Question
I stopped meds, can I begin taking them again?
14 December 2016. Related: Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load, Starting treatment.
I found out about my HIV status this year September I was then given arvs on the 18 of October I only used them for three weeks I then stop….. It has been a month not taking them, will I become resistance to the treatment if I start using them next month? my cd4count is 327. Im scared if I start using them again I will get sick so I wanna know if I can start using them again or I should take immune boosters
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch.
Firstly, HIV meds are very good and very safe. They work really well. Even if you have trouble with side effects with one combination, it should be easy to use a different one.
“Immune boosters” are just an advertising scan. Although companies might claim this, there is no evidence that any of them work for HIV – or anything else.
These products will not help your CD4 count, nor your HIV. The only thing that will is ARVs.
Having a month of meds isn’t ideal, but please talk to your doctor about this if you are worried.
It is great that you are thinking about restarting as the combination is likely to still work very well. For more info on restarting, please see this earlier answer:
https://i-base.info/qa/12271
Hi Masego,
It’s great that you want to start your ARVs again. So it’s a good idea to discuss this with your doctor soon.
If you want to, you can explain to them why it was necessary for you to stop. This is important if you stopped because of side effects. And you can discuss ARVs that can be easier for you to take.
Testing HIV positive can be a tough time for all of us. And as Simon explains on this page, some aspects of being HIV positive take time to come to terms with.
Please let us know how you get on. You can tell us what meds you’re taking and what your CD4 count and viral load results are.
I found out am positive 2017 and took treatment for 7 months…now its been 3years without ARVs….i want to stop being Selfish to my daughter….i want to start again
Hi Lerato,
I’m sorry to hear your story. But it’s good that you want to start taking ARVs again.
You can go to the clinic and tell them you’re ready to start again. You can ask for tests to see if your old meds will work as well as they should. The clinic can also tell you what meds will be better for you to take now.
If you live in South Africa you can contact the Treatment Action Campaign at this contact link. They can help with local support.
hi, in 2017 i had tested positive on Hiv and started taking arv’s for 6mnths ,i got a job in another city , so i went to da clinic wher i was recieving my meds before to ask for a transfer so that i can get my meds from the nearest clinic in da city i had moved on but da nurse there got so rude with me,in a way that i got so hurt n torn my card and decided to never go to any clinic a gain..so now i wana restart my medication again , i wana knw if the meds wil work again if i restart since its been 3yrs without them
Hi Patrica,
It’s great to hear that you’re thinking about restarting meds. So yes, you can restart.
The best thing to do is to book an appointment to see your doctor. Let them know that you’ve been off meds for a year and that you’re now ready to restart them. Ideally they should check your viral load as well as your CD4 count. They should also discuss your treatment options with you.
I took arvs for a year then stopped taking them for a year so I want to know if I can take them again
Hi Marshy,
Is there any reason why you’ve missed taking your meds for a month? Are you having issues with access?
When someone stops taking meds their viral load will rebound within a week. What this means is that your viral load will no longer be under control. If you have sex without a condom they’ll also be a risk of transmission. You aren’t suddenly just going to get sick as HIV doesn’t work like that. If you can, you do however need to restart taking meds. Please let your doctor know that you’ve missed a month. They may need to check your CD4 count as well as your viral load.
Am going for one month without taking my Arvs am scared I might get sick,, so how long does it take to default
Hi Chantal,
It’s great to hear that you’re now ready to restart taking ARVs, this is a good step. With regards to resistance, it’s possible that you’ll no longer be able to take the meds that you used to take. There will however be other options. Ideally what you should do is book at appointment to see your doctor. Let them know that you’ve been off meds for a year, they’ll then be able to talk to you about your treatment options. They should also check your viral load as well as your CD4 count.
Hi,I started using ARVs in 2011.I got depression last year and stopped using it for 1 year.I am planning to resume.Will my body be resistant to it?Please advise.Am so worried