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 Thalepo, Please see the Q&A here. The way to improve your CD4 count and suppress the virus is with HIV treatment (ART).
Hi
I just want to ask is SAM selenium 200mg is really good to improve immune system and increase CD4 count and suppress the virus
Hi Thapelo, Many people report mild side effects when they start treatment. But that usually goes away in a week or two. So it could be that your system has got used to them. But you can ask at the clinic for your blood results to reassure you that they are still working. Everyone misses a dose on rare occasions, so it’s when doses are missed repeatedly that the pills can lose effectiveness.
Hi
I am currently on treatment i am taking efavirenz,lamiduvine and abacadir. Some days i work nights some i work day shift so when i work night it was difficult to carry out my duties at work as i work as a cashier my body temperature increases and feel dizzy but having no option i stay awake so now i am still taking them but i no longer encounter the side effects so i just want to know if the pills have lost their effectiveness because in my first month i would sometimes miss dozes or is my system used to them?
Hi Poifo, It’s great that you’ve started treatment. You can find more info on taking Trivenz here. But it’s recommended to take before bedtime, on an empty stomach (or not with a high fat meal). A high fat meal increases drug levels of efavirenz by 60%. This increases the likelihood of side effects.
I have been diagnosed but I am three days taking my travenz drug …what time do u recommend to take it
Hi Kaka, Sleep disturbance has been linked to efavirenz. Taking it in the morning can mean you have difficulty carrying out daily work. But you can talk to your doctor about switching to another drug.
Hi, I have been taking arvs for now 5 years, I take efavirenz /lamivudine /tenofovir. I have been taking my medication at 10:00pm, is it possible for me to change to morning hours coz I don’t get enough sleep. I used to work at night when I had started taking my medication but I have noticed that I fail to sleep nowadays even when I quit my night job. The best I can sleep is just 2 hours.
Hi Nhanha,
If you’re having side effects that are interfering with your life, you should talk to your doctor about changing meds. There are other options available and ones that don’t need to be taken at night. This would be the easiest thing to do.
If this isn’t possible, though not ideal, you could take them one week in the morning then one week in the evening.
hi…im currently working night duty and im on 1 pill..i drink it at night.but,i just want to sleep after my pill.i lose focus.should i take it in the morning?? when im off,when do i take it…in the morninf still??
i cant take it in the morning 1 week and 1 week at night???