Question
How do I take tablets every 12 hours?
26 April 2024. Related: Adherence, All topics.
Take tablets once every 12 hours…does that mean if taken at 2pm one day, then you take another the next day 2pm?
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
What is the tablet you are taking every 12 hours?
As it it 12 hourly it will need to be taken at 2 pm and 2 am. It would be recommended to do this at a more suitable hour to avoid impacting sleep e.g., 10 am and 10 pm.
When taken 12 hourly, it does need to be at the same time each day. Waiting longer/taking them sooner can cause the level of drug in the body to either be too much or too little.
Josh.
Hello Beverley and thanks for the question.
In general if you missed about a week or so of tablets we would expect your viral load to start increasing and you might lose your undetectable status (which means you might be able to pass on HIV to your sexual partners).
If you were in the UK, your clinic would ask you to have a viral load test before restarting your medication.
I am not sure what the practice is where you are based.
Please let me know if you need further information.
Hi what if you missed your medication for several day, cause it was out of stock.
Hi Sheila, please don’t worry about this. It is okay if you sometimes take your meds an hour or two earlier or later than the normal time. Everything will still be good.
What would happen if you took one an hour earlier by mistake? Would it mean you would have to take the next one an hour earlier?