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 Anelisa, yes you can switch the time of your medication. What ARVs do you take? Some are better to be taken in the morning and others in the evening. To switch if you take your ARVs as normal at 9:45pm and then take a dose the following morning at 7am, you can then continue from this time. Having a higher level of drug in your body for a few hours will not cause any major problems.
I am ARVS I I take them at 9:45 pm can I now take them at 7 am?
Hi Matimu, a rash alone is not suggestive of HIV but you should have this checked by a doctor. Please follow here for more information on testing and transmission: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
Hi.
I need some help,I never get tested for HIV but lately I have developed a rush all over the body even on my man good, would this be the sign of the virus. Been living with my partner for years. Pls help.
Regards
Hi Lawrence, what ARVs are you taking? You can take your treatment at anytime of the day as long as it is the same time each day. Some medications are recommended to be taken at certain times to avoid side effects, but if you are not coping taking your treatment at 20:00 it is perfectly fine to adjust the time of your medication.
Hi,I have been on treatment for ten years now.I take my treatment at 20h00 GMT.This treatment is still taking me out as if I am just starting .I sleep until the next morning,and this worries me,can I maybe switch to daytime and take the meds in the morning to reduce the effects they have on my sleep pattern?
Hi Erwin, the best advice for efavirenz is to change to the same time in Asia as you would in Europe. ie to continue taking it at 18.00 in Asia, and again when you get home. This will keep your body in the same pattern for when you sleep.
It is okay to go longer than 24 hours between doses when you change to a new time zone. Efavirenz and the drugs it is used with will all cover you, even if you sometimes miss a dose.
My arv contains Efavirenz. I live in Europe and take my daily pill at 18.00 (GMT+2).
But i ve been in Asian since 7 week ago and took my pill at 23.00 (GMT+7).
But i got sleep disorder. I couldn’t sleep during the night and can sleep only 2 hours during the day.
I will be in Asia for 14 days more.
Is it okay if i take the pill at 12.00 (GMT 7) when i am in Asia to avoid sleep disorder?
Hi Mason, thanks, how are you feeling? It can be difficult to find out you are positive if you didn’t expect this. It will get easier though, especially as you are now on treatment (ART).
The meds start working with the very first pill, so your viral load will already be much lower after these few weeks.
When you next visit your clinic, they should test your viral load to show this. This would be after 4 weeks in the UK, but can be different in other countries.
It’s been 3 weeks since I found that I’m HIV positive. I started taking treatment last week Friday. I wanted to know how long will it take for the treatment to read undetectable and currently how will I know if it’s working?