How long it may take to work Maintenance treatment is necessary unless resistance or intolerance to drug occurs, at which time you may be switched to other anti-HIV drugs. Maintenance treatment means you keep taking the drug or drugs to control an infection so that you don't become ill. If ddC causes severe neuropathy and you need to stop the drug, it can take several months for the symptoms to get better. Sometimes the neuropathy continues to get worse for a while, even after stopping the drug. Antidepressants such as Elavil seem to have effect in treating peripheral neuropathy.
Some people also find acupuncture helpful.
Local treatment with a salve or tincture can help symptoms that occur in the mouth. If you are starting radiation therapy, amphotericin B , pyrimethamine , sulfadiazine , intravenous Bactrim , ganciclovir, pentamidine, or acyclovir , you should discontinue ddC until you are stable on the other drugs. Pancreatitis can appear as a pain in the stomach area that goes through to your back. You should notify your doctor immediately if you experience this symptom. The drug descriptions on these pages are intended for informational purposes only.