Question
Can I take Tribuss with food?
5 July 2012. Related: All topics, Side effects, South Africa, Starting treatment.
Hi! I am 35 years and started taking my tribuss pill in February 2012. My problem is that I cant take the pill on an empty stomach. Can this make the pill to disfunction?
Answer
Hi,
Thank-you for your question.
Tribuss is a generic combination treatment which contains three HIV drugs. These are efavirenz, FTC and tenofovir. In the UK, this combination in a single pill is called Atripla.
Tribuss is usually recommended to be taken on an empty stomach is to reduce side effects. This is up to 60% more efavirenz is absorbed if it is taken with a high fat meal.
This would mean there is more efavirenz than you need and you may be more likely to get side effects. Side effects from efavirenz include dizziness, mood changes and sleep disturbance. Please follow this link for more information about efavirenz side effects.
However, the increased levels of efavirenz are connected to a high fat meal.
If you prefer to take Tribuss with some food this is fine, just not with fatty foods.
Please let me know if you have any more questions!
I’m glad you have seen a doctor, was s/he able to tell you the cause of this?
Hi jst started wid tribuss on de 4th dis month. Thanx 4 de respond already seen de Dr..
Hi Portia,
How long have you been on Tribuss? It’s important to talk to a doctor or nurse about any symptoms. I can’t tell you online if these are side effects or symptoms of something else.
Hi im on tribuss my worry is dat i bcome feverish n having body ache. Is dat sides effects
Hi S.P.,
Tribuss will be just as effective without taking any multivitamins. Centrum is very unlikely to make any difference to your HIV treatment. Unless you have a vitamin deficiency, I’ve not been convinced by studies that a multivitamin will make that much difference to your health either way. However, if you feel better for taking one it is unlikely to do you any harm.
Is it neccessary only to take centrum with tribuss or any vitamin tablets like b complex or others
The reason why some people experience body shape changes is not understood. It is frustrating, but is one aspect of treatment that the scientist have not been able to explain. You are much more likely to not get this side effect though than to get it. It is a good idea to be aware of this though and to tell your doctor if you are worried. Simple things like measuring your waist and hips circumference can be a useful way to track this. Changes are usually gradual, so this is something you only need to do a couple of times a year.
Three reasons come people do not respond to treatment are:
i) poor adherence – missing or being late with meds is the easiest way for treatment to fail
ii) having drug resistance before you start treatment, and then using a drug in your combination that you are already resistant to. This is because you would only be on two rather than three active drugs.
iii) taking other medicines, herbs or supplements that interact with your HIV meds and reduce these drug levels. This is why your doctor needs to know of other medicines and supplement you takes – whether prescription, over-the-counter, herbal, complementary or recreational.
What causes the body shape to change when you are on ARV’S,I’m on tribuss should I be worried?what is the cause when they say a person is nort responding on treatment.
Different people respond differently to HIV, even when they both are likely to have exactly the same virus. This is because of the wide range of immune responses. So if your wife had a lower CD4 count than you, this may be what she is on treatment first.
If you also want to be on treatment, there is no reason why you can’t use the same meds. But this involves talking to your doctor about when treatment is right for you. If your CD4 count is very high (over 350 or over 500) their may not be a clear reason to start yet.
ARV treatment is not a reason to not have sex. This is something between you and your wife. If your wife is happy with this then it sounds like you would be happy too.
One small point concerns side effects. Although most people do very well on Tribuss, some people get side effects where their moods are changed. They can get more anxious or have mood swings and it is difficult to be aware of this. If you are concerned about changes in your wifes behaviour, this would be something to talk about in case it is related to a side effect of efavirenz, one of the three meds in Tribuss.
Information on efavirenz side effects.
My wife is on Tribuss and Im not taking anything, so what I want to know is 1. Can I also be on this medication (tribuss) 2. can we have sex as usual while taking the medication (tribuss)