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 Ria, is there you missed your meds for 4 days?
Like said in the answer to the original question you should be okay. This is because modern HIV drugs remain active in the body longer for 24 hours. For a rebound to occur this would usually need at least 7 days.
However, as in rare cases this can happen beforehand it is important that you get a viral load test done when you next can.
Hi am undectable but I miss my meds for 4days will my meds still work
Hi Ben, missing one dose of Biktarvy is not going to effect your health. Your viral load will not be effected because of this. Please see this previosu question: https://i-base.info/qa/15327
Hi I think I May of missed a dose of Biktarvy, I have been taking them for 6 months & my viral load is 20. Will I be ok if I take the pill at my normal time this evening?
Hi Jorge, yes you will be okay. While it is not ideal to do so regularly, missing 2 days is not going to put your health at risk.
I missed 2 days by mistake. Will I be okay ???
Hi AJ, I am sorry to hear you were having difficulty with your insurance. A single instance of missing 4 days of Biktarvy is not likely to cause any major problems. This link is specific about how Biktarvy can remain in the body after missing a few days doses: https://i-base.info/qa/15327 Once Biktarvy is out of your system, viral load can begin to rebound as early as 48 hours (totaling 4 days from stopping). How quickly viral load rebounds depends on what the level was to begin with. However, it is unlikely to be high enough to transmit. After 4 days it is recommended to discuss this with your doctor and have your viral load tested to be sure of your current status.
Hi I have been on biktarvy 1.5 years and have not missed a day my insurance was messing up and I had missed 4 days of medicine am I now at risk of transmitting?
Hi John,
You’ll be perfectly fine. Your viral load won’t be affected, neither will your CD4 count.
I take my biktarvy every evening cat 6pm. I got drunk and forgot to take it I woke up the next morning at 11,am and took the miss dose then at 6pm that same day I took my regular dose. Will I be ok. And will it increase my viral load ? And will it decrease my cd4 count.? This is the first time I’ve done this. I’ve been undefeatable for 9 months. I started talking biktarvy in November of 2020 when I was first diagnosed.