Question
Will being a few hours late with my medication affect my undetectable status?
8 April 2022. Related: Adherence, CD4 and viral load.
I was diagnosed in 2018 with HIV. I was diagnosed a few months after unknowingly contracting it and was on meds within a week of my diagnosis. I’ve been on meds ever since and have been undetectable since early 2019. Recently I’ve been taking my meds a bit late (sometimes up to 3 hours late) due to oversleeping and I’m wondering if that will affect my undetectable status? I’m on dolutegravir, lamivudine and tenofovir DF.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
No. Occasionally being late with your medication is not going to risk your undetectable status. Though this is not something your should be doing regularly. The medication you are taking stays at a high enough level to work longer than 24 hours – this is why you have some leeway for the time you take it.
However, being less regular does increase the risk of complications with your medication, regardless of how small the risk.
Has something changed recently that is causing you to oversleep? If this is becoming more regular are you able to move the time for which you take your medication?
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