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.
Hello Jeffery and thank you for the question.
Were you on Biktarvy because you were on treatment?
An HIV test will not turn negative again once it has turned positive.
Or are you talking about a different kind of test?
Please see our guide on HIV testing for more information:
https://i-base.info/new-i-base-guide-hiv-testing-and-risks-of-sexual-transmission/
And the frequently asked questions about testing:
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
I missed my Biktarvy dose for 5 days as it was delivered late from the pharmacy. I started back on my meds 2 days ago. I just used a home test and it showed me as positive. Should I be worried or give it a week and retest? thanks
Hello Sipho and many thanks for your question.
Thank you for sharing your concern with us and opening up about the situation.
You sound very worried and I understand the situation is very complex.
There is no easy answer, unfortunately.
People living with HIV who stop taking medication can expect their CD4 counts will start going down and as time passes they can get sick.
This changes a lot from person to person. There is no specific timeline (as every person’s immune system responds a bit differently) and this can be a reversible condition, if they go back on medication.
Some people, however, have significant side effects or don’t have a healthcare environment they can trust to discuss their concerns.
This makes it difficult to take medication on a daily basis.
If you would like to read some more information about what happens when someone stops taking HIV treatment please see here:
https://i-base.info/qa/11921#
I am also worried about you. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation too and you also need some support.
Here in the UK, we have support groups for the families.
Is there some help you can access where you are based?
Would you like to continue talking to us about this in private?
Please do not hesitate to email at: questions@i-base.org.uk and we can discuss this further
Again, thank you very much for sharing this with us
Hi
My partner has not been on ARV for the past 2 -3 years. She was on Line 3 medication and just stopped drinking it. Her cd4 count in 2023 was 350 and viral load 12000. She has started to drink excessively almost every day of the week. I’m worried about her. I tried taking her for counsellibg etc but she blatantly refuses. I’m at my wits end and decided to give up. What will happen now that she has not been drinking her meds for 2 -3 years now.
Please don’t be worried. That happens sometimes. This will not affect your treatment.
There are some tools you could use to help you remember like:
– setting an alarm on your phone
– using a pill box and
– taking the medication on a specific time each day
Please see the below link for more information about forgetting to take your medication
https://i-base.info/guides/starting/forgot-my-pills
I forgot my tablet for 3 days I’m worried
Hi Daniel, please tell your friend not to worry and that everything will be okay. I hope he has restarted meds again and that this is just a one-time experience. If it happens more often, please tell your firnd to talk to the doctorr in case there are ways he can be supported.
My friend missed his meds for five days due to he forgot it to work….
He’s just scared
Hope he’s safe
Hi Chris, you didn’t give any info about which country you are living in or travelling too. Most countries now do not worry about HIV status or being on meds. Check the country here though:
http://www.hivtravel.org
It is not a good idea to stop you meds for a week, especially as you have just started. This is both for your overall health and because you are going to the dentist. Maybe only travel with the meds you need for the week and a few spares in case of any delay.
I have been hiv positive for almost 4 months and have been on meds almost a month. I don’t know my current viral load count. But I’m going out of the country for dental work and will be traveling with my mom who doesn’t know my status and I’m worried about customs giving me a hard time about my medication since the pharmacy gave me my bottle with the label messed up. Would it like cause harm to go a week without taking my meds?