Question
I’m taking Atenef and having side effects, is it ok to take vitamins?
29 August 2021. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Starting treatment.
Hi i am HIV positive and have been since 2007. My CD4 count is 533 and they started me on ARV(Atenef).
It has been two weeks that i have been drinking this medication and its making me dizzy. It gives me headaches, my joints are very painful and i get very tired throughout the day.
What vitamins can I take?
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch.
The side effects that you are describing are common when starting Atenef.
They usually get easier within 2-4 weeks. If they are still difficult, then please talk to your doctor. There should be other combinations you can use.
In 2021, this includes a new combination called TLD.
For more info on Atenef, (a generic version of Atripla) please see this link:
https://i-base.info/guides/1561
Vitamins are not likely to reduce side effects. Vitamins will not directly help your viral load or CD4. For a more in-depth answer on vitamins please see this link:
https://i-base.info/qa/1873
This answer was updated in 2021 to include information about TLD. The question was first posted in 2016.
Hi Pee,
It’s important that you see the doctor about your rash. As you have only just started taking Atenef it could be a serious reaction. Your doctor can look at your rash and talk to you about switching from Atenef to other meds. Felling dizzy is a reported side effect but you can tell your doctor about these symptoms too.
Your CD4 count of 682 is strong.
Hie I recently started taking Atenef and i feel very dizzy and drowsy all the time . l can’t even concentrate at work I’m having a serious rash on my joints now my skin looks like an elephant skin and it is swelling terribly people are beginning to ask why, my cd4 count was 682 last week when i started..please help is there a better drug with less side effects
Hi Missp,
They are very similar but not quite the same. Atenef includes efavirenz, tenofovir DF and FTC. And Avonza includes efavirenz, tenofovir DF and 3TC. The main drug in both tablets is efavirenz. Please see this guide to Atripla.
Is atenef and avonza the same thing
Hi Liberty,
Atenef is a generic version of Atripla, for how it should be taken please see here: http://i-base.info/guides/1561
Its been two days since I started taking Atenef, I knock off late at work, and by the time I finish cooking and eating it will be around 9pm. So two hours after will be around 11- 11:30pm. Is it still a good time to take my med? Or does time matter? I’m seeing in most comments 9 is mentioned more often?
Hi Miley,
The high you mention is a reported side effect of Atenef. Because of this it’s recommended to take it before bedtime, on an empty stomach (or not with a high fat meal). A high fat meal increases drug levels of efavirenz, the main drug in Atenef, by 60%. Switching treatment to before bedtime can mean that the side effects are likely to happen when you’re asleep. However, you are on day 4 of starting treatment so it’s probably better to switch time by bringing the dose forward. If you take one dose at 6 am and then another at 9 pm this will be a gap of 15 hours. So bringing forward a dose will give you slightly higher levels of Atenef, but this is very safe for such a short period. You can then continue by taking the dose once a day at 9 pm.
So I have been taking my atenef 6am without fail. Today is day 4 , the only experience I had so far is a “high” that lasts up until about after midday. I guess it’s the drugs working. Now my question is if I want to switch from 6am to 9pm how to go about it? Will I get resistant if I simply don’t take the dose in the morning 6am and take it at night 9pm?
Hi Miley,
Though Atenef is recommended to be taken at night, it can be taken at any time of the day. ARVs should be taken at a time that suits your lifestyle. If however you experience side effects when taking it during the day you may wish to either rethink the time that you take them or choose another ARV.
I’m starting anetef in the mornings, will it be a problem? I haven’t started yet.