Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen has made a shocking revelation about his HIV treatment.
The actor, who announced that he was HIV-positive in 2015, told how he’d previously been taking four pills a day as part of a “cocktail” of drugs, but experienced serious side effects.
“[The drugs] kept me suppressed and alive,” he told The Daily Mail. “But I struggled with a constant migraine and at times, borderline dementia.”
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He credited an experimental anti-HIV drug, Pro 140, with helping to improve his health.
Charlie wants to use his high profile to get the drug approved for wider use.
“I’ve started to feel back to myself again and back in touch with all aspects of my life,” he said.
“When I was first diagnosed, I knew it wasn’t a death sentence, but it was just a giant bummer.”
The father of four announced his diagnosis on the Today Show in 2015, saying he’d chosen to speak out to end a smear campaign against him and threats of blackmail.
He revealed that he’d paid $10million (£7.7million) to get people to keep quiet.
“What people forget is that that’s money they are taking from my children,” he said, adding that his confidence had been betrayed.
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“I trusted them and they were deep in my inner circle, and I thought they could be helpful. My trust turned to treason.”
He now wants to put his celebrity influence to good use.
“I accept the gift of being alive,” he said.
“I could run and hide from this whole thing and not be outspoken and honest and open about it, but I’ve chosen a path that’s the opposite.”