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.
Can it be transmittable within one week?
Hi Nompumelelo, I am sorry to hear you have been feeling sick since starting treatment. Do you know what your CD4 count and viral load was before you started it? and do you happen to know what it is now?
What is the name of the ARVs you are taking? and are you taking them daily at the same time?
Can you described how you are feeling sick e.g., generally unwell, poor sleep, nightmares, changes during the day ect…
What have you tried to help with feeling sick? and have you spoken to a doctor about what you can try?
Hy I just started taking arvs and it been 2months now and I’m very sick the whole day I don’t get a break I’m worried and this happened just afternoon starting the treatment
Hi Ningi, please see this guide: https://i-base.info/guides/starting/forgot-my-pills
Hi, I would like to know what is the danger of missing a day of ARV treatment, and can I take it again if I don’t remember whether I took them or not in that day?
Hi Linda, i-base is an HIV charity. We are not doctors and do not provide information outside of HIV treatment. Are you able to discuss this with your doctor?
My Vidaza treatment for MDS is postponed for a week due to low white cell count which I hope will increase by then. Will this throw my WHOLE treatment process off?
Hi Nosipho, is this a problem you have had before? and what is the name of the ARVs you are taking? It may be suitable for you to crush them and put them in water so it will be easier for you to take them.
I haven’t drink my arvs for two weeks when I drink It I vomit because it’s stayed on my throat don’t want to go down even I drink a lot of water I became vomiting
Hi Clara, smoking will not interact with ARVs. Smoking will not stop ARVs from working.