Question
I am pregnant, can I take Tribuss?
31 July 2012. Related: All topics, Pregnancy, South Africa.
Hi Doc. I am 12 weeks pregnant and HIV positive. My doctor prescribed Tribuss for me.
My problem is when I refer from the leaflets it says for pregnant women Tribuss are not recommended so now I’m scared if my unborn baby will be safe or what.
Please help with your advice I’m confused. Thanks.
Answer
Firstly, congratulations on your pregnancy. How are you doing generally? Are you in touch with other women living with HIV? Many find it helpful to share experiences of being HIV positive and pregnant.
I would just like to start off by confirming that we are HIV positive treatment advocates, not doctors.
In response to your question, Tribuss contains the drugs efavirenz, FTC and tenofovir. It is a combination that is now used by many HIV positive pregnant women worldwide.
I can appreciate your confusion especially as in the past, women wishing to conceive were advised not to use efavirenz. Or to switch if they found out they were pregnant whilst taking it.
However, over the past few years, this advice has now changed. Here in the UK, the current UK guidelines for the management of HIV in pregnancy recommend that efavirenz can continue to be used by women considering pregnancy. They also recommend that efavirenz can be used by women diagnosed HIV positive during pregnancy.
There are many reports of women throughout the world who have continued taking efavirenz during pregnancy.
You may find it helpful to read our guide to HIV pregnancy and women’s health. The guide answers a lot of general questions you may have around HIV and pregnancy.
You may also find it helpful to contact TAC (Treatment Action Campaign). TAC are based in South Africa and support people living with HIV. They will be able to put you in contact with support groups near you.
Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy.
I’m planning to have a baby but I’m hiv positive my partner is negative. Wat we can do plz help
It is okay to become pregnant while taking Tribuss, but please talk to your doctor if you are planning to have a baby. This is not recommended for example if your CD4 count is still very low, until is becomes higher again on treatment.
Can I get pregnant if I am taking tribuss
Hi,
It is safe for women who have HIV to have abortions. If you want one because you are worried about HIV transmission you should know that HIV treatment makes it very unlikely that your baby would be born with HIV. If you are thinking about abortion for other reasons then HIV should not stop you having one at all.
I’m HIV positive and I’ve been on the treatment for 9 months.Is it safe for a HIV positive woman to have an abortion?
Hi
Many people get side effects during the first few weeks. These are common and usually mild.
Information about efavirenz, which is the main drug in Tribuss, is at this link:
http://i-base.info/guides/side/cns-side-effects
Although tenofovir is in Tribuss and is processed by your kidneys, it would be very unusual to cause a problem after one dose.
Also, Tribuss should be taken just before you go to sleep, preferably on an empty stomach. This will reduce the risk of side effects.
Please contact your doctor though if you are worried, especially if you are in pain or if the side effects are getting worse.
i am Hiv positive and i have been given tribuss on the 22 june 2015 so i started taking it so today i am feeling my tummy is hot and also heartburn is this sign of side effect too? please help me before it damage my kidney.
Thank you so much I almost missed taking my pill today because of the information on the leaflet and couldn’t get hold of my doctor. Thank you so much.
Hi Maria,
Tribuss should only be given to people who are HIV positive. If you have been given Tribuss but you are not HIV positive it is important to discuss this with the clinic to check why they have done this.
As the question above explains it is fine to take Tribuss in pregnancy if you have HIV. Taking Tribuss will reduce the chance of your baby being infected with HIV. If you are worried about this please look at the links above and talk to your clinic about this.
I’m pregnant and hiv negative but I’ve been given tribuss I’m afraid , I don’t know if I can take them or not please help me