Question

Can i take recreational drugs with my HIV meds?

18 December 2015. Related: All topics, Drug interactions, Recreational drugs.

Answer

Answer: Robin Jakob

Hi,

This depends on which HIV meds and which recreation drugs you are talking about.

Alcohol and poppers have no interaction with any HIV meds.These will not effect how your meds work. Cannabis also only has an interaction with Atazanavir.

Most other recreational drugs however do interact with several HIV meds. Some of these interactions can be dangerous. They can sometimes change the level of recreational drug or the HIV. Lower levels of HIV drug could lead to resistance and the drugs not working anymore. More HIV drug could lead to extra side effects. If the HIV drug increases the level of recreational drug this can also be dangerous.

Before you take recreational drugs with your HIV meds you should check for interactions. You can ask you clinic or HIV pharmacists for these. If you do not want to do this you can use the HIV drug interactions website. They have a very useful tool where you can check for interactions. You can also find a table of interactions online.