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 Seki,
It’s normal to have side effects for the first few weeks but these should improve with time. For information about Tribuss side effects please see this FAQs page.
ARVs are a life-long treatment. Even when your CD4 count has gone up you will need to keep taking them, because if you stop your CD4 count will go back down. For more info about starting treatment please see our guide to combination therapy.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
I started taking tribuss 3 days ago. I’m feeling dizzy, and my stomach is running. Is this normal? And for how long is it going to be like this? Are these tablets for life? Even when my CD4 is okay will I still continue taking them?
000Hi Pule, please see this previous question for information about drinking with your ARVs.
Hi i have been in tribuss for about 2 months already feeling better actually I’m good well sometimes I drink alcohol beer but not missing to take the pill what worries me is that will my health get worse
Hi Portia,
It’s important to talk to your doctor about this. Your doctor will need to check what is causing this but there are medicines that can be used to treat constipation and you don’t need to suffer with this!
Hi bin taking tribuss for 2 months now bt struggling wid constipation so bad even thou i take healthy diet.. i end up having rectum bleeding due to constipation…
Hi Nox,
Why have you been missing doses?
It is important to take every dose of your treatment. Missing doses will cause the virus to multiply, and this can make you resistant to your treatment. Each time you miss a dose the risk of resistance increases. Taking treatment properly is called adherence. There’s more information about why this is important in our combination therapy guide.
Hi i have miss few dose if tribuss. And peaple say virus will the multiply, but my doctor said she will suppress it if it multiply so possible is that? PLEASE RESPOND.
Hi Zodwa,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been having problems at home- how are things now?
Taking a break from treatment isn’t a good idea but it’s still likely that treatment will work well for you. There is a possibility of resistance to the treatment you were taking, but if this does happen there should be another combination you can use.
It’s important to talk to your doctor or nurse about this. And if there are still issues that might make you miss doses again it’s important to deal with these before re-starting treatment.
Please let me know if you have questions, or I can help further.
I need advice. I stopped taking my ARVs for three months due to problems I had at home. I wasn’t thinking straight. Now I want to know if I get back on treatment is it still gonna be okay?