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 Charity,
Do you mean your mother took a different tablet and not her ARVs? If so it sounds like she has missed a dose of her HIV meds. This happens very occassionally to many people taking ARVs. But if it happens regularly it can mean that HIV can become resistant to the ARVs you are on. But an occassional missed dose should be okay.
You can read about tips for adherence here.
My mother has started taking ARV from 16 April 2018, yesterday she made a mistake by taking the wrong tablet.whats gonna happen?im worried
Hi Dovon,
I’m sorry that there was this problem with your insurance. However, you are back on Biktarvy now. So it’s a good idea to ask at the clinic for a viral load test to make sure you’re still undetectable.
Hi resitly was on Novir/Truvada/Prezista for 4 year’s and undetectable fo 4 years and have just resitly switched to biktarvy for a mouth now and resitly had problems with my insurance and ended up missing a week and a half of my biktarvy meds well that resulte into resistance
Hi Alicia,
Missing several doses of ARVs isn’t ideal for anyone. This is because its important to take meds daily. If you missed your meds for more than two days then there is a possibility that your viral load will have started to rebound. However unless you have a viral load test done its not possible to know if this will have happened.
As a precaution its probably best if your husband has a test done. This is even if the risk is low.
hello i have been hiv+ for about 6 years.i am undetectable but i missed a few dose this week can i still passed on the virus to my husband?my husband is negative.i only take one dose each night before bed.
Hi Edith,
Though ARVs should be taking daily, its very unlikely that you missing your meds for 2 days will have caused you any problems. Before you missed your meds do you know what your viral load was? Are you now back to taking your medication?
Hi I’m on trivenz and I have missed 2 days not taking my medication due to unforeseen I’m very worried and stressed
Hi Andy, Angelina has answered a similar question here. But you can talk to the doctor about meds to stop vomiting, especially if you keep vomiting your HIV meds. If you are undetectable, missing one dose is probably not a problem. But make sure you tell the doctor if it keeps happening.
Hy am andy when i found out i was pregnant i started clinic early as possible because i no longer trust my partner of 5years .i found out i was hiv than yesterday i was not feeling good .when i tried to take the pill at night i vomited than i missed and did not take it .is my little one in danger? Please help