Question

I’m thinking of stopping treatment for 6 months, what will happen?

26 September 2016. Related: Adherence, All topics, Newly diagnosed, Starting treatment, Stopping treatment.

I have been taking ARVs for 21 days. I want stop with them for six months, how will it affect me?

Answer

Answer: Muirgen Stack

Hi there,

May I ask why you are thinking of stopping? If you are just starting and dealing with any side effects, these will get better. It can also be difficult to get used to the routine of taking treatment, this also gets better with time. Our guide on starting treatment explains more about what you can expect.

If you stop treatment – which is always our choice – your viral load is likely to rebound within a few weeks and your CD4 will drop again. When this happens you are at risk of developing other infections and getting sick. In the SMART study, most people who took a treatment break were not able to recover their CD4 count to earlier levels even after starting treatment for 18 months.

Many people find adhering hard at some in their lives but there are ways to make it easier, even if you are just starting.