For about two and a half years, I had a lot of success with a week on/week off HIV meds plan. I’d been on sustiva and combivir for two years prior, and I was at wit’s end, especially when I realized I was a shell of my former self, despite “the great numbers!” which mean little when you’ve shut down emotionally from those you love most.

The compromise to stopping altogether was doing the STI. This was in 2002-03.

I was worried, but the anticipation of having a week off of meds and a huge part of my personality back trumped the concern. When my CD4 count rose, and VL remained undetectable even at the tail end of a week off the meds, I was more than psyched.

Of course, two months off and the shit hit the fan; the virus rebounded and I immediately had to start a new regimen.

That was a year ago, and now I’m thinking of returning to the week on/week off meds plan. It worked before for me, so why shouldn’t it work again?
Shawn