Q and A

Question

Are these side effects from Atroiza?

Am a 19 yr old girl I just foundout that am HIV+ and am pregnant.

I started taking Atroiza but since I started I hardly sleep. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and have a bad headache when I ask nurse she say its part of treatment. Is it Atroiza doing this or what?

I know HIV can’t be cured and I doing this for my unborn baby because if I die who wil raised her/him?

Answer

Hello,

I’m very sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. Finding out you are HIV positive is never easy but finding out in pregnancy can be especially hard. Do you have any support to help you deal with this?

Atroiza is a generic version of Atripla.

Atroiza contains a drug called efavirenz which has side effects that include sleep disturbance, mood changes and headaches. Usually these will improve over the first few weeks of treatment. However, some people  change to a different drug because of these side effects.

It’s important to understand that these are related to your treatment, and to discuss them with your clinic if you are finding them difficult or they don’t improve. This link has more about these side effects.

You are right that we don’t have a cure for HIV. ARVs are very effective at treating HIV though and can allow you to have a long and healthy life.

With ARVs, HIV positive people have almost the same life expectancy as HIV negative people. Living with HIV isn’t something that is easy and you do need to take it seriously, but it shouldn’t stop you from doing anything in life you would have done before your diagnosis.

You may find the following links useful for more information. Do get back in touch if you have any questions.

HIV and pregnancy guide

Newly diagnosed?

254 comments

  1. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Gp,

    Eye problems aren’t a common side effect with taking atrozia. Therefore, this is something that you should talk to your doctor about.

  2. gp

    My CD4 is 852. I just started taking atroiza but, my sight is getting weak and weaker. What is the cause of this?

  3. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Tiny,

    A CD4 of 350 is ok. However, when you were diagnosed what was it?

    With regards to the burning of the breast, this isn’t a side effect that’s associated with atrozia. Therefore, this is something that you will need to talk to your doctor about.

  4. Tiny

    Hi

    I have been taking atrozia for the past 2 years. I have a problem of burning breast. my CD4 count was 350 in September, is it normal?
    I have done breast check up,nothing on the findings.

    Thanks

  5. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Sfiso,

    Atrozia is a generic version of Atripla. It contains efavirenz + tenofovir DF + FTC. It is one tablet that is taken once a day. Please see here for more info:

    http://i-base.info/guides/1561

    Edurant is a non nuke ARV. It should be taken in combination with other ARVs. For more info please see the following:

    http://i-base.info/htb/15538

  6. Sfiso

    What is difference between Edurent and Atroiza?

  7. Lisa Thorley

    Hi middah,

    Atrozia is a generic version of Atripla. It is an excellent drug that is very effective in controlling HIV. For more information please see the following link:

    http://i-base.info/guides/1561

  8. middah

    hi,I’m HIV positive I’m not yet on treatment I want to know about the complications of the atroiza drug.

  9. Lisa Thorley

    Hi nth,

    What ARVs are you taking? And what’s your diet like?

  10. nth

    since I started using arv a have constipation.

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