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 Helen,
Dolutegravir has been linked to weight gain. This is especially so for African women.
So it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about this. You can ask about switching ARVs if your weight gain is high. You can also ask to see a dietitian for other tips about how to lose weight.
And here’s the i-Base guide to a balanced diet and your health. There’s a lot of additional info in this guide.
Hi I usually take my ARV drug dolutegravir around 10pm,iam gaining so much weight I feel changing the time of the drugs to morning will help reduced the weight gain,after carrying out activities of the day.please response
Hi Frank,
HIV drugs are not reported to affect stomach ulcers. However, you can talk to your doctor about treatment for the ulcer. You can ask them to check that the ulcer treatment doesn’t interact with your HIV meds.
But how’s the HIV treatment going? What HIV meds are you taking. If you have access to your CD4 count and viral load results, please tell us what they are.
Does HIV drug affect my stomach ulcer
Hi B hala,
It’s perfectly fine to eat/drink garlic, this won’t have an impact on your HIV. However, lemon, honey etc won’t prevent a person from contracting Covid.
Hi
With this pandemic, we taking all sorts of things like lemon honey garlic with hot water I hear garlic is strong and should not be taken when you taking ARVs
Hi Mlando,
ARVs need to be taken at a time that works for you, if 8pm is better than take them then.
Hey i want to change my time from 2pm to 8pm do is it possible to do so??
Hi Buhle,
If 8pm works better for you, then yes change to 8pm.
Though ARVs should ideally be taking at roughly the same time every day, if you’ve been late 3 times, this won’t be an issue as you’ve taken them in the morning.
Hi, I usually drink my pill at 10pm daily,but recently I have missed my regular dose 3 times this month due to tiring shifts and missing the alarm then I end up drinking it when I remember usually in the morning. What are the risks of this? Can I maybe change my time to 8pm when I know that I’m still awake? Thank you