Question
What are the risks of taking an over-dose of ARVs?
4 January 2011. Related: Adherence, All topics, Drug interactions, Side effects, Support.
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Taking one or two extra doses of ARVs it not likely to be a problem. But is could increase side-effects from the drugs for a couple of days.
To give you a more accurate answer please let me know how much of an overdose you are talking about. For example, is it just forgetting someone had already taken the drugs and taking them again once? Or are you talking about someone say taking a whole months supply at once?
Taking a double dose by accident on rare occasions shouldn’t cause serious harm, however, a deliberate overdose of a lot of ARVs could increase the toxicities to such an extent that it damages the body’s vital organs.
Hello King and thanks for getting in touch.
please contact your doctor or clinic straight away.
They need to know the names of your meds and how many you took.
You can also call the accident and emergency department of any hospital.
These people will give you medical advice based on the details of what you have taken.
Your HIV clinic can also help with support to look at the things in life that made you feel this way and to do this.
Please do this now.
I hope that things get easier and that you will be ok.