Cobicistat / elvitegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• MJa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 4, 2020

For HIV Infection "I’ve been on Genvoya for 2 years after first learning my diagnosis. I was undetectable within a month, and my counts have been fantastic. I spoke to my doctor about some side effect concerns, and he told me to give it time. I’ve been speaking to him for about a year about my fatigue, lack of sleep, weight gain of over 40 pounds, depression, and sometimes numbness in my hands and feet. He says I work too much, and it’s all stress related. During the quarantine, I stopped taking my meds, ate clean, and worked out. I lost 11 pounds the first month. I kept the same routine and started taking my meds again. I’ve gained 2 pounds. This doesn’t add up. At this point, I don’t know if switching to other meds would be any better. They all sound like they have similar side effects."

• Hap...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 12, 2020

For HIV Infection "I was diagnosed with HIV as a teen, it was a really hard time for me, and it took a lot of growing for me to understand the changes that were coming to me. My first days on Genvoya were filled with vomiting (which is normal after your first doses). The vomiting went away after a day or so-also due to using ginger to stop the nausea. I also noticed vivid dreams that were not normal to me. Slight weight gain-which was what I wanted. I do notice till this day if I go hours without eating, my stomach will become upset. Even at night sometimes I have pains that wake me up, but as soon as I eat something, even small, it goes away. I have been undetectable for about 2 years now. I am learning to take better care of myself and am on a journey to happiness."

• MrM...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 11, 2018

For HIV Infection "This medication was promoted as being a golden egg. The headaches eventually subsided a little, but the muscle fatigue has been progressively getting worse and worse, to the point where it's hard even walking. Hard moving and difficult to sleep due to the pain. I also seem to be wasting at the extremities, like what happened in the '90s. Gastrointestinal - I have either fluffy stools or ones which are too hard to pass, intestinal gas, jabbing pains, and generally bloated. Dreams have not subsided. They are still vivid and affect my sleep quality. The worst is the middle weight gain, all around the belly, same gym regime, same dietary consumption, but it's this bloated pillow of fat. NOT recommended! Spoke to three friends and asked them what they are on, and without any hints, they all said 'was on Genvoya, fatigue, tiredness, weight gain'. Was on previous meds, all had side effects, but Genvoya is by far the worst."

• Mik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 23, 2018

For HIV Infection "I loved Atripla, but my boyfriend brought to my attention all of its long-term effects, so my doctor switched me to Genvoya. Except for the dreams, I had no immediate Atripla side effects, but with Genvoya, I can't say the same. I've been on it for about nine months. My arms, legs, hands, and feet go numb. My weight gain has been rapid and ridiculous. I urinate constantly but hardly defecate. My joints ache. I have awful headaches. I constantly feel full and bloated. The kidney discomfort is unreal. My muscles sometimes ache, too. I even have testicular pain. When I soon see my doctor, I'll request a new regimen. For the first time in fourteen incredibly healthy years, I'm considering going off meds altogether. I hate Genvoya."

• Jda...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 31, 2018

For HIV Infection "I was diagnosed positive 2/15/05. Viral load was as high as it could be (I think it was 16,000 or 16 million, I’m not sure). T cells were below 500 - started with the usual two-pill treatment, and it worked great. In four months, I was undetectable and T cells climbed to 1,000. Then, because I was in the same treatment for 9 years, my doctor switched me to Genvoya. Gotta say I miss the wild dreams from taking Sustiva, but Genvoya is great. I’m 51 now, undetectable for 13 years now, and my T cells are between 1,200 and 1,300. My only issue is weight gain - I barely eat these days, trying diet after diet, but my belly is still big and I feel like I’m growing breasts. My doctor insists it's not the Genvoya, but I don’t know - I wasn’t this big before I started and I was very healthy, and I cook every meal myself."

• ll2...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 8, 2018

For HIV Infection "I have been on Genvoya for about 20 months, and the medicine truly does work. Some huge side effects for me personally were weight gain. I was already at a healthy weight of 235 for my height, but while being on this medication, I gained 48 lbs. For the life of me, I tried losing weight but couldn't get it down. I told my doctor, and he insisted that it was my eating habits and not working out. But after doing blood work and comparing all my tests, we found out my cholesterol had tripled in numbers, and my fatty cells, which were at 93 in my blood, had jumped to 444. So I am switching to Biktarvy, and hopefully that helps."

• Ano...
• July 9, 2017

For HIV Infection "Female - HIV pos since 2014 - current viral load: undetectable. I've been on Genvoya for about 2 months, and I love it. Little to no side effects. The first week, I've had mild headaches, none now that I've been on it. Suspecting mild weight gain, however, I could be wrong. I've only gained 5 extra lbs: may or may not be the medicine. Love Genvoya."

• Ben...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 5, 2019

For HIV Infection "I have taken Genvoya since April 2018, I gained 61 pounds in 8 months, and I was depressed already, just got worse."

• Alf...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 11, 2019

For HIV Infection "When I started to take Genvoya, within one year my triglycerides and cholesterol levels climbed so high. I gained so much weight, getting more fat. The doctor did not believe me, so I stopped it."