The Safety and Effectiveness of Megace in HIV-Infected Women

Inclusion Criteria Patient must have: * HIV infection. * Evidence of HIV wasting syndrome that includes anorexia (appetite fair or poor) and weight loss \>= 10 percent of pre-illness body weight. * Perception of weight loss as a detriment. * Life expectancy of at least 24 weeks. Prior Medication: Allowed: * Megestrol acetate for weight gain at a dose \< 400 mg for \< 60 days, provided therapy was discontinued at least 3 months prior to study entry. Exclusion Criteria Co-existing Condition: Patients with the following symptoms or conditions are excluded: * Poorly controlled hypertension. * Heart failure. * Deep vein thrombosis. * Uncontrolled severe diarrhea. * Treatable active current infection (excluding chronic low-grade opportunistic infections). * Unable to intake food. * Impaired digestive/absorptive function. Concurrent Medication: Excluded: * Initiation during the study of any therapy to treat HIV or anorexia/cachexia (other than study drug). Patients with the following prior conditions are excluded: * Hospitalization for or exacerbation of illness associated with weight loss within the past 2 weeks. * Participation in other investigational drug studies within the past month. * Previous abnormal mammogram (if 35-40 years of age) or abnormal mammogram within the past year (if over 40 years of age). Prior Medication: Excluded: * New antiviral therapy within the past 8 weeks. * Medications to promote weight gain (e.g., corticosteroid, dronabinol) within t…