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.
Hi im on tribuss and accidentally took a second pill by mistake after two hours im i going to be fine?
Hi Jan, the timing is not likely to be linked to a cough. Trouble sleeping might be linked, but this is likely to be worse which is why taking efavirenz is better before you sleep. This medicine is not used in the UK if someone is working shifts. If your doctor can’t prescribe a different combination, it is okay to change between night and morning to fit your work shifts, but you really need to take it befor you sleep.
I normally take my arv 9pm but im having issues with side effects since im on a night shift.. So i decided to switch it morning 9am and im doing it for almost a month now. I
At first its good since i can sleep well but lately i got a cough and its dry always not feeling well and fever. Can i switch it back to evening again?
Hi Kenneth, if you can see the pills, then definitely retake them again. Leave a few minutes though so your throat and stomach are a settled. If you can’t see the pills but they are likely to be there, also take them again. Most HIV meds are not absorbed this quickly. It usually takes about an hour be be absorbed to good levels, and this varies with different meds and whether or not you have recently eaten.
IF I take one then I vomit 15 minutes. I again take another since I have vomited although I am not sue that it was vomited or remained.
Hi Jeremy, how can I help?
Tired
Hi Nesse,
Its fine to go back to your normal time of 10pm, this won’t cause you any problems. And today.
Hi all,
Normally I take everyday my Truimeq at 10:00 PM, and in the mornings I take another medication for something else. This morning I got confused and took Truimeq (in this case I had the second in circa 12 hours). I’ve read that it should not be a problem if this happens once. But my questions is when should I take the next one. Tonight at 10 PM or wait till tomorrow and take it at 10 PM?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Zack,
If you feel like you might want to take a whole bottle of meds, then this is something that you should talk to a professional about as it isn’t something that i-base can help you with.