Question
Will not being on treatment for 5 weeks cause me to lose weight?
6 May 2023. Related: Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load, Newly diagnosed, Side effects.
I have been taking Triumeq for about 10 months since my diagnosis and my last doctors appointment in December was good, everything was fine. I started a new job where i’m more active and in a dryer environment and I stopped taking my medication for about 5 weeks because they would make me stay up long nights and sleep past my alarms at work and I was getting in trouble for being late. My doctor rescheduled my appointment from March to July and I started taking my pills again but i’ve noticed 2 swollen lymph nodes in my neck and i’m losing a lot of weight. I’m a big dude (6’7 340lbs) so me being able to feel my collar bone or my stomach is a lot smaller and is not typical. I got my labs done back in April and i have a Viral Load of 379 which is a lot better from December (57,000) but they didn’t do my Cd4 count because it’s not close to my appointment date but in December it was 538. I’m just scared something is wrong and i can’t be seen for another 2 months. How do I calm myself down from having the worst anxiety ever?
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Congratulations on starting a new job.
Your recent viral load test is great. It is really encouraging that your viral load is being suppressed by your treatment. Was this test done before or after restarting your treatment?
Your viral load test would suggest that HIV is not the reason for your weight loss. You have mentioned that you have a more active job. Could this be the reason you are losing weight? Even without changing your diet, if your job makes your lifestyle more active than it was, this be explain your weight loss.
Do you have any other symptoms other than the swollen lymph nodes? e.g., fever or night sweats?
What is the name of your treatment? Some medications that include dolutegravir can cause people to have problems sleeping. People find that it helps to take their treatment in the morning so by the time they are going to sleep the side effect of the medication has worn off.
Josh.
Hi Aaron, lymph nodes do go away. If they do not make sure to mention this to your doctor. Lymph nodes became larger when responding to infection.
my labs were done after restarting my treatment. My treatment is Triumeq and I don’t have any other symptoms other than the ones that come with the pills (diarrhea, no appetite). I’ve been trying to be seen but my doctor is out until July. do the lymph nodes ever go away?