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HIV and Anemia: One Patient's Story

Summary & Participants

It's been estimated that up to 95% of people infected with HIV will experience anemia at some point. Unfortunately, it is often overlooked, and untreated anemia can lead to dangerous complications. Join Dr. Lisa Capaldini and Dr. Brian Boyle as they discuss symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options, and share important advice for those living with HIV.

Medically Reviewed On: June 26, 2008

Webcast Transcript

VAREN BLACK: I'm Varen Black, and welcome to our webcast. It's been estimated that up to 95% of people infected with HIV will experience anemia over the course of the disease, but anemia is often overlooked and cause serious consequences in a patient's quality of life.

Here with me to talk more about anemia and HIV is Martin Gonzalez-Rojas, who is living with AIDS. Martin, thank you for being with us today.

MARTIN GONZALEZ-ROJAS: Thank you for inviting me.

VAREN BLACK: Let's start off with a little background information. What symptoms were you experiencing that made you think something was wrong?

MARTIN GONZALEZ-ROJAS: I believe that I experienced anemia, or at least I knew that there was something wrong with me. A year, almost, I was released from the hospital and was diagnosed with AIDS. I was feeling tired on a daily basis and sleepy almost the entire day. Weak -- that's probably the one word that I can use to summarize. I was weak altogether, whether it was physically or mentally. At that time I was taking AZT and 3TC, so on one particular doctor visit, I asked my doctor about the side effects associated with the regimen, so he suggested for me to have some sort of testing done, and after almost a week and a half, he came back to me and he said that I was having low red cell counts and that possibly I could be developing anemia.

VAREN BLACK: How did the anemia affect your lifestyle? Could you go to work?

MARTIN GONZALEZ-ROJAS: I was able to go to work, but I think it affected me in ways where I was not able to concentrate appropriately. At that time I was working for a law firm. I was working on pleadings and legal documents, and I was just tired the entire day and I wanted to take a nap just about every hour, so my concentration was not totally there, and I think in that regard it affected me.

VAREN BLACK: What was the process that the doctor used to find out what was wrong with you? What kind of tests were done?

MARTIN GONZALEZ-ROJAS: When I went back to see my doctor and I discussed with him the side effects that I was experiencing, he had a few ideas. AZT was one of the medications that I was taking, and one of the side effects was anemia and fatigue. So he suggested to draw some blood, to run some tests and to discuss my case with other colleagues of his, so he suggested for me to stop taking AZT and to consider other options.

VAREN BLACK: What treatment options were you offered, and which ones did you choose, and why?

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