HIV Drugs, Viread And TDF: How To Recover From Drug Injury

Scientists and doctors are constantly working to improve disease treatment methods. As a result, HIV treatment has progressed over time. The majority of the progress has been positive, but that is not the whole story.

Unfortunately, a growing number of medicines have been found to have severe consequences for those who’ve taken them regularly. Viread and TDF (also known as Tenofovir and sold under the brand name of Truvada, among others) are some of the HIV drugs linked to severe side effects. They have been plagued by an almost endless list of alleged side effects.

Patients may experience a variety of symptoms, such as bone pain, fatigue, nausea, kidney failure, insomnia, mood swings, and hair loss. While not fatal in the short term, if left untreated, the long-term cumulative effects of this medication may result in premature death.

Before you start sweating because you used either of the drugs and are experiencing health concerns, it’s important to know that drug injury of this nature is manageable, especially if you were able to withdraw from the drug relatively early.

Here are some suggestions to help you manage your drug injuries:

Call Your Doctor 

The first step is to alert your doctor about what’s going on so they can investigate potential causes. Symptoms from a medication may be a sign of a larger problem, so you need to call your doctor as soon as possible.

Find Out if Other Drugs Are Making Side Effects Worse

Oftentimes, drugs prescribed outside of HIV treatment will contribute to drug injury. The over-the-counter pain reliever ibuprofen, for example, is linked to severe kidney damage when used in high doses, so your doctor may recommend other pain relievers or treatment methods. 

Different medications you’re taking can interact negatively with the Viread or TDF and worsen side effects or make them worse. Your doctor will work with you to resolve any drug interactions that are making your symptoms worse. 

Make Sure You’re Taking Your Medication Correctly

Many patients take their medication incorrectly, which can lead to TDF side effects like nausea or gastrointestinal problems. Before blaming the drug itself for negative effects, check to make sure you understand how you should be taking it, whether it’s at certain times of day, with food, or without. If necessary, ask your pharmacist if there is anything else you need to know about taking your meds.

Look Into Viread And TDF Alternatives

If you’re experiencing negative side effects from Truvada, ask your doctor about alternative medications that may be appropriate for you to take instead. There are several alternatives to TDF on the market today, although they will generally have different combinations of other drugs to treat HIV itself rather than drug injury.

Stay Informed

Keep track of how litigation and news related to TDF is progressing so that you might be able to know some possible course of action to take. 

If you’ve been affected by the drug, then it’s somewhat relieving to know that this is a very big case that has been getting equally huge attention. There are a lot of sites to check out, just make sure they’re trustworthy. Drug Injury News is one. They will not only keep you updated on the news but also give hints on how to proceed if you’re a victim   

Try to always be up to date on TDF-related drug injury news. Once you have a grasp of what’s going on with your body, you’ll have better control over your health. Plus, it will save you a lot of unnecessary anxiety and stress.

There are several Facebook support groups around for people to interact and discuss issues related to TDF side effects. Not a fan of joining a group? No problem! You can also connect with people online using Twitter or Reddit. From their posts, patients have an opportunity to get up-to-date info from healthcare professionals directly involved in research and treatment guidelines surrounding TDF meds’ side effects. Sharing good news and bad news is important for everyone involved.

Legal Help is Available

HIV drugs are not like other medications on the market. Laws governing their manufacture and distribution are more stringent than with OTC meds like Ibuprofen or Aspirin. With that comes greater legal responsibility for patients who find themselves injured by these products, whether directly through side effects or indirectly (i.e. loss of insurance due to inability to work).

Lawyers experienced in handling cases of TDF toxicity can help get this important dialogue started while also assisting with filing an insurance claim or lawsuit against anyone responsible for your medical treatment. Insurance companies don’t want to deal with a high number of claims, so they’ll often try to just settle the case. This is not in your best interest! The more cases that can be litigated, the better chance there is for change.

Consider Nutritional Therapy

For those who have been on TDF meds for several years and are experiencing side effects, such as kidney stones or bone density loss, nutritional therapy may help slow down or even reverse existing damage. Additionally, if you’re going through drug treatment which includes TDF, it’s important to maintain good nutrition throughout this process to fight off any opportunistic infections that may arise. 

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), an infection found in many HIV-positive people, should be taken seriously and treated with the appropriate antibiotics. Periodic screening for kidney stones is also important, as these can prevent you from absorbing your medication into your system.

Test For Neuropathy

Truvada side effects, such as insomnia, depression, and anxiety, may be caused by neuropathy (damage to the nervous system). If it’s been several months since you started taking TDF meds and you’re experiencing any of these troubling symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor right away! 

While several lifestyle changes or medications might be recommended to help treat existing neuropathy, there is a chance that stopping TDF use will cure the problem completely. Nutritional therapy can also help regrow nerve cells that have been damaged over time.

Don’t Expect an Overnight Cure

Even if you decide to go off TDF meds due to several side effects, it doesn’t mean that your health will improve right away. Just because you’re going through drug treatment which includes TDF, it’s important to maintain good nutrition throughout this process to fight off any opportunistic infections that may arise. 

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), an infection found in many HIV-positive people, should be taken seriously and treated with the appropriate antibiotics. Periodic screening for kidney stones is also important, as these can prevent you from absorbing your medication into your system.

Consider Supplementing Your Diet With Herbs

Taking beneficial herbs such as milk thistle, cat’s claw, and echinacea can help your liver better metabolize TDF. These herbs also have high anti-viral activity, which makes them a good choice for those who are trying to overcome chronic HIV infection. 

Many of these supplements found in health food stores or online can be used in conjunction with other drugs without adverse effects. However, some medication interactions exist, so you should always talk to your doctor before taking any new herb or supplement on its own.

Conclusion

Don’t let drug injury caused by TDF or any other HIV drug keep you down for more than a few weeks-most people find relief without any permanent damage done to their overall health and well-being, while some might have psychological effects that last longer than expected.