quit the meds

Hello Doctor,
i have HIV positive. i take meds are AZT, 3TC and EFV since when i found that i have HIV in one and half years.
now i read in many sites that all kind of meds it's gonna damage more than get effective. i would like to know that if i quit that kind of meds, what should i do first? what's effect i'll get if quit? and should i get any vitamins instead?
now my CD4 is 475, VL is under 50 copies.
thank you

[Teak]

You stopped taking your meds? Talk with your ID doctor. Vitamins aren't going to help if you need to be taking HAART.

[send4]

no i'm not stop those drugs yet. i would like to quit them. i don't know how to start and any side effect if i stop those drugs.

[Teak]

Why would you quit those drugs when they are working? Doesn't make sense.

[Bob_D]

Dear send4,

I am not a doctor and this does not constitute medical advice.

Don't believe everything you read. Stick to authoritative sources such as reputable medical universities and government agencies, such as the NIH and CDC. The web site at www.thebody.org also seems to have a lot of good information.

It is a matter of the lesser of two evils - either continue on your current medications which might or might not eventually cause additional medical problems (you do not say whether you are having any side effects) or you
can stop taking the medications and let the virus proliferate and do its damage.

Vitamins generally help people with vitamin deficiencies, which are relatively uncommon in "developed" countries. If you do not have a deficiency, taking vitamins is about as useful as continuing to pump gasoline into tank that is already full. There are plenty of people on the internet who are happy to take your money selling you vitamins that they claim will help people with HIV. You have to look at the evidence to see if they are being truthful, and there generally isn't much other than anecdotal evidence, which doesn't count.

You know that if you stop taking your medications it will likely have a negative effect on how well your body responds to them.  Talk to your physician about your concerns.

Best wishes,
Bob D