Firstly, I have to say that I am a bit shocked that only a year ago somebody with lipodystrophy in the UK will be kept on Zerit. It has been known for years now that this is one of the worst medicine to provoke lipodystrophy.<\/p>\n
Having said that, I do not exclude the chance that some people come from other countries with a certain combination that may have been switched here. Please let me know whether this is the case.<\/p>\n
Switching d4T (Zerit) or AZT to either abacavir or tenofovir, or using other combinations of drugs, can reverse the fat lost in limbs. Reversing fat loss from the fat or buttocks appears to be more difficult, but this may be possible if you switch treatment at the first symptoms.<\/p>\n
There may be a risk of viral load rebounding if you have resistance to other HIV drugs. Otherwise, switching is very safe.<\/p>\n
Any reversal of the fat loss is likely to take at least six months to become noticeable. These symptoms developed slowly and if they are going to reverse this will also take time.<\/p>\n
In studies where people switched to abacavir, the return of small amounts of leg fat (+ 0.3kg) was detected by scans at 6 months. It took about two years (+1.3kg) before these patients noticed a difference themselves.<\/p>\n