Can Hiv-PEP trigger CFS-like illness?

[zottolo]

Hi!

I wondered if someone is going through or went through the same thing that is happening to me right now.

Very briefly:
- I had a risky contact at the end of July, 2012 (condom broke, me insertive)
- I started PEP 3 hours later (Truvada/Kaletra) and continued for 28 days - but I was not informed that I had to take Truvada with some food...
- 9 days later I developed an ARS-like disease (maculopapular rash on chest and arms diagnosed by physician, high fever, night sweats, sore throat) which made me think that PEP had failed. It really was a very severe illness, never experienced anything like this before
- All the tests came back negative for Hiv and other STIs. (Hiv ab at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 4 months and 8 months post risky behavior, Hiv-1 PCR at 5 months). In addition, they did a C4 and C8 count, which apparently is in the normal range (C4 627, C8 396).

Ok, so it looks like I do not have the virus. However, about one month after the last dose of PEP my health started deteriorating. I developed massive fatigue, my eyes are puffy and dark, I suffer from consistent diarrhea, frequent low-grade fever and other general symptoms. Fatigue is worst, since I cannot work properly anymore. This is going on for half a year now.

Doctors don't really know what is happening to me, some think I might have developed some kind of chronic fatigue syndrome; some think it's a post-traumatic fatigue, some speak of postinfectious fatigue (but without being able to tell me, what infection I had...). Blood tests revealed a high cholesterol level, low vitamine D and B9 levels and some markers of panchreatic insufficiency, everything else was +/- normal.

Does anyone know if PEP can trigger symptoms like these? Has anyone experienced something similar? I really would like to understand what is happening to me and to move on with my life, which is more like a nightmare right now.

Thanks a lot for any help or ideas!

[zottolo]

Ok. I hope at least that my case illustrates that symptoms don't tell anything about whether infection has occurred or not (as has been repeatedly stressed in this forum). Still, perhaps someone happens to know whether Hiv PEP can have longterm effects on your body and wants to share his or her experiences.

I'm posting this question in this forum because I think that you guys are best informed about Hiv PEP.

Thanks again.

[Teak]

That's all that matters on this forum.

[zottolo]

Thank you Teak, I know that. This was not my question.