Question
Is it ok if I take my meds 15 or 30 mins late?
10 October 2016. Related: Adherence, All topics.
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.
Hy
I am having a problem of not being able to take my meds properly…my meds finishes 2 or 3 days every time before my appointment with the doctor and I will have to wait to get my meds without taking them for 3 days….how will this affect me?
Hey. Good day. good trying to help people
Hi Lungani,
Please see Q4 here:
https://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
When I missed my dose at 21:30 can I take them at 2:am?
Hi Angy,
Your CD4’s are both good and you’re both on meds so you can’t try to start a family now, if you both want this.
For more info about HIV and pregnancy please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Hy
my partner and i are both hiv postive n have started treatment but we want to have a baby since we both tested this year how long should we wait before triying to have a baby.
My partner will be 31 and i will be 27 in just a couple of months,his cd4 count was 481 when he was diagnosed and mine was 487 so how long should we wait before trying to have a baby
Hi Will,
Your partner won’t have been at risk and your viral load won’t have become detectable again. This is because it takes a while for a persons viral load to rebound, so usually 2 weeks. Please also see here:
http://i-base.info/htb/32308
I’ve been undetectable and having unprotected sex with my boyfriend. Recently I’ve missed two days of taking meds. We had sex after i started taking meds again. How long does it take for me to be undetectable again after missing two days and should I have him get tested?
Hi Naidoo,
Are you taking your medication as prescribed, so daily? If you are and your viral load has risen this may be a sign that the meds aren’t working like that should do. This is something that you’ll need to talk to your doctor about. For more info, please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/changing
hi last year my viral load was 38 and my cd4 was 524 and this year when i take blood samples it came back my viral load was 1620 and my cd4 count samples did not come back at all, i do not know the cause of that because i am fully condomising but the time i took the samples i was under lot of stress and i am so worried because when i was not condomising which i was pregnant 2014 viral load was 40, what could be the problem, is there something lacking maybe in my body?