Question
I missed my meds for 4 days, will I be OK?
7 May 2019. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load.
I’m traveling for work and forgot my meds…Meaning I will miss 4 doses of Biktarvy
My viral load has been undetectable for nearly 10 years now and I am otherwise in very good health… so how dangerous is missing 4 doses?
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch.
Meds needs to be taken every day to make sure that there are always good drug levels in your body, Getting the timing right means you still have good levels when you come to taje the next dose. This is for week day and weekends, every day in the year.
Luckily though, as drugs have become better, they also provide cover if you are sometimes late.
Though missing four days is not good, you should be okay. This is because after ten years, levels of HIV will be very very low. If you do this often though, you might develop drug resistance.
Your partners will also be okay from this time. It usually takes a couple of weeks for a viral load to rebound. As soon as you get home, make sure that you take your meds. If possible you may want to have your viral load checked.
Hi Aliet, please do not worry. your meds are good enough to cover any times when you are sometimes late.
Should I be worried if I missed TLD within 2-8 hours? I dont do this often. But am I putting myself at risk?
Hi Charity – it is not good to miss doses. If your viral load was undetectable before though, it will still be undetectable now. Please restart your meds as soon as you can.
Hey,I went for business trip and my med finished I stayed almost 4 days without taking them what is going to happen to me
Hi Peter, it takes at least a week for viral load to become detectable if HIV meds are stopped, so there is zero reisk to you partner. If you are serious about your partner being violent, especailly over HIV, they do not sound like a good person to be with. No-one should be seen as a risk becasue their partner refuses to learn about HIV.
Hi there, I really need clarification please. I’m undetectable and I forgot to take my Arv meds for 3 days and my partner had anal sex with me while I was drunk. It’s there possibility HIV will be transmitted to him? I’m so scared, if he finds out he will kill me.
Hello Evans and thanks for getting in touch.
Taking your medication a bit later, will have absolutely no effect, don’t worry at all.
Well done for managing to take them every day.
Hi please I missed my med for some few minutes , I want to know if it c a n cause a harm.
Less say the time is 8:30pm and I missed it and took it at 8:50pm for three days