Question
How often can I miss a dose?
9 June 2008. Related: Adherence, All topics, Resistance.
Hi, I have been on Sustiva/Truvada for 7 months and only missed 1 dose.
In your opinion how often could you safeley miss a dose? Not intending to purposely miss doses just a question really. Thanks!
Answer
I have a very traditional opinion and will have to say that you cannot miss doses safely.
The thing is that HIV does not mutate selectively, it does it randomly. Hense missing a dose is like a Russian roulette. During the period when the virus can replicate (as there is not enough medication to supress it in your body), it can mutate in such a way, that it becomes resistant to the medication, but it also can mutate in a way that it does not become resistant.
Hence every missed dose is a potential resistance provoker and it is more true with the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (Sustiva and Viramune) than with the protease inhibitors.
At the same time, as I mentioned before, not every missed dose will by default lead to resistance, but, again, less is better.
Hi J,
Though not ideal, you should be OK. This is because it takes 7 or so days before a persons viral rebounds.
I’m gonna miss my triumeq for two days of been undetectable for almost 4 years will I be ok
Hi Scott,
What country are you in? And are you travelling for business to another country? Here in the UK you could try going to one of the sexual health clinics.
There could be HIV treatment support organisations and charities where you are.
I am on business travel and my work got extended. I always bring enough of my Triumeq to stay one extra day. Well this extension long and I’m going to miss 3 doses. What can I do?