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Developments:
The South African Government is offering two combinations of anti-retroviral therapy to those infected with HIV. The first, a combination of Efavirenz, D4T and 3TC, requires the patient to take 2 pills in the morning and 5 in the evening. The second (and the combination you get depends on your clinical history) combines Nevirapine, D4T and 3TC, and means taking 3 pills in the morning and 3 in the evening. With the first combination, side effects may include headaches, nausea, diarrhoea, sleeping problems and confusion. With the second, headaches, nausea, diarrhoea, liver problems and rashes are sometimes experienced. Usually, the side effects last a couple of months.
If the patient stops responding to these combinations (often due to failure to adhere correctly to them), he or she moves onto a second, even more difficult stage. The cocktail of Kaletra, AZT and ddI requires 4 pills to be taken with breakfast, 4 with dinner and 1 on an empty stomach before bed. Here, as well as headaches and nausea, side effects can range from stomach pain and anaemia to body changes (including obesity and facial wasting) and diabetes.
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