Question
What happens if I stop taking treatment?
31 August 2016. Related: Adherence, All topics, Changing treatment, Side effects, South Africa, Stopping treatment.
What are the side effects if someone stops taking her medication for HIV?
Answer
Thanks for your question.
May I ask why you are thinking of stopping? Many people find adhering hard at some in their lives but there are ways to make it easier. Likewise if you are suffering side effects – you can switch to meds that better suit you.
Several years ago a very large study called SMART reported that stopping treatment increased the risk of serious complications. These included a higher risk for heart, liver and kidney complications in people who stopped treatment and also a higher rate of some cancers.
If you decide to stop treatment, your viral load is likely to rebound within a few weeks. If you stay off treatment your CD4 count will start to drop over the next few months. When this happens the risk of developing other infections and getting sick increases.
How quickly this will happen though varies a lot. The lower your CD4 count was when you started meds, the quicker your CD4 is likely to fall without ART.
In the SMART study, most people who took a treatment break did pretty well for a short time. However, most people were not able to recover their CD4 count to earlier levels even 18 months after they restarted treatment.
Please talk to your doctor about who you feel. It is not generally good to stop treatment. It is definitely not good to do this without first talking to your doctor.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi I’m Ceaser. I took ARVs for 5 years and I leave them, is it possible for me to take them again.
Hi Charles, I am sorry to hear that you have been having bad side effects for the last 11 years. Have you always been on the same treatment? and what is the name of the treatment you have been taking?
Have you had any recent CD4 count/viral load tests? and how is your health in general?
Stopping HIV treatment will lead to your viral load no longer being suppressed and this in turn will damage your CD4 count. I am sure you are aware, that when the CD4 count drops your immune system weakens and you become more vulnerable to other illnesses.
Have you ever mentioned your side effects to your doctor? They may be able to suggest other treatments to help with the side effects or if available, switch you onto a different type of HIV medication that you can tolerate better. Many of the older treatments are more difficult to tolerate and more people are switching to newer generations as they are often better tolerated with fewer side effects.
Where do you live? Different formulations will be available in different countries, some now including injectables so you do not need to take treatment everyday. What other options have you considered before deciding to stop your treatment completely?
I am HlV positive and I am on ARVS for 17 years, but I decide to stop talking ARVS, because I suffer with big side effects, for 11years
Hi Thando, are you HIV positive? and are you on treatment?
As with all rashes it would be recommended to speak to your doctor. To treat a rash properly it needs to be seen to make sure the right treatment can be given.
Do you have any other symptoms e.g., tight chest, problems breathing, swelling of your lips/tongue?
I have early rash I can I use plz it’s painful
Hi Nandile, how long had you been on treatment for? and now how long has it been since you have used treatment? are you intending to start treatment again?
Hi I accidentally left, I was attending family responsibilities
what kind of side effects may I experience as hiv patient
Hi Kase, to clarify are you saying you feel bad because of ARVs when you are pregnant? Or do you feel bad taking ARVs at any time regardless of being pregnant?
How long do you stop taking your ARVs for? If you are feeling bad you should speak with your doctor before not taking them. ARVs need to be taken daily for them to work and keep both you and baby healthy. If you are feeling bad your doctor may be able to offer another treatment or switch the ARVs you are taking.
Stopping treatment can risk the ARVs no longer working and this leads to HIV damaging your immune system and you would risk passing on HIV to others.
Have you tried anything when the ARVs make you feel bad to help? and is there a specific time of the day you feel bad? or have you noticed if there are other symptoms? Are you able to describe what feeling ‘bad’ is like e.g., vomiting, nausea, headaches, fevers…
But me when ever a pregnant
Arvs makes me feel bad that’s why I always take a break
Hi Haylie, your current symptoms are not caused by a withdrawal from Biktarvy. How have you been feeling in the interim between getting a refill? It is possible that these symptoms are caused by stress/anxiety.
I am sorry that you are having such a difficult time with your insurance but it good that you have an appointment booked. Since testing positive have you been able to talk with anyone about how you are feeling? Have you found any support groups?