Q and A

Question

Can I change the time that I take my meds?

Hi, I have been taking arvs for now 5 years, I take efavirenz /lamivudine /tenofovir. I have been taking my medication at 10:00pm, is it possible for me to change to morning hours coz I don’t get enough sleep. I used to work at night when I had started taking my medication but I have noticed that I fail to sleep nowadays even when I quit my night job. The best I can sleep is just 2 hours.

Answer

Thanks for getting in touch.

If you aren’t able to sleep, it may be worth talking to a doctor about this. They should be able to give you something to help, or suggest yoga or meditation.

Though medication that contains efavirenz is recommended to be taken at night, you should take your medication at a time that suites you and your lifestyle. If this means changing from night to day, then yes this is something that you can do.  If however you notice any changes, you may want to talk to your doctor.

There is a possibility that is may be the medication that’s causing your sleep problems, so you could mention this to your HIV doctor. They may suggest changing to something else.

Good luck with addressing the sleep issue.

36 comments

  1. Roy Trevelion

    Hi Boitumelo,

    Yes, you can change the time. But why are you feeling sleepy? Perhaps it’s because you’re not sleeping well. What meds are you taking? Can you check to see if you’re on efavirenz. This is in Atripla and other generic versions. Please see this link for other names for this.

    A side effect linked to efavirenz is disturbed sleep. If this is why you’re feeling tired you can ask your doctor about changing to other meds.

  2. Boitumelo

    I started on my ARVs this week,the problem is am taking them at 21h00 n I feel sleepy all day long can I change to 20h00?

  3. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Teboho,

    It sounds like you’re taking a medication that contains efavirenz. If this is the case the easiest thing is to ask your doctor if its possible to change to a different type of medication. If this isn’t, then yes you can take meds in the morning, so before you go to bed. Meds aren’t supposed to make your life harder. Control your HIV yes, but make your life easier.

  4. Teboho

    Hi Lisa I want to know if is possible to change the time of taking my arvs from night to day,because I work night shift only and when I take the pill at work after I feel dizzy,and have headache so but when I drink and sleep,there is no side effects and this stress me,because I’m always at work

  5. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Nat,

    I’m pleased to hear that we’ve been of help. And that you’re now on meds.

    Take care of yourself.

  6. NAT

    Hello Lisa and Roy. Its me again NAT. Thanks very much for the adviced you told me to start takx my drugs. I HV started since last month and though my cd4 was very high but I believe that being on drugs now, before the end of September, it would go down drastically. My doctor was shocked when he discovered that since 2009, I HV never been on drugs . I TLD him I don’t know why my aunt a nurse never put me on drugs. But now am on drugs . at first the effects were so heavy on me but after about 3 weeks , it regulated itself. I will b dox my 2 nd Cd4 In July. Thanks very much for all yr advice. And in the hospital my problem of havx a partner like me was solve. Its very possible but I TLD my nurse to hold on 1st before giving me a partner bcos I want to take my drugs for about 7 months before starting any relationship.

  7. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Manvith,

    Yes you can take your meds the next morning, this won’t affect your HIV.

  8. manvith

    Hello, I am on ART from past. 5 months, I used take medicine at 11pm every day, if I miss one day tablet on night, can I take it next day morning?

  9. Roy Trevelion

    Hi Faith, An undetectable viral load makes HIV untransmittable. And 20 is undetectable, so the risk to your boyfriend if you don’t use condoms is about zero. Taking ARVs is the way to help your CD4 count to recover. But you can talk to your doctor and find out how it has been going over 8 years of ARVs. CD4 counts can go up and down, even during a single day.

  10. Faith

    Hi, im faith i have been 8years hiv n talking my arv but the problem is my boyfriend, he is always fighting with me coz he dont wanna use condom, i dont know what to do(my cd is too down it say 180 n my vrl load is 20 plz help how i can get something to recover

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