Question
Do ARVS affect your periods?
5 November 2018. Related: All topics.
Hello , I have been taking my HIV meds for around a month now , can this affect my period? My last period ( 1st day of period ) was on 22nd of September 2018 now its 4th November . I had 3 urine pregnancy tests but all negative . Can this be because of meds? I don’t get any symptoms of period nor feel any pregnancy symptoms ( only maybe paranoid my nipples are abit sore )
Please help I spoke to my docs but they said not to worry.
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch.
ARVs don’t affect a woman’s menstrual cycle. Therefore this is something that you may wish to discuss with a specialist if it continues.
Hi Mathapelo,
As the above post explains, ARVs don’t have any impact on your cycle. If you’re having issues with conceiving then you need to talk to a specialist.
Hi im Mathapelo and I’m HIV positive I have been taking my meds for almost 8 months now and my periods cycle has changed and I did some research that if this continues I will not be able to have children and I have been trying to have one but nothing at the clinic they tells me that I should have sex the day before I go to periods I really need help plz tell me what to do.
Hi Inonimas,
ARVs don’t any any effect on women’s periods, so its not this. If you’re having hot flushes, this could be possible signs of the menopause. Your doctor will be able to tell you if it’s the menopause.
I started taking ARV for 11 years ago now started not see my periods and am 44 years old and have done home pregnancy test and got hot flashes so badly is meds got something to do with this .
Hi Matshidiso,
As Lisa says above, HIV meds don’t affect a woman’s periods. So Odimune is not likely to be the reason you haven’t seen your periods. But please see your doctor if you have stomach pains and movements.
i started taking Odimune 4 month ago and I dnt c my periods and having stamach pains and feeling movements .can the meds stop my periods
Hi Dube,
As Lisa says on this Q&A, ARVs don’t affect a woman’s periods. But please see your doctor about your symptoms and pains.
How is your HIV treatment going? Do you have access to your viral load and CD4 results? And what HIV meds are you taking? Please let us know.
Hie since i started my HIV treatment on january , and i saw my period once in june and it was heavy flow , and since june i cant see it again , but every month on my date it comes the big pain around my waist and both sides of the ovaries then it goes down to the womb as if something will come out but nothing , please help
Hi Noluthando,
As Lisa says above, ARVs don’t affect a woman’s menstrual cycle. As this started almost three years ago, you can ask to see a specialist to talk to about it.
What ARVs are you taking? And do you have access to your viral load and CD4 count? Please let us know.
Hi,I have been taking ARVs since Nov 2016 and after that I have NOT seen my periods…Please assist on what I can do..Thank you in advance.