Question
Why do I feel dizzy and tired after stopping treatment?
18 November 2013. Related: All topics, Pregnancy, Stopping treatment.
I found out I was HIV positive when I became pregnant. My CD4 count was 486, and I was told that I stop the treatment after I give birth, because I was not going to breastfeed. Now its been a month ever since I stopped the treatment and I have been dizzy,tired and having headaches all the time, could stopping the treatment be the cause?
Answer
Hi,
Thanks for your email and congratulations on the birth of your baby!
These symptoms are not normally associated with stopping treatment, so it is a good idea to discuss this with your doctor. There may be another reason why you are having these symptoms, perhaps not even connected to HIV or your treatment, and it’s important to ask your doctor for advice on this.
Congratulations on your new baby, this must be an exciting time.
All your questions are important to talk to your doctor about. This is firstly because I am not a doctor, and questions about starting and stopping treatment need to be with a health worker. They will know your treatment history and what may be best for your individual circumstances. Some women stop ARV treatment after the baby is born and others continue. It is safer for your baby for you to continue treatment if you are breast feeding.
Depending on your individual health – and also on the guidelines for your country – you may be able to switch to formula milk. If this is okay, then you may have to choice to stop Atroiza after you have stopped breast feeding.
Atroiza is a generic version of Atripla.
Also, see the guide to HIV and pregnancy for more information about treatment after the birth and about choices for feeding the baby.
I discovered that I was HIV positive when I was 6 months pregnant and started taking Atroiza treatment. I am now breast feeding. Does this mean that I have to keep taking the treatment even if my CD4 count is 892. Can I stop the breast feeding to change to formula milk a few days after I had started? If I do change- will it affect my newborns health or put it at risk?