Question
What happens if don’t take Atripla on an empty stomach?
25 October 2011. Related: Adherence, All topics, Drug interactions.
Hello! I take Atripla and I need to take it on an empty stomach. I am just wondering what happens when I don’t take it on an empty stomach and how long after a meal is the stomach empty?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Eating before taking Atripla will not stop it from working.
When the drug instructions say take Atripla on an empty stomach, it does not mean that you have to feel physically empty or hungry. That is why the recommendation is to take your medication after about 2 hours without eating. A cup of tea and a biscuit an hour before you take your medication should be fine.
One of the reasons why they recommend taking it on an empty stomach is because a high fat mean can increase the drug levels of efavirenz to 60%. This can then increase the side effects. Nearly all other foods are fine, just leave a couple of hours when the meal is high fat. [efavirenz is one of the drugs contained in Atripla].
Some people find that they can eat and take Atripla almost straight after without experiencing side effects. However, as people are individuals and react differently to treatment, others find that eating and taking Atripla straight after, gives them nausea, vomitting or diarrhoea.
Hi Johnson, breast enlargement can be a side effect of some HIV meds. It can have to both men and women. It is linked to the drug efavirenz, which is is one of the meds in your combination.
The medical name for enlarged breast is gynaecomastia. There is more info at this link:
https://i-base.info/guides/side/fat-accumulation
What does your doctor say about this. Please talk to them if you haven’t done this yet. Changing to a different combination might help, even though it is a difficult side effect to reverse.
Your options might depend on how long this look to develop, your age and body weight, and how much your breasts have grown. HIV negative men who are overweight commonly also have enlarged, especially if they are older.
Tiolar is a generic HIV combination that includes efavirenz.
i-base.info/guides/1561