Question
Can I drink alcohol with Atripla?
29 April 2010. Related: All topics, Side effects.
Does ‘an empty stomach’ mean no drinking alcohol either? And if so what are the consequences? Could one develop resistance or stop the medication from working at their full potential by drinking alcohol? I have been on Atripla for the last three years and although I am careful not to eat for at least two hours before I take my meds I have a glass or two of wine (sometimes three). Should I worry? Thank you
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Drinking wine before taking Atripla will not cause resistance to the medication. If you forget to take the medication because you have drunk too much wine it may cause resistance.
Drinking alcohol will not stop the medication from working. The recommendation to take Atripla on an empty stomach is to reduce side effects to the medication such as nausea, dizziness, trouble sleeping and so on. Excessive alcohol consumption can sometimes make these side effects more severe.
Alcohol in moderation should be fine. Excessive use of alcohol can cause problems. As with all medications, HIV treatment is filtered from the blood by the liver. Excessive drinking can cause damage to liver which can be more severe if you are on HIV medication.
Hi Adjoa,
Can you tell me more about your CD4 counts- what they were when you started Atripla, and what they are now?
If your CD4 count is dropping while on treatment this may mean it’s not working properly. So long as you don’t have resistance you should be able to change back to your previous combination.
Another way to see if your treatment is working is to check your viral load. Do you know what this is?
Hi,
It’s unlikely that this will have done any damage, but it’s good to mention this to your clinic so that they know what has happened. This shouldn’t have caused any thrush though, so it’s important to talk to your doctor about this so that it can be treated.
Hi,
I just started on ATRIPLA now June 2012 and then I received Odimune and I have been taking them both for about two to three weeks. I thought it was two different medication. what will that do to my immune? I have been experiancing a lot of thrush every week . last I checked my CD4 was 89 begin of June. now am taking one tablet at night.
Hi Vuvu,
It’s great that you haven’t experienced too many side effects with your treatment. If your heartburn continues and is difficult to deal with speak to your doctor who may be able to prescribe some treatment.
I started taking Atrpila last year July,my concern is that my CD4 started dropping since then and I take my meds every day on tome,my doctor says my iron level have also dropped and that could be the problem now I have been changed to Odimune I am scared that it also nopt going to work should I ask to be put on the meds I was on previously as they worked fine and my CD4 was going up?
Hi,
I have just started taking Odimune and I’m not having all the side effects mentioned save for slight dizziness sometimes. I am however experiencing heartburn, should I worry?
Hi Primi,
First of all I would like to confirm that we are not doctors, and I do not have any medical training.
Swelling is not a common side effect of odimune (which contains efavirenz, FTC & tenofovir). Without knowing which type of chemotherapy you are taking I can’t say whether this could be the cause.
Swelling of the legs and/or arms can be a symptom of Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) itself. This is caused when KS affects the lymph nodes causing a build up of fluids.
It’s important to talk to your doctor about this symptom so that s/he can find the cause and hopefully improve this.
Hi Dr.
I’m a month taking odimune and on the other hand taking chemotherapy for KS. I’ve noticed my lower limb are getting swollen since i started this treatment. I’m not sure whether if it is chemo or odimune that is causing this?
Hi
Odimune contains three active HIV drug: efavirenz + tenofovir + FTC. It is a generic version of Atripla, which is one of the most widely prescribed treatments.
You have a very good chance that your viral load is already undetectable. Sometimes it takes a month or two to get used to the treatment though.
Your CD4 count should also increase which should reduce the risk of future infections. However, your doctor could also prescribe acyclovir if herpes attacks are a problem. Any medical concerns you have are good to talk to your doctor about.
Hi,
I have been on Odimune for about 1.5 months. First week was terrible with dizziness but I’m fine now. But just a concern, shouldnt i be getting a feeling so much better as i am taking these pills. I have been having herpes a lot but lately i hadnt had it for about 2 months and that was wow for me.But now a month after being on Odimune I have noticed that last week i had a breakout of herpes and now i feel swollen glands under my armpits, i have viganal trush as well which was a rare thing for me. Am i reacting badly to the tratment or is it probably cleaning the infections that were probably hidden? My viral load was 50k when i started and cd4 count of 214, in 6 months time what are the chances that the viral load can be undetectable?