Re: Lipodystrophy Free combos

[Guest guest]

I got rejected from the Serostim (Human Growth Hormone) Study after my first fasting glucose tolerance test in years. Turns out I was only 5 points below diabetic. A large portion of applicants (in the local arm) were rejected for the same reason. It makes sense with the constellation of other metabolic abnormalities that have been popping up. I don't blame Norvir for all of it, but on the regimen I take - Kaletra, Viread and Rescriptor - I'd guess it's a good suspect in it. Seems these days I'm treating metabolic issues more than HIV.

I still wouldn't drop Norvir from any regimen if I can't get a reasonable indication it would do more good than harm.

Strange thing is that I dropped Zerit 7 years ago and then took it again for a year after my numbers went south. It was still effective against the virus, but I now have moderate facial lipoatrophy as a badge for the victory. I have a biopsy on a lipoma on my arm scheduled for Friday. I have quite a few now - torso and arms - and just want a definitive diagnosis at this point, though it is a lot of trouble for something I'm pretty sure about. Maybe this Acipimox (lypolytic-blocker) will prove a big help with all this?

BG

Gang

I want to make sure people understand that not a single study has shown lack of lipodystrophy in Norvir free combos

Sustiva is not taken with Norvir. Several studies show visceral fat accumulation ( belly fat) in Sustiva+ nucleoside combos. Reyataz without Norvir was compared to Viracept (another PI without Norvir) plus nucleosides and both combos had the same rate of lipodystrophy

The DAD study showed that combos containing Viramune plus Nucleosides (without D4T) may actually have very little incidence of lipodystrophy

Just because a drug is not boosted with Norvir , it does not mean it will be lipodystrophy free, no matter what the effects on lipids are.

Personally, I think Reyataz (+ Norvir), Invirase, Viread, Emtriva, Epivir, Ziagen, Fuzeon, and others may be more lipo friendly...but studies need to prove that. I think as long as triglycerides are controlled by life style changes, weight reduction, exercise, omega 3 oils, carnitinine, etc...your chances for fat accumulation is decreased since insulin resistance may not be a huge problem. I have talked to so many people with hump, belly accumulation and most have high triglycerides, low HDL, and sometimes high LDL. Too bad doctors do not test for a two hour glucose level after challenge with glucose in a oral glucose tolerance test. This test is been shown to be more predictive of insulin resistance than any other test so far.

Regards, Vergelpowerusa dot org