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 Mathume,
Try taking your meds just before you go to bed. This should help with the dizziness.
hi I am a student and I am taking ARV’s on 20:00 so I dont manage to study later while I am at home because I am felling dizzy after drinking my meds…what can I do?
Hi Sbosh,
If you didn’t have any side effects to the Atrozia, or any drug resistance then you should be able to go back to it. However, What are you on now?
H, I’m on arv treatment. I was taking Atroiza (1pill)but I couldn’t drink them in a right way,because i was taking lot of pills at the time. so my viral load didn’t get suppressed. Then they change me to (3pills).Is it possible for me to go back to Atroiza because its not like they never worked for me. I didn’t adhere to it
Hi Mbali,
No this won’t be a problem. What meds are you taking?
I’ve started taking ARV’s for a week and I would like to change time from 22:00 to 09:00 in the morning. will it’s be a problem?
Hi Ruth,
Its great that you want to restart taking your meds. You’ll need to go and see your doctor and tell them that you’d stopped, but that you’d know like to restart. They will need to check your CD4 count and viral load and make sure that you haven’t developed any resistance to the meds that you were previously taking.
hi I’ve skipping arv for months n want to take it again wat to do
Hi Nadia,
Its important that you go and explain this to your clinic. They should be able to help you. How long is it since you take took meds? What was your CD4 count?
It’s been a while now I am not taking my ARV’s I lost my card with my bag in the taxi. Can I go to the clinic to start over? I am a default.