Q and A

Question

Is it ok if I take my meds 15 or 30 mins late?

Do you have to take your arvs at exactly the same time each day? Will for example 30 mins (or even an hour) each way have any impact whatsoever on the suppression of the virus or cause resistance? I am worried as even though I take them every day some days it is 15 or 30 mins later or earlier than the previous day.

Answer

Thank you for your question.

It is sometimes difficult to take your meds at the exact same time everyday.

Even when starting, there is a window of about an hour either side of your target time when it is still fine to take them.

For example, if you want to take your meds every night at 10 pm, then any time between 9pm and 11pm will be fine.

Everyone has a few times when we forget our meds though.

The less this happens the better. But if it does happen once in a while then there is nothing to worry about. If you forget in the future, take them as soon as you remember. However, if this is already close to the next dose DO NOT take a double dose.

Once you get an undetectable viral load, especially if it has been undetectable for several years, you have more flexibility. This partly depends on which drugs you are using.

Some once daily drugs (including tenofovir DF, emtricitabine and efavirinz) have long half-lives. This means drug levels stay in your body for long enough to cover being several hours late or even missing a dose completely.

Several studies are looking at whether reduced dosing might be safe – for example by only taking ART for four days a week. We need bigger studies before we know if this is safe though.

Note: this question was updated in October 2016 from and original answer in April 2011.

526 comments

  1. Josh Peasegood

    Hi Mikky, no you do not need to be on any meds. U=U means that your partners meds is suppressing HIV so much that it cannot be passed on via sex.

    There are no additional treatments/medications you need to be taking yourself to prevent HIV. You can rely on U=U to prevent transmission.

  2. Mikky

    Hi my partner is U=U,Am I suppose to take Some meds if yes how am gonna get the medicine

  3. Josh Peasegood

    Hi Thah, the pain in your body would not have been caused by taking an Ensure shake followed by your ARVs.

    Is this something that has happened before? and was the pain bad enough that you had to speak with your doctor? How did you handle the pain?

  4. Thah

    Hi ..yesterday i took Ensure shake thn 15 minutes later i took my ARVS than after that my who body was in pain ever part of my body..
    Should i be warrid

  5. Josh Peasegood

    Hi Beauty, HIV medication needs to be taken every day. You should be getting medication often enough that you are able to take it every day.

  6. Beauty

    How many times a year should I go get the medication?

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