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 Noluthando,
What you’re being told by your clinic isn’t true, ARVs don’t cause women to have irregular periods. For more info about irregular periods, please see here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/irregular-periods/
Hi..Am Noluthando,a 26 yr old n I started taking ARVs in 2016.Ever since I have irregular periods..Sometimes I don’t see them at all,it has been over 8 months since I last saw them.When I visit the clinic they say it’s probably the meds.Please advise on what to do since me n my fiance are trying for a baby.TIA
Hi Precious, have you talked to your doctor about this. Many things can cause changes in times of your periods. This is not listed as a side effect of HIV meds though. I don’t understand the part of your question that says “saw my periods in 25…”
Hi I’m Precious, I last saw my periods in 25 but know I just feel pain with no sign of them. I’m newly on ARVs.
Hi Faith, thanks for your questions. It is great that these meds have been working for so long – it shows you have been careful in how you take them. This makes you a great role model to – whether you want to be or not :)
The meds are are working well to control HIV and shouldn’t have any affect on you periods though. You are right that stress can affect timing of periods. This link is from the main health website in the UK:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stopped-or-missed-periods
Please also talk to your doctor as well though, who will know about your medical history and who can perhaps help with other ways to reduce stress.
Hey. My name is Faith, and I have been on my ARVs since the age of 10 years, I started taking my ARVs on the 05 December 2005.
And last year 2020 December I missed my periods, even now I still haven’t went, I don’t have any signs of pregnancy…except that my breasts turn to get sort from time to time, which it’s not a new thing. I don’t know if my Medication might be having some sort of effect? Or maybey it’s because I have been overly stressing lately…due to my me awaiting for my school results? Or is it because of the cigarette smoking that I have been doing very much oftern since November 2020? I really don’t know, please help I losing my mind
Hi Nomsa, thanks, what did your doctor say? Which meds are you taking?
I also have the same problem stopped getting my period since I started takin medication.
Hi Nondumiso, I am sorry that I can’t explain this. Is there any chance you might be pregnant? Also, please talk to your doctor. If you are unlucky and the first meds make you feel like the, maybe a different combination might help.
Same here i started taking ARVS on the 1st of November 2020 since then I’ve never been on my periods iam vomiting losing appetite having stomach ulcers and I can’t sleep please help even now 18 Dec no sign for my periods.