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.
If somebody took more than 10 pills same time trying to kill him or here self what will happen or what risk of that
Hi Mahesh, please do not worry. A double dose will not do any harm but might make you feel a little strange for a couple of hours – depending on which meds you take. I have used a weekly pill box so I don’t do this.
Hi my name is mahesh I atcually was in a hurry an take 2tablets one time is that serious fr my health it’s the first time it happens to me
Hi Phindi, thanks. I am really sorry that this mistake was made. If you were taking two lots of HIV meds for a month, you were lucky not to get more side effects. This is a serious error that the hospital should report.
Now you are just taking Renega, everything will be okay. Main people get undetectable viral load within a month from just using Renega anyway.
Also, I am sorry that I can’t find any info on Trivax – this closest names I could only find were Trivenz, Tenarenz and Triolar. (from the generic HIV meds listed here:
https://i-base.info/guides/12423
It doesn’t really matter what the other medicine was though, now the problem has been fixed.
Hi I have been using Trivax and Renega at the same time. I was not aware as.the pharmacy gave me both. This was a misunderstanding between my doctor and my pharmacist.
This happened in March and in April the pharmacist gave me Trivax and only this month this error was picked up by the medical aid as the pharmacists was giving me Ranega.
The double dose resulted in my high viral load to go down to be undetected. Now I’m concerned if this will create any problems in my ART treatment as now I only have the Ranega only to take?
Hi Emmanuel, are there doctors with you? As we are not doctors at i-base we cannot give out medical advise in this situation. Please contact a doctor in your hospital, or the nearest hospital.
Some one took a months supply of TLD with an intent of killing himself. What should I give him? Please help am stuck as a nurse on dute
Is it good to take arvs after 14hours
Hi Kalyowa, is this your regular dose of ARVs? In this case it would be best to take your missed dose and then continue as normal. Just be aware that for the next day you will have slightly elevated levels of ARV in your body and may experience slightly heavier side effects – though this does not happen with everyone.
Hi Gao, I am sorry to hear you are feeling this way. Please go and speak to a doctor about these feelings as soon as you can. If no doctor is available, it is appropriate to walk to an emergency department to seek assistance.
Please follow this link to a previous question similar to yours: https://i-base.info/qa/11906 This is important to read in regards to potential side effects from your medication. The post also contains links for helplines that can offer more assistance than an email.
Most countries have phonelines that can help if you are feeling suicidal.
In the UK, the phoneline for the Samaritans is 116 123. The US National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Eight helplines for South Africa are linked here.
Phonelines in over 60 other countries are linked from this page.
http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html