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.
It seems I have taken double dose of atripala by mistake within 30 minutes… I am on this med for last six years… And undectable load since then. Will double dose cause any serious harm in long term such as medicine becoming ineffective?
Hi Matt,
Aluvia is the main drug in the combo. It contains lopinavir and it’s boosted by ritonavir in the same tablet. Combivir contains AZT and 3TC which are the backbone drugs in the combo.
Hi there,
It has been 60h since my intercourse and I have been prescribed a combo of Aluvia and Combivir.
Question being, is that combo efficient enough with a dosage of 2 intakes of 2 Aluvia and 1 Combivir per day?
What is the role of each in that combo?
Thank you for your help.
Matt
Hi Abhi,
It’s great that you’ve been adhering to Viraday for 5 years. Viraday is another name for Atripla.
In general, the three meds in Atripla (or Viraday) reach good enough levels in your body to be able to have some flexibility with dosing. Even missing a dose for a day is also usually okay.
So it should be fine to skip tonight’s dose to avoid drug levels that are too high. But carry on as usual from tomorrow night.
Hi, I generally take Viraday at 10 pm (and have been adhereing to it for the last 5 years). Today accidentally, i took another Viraday at 1 pm. Shall i skip my next dose i. e. tonight?
Please reply fast.
Hi Ben.
This won’t be an issue. Please continue to take them as normal.
What will i do i mistakely take my arvs in the morning while i usually take it at night?
Hi Mbali,
Please can you go to see the doctor straight away? It’s important that you try to reduce any damage this might cause. If you live in South Africa you can contact the Treatment Action Campaign. They might be able to give local advice.
I have taken 15 overdose of arvs…am I going to die? Or get sick if I don’t die?
Hi Jay,
i-base aren’t a support based organisation, this is why we don’t offer this service. Most of us who work for i-base are living with HIV so we’re well aware of what it means to be positive and to have gone through the hard times and in the days when there wasn’t any treatment. This is why its important that people who are vulnerable get professional support.