Like all anti-HIV drugs, Sustiva has been shown to cause side effects.
While some of the side effects, including rashes, are similar to those
seen using other NNRTIs, Sustiva appears to cause a number of brain-related
side effects not seen with other anti-HIV drugs.
In clinical trials, over half of the patients taking Sustiva reported
one or more side effects related to activity of the brain or central nervous
system (CNS). These symptoms included dizziness, insomnia, impaired concentration,
drowsiness, abnormal/vivid dreams, anxiety, depression, nervousness, and
even hallucinations (although very rarely).
Although very rare, serious psychiatric symptoms have also been reported
in patients receiving Sustiva, including severe depression, suicide attempts,
aggressive behavior, delusions, paranoia and psychosis-like symptoms.
While the percentage experiencing mild to moderate CNS symptoms seems
high – a fact that has made many people nervous about starting therapy
with Sustiva – there are a few factors to keep in mind:
1)
Not everyone who takes Sustiva will experience side effects. Moreover,
there is no way to determine whether or not you will experience side
effects before starting therapy. While some researchers say that, in
general, people with high T-cell counts experience fewer side effects
than those who have lower T-cell counts upon starting therapy, it's
not clear if this is true with Sustiva.
2) Most of the side effects caused
by Sustiva are short-term problems. That is, they usually resolve within
two to four weeks after starting therapy. While some people may experience
side effects that are more severe than those experienced by other people
– or may have side effects that last longer than a month –
the vast majority of people taking Sustiva experience either mild or
moderate problems that last only a few weeks.
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