Triumeq for HIV Infection User Reviews (Page 2)

• Ped...
• May 18, 2015

"Went from a viral load of 17,000 to undetectable within seven weeks. Absolutely no side effects. This was the first antiretroviral therapy I went on after testing positive. Obscenely expensive, but ViiV is covering the copay for now."

• Tan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 29, 2018

"Started this medication 6 months ago. After the first month, I was undetectable! My counts are fantastic. Only issue I’ve had is that I’ve developed some gastrointestinal problems, but I’m totally fine with that. I’d much rather be a bit gassy and bloated than no longer have a functioning immune system."

• PDX...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 10, 2018

"So I hate to be 'that' person, but I guess I am. Was on Genvoya/Stribild since 7/2016 with no issues whatsoever other than elevated cholesterol. Dr. decided to change me to Triumeq, which I took for 14 days. I have not been right at all for two weeks. Extreme head rush (like a combo drunk/stoned feeling), anxious, no energy, itchy everywhere. Just feel awful after taking it. We chatted today, going back on Genvoya and cannot wait to go pick it up. Don't let this scare you, everybody will find their med that works w/o any side effects. For me, that is not Triumeq."

• Ran...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 9, 2016

"It made my viral count undetectable in 8 months. My T cell count was always high, but the drug elevated it a bit more. I experienced no side effects, so it is worth the $6,000 annual copay I have to make."

• Ada...
• January 16, 2017

"This is my second input/review. I was diagnosed in October of 2015 with a viral load of over 10 million. Yes, that's right, over 10,000,000. My CD was below 500. I've now been taking TRIUMEQ for approx 14 months. I reached undetectable after 3-4 months, and I still remain undetectable after 14 months, and my CD was 690 last Dr. appt. I'll say it again, TRIUMEQ is saving my life :)"

• NIC...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 30, 2015

"Update on prior review: After being on Triumeq for 4 months now and my third appointment with my I.D. doctor, I am very happy to report that my CD4 count is at 1473 and still undetectable. Other than some mild insomnia, I have no other side effects with this drug. I take Triumeq faithfully every night before I go to bed."

• MrT...
• October 7, 2016

"After taking Complera for 5 years, switched to Triumeq a little over a month ago. Right after the first month, viral load undetectable and T-cell count unknown. Doctor did not check my T-cell count; I did not like that. The side effects are terrible, my heart beats fast, red face, high irritability, jaw stiffness/pain, awful headache, insomnia. In general, feeling highly intoxicated. Can't deal with it."

• Poz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 11, 2018

"Diagnosed in July with an unknown infection date. First test showed a CD4 of 550 and VL of 38,000. Started medication late due to some fights with the insurance company. Took my first pill on September 7. Had my follow-up blood work drawn on October 3. I am now undetectable! No changes to my CD4, but I know it will increase. The only side effect I have noticed in my first month is some minor bloating. Had some trouble falling asleep for the first week, but I assume that was the power of suggestion having read all the possible symptoms. I know it is early on to review the medication, but I am undetectable in less than 30 days. I just wanted to share!"

• Jus...
• March 20, 2016

"I went straight on Triumeq a couple of months after being diagnosed with HIV. :( I started taking them in January, it is now March, and I am undetectable (yay). I did have a low viral count, but still. I haven't had any bad side effects. At first, I took them in the morning but thought they were making me feel a bit sick, so to be safe, I switched to taking them at bedtime. Since then, not a single issue for me, no night terrors, no sickness, nothing. Pop the pill and sleep. :) In the UK, this wasn't the first drug prescribed by my doctor, but due to other factors, it was decided to try Triumeq. It may be worth asking about it, and it comes free on the NHS."

• Tau...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 20, 2018

"I have been on Triumeq for almost 2 years. Viral load and CD4 are great. However, I have gained almost 25 pounds...all in gut, back, chest, and starting to develop a small buffalo hump. Nothing in diet or workout regimen has changed. I have gone from a medium T-shirt to an X-Large. 33 size pants to 35 waist. 42 jacket to 44 jacket. 16 collar to a 17-1/2 collar. Not happy with this at all. I am seeing more and more reports of this with Triumeq users online now."

