Question
How long do efavirenz side effects last?
5 January 2016. Related: All topics, Changing treatment, Side effects, Starting treatment.
I just started with efavirenz and Truvada 10 days ago. I’m not sleeping properly and feel dizzy all the time.
Is this normal, and when will it get better?
Answer
Hi
The type of side effects you report are pretty common when starting efavirenz.
For most people the dizzyness starts to get easier to tolerate within the first week or two, but it sounds like you may be having a particularly difficult time.
One thing to check is that you are not taking your meds after dinner. Meals that contain a lot of fat increase efavirenz levels by about 60%. Efavirenz should not be take until at least two houf after food that contains a lot of fat. Taking efavirenz before bedtime means you are hopefully sleeping during the side effects.
It is up to you how long you want to give this before trying another drug. Although your clinic might suggest giving it more time, some people change within a week if they are badly affected.
You don’t need to prove anything to anyone by staying on a drug that doesn’t work for you. There are lots of other options and switching is easy.
There is more information on efavirenz at this link.
This answer was updated in January 2016 from a question first posted on 11 June 2011.
Hi Palesa,
Have you changed anything about the way you take your treatment- like the time, or if you take it with or without food?
It’s worth talking to your doctor about these symptoms. These could be side effects- which you would expect to improve after a few weeks- or they could be an indication of an underlying infection. It’s worth getting checked out by your doctor to be sure.
Hi
i started on arvs (atroiza) 5 weeks ago and i did not have any side effects but since last sunday i’ve been feeling sick! I had flu which did not give any hints, it just attacked me, i’m always nauseous, dizzy sometimes and i urinate more than 10 times a day. Is this normal?
Hi Miranda,
Can I ask which ARVs you are taking, and how you take them? Sometimes the way that you take your meds (the time, or if you take them with food) can make side effects worse.
If your side effects aren’t getting easier do speak to your doctor about this. S/he will also be able to give you advice about how often it is safe to take pain killers as this will be different depending on which painkillers you are taking.
Hey I’ve just started taking ARVs in a month’s time now but the side effects don’t go away, such as headache, tiredness and neusea, is this normal or should I be worried, is it safe for me to take pain killers everytime I have a headache?
Hi Azona,
It’s important that your sister’s doctor knows about these symptoms. I can’t diagnose these online. Although it’s normal to experience some side effects when your start treatment it’s unsual to be feverish and this may be a sign of another infection that needs to be treated. I hope she feels better soon!
Hi guyz
My sister has just less than a week on ARV’s and she is feverish and vomiting,is thi normal or should we be worried at home?
thanks in advance
Hi Zoleka, it’s good that you told your clinic about the rash. This is because some rashes can be a sign of a bad reaction to treatment. If they have looked at it and said it’s ok then you shouldn’t need to be worried about this. Most rashes with treatment do get better after the few weeks. But sometimes they continue. There are lots of things you can do to make this better. Please see our side effects guide for more information. Let me know if you have any questions!
I’m struggling with rash in my face since I started ARVs please help its been a month now. I never have acne in my life. Please help, I’m worried. I reported it to my clinic they say it will stop but it hasn’t stopped
Hi A
Thanks for the feedback and great that treatment is going better now.
There is no reason for anyone to know about your HIV status unless you decide to tell them. Treatment also means that you can get on with everything that was important to you before HIV came along to complicate things. Stick to you goals and projects and look for new one’s! You can expect treatment to give you much longer than five years :)
Hopefully, some of your friends or family do know about your HIV? It is difficult to do this on your own, so having at least one other person to confide in is probably very important for your own health and sense of belonging n the community. If this is too difficult at the moment, then developing contacts with a support group or online community will hopefully help you feel less isolated.
If you like weight lifting, this is fine to go back to. It probably wasn’t a good idea while you were getting the side effects, especially dizziness. Staying active and taking regular exercise it likely to be one of the best things you can do to look after your health from now on.
Hi Simon,
First off, I would like to thank you people about the work you’re doing.
This is my second month since i started my ARVs and I’m now feeling great. My appetite
is back and dizziness is history.
However, my problem is that when I look at my kids and friends and my influence in
society, I feel very bad. I have projects to complete in five years and retire from busy life
and live quietly.
Can I live without anyone noticing that I’m HIV positive?
I take my medication exactly on the dot.
The other thing is that i have stopped my weight lifting.
Please, any advice?