User Reviews for Cabenuva intramuscular

I've been on it for about year and a half. The beginning it hurt for a day or so. The last three shots has been a nightmare. I had a massive pain down my left side. I had to sit for 30 mins in the doctor's office. The next shot I couldn't sit stand or sleep for two weeks. Now this shot was a complete mess, after the shot 4 days later alump started to form, three weeks later it grew to the size of a grapefruit, went to get a ultrasound to find out its a hematoma. Wait it gets worst, 6 weeks later I'm in massive pain, final my doctor sends me to a surgeon to assist. We decided to aspirations of the know size of a grapefruit and a half. When he started to syringe the hematoma, there was a brownish white liquid that came out, was a hematoma but this slug. They took out 450cc of this liquid out, there getting it tested. I'm home icing. I literally would have never started this treatment. Btw no one will call you or help you from the drug company. Stay away, Read More Read Less

I went back to a daily pill, after giving this shot BS a whole year. Yes, from a medical standpoint it's effective. HOWEVER!, The pain is immobilizing, and I counted them, FOR TWELVE DAYS! I couldn't sit, stand, sleep, or get in and out of my car without experiencing excruciating pain, while walking with a limp! I'M OUT!! I DO NOT RECOMMEND!!

I have been HIV positive for over 15 years, and having to take pills daily (same time, every day) can pose challenges. Especially in work situations when you have to excuse yourself to take your pills. Not to mention missed doses and pharmacy scares when they can’t immediately fill your script, and you miss a dose. So, I’m thankful I no longer have to deal with that drama. The only drawback I found with Cabenuva, in the beginning, was I experienced a hard lump on the injection site. Additionally, mild flu-like symptoms that last 24 hours. But now, eight months later, I no longer get the hard lump, and the worst part is the soreness at the injection site that lasts a day. If you’re on the go like me or hate having to worry about taking pills daily (travel, vacation) and forgetting the bottle at home (this happens), then give Cabenuva a shot, literally! It may change your life. Read More Read Less

Started Cabenuva around July/August of 2022. The injections were a bit painful but doable being that I didn’t have to take pills everyday. Fast forward to End of Dec/January I started feeling a discomfort in my left side. Also had trouble breathing, chest/back pains and a irritation in my left butt cheek where the doctor injects the thicker solution. So I’m going back on Biktervy.

It’s totally fine - no more pain than a flu shot or similar. A bit of muscle soreness that passes in a day or so. Ask your nurse to do the injection slowly and it will reduce injection site pain. I recommend a long walk or a good workout after the injection to help distribute the medicine in your muscles. Such a great advancement!

Getting this medication approved by many insurances is a little difficult. Most insurances will request your doctor’s office medical notes, then they review it, and then they approve it or deny it. The injection itself is two, one on each cheek, and both are painful because the needle is long and the medicine itself is creating a bubble in your cheek muscle. It is great if you hate taking pills daily and you need more freedom and flexibility. The cons of the medicine is that it is a challenge to get it approved, you cannot inject it yourself so you have to book an appointment every 2 months with your doctor (so you have to pay copayments/deductible depending on your insurance plan), and the pain that lingers for 24-48 hours. Sitting and sleeping in certain positions doesn’t feel comfortable. Honestly, if ViiV Healthcare, the distributor of this medicine, doesn’t create a less painful medicine by adding some sort of anesthetic into the mix I will return to Juluca, which was one pill daily. I think you should try it to see how you feel, but for me I am in the air. Pain every two months vs daily pill.Read More Read Less

Upon request I was referred by my specialist to a place that offers AIDS programa and stuff. I think this is all they do. They took care of everything, they dealt with my insurance and 4 weeks later got approved. I received my first dose and I just have some pain in my cheeks. The injection itself it’s no that painful. Yeeei!! Im super excited.

I was extremely happy with the shot but noticed a hard spot forming like scar tissue on my right butt cheek. I was told that this was normal but I wondered what would happen with continued use and I also had started sweating. A little bit like hot flashes but only worse to me, so I stopped the injections and went back on Biktarvy, can't wait for next appointment to see my numbers.

Just got my first dose last week. It was sore and felt like a cramp on one side for about a day and a half. It took a couple of months for insurance approval. It’s been decades since I didn’t have to take a pill everyday. I’m enjoying the freedom and think it will be great to not have to worry about if I missed a dose. I can take the office visit every two months.

I was a little reluctant going forward with the reviews I had seen on this website so I felt the need to share my experience. Getting this approved is a b****h, but if you play hard ball with your insurance company it gets approved over time. I had frequent nausea on my traditional therapy so I thought why not give it a try, and after my first shot no nausea, second shot no nausea, third shot no nausea. I couldn't be happier. The best thing about this drug is it allows you to come more to peace with HIV stigma internally, every night you take a pill that for many I know is a sign that you either did something wrong or were in the wrong place at the wrong time. That daily reminder can be source of great unease. I see this now, but am able to negate that every two months by thinking how wonderful it is to be freed of that daily reminder. The pain after injection is far less than I expected from the comments I have seen. The actual injection doesn't hurt at all with the more tan colored liquid, the white colored liquid is thicker and does create more discomfort at the injection site.)Yes your butt will hurt for a few days, but I walk fine (It's uncomfortable to cross your legs for a few days, but that is just the sore muscle from the injection). All in all, I see this drug as a miracle, and a testament to how far we have come in the the fight against HIV Read More Read Less

Similar to the other review, the initial injection with higher dosage was painful afterwards and couldn’t walk for a couple days. Now that it’s approved for 2 month dosing, just got my dose and similar to when I got the initial injection - super painful afterwards. But this is the latest and greatest. 6 injections a year, I call that amazing!

1) Difficult to find a specialty clinic that has a pharmacy that can get the meds for you and store it in refrigerator 2) Costly $4500-$6500 mth, 3) Must be given Z trac method once warmed in dorsoventralgluteal spot ..difficult to find for some providers 4) cant self inject, 5) Pain from the injecting the suspension worse in Rilpivirine, 6) Loading dose is higher and post injection gluteal muscle pain was 10/10 could hardly walk for 12 hrs. Its been a challenge to work with