Question
Can i change the time i take my ARVs?
29 January 2016. Related: Adherence, All topics.
I take my ARVs at 8am and 8pm. Can i change it to 10am and 10pm?
Answer
Hi,
This is not a problem as long as you consistently take them at the new time. Jumping back and forth mean you have a risk of developing resistance. This would mean your meds would stop working well.
People do change the time they take their meds for all sorts of reasons though. Again this is ok as long as you keep taking regularly at the new time.
The only concern about switching from evening to morning is if your combination include the drug efavirenz. Efavirenz needs to be taken 1-2 hours before you sleep, so you reduce side effects.
Hi Bee,
When people start ARVs it isn’t a given that they will have side effects, some people do, whereas others don’t. The medication that you’re about to start is known to cause the side effects that are noted in this link: http://i-base.info/guides/1561 Again, it isn’t a given that you will have any.
If you do have some side effects, they should go within a few weeks. There’s more here on our guide: http://i-base.info/guides/side
I can’t comment on the vitamins as I don’t know what it is that your doctor has suggested.
Hi, I am about to start my treatment Trivenz and I am worried about the side effects and some changes in my body. How bad are the effects? The doctor gave me another one saying it work as vitamins in which i can take it in the morning . Please can you enlighten me about this.
Thank you
Hi Anonymous,
Please see this Q&A about if you take your meds late. And as Simon says on that Q&A, It is sometimes difficult to take our meds at the exact same time everyday.
But, 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. So it looks like you shouldn’t be worried.
What ARVs are you taking? And if you have access to your viral load and CD4 results, please let us know.
Hi I’d love to remain anonymous.. Been taking arvs for 4 months now, I have been taking them on different times lately
My chosen time is 20H30pm so I sometimes take them at 1to minutes after. Should I be worried?
Anonymous
Hi Momo,
There’s no likely interaction between paracetamol and efavirenz, lamivudine and zidovudine.
But how’s your treatment going? Please let us know about your results.
Hi,
Is efavirenz with zidolam (lamivudine and zidovudine) have interaction with paracetamol? Coz im having a fever, so is taking paracetamol ok?
Hi Pearl,
There’s probably no need to worry about this. Changes in body fat are likely to be the result of several different factors rather than any single cause.
These include your HIV treatment history, individual drugs, lowest CD4 count, age, diet, exercise and family health. Many people are unlikely to notice any changes in body shape. Changes to body fat and the way we look occurs more rarely with current drugs compared to the earliest HIV meds.
For lots more info please see this guide: http://i-base.info/guides/side/lipodystrophy.
It’s great that you’ve had no side effects with Atroiza. How is it going? Do you have access to your CD4 count and viral load results? Please let us know.
can taking ARV change you appearance the way you look, i have read that it can, if so what changes,Iv been taking Atrozia for a week was diagnosed a week ago, i had no side effects, but i’m worried my face may change and my body?
Hi Momo,
There is not an expected potential interaction between crystal meth and efavirenz. Please see this HIV-druginteractions website for information. Please let us know what drug zodilum is.
Hi,
Is crystal meth/ice is bad for someone taking ARV (efavirenz and zodilum)?