Q and A

Question

I’ve left my meds at home, what should I do?

I’m on holiday for a week. The thing is I’ve let my meds at home, what should I do?

Answer

Thanks for getting in touch.

If you can, you’re going to need to get in touch with the local clinic/hospital where you are on holiday and ask them if you can get some emergency medication. If this isn’t possible, is there any way that someone can get meds to you?

If neither of these options are possible and you miss a weeks worth of meds, please let your doctor know as soon as you can. They will need to check your viral load. Just to be on the safe side, it’s probably better if you use condoms, that is if you’re going to be having sex. This is just in case your viral load rebounds.

10 comments

  1. Josh Peasegood

    Hi Jan, it is good that you have had the allergy testing. How many days will you not be on medication if you do not continue with Biktarvy? As you have been undetectable viral load rebound usually takes a week.

  2. Jan

    I just started Biktarvy April 5, 2023. I developed a rash that looked like very red skin. I got a biopsy and it came back as some sort of hypersensitivity and include possibly allergic to to medication. Once I saw that I stopped the Biktarvy. It’s been one day should I not take the meds or continue till my Dr put me on something else. Whick would be Monday coming up. I’m undetectable now . Don’t want to miss so many days.

  3. Josh Peasegood

    Hi Thandeka, missing an occasional dose is not going to be a problem. If you are able to get your treatment within a few hours of when you normally take it you can take your medication then. If you are going to be more than 12 hours after your normal time it is best to skip this dose and continue as normal.

  4. Thandeka

    What happened if you forgot your med and you work night shift

  5. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Geraldine,

    How many days did you skip? For specific info about Bixtarvy, please see here: https://i-base.info/guides/13752 As you might be aware, ARVs need to be taken daily to be effective.

  6. Geraldine

    How long does bixtarvy stay in your system if missed doses for a period of time

  7. Roy Trevelion

    Hi Jose,

    I hope you don’t mind but I’ve put your two comments together on this post.

    It’s great that your viral load is coming down quickly. Viral load can drop by 90% within the first few days, and by 99% within the first few weeks on HIV treatment (ART). Viral load then continues to drop over the next few months. Please see this page from ART in pictures that shows what happens when we start ART.

    And as Lisa says on this Q&A, all three drugs in Biktarvy get very good drugs levels. They all leave the body slowly enough to cover any one missed dose, and possibly two (it is however better to still take this medication daily).

    So you can switch times simply by missing the morning dose and then taking it in the late evening. You can then carry on taking it in the late evening.

  8. Jose

    Hi, I am somewhat of a newly diagnosed HIV since last September and viral load was 174,000 and on 11/19/19 follow up appointment viral load was at 408 copies and my next appointment isn’t till 3/2020 to find out if I am undetectable. Most likely have I reached undetectable status? I know only my doctor will be able to tell me that after tests, it’s just that I keep thinking about it.

    I normally take Biktarvy at 8am and would like to switch to taking the pill in the late evening. What’s the best way to change this?

  9. Roy Trevelion

    Hi Sibusiso,

    I’m not clear about your question. But if you’re asking if it’s possible to have condomless sex with someone who is HIV positive and not catch HIV? The quick answer is, yes.

    But your HIV positive partner must be on HIV treatment (ART) and have an undetectable HIV viral load.

    Please see more info at this link to Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) http://i-base.info/u-equals-u-qa/

  10. Sibusiso

    Hello mam can u sleep with sombody who’s positive and surveve for nyt stand

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