• 1st...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 8, 2018

"I was the first reviewer and also posted an update in 2016, thought I would take a second and give an update. I’m still on Triumeq and still highly recommend this drug. After switching in 2014 (literally the day the drug was approved), I still have no side effects. It’s been great. Best wishes, everyone."

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 30, 2017

"August 8th, 2017 tested positive. Viral load 10,109, CD4 512. Started meds August 27th, 2017. Retested September 28th, 2017, and viral load is 49 and CD4 865. I had a few minor headaches, and I now take my meds with or without food with no problems. I take my meds in the morning at my first break, 10 a.m. Thanks to this site, I was nervous at first. I read all the reviews, and they helped me know what to expect. So, I thought I would return the favor."

• Ano...
• October 28, 2015

"I got diagnosed very early, within 7 days after getting infected. Decided to start therapy right away. Before taking Triumeq: 10,000,000 viral load (they explained that since I was diagnosed very early, this number can be very high the first 1-2-3 months). CD4 - 520. After 1.5 months of taking Triumeq: viral load: 50 (just 50!!!!) and CD4 - 819. I had and have sometimes some light side effects: feeling tired/sleepy, nausea (when taking on an empty stomach), some problem with skin (acne). With time, it's getting better, and now I experience side effects very seldom. I'm glad this medicine works well for me and seems like my body got used to it."

• DEB...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 23, 2015

"Update: After being on Triumeq a little over a month and a half, I'm happy to report that my T cells are at 375 and my viral load count is at 20! On top of taking Triumeq, I have incorporated cardio and organic apple cider vinegar into my daily routine. These two additional steps have helped me to maintain a better detoxed body! As for the side effects I was experiencing the first two weeks, now these side effects have stopped."

• NUR...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 6, 2016

"I started on Triumeq August 1, 2016. On the second day, I had a bad headache and a terrible stomach ache (both were relieved by Motrin and fresh ginger tea). Now, I must admit I feel better than I've felt in months! :-) Even though a side effect of the med is loss of appetite, lately I've been ravenous, eating more than I ever have, which is wonderful for me because I had lost a lot of weight lately and it showed."

• And...
• December 31, 2015

"After a few years of carrying the virus, I was finally diagnosed. On October 9, 2015, my CD4 was 168 and VL was 61,800. After two weeks of treatment on Triumeq, my viral load went down to 849 and CD4 increased to 270. Side effects are: 1) Sometimes hard to fall asleep. Need to be really tired or in a very good mood before sleep. 2) Feeling a strange sensation in my pancreas area. Uncomfortable feeling. 3) Headaches and dizziness. 4) Itchy skin. Having problems with red eyes, especially if you do not sleep well for 2 or 3 days (traveling around the world). Waiting to do another test after 1.5 months of treatment to see results."

• Deb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2016

"I am NOT new to HIV or HIV treatment. I've known my status since 1994 (1st test). I have been through all of the initial protease inhibitor drugs from the mid-1990s and the plethora of severe side effects they provided. I was switched to Triumeq in late Feb 2016, NOT due to having a detectable viral load, but due to increasing diarrhea on my last drug combination, which included Epzicom, Norvir, and Prezista. I wish I never complained about the diarrhea because I am still suffering from extreme headaches nine (9) days after stopping Triumeq. I am on continuous painkillers because these headaches are CONSTANT. Triumeq for me is a complete disaster. I took a full month of Triumeq."

• Pet...
• June 16, 2019

"I took Triumeq from early 2016 to early 2017. Although it kept my viral load undetectable, I suffered serious side effects: bizarre dreams, burping and acid reflux, and serious heart diseases. It caused irregular heartbeats, and my heart rates went up to 200 beats per minute when I did light exercises (elliptical), which caused blood pressure to drop so low I collapsed. I also experienced blackouts for a brief second several times a day, during walking, sitting, and out of nowhere. I also developed a stenosis on my artery, it's fat buildup in my main blood vessel in my neck that caused my blood flow to drop to 40-50% of normal. And if the fat gets detached and goes into my brain, I will have a stroke. The cardiologist said I should not have heart problems because there is no history of heart disease in my family, and I am not overweight, and this problem only started after taking Triumeq. So the doctor changed my medication to Descovy + Tivicay, and all the aforementioned side effects went away."

