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 Shaun,
The recommendation to take Tribuss on an empty stomach means taking it two hours or more after a meal. This is related to side effects, not to its ability to work. If you take Tribuss with a high fat meal it can increase the side effects of efavirenz- like dizziness and problems sleeping. As it says above though, this is related to a high fat meal. It’s ok to take tribuss with some food, but you should avoid taking it together with a high fat meal.
If you eat at 8pm can you be able to take tribuss at 9pm?
Or eat around 6pm and take them at 8pm and eat again at 9pm?
Will the above have any negetive impact on its ability to work or will it have any side effect.Please advise.
Hi Michael, it’s important to talk to your doctor about this. It is correct that the active ingredients are the same but very occasionally people do react differently to generic versions. Your doctor will want to check if there is anything else causing this or if it is a response to the treatment change.
I had been on Atripla for a year with few side effects and was feeling great. Two months ago it was suggested that I switch to Tribuss and have now started to experience severe weight gain around the tummy and have indigestion and am feeling very tired. I was told the active ingredient in both Atripla and Tribuss was the same, why would I now have different symptoms.
Hi Nox, please see this previous question about alcohol and HIV treatment
Hi, i have started gym recently and i am tribuss and centrum, iam doing very well. but sometime i used to have beer and will affect me and what if take tribuss with alchool?
You have been given good advice. There are no interactions between ARVs and alcohol. Please see this previous question for more information.
I have just started taking Tribuss, is it safe to tave Whiskey while on meds. I was told that alcohol intake in moderation is ok.
Hi. Why does your doctor want you to change? This might be a good idea so that you no longer need to use AZT. AZT can cause changes in nail pigment and perhaps skin changes but this would be rare and is something your doctor needs to see and to talk about. If your current treatment is working well, you can change back if the new treatment is more difficult.
Hey I’m worried about my change from nevirapine and lamzid (AZT/3TC) to Tribuss especially after 10yrs on it. I had skin and facial pigmentation changes can have you advice on this?