Well, let’s just say that everything became a bit of a blur with dialysis being transferred back to the Midlands Regional Hospital at Tullamore because of an infection in the fistula (Staph Aureus). That infection meant I had to take vankomycin each day that I was on dialysis. Vankomycin is a very strong antibiotics, I have heard it called the antibiotics of last resort. Whether that is true or not, I can attest that it is pretty strong stuff and made me extremely tired on the days between dialysis.

Thursday 17 August 2023

Two weeks since the last appointment at the Infectious Diseases clinic at Beaumont Hospital, I am there once more. Only this time, the news from the bloods taken two weeks ago is even worse. It is clear that the HIV meds that I had been taking were no longer working. So, I had a long discussion with the consultant about what we would need to do. The outcome, for now, is a new regime of three medications: Descovy; Darunavir Rowex; and Norvir (which is a return of an old medication ritonavir).

This blog makes it easy to go back to see when I was last on ritonavir. It was prescribed back in November 2010 when there was a recurrence of the PVL-MRSA.

Of course, as with everything, changes in medication have an impact on other medications. So, I have also had a change in inhaler to the Ultibro Breezhaler. This inhaler is much easier to take than the previous ones. I am wondering if there is a Salamol version that I can persuade my GP to prescribe.

My new meds are:

For respiratory problems

• Ultibro Breezhaler 85 micrograms/43 micrograms inhalation powder hard capsules

For HIV

• Norvir 100mg film-coated tablets, one once a day, with or after food.
• Darunavir 800mg film-coated tablets, one once a day, with or after food.
• Descovy 200 mg/10 mg film coated tablets (emtricitabine, tenofovir alafenamide fumarate).

Some of the HIV meds must be taken after dialysis, so I am taking them all in the evening every day. However, there is a further complication. The Mimpara that I take to help with the parathyroid (due to dialysis), has to be kept 3 hours apart from the Descovy. So, you can imagine the problems.

I have written up all my medications in a journal that will now go with me wherever I go. In the time since this all occurred, it has been very useful when talking to the pharmacist and other doctors and nurses.

This morning, I had to get up early and go to catch the 07:47 train catch the 08:27 train from home Monasterevin to get to Beaumont for the next HIV appointment. I hope that there will be some good news at that point.