• TTT...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 9, 2019

"I found I am HIV positive by the end of August 2018, and back then had VL over 1 million (really high) and CD4 around 650 (30%). I started the treatment with Triumeq by the end of October. For the first month, I was taking Triumeq before going to bed, and I experienced all side effects related to the central nervous system, such as insomnia, headache, tiredness, unfocused, etc. By the end of November, the VL had dropped to 650k, and CD4 went up to 1000 (40%). Despite the side effects that were clearly affecting my daily life, both personal and professional, because I was all the time tired and sleepy, the doctor and I agreed that I'd give one more month to Triumeq, switching it to the mornings. It literally solved all the side effects, I haven't experienced any of them since I started taking the pill in the morning. At the beginning of January 2019, around 2 to 2.5 months after starting the treatment, I'm undetectable, and in March I had again CD4 count and was still at a good level - 1050 (43%)."

• Joe...
• March 29, 2018

"Recently started taking Triumeq almost 4 weeks ago. Used to be on the Sustiva and Combivir cocktail for about 5 years. Always hated taking Sustiva, made me feel extremely groggy, terrible dreams, and so I took it upon myself to stop taking it. Went on a 3-year hiatus. Needed a break from all of it, including doctor visits. (terrible idea) Fell victim to pneumonia in February, and the ID doctor put me on Triumeq. So far, it’s been amazing. 1st night, my head became very tingly, and I felt real shaky, but after that, it’s been amazing. No side effects, and I’ve started gaining my weight back again. Did lab work yesterday, so hopefully, my CD4 has gone up. My CD4 was a 12 last test. Good luck to all of you, and remember you aren’t alone in this fight."

• CAD...
• July 28, 2016

"I was diagnosed in May '16 with a VR of 1410 and CD4 of 410. Due to the low VR, resistance testing wasn't conducted (only above 2000). I didn't start treatment until June due to work travel, the doc didn't want me to start medication and be away from the medical center. Started treatment in June. After reading about other experiences here, I decided to medicate at night, around 1800 every night. I also take medication for slightly elevated blood pressure. I was already taking it in the morning, so I decided to keep the two separate. Not sure why - I just thought it would be better to keep the medications separate. After a month, I was tested again, and my CD4 has risen to 680 and the VR is now undetectable. No side effects & feel great!!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 19, 2015

"I had been on Kaletra and Epzicom for years, then Isentress and Epzicom for about 2 years. Always undetectable, T cells 800 to 900 range. I started Triumeq, and my T cell count bounced up to 1100. I've had some 'side effects' listed, but I don't attribute them to this medication as I've had them before I went on Triumeq. Since prior medications had similar side effects (insomnia), they may have either transferred or, more likely, they are not related."

• hiv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 2, 2016

"I have had HIV since Nov. 2002. I was taking Viread and Trizivir, and my doctor decided to put me on Triumeq back in July 2015. I have been having almost all the side effects. I wish I had never started taking this and just stayed on my old meds because they were doing great for me!"

• Hal...
• December 24, 2015

"I was diagnosed in 2007 and had since never had a viral load over 500, the last 3 years, no viral loads over 100. So this is my first time on treatment since being infected. I started taking Triumeq as I wanted to prevent further damage to my immune system. So far, it's been great, no serious side effects. And one month after taking, my viral load was undetectable. My only complaint is the cost, which quickly took care of my out-of-pocket maximum."

• Joe...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 1, 2017

"I was diagnosed in January 2011. My own immune system was able to manage my HIV for a couple of years, but my health started to fail in 2013. I started with Atripla, and I'm still recovering from the extremely vivid nightmares I experienced. I switched to a couple of different combinations of drugs, but I couldn't adhere to the dosing schedules. Triumeq has been a godsend. One pill a day, and no nightmares. The only side effects I've experienced are upset stomach, weakness, and headaches. I had one very bad spell where I nearly lost control of my motor functions, and I fell in the bathroom and couldn't get back up for a short period of time. Otherwise, my CD count has been stable at ~800, and I've been undetectable since 2013."