Question
What happens if I miss a week of ARVs?
3 December 2021. Related: Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load.
I have been on treatment for the last 8 months. I stopped my medication for a week and just did a viral load test, it says I have a viral load of 700000. I don’t understand.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Do you mind if I asked why you missed a week? Adherence to a daily medication can be difficult and you might find a better way of managing it if you speak with a doctor.
For ARVs to be effective they need to be taken daily at the same time. This is because a constant level of the medication is required to be in your body to keep HIV suppressed. Missing a week of ARVs would allow the level of medication in your body to drop below a required amount. If it drops this low it will stop working and HIV will be able to replicate and increase its viral load. Here you can find out why taking ARV daily is important.
Missing a week means there is a chance HIV has gained resistance to your current medication. Taking ARVs until you are undetectable does not mean you can stop with taking them. ARV therapy will be required long-term to prevent the virus replicating. You may need to speak to your doctor about better ways to adhere to medication or if there is a more suitable combination.
If you have another question please get in touch,
Josh.
Does smoking stop ARV from working
Pls I want to know
Hi Gail, I give answers as comments or you can email directly to i-base where they will be answered either directly to you or posted online.
Josh Your Answers are Enlightening. Are you in another platform where one can interact with you?
Hi Mandisa, how often have you missed your treatment? If you have only missed the two days on this one occasion this will not be a risk to you and baby. Usually a week or more is needed for viral load to rebound.
What time are you taking your medication? If you are falling asleep before you are able to take them it would be alright to move the time of your treatment.
Am 2months pregnant and m worried about the time I chose to take my ARV’s, it’s very late sometimes I find myself waking up in the morning realizing I passed out without taking the pill, if I miss 2days will my baby be affected?
Hi Zintle, no you are not putting your child at risk. You can breastfeed your child as long as you want. After 6 months the risk from breastfeeding is negligible. This is more so as you are on treatment with an undetectable viral load.
I am struggling to stop breastfeeding my 2yrs old and I’m on arvs and my viral load is undetectable. Am I putting my child at risk?
Hi Boetie, is there a reason you have not taken your ARVs for the last month? Are you able to restart?
Missing your ARVs will risk your viral load becoming detectable again. This can risk transmission to others. Starting treatment again will suppress HIV. If not viral load will increase and start to impact your CD4 count.
I have not taking my Arv for a month what is going to happen
Hi Annie, where are you now?
Please see this previous question: https://i-base.info/qa/4976