Question
I have a running stomach, is it ARVs or the water?
3 November 2015. Related: All topics, Pregnancy, Side effects.
I have been taking ARVs since August. I’m HIV positive and 27 weeks pregnant. I’ve recently moved, I never had problems of running stomach before but now I’m concerned about wether it’s side effects or the water here. My husband and my son also experienced the same problem and neither of them are on treatment. My son is negative. Could it be the water or side effects? People visiting us are also complaining of running stomachs.
Answer
Hi,
It sounds like you are doing well protecting your baby by being on treatment. It also sounds unlikely that the symptoms you are experiencing are related to your HIV treatment. Side effects usually start relatively quickly after starting medication. Because it has been quite a while since you started treatment this might be caused by something else.
I can’t tell you if it is the water but this could be a possibility. Particularly considering other people have felt ill too. It is important that you speak to your clinic or doctor about this, particularly because you are pregnant. You can get yourself and your family members tested to work out what is going on.
Hi Melis, how long have you been taking ARVs? and when did your running stomach start?
How much weight have you lost and over how long?
Running stomach and btu used ARVs and loss body how come
Hi Manki, what is the name of the HIV treatment you are taking? and at what time do you take it?
Hi….how long will it take me to adjust to hiv treatment,its been now two weeks,i am always feeling weak,runny stomach & cough
Hi Dumi, Telatri contains 3 drugs. Dumiva and Hetvir between them also contain 3 drugs.
Has your doctor told you if/when you can return to Telatri? The combinations you are taking are very similar. The difference being that Telatri contains Tenofivr (this is the medication that effects kidneys) and Dumiva contains abcavir. Aside from that both combinations contain dolutegravir and lamivduine.
Tenofovir and abcavir are the same class of drug. This means they both work in the same way. There is not risk to your viral load.
HI
My doctor has recently switched me from taking a one pill (Telatri) per day to take two pills a day (Dumiva and Hetvir) he said the other pill will rest my kidneys. I am feeling uncomfortable by taking two pills, may I ask that since I have started using these 2 pills will it not be a problem to my health to go back to the original pill I was taking? My viral load is suppressed and I am healthy, the only problem that my doctor noticed from my blood results is the functioning of my kidneys which was not quite well.