Why I am so concerned about Videx+DDI

[Guest guest]

This email was sent to me by one of the several people I have met in my lectures with kidney related problems while taking adjusted dose Videx+Viread...

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Hi ,

A note to thank you. We were at the Fuzeon meeting you held in Tampa last Sept, on the second floor above Tombs and Treasures book store. We sat just next to you, and I was the first one to speak in the room. I am neg but my partner , sitting next to me, had just gone on kidney dialysis. You told us that you are seeing this in every city, due to Videx and Viread. You also told us that he would get off of dialysis. Well guess what--he DID get off of dialysis, four weeks ago, after beeing on it for nine months! Dialysis was for him a living hell, and he had vowed to not do it for over a year. (And on top of all this, his "fistula" in his arm collapsed three times, resulting in more surgeries on his arm, and temp. ports in his chest). His AIDS doc still doesn't own up to the Videx/Viread assumption, but why else would the kidneys start to work again, after being taken off of them?

He is of course very tired after all he's been through, and has to watch his diet and fluids/solids intake carefully because otherwise he gets a build-up in his tummy, which presses on his lungs. But at least he's off the dialysis. THANK YOU for letting us know at the time that there was hope! Absolutely NO doctors seemed to think he would ever be off of dialysis! He was considered "end-stage renal failure". Even the vascular surgeon who took out his latest port said that in his 25 years of practice, it was only the second patient he has had come off of dialysis. ( asked him how many HIV patients he has, and he said eight, and he agreed that maybe it is a coming phenomenon).

Just wanted to let you know and chime in, so when you run in to more guys with the same problem you can let them know that yes, there is hope. However, followed his diet VERY carefully after going on dialysis, and still does. The only vice is alcohol.

His counts are not too bad, and things are looking up. Thanks again, and feel free to write if you'd like more details. Major hugs,