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!
Hi Star
If you were not using condoms before your partner started treatment then you can still do this. Because HIV affects people differently, it is good that your doctor is explaining your own situation carefully.
Your partner needs to be careful with taking his meds so that he gets an undetectable viral load. He should also have information about potential side effects.
The only risk to you in the future would be if his viral load never becomes undetectable, as this means he might have drug resistance. Although the risk is probably small, there would then be a small chance that you might catch the resistance and this would limit your treatment choices when you do come to start treatment.
I hope everything goes well with his treatment.
My partner just started Tribuss. Can we have unprotected sex?
My CD4 is 674, we rarely use protection, will I endanger him if we continue not using now that he is on treatment?
Our doctor said I shouldn’t start treatment since my CD4 is high and viral load is still below 40,000 copies/mL.
Hi Kgopo
It is important to talk to your doctor about any symptom that you are worried about.
Swollen neck glands is not reported as a side effect of the three meds in Tribuss.
Often glands swell because of an infection close to that part of your body, but pls speak to your clinic if this is worrying you.
Changes in body shape, especially thin arms and legs, are linked more to earlier HIV meds. This is mainly to d4T (stavudine) and AZT, and you are not using these meds.
Hi! I switched to Tribuss about two weeks ago after been on antiretrivirals for 6yrs. I’ve read about side effects and understood cause they are exactly what i experience. What i want to find out is that, can Tribuss cause neck swollen glands? I dont know what term to use but i hope you understand what im trying to say cause im worried that this pill will change the way i look and make my legs and hands thin. Pls enlighten me.
Hi Sindi, it is good that you were diagnosed in time to start treatment before your baby was born. The benefits for both you and your baby from being on Tribuss are much better than if you were not taking treatment.
Tribuss is a generic version of Atripla, which includes three HIV meds. In both the UK and other countries, Atripla is often used by women during pregnancy.
Hi my name is Sindi. It is the first time i am pregnant, now at 8 months, and I am HIV positive. I started taking medication after 8 months of pregnant cuz i took the test on my 4 months pregnant and i was testest negative but when i go for the second test i tested positive. This is when I started to take Tribuss treatment. Is there any risk to the health of my unborn baby?
Hi
Tribuss is a generic version of Atripla.
If the dreams are vivid and worry you, they are likely to be a side effect of efavirenz (one of the meds in Tribuss). See here for more info. Make sure you are not taking Tribuss after a high fat meal as this makes side effects worse.
Ask your doctor if there are alternative drugs you can use.
Immunace is a multivitamin. Unless you have a vitamin deficiency, there is no evidence that there are health benefits from using these, so your doctor is giving you good information.
Am taking Tribuss for a year now, though I often dream about dead people. Every time I ask my doctor about my cd4 count, she always says I am 100% well and my medical aid want me to also take Immunace and my doctor refuses and says that am not sick.
It’s fine to take Tribuss at any time, so long as you take it at the same time every day.
Is it ok if i take Tribuss @ 10 coz I sleep kate