask them what it is.
Hi my name is pamela i started ARv last week and the reason i was not sick, then atfer 3 day started to feelings the pain imy my joining and it getting terable couse i can’t walk now pls help about cd4co im still waiting the results.
Hi Gloria,
Its possible that these are side effects to the meds. Therefore, this is something that your daughter should talk to her doctor about.
My daughter has recently been started on ARVs and T B R/x with a cd4count of 162 She’s having tremors of the hands and weakness on legs What could be the cause?
Hello Lisa, thank you so much for your response. I was thinking the CD4 count would rise at a rate of 58 or around that figure every month as it did after the first month of starting treatment. Thank you once again for your response.
Hi Lem,
When someone is diagnosed with a low CD4 count its very common that it takes time to rise. Given that yours was originally 7, you’re actaully doing really well. Keep it up.
Yes, the acne could be due to the meds, however a specialist doctor will need to see this.
Hi, I was diagnosed with a CD4 count of just 07 in March. I started with ART in april after two weeks of being on bactrim and azithromycin( which I’m still on). My CD4 rose to 65 after one month of treatment. I’m having body acne on my chest, arms and back with a few on my face, which I never, ever had before starting treatment. Could this be a side effect of the medicine; triumeq? My hlbla was negative so I’m not allergic. After 3 months my CD4 rose from 65 to 116. What could have been the cause of the slow increase? Please help.