Question
How do I time ART with recreational drugs?
5 August 2019. Related: Adherence, All topics, Recreational drugs, Side effects.
Hi, I am taking efavirenz every night at 10pm: 600 mg, lamivudine 300 mg, tenofovir 300 mg for 4 months now. My cd4 started at 232 I would like to ask if it is safe to take the following:
1. Cannabis- almost every night just around 0.040mg of bud at around 7pm or 8pm.
2. Is it safe to take magic mushrooms? If so, if i take my meds at 10pm what time should i take my psilocybin?
3. Mdma. What time should i take mdma if i take my arvs at 10pm? I usually just take half a pill.
4. Moonrocks or mda.
I go to the gym almost everyday. Never been sick since the day i started taking arvs.
Just a follow up question, just for confirmation because my health provider keeps on telling me that if i eat at 8pm onwards and take arvs at 10pm the ARVs will not be effective contrary to everything i read from here.
Thank you so much for answering questions here in i-Base, you guys have become my source of information from day 1.
Answer
I am sorry that I don’t know of information on timing of recreational drugs in relation to HIV meds. Really, what matters is that there isn’t a direct interaction, and that you dont miss doses of your HIV meds. So it is better to stick to your normal HIV routine, and if you do use recreational drugs, to do this when you want to.
Also, please be cautious with all recreational drugs – starting on a low dose until you can guage the effect.
The information about not taking efavirenz close to a high fat meal, isn’t related to being effective.
It is mainly to reduce the risk of side effects, because high fat food/meal increases drug levels of efavirenz.
It is fine to eat snacks or food that is low in fat by the way – and some people find meds are easier to take with a little food. See the section on reducing side effects here:
https://i-base.info/guides/side/cns-side-effects
Hi Prashanth,
Thanks. Good to hear you’re still undetectable and back on dolutegravir+lamuvidine+TDF.
I stay on Hyderabad. I am undetectable my virus is below detection limit. I am back on dolutegravir+lamudivine+TDF.
Hi Prashanth,
That’s a pity because the World Health Organisation now recomends dolutegravir-based HIV meds for all. That’s partly because efavirenz, the main drug in Atripla, can have significant side effects. So for many people, dolutegravir is easier to take.
It’s great that your viral load is undetectable. But I think you mean that, in the other tests you mention, the result is undetectable rather than negative. Is that correct?
Is there an HIV support group where you live that can help keep you on tenofovir, dolutegravir and lamivudine? Please can you let us know where you live in India.
can i switch to atripla if my viral is below detection limit? i am on doluTegravir+lamudivine+TDF…The drug atripla is free in the government hospitals in india. i have no drug resistance. I am susceptible to every drug after 5 months of using hiv medicine. my initial viral load is 1607 copies. But every other test is negative hiv western blot,hiv dna, hiv elisa.