Q and A

Question

Is it ok if I take my meds 15 or 30 mins late?

Do you have to take your arvs at exactly the same time each day? Will for example 30 mins (or even an hour) each way have any impact whatsoever on the suppression of the virus or cause resistance? I am worried as even though I take them every day some days it is 15 or 30 mins later or earlier than the previous day.

Answer

Thank you for your question.

It is sometimes difficult to take your meds at the exact same time everyday.

Even when starting, there is a window of about an hour either side of your target time when it is still fine to take them.

For example, if you want to take your meds every night at 10 pm, then any time between 9pm and 11pm will be fine.

Everyone has a few times when we forget our meds though.

The less this happens the better. But if it does happen once in a while then there is nothing to worry about. If you forget in the future, take them as soon as you remember. However, if this is already close to the next dose DO NOT take a double dose.

Once you get an undetectable viral load, especially if it has been undetectable for several years, you have more flexibility. This partly depends on which drugs you are using.

Some once daily drugs (including tenofovir DF, emtricitabine and efavirinz) have long half-lives. This means drug levels stay in your body for long enough to cover being several hours late or even missing a dose completely.

Several studies are looking at whether reduced dosing might be safe – for example by only taking ART for four days a week. We need bigger studies before we know if this is safe though.

Note: this question was updated in October 2016 from and original answer in April 2011.

542 comments

  1. Simon Collins

    Hi Scarecrow, thanks, getting used to HIV does take time but is also does get easier.

    Your comments about getting better treatment for cancer would be good. Current treatments for many cancers are already good but only if the cancers are diagnosed early – and reducing the risk of side effects would also help. So part of getting better outcomes with cancer involves better access to earlier diagnosis.

    Healthcare structures are one of the main reason that people still die from HIV. For example. some people globally do not have easy access to free HIV meds and many people are still only diagnosed late, after HIV has has progressed to advanced infection.

  2. Scarecrow

    Simon thank you for your response. I was born in 1997 so it is motivating to come in contact with long term survivors.

    I am still not a person living with HIV but a person living for HIV. I talk to my doctors about taking all the different vaccine to protect myself. From hepatitis to pneumonia (all 23 types). I’m still concerned, and extremely tired by it. Don’t know how to tell my family because what goods will it make?

    I’m super concerned about cancer. I wish a treatment can become available in the next 10 years for this.

    The problem is if HIV is now a controlable chronic disease, why is still people dying from it?

  3. Simon Collins

    Hi Scarecow – this is still early days but you will steadily get used to being positive. It happens to everyone. W

    e get a jolt that means we can’t think about anything else. For weeks, months, sometimes longer. Then you will be gtting on with life ad realise you haven’t thought about HIV that ay or that week.

    You will steadily realise that the meds are so effective nd that HIV will not reduce your life.

    Sometimes it helps to talk to other people who have gone through this.

    I started meds in 1997 and stopped worrying about my HIV years ago :)

  4. Scarecrow

    Josh I’m feeling okay on treatment no side effect only the scare of dying?

    How can I deal with this fear and go back to live a normal life if that is possible?

    If I know Biktarvy is working should I stay on it ? Can I go to Cabenuva ? can I do a bone marrow transplant?

  5. Josh Peasegood

    Hi Scarecrow, have you been able to talk to anyone about how you are doing?

    It is great how quickly you have responded to HIV treatment. A drop in viral load this much is excellent and means you cannot pass on HIV to someone else and it is no longer having an impact on your health.

    A viral load this low means your body will be able to start to recover its CD4 cells. This takes time but it is normal for it to be a slow process. Given how well you are responding to treatment it is likely your CD4 count will be within a healthy range in the next year. At this point HIV will not be having any impact on your health.

    How are you feeling about being on treatment?

  6. Scarecrow

    I got diagnosed 2 months ago. My VL went from 76k to 76 in 7 weeks. CD over 300 but I’m still scare. I still think I’m going to died. I drink my medicine between 12pm to 1 pm everyday. I don’t mind drinking the pill but the scare of dying is killing me and I’m not living.

    What should I do ?

  7. Josh Peasegood

    Hi Nonoe, yes it is okay to take your ARVs at this time.

    Taking your ARVs within an hour of your regular time will have no impact on how well the treatment works.

    You do not need to be worried.

  8. Nonoe

    Is it OK to take my arvs 30min late, im taking my arvs 7am everyday but today I didn’t hear my alarm I wake up 7:36 and a I take at 7:36

  9. Josh Peasegood

    Hi Damsel, what is the name of the ARVs you are taking?

  10. Damsel

    Is it okay to inject meth while taking ARV?

    Thank you

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