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.
I forgot the fact that I already took meds but after a munite I take another!
Hi Gift, congratulations on your pregnancy. You can take the additional dose in the evening. As you will be sleeping soon after you will not notice any additional side effects (if any).
There is no risk of taking this additional pill to yourself or your baby. You can then continue treatment as normal.
I mistaken took my ARV pill in the morning thinking is my time to drink it due to stress I’m having and i suppose to drink it at night only should i take it again tonight, im 5 month pregnant what will it do to me?
Hi Apedo, what is the HIV treatment you are taking? Split doses of HIV medication is uncommon. Usually it is now a single pill taken once a day.
Some regimens do require split doses. This is because the drug has a shorter half life than most other ARVs. This means that the drug will only be active in the body for 12 hours instead of 24.
If you take the two doses together of a drug that requires to be taken every 12 hours, you will risk the treatment not working as well. There will be 12 hours a day where the medication is not active in your body. This can risk treatment not working and resistance.
The treatment of HIV/ADS are well known that everyone must take medicine in the morning and in the evening now what if I take two of them at once in the morning will it be harmful to my life?
Hi McCarthy, it is advised that 3 months of treatment will lead to a suppressed viral load. Most people can experience their viral load being below 200/undetectable within a month of starting treatment.
For how long can someone take arv for his or her viral load can reduce
Hi McCarthy, I apologise but your question is not clear.
ARVs can be taken lifelong when someone tests positive. ARVs suppress HIV and prevent HIV from damaging your immune system. ARVs will also help to prevent transmission to baby. When taken correctly and treatment is also given to baby, transmission is less than 1%.
For information about starting treatment please see here: https://i-base.info/guides/starting
For information about treatment for baby after birth please see here: https://i-base.info/qa/19891
If you are talking about how long to take treatment to help prevent transmission after an exposure this is called PEP. PEP is a course of ARVs taken for 28 days after an exposure. You can then test and confirm your result 6 weeks after the last dose of PEP.
PEP: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq
For how long can someone take AVR for him or her
can be tested positive?. Or can give birth to a positive baby.
Please I’m not satisfied with the answer
Hi Tshidi, please see this previous question: https://i-base.info/qa/18985