Question
I take Atripla in the morning – why am I tired?
13 August 2012. Related: All topics, Side effects.
I have been using Atripla and Odimune from April. I was taking Odimune at 09:00 in the morning and changed to 07:00 in the morning since July. Now my immune system is like going down every day and I am always tired. Also my muscles are weak. Is it due to the routine of taking Odimune or should i leave them totally and proceed with Atripla.
Answer
Hello,
Thanks for your question. It’s not clear if you are taking both Odimune and Atripla together, or just using these different versions at different times?
Odimune and Atripla contain the same drugs – efavirenz, FTC and tenofovir. Odimune is a generic version of Atripla. They both work in the same way and you should only be taking one of these at any one time. It is safe to switch between versions though, just not to use both.
If you were taking Atripla and have changed to Odimune this shouldn’t have affected your health because these are the same medicines.
You say that your immune system is going down. Do you mean your CD4 count? If you do, what are your last few CD4 count results?
If you are experiencing side effects like feeling tired and weak you might find it better to take Odimune/Atripla at night instead of in the morning. Many people do this because of these side effects. Taking the treatment at night means you are asleep when the drug levels are their highest, meaning you experience fewer side effects.
More information about Atripla/Odimune side effects can be found in our side effects guide.
Hi Belinda, this isn’t well studied but there may be an interaction between efavirenz (one of the drugs in Atripla) and warfarin. This wouldn’t affect how well Atripla works but may mean you need a different dose of warfarin.
Another point I forgot to tell you about is that on the 16 February 2011 I was diagnose with Pulmonary Emboli and I’m taking Warfarin to thin my blood,so I would’nt know whether the Atripla its reacting on Warfarin.
Hi Belinda,
It’s important to talk to your doctor about the side effects you are experiencing. If you had liver problems with nevirapine it is unlikely you would be able to take this again, but there may be a different treatment that is better for you.
I started my treatment in 2009 with Nevirapine and everything was fine(my skin was beautifull cause i had eczema,my sinuses were much better,i gained weight) untill in July 2012 when I went for my 6 months check up,they find out that there’s a problem with my liver so they did some test and changed my medication to Atripla.I’m not happy with Atripla at all cause now my sinuses are back and worse,i lost weight from 78kg to 60kg,my skin is bad again,my back gets cold easily and I get sick easily with flu.Recently when my medical aid called me to inform me that next year they will be paying only for Odimune not Atripla anymore and I need to talk to my doctor to change the medication to Odimune I thought to myself maybe Odimune will do the same things that Nevirapine did for me but as I see the explanations that Atripla is the same as Odimune that means my troubles won’t go away.Please advice need help and answer
Hi Mdeltye,
It’s important to show these warts to your doctor so s/he can diagnose them. This may be a side effect or a new infection. There’s no information about interactions between thuja and odimune so it’s important to let your doctor know you are taking this.
Hi, tested hiv +ve with cd4 count of 214, was put on odimune and 2 months later it had gone to 400 & vl from 50k to undetectable. But just develope warts on my legs, genital area, & stomac & arms. Why do get these whilst my cd 4 count & vl have improved? I bought thuja tablets & ointment, can use them together with odimune?
Hi. Although you have to be careful to take meds at the right time, a mistake with one dose is very unlikely to cause any problems. Please don;t worry any more and just go back to taking your regular schedule.
i am on odimune for 18 days now. i take it at night but last night i fell asleep and was up after 3 hrs of taking the medication. i took it anyway? was that bad. the advise i got was that it was bad and now i have to wait for the blood test,it it really hopeless. do i continue with taking it the same time as before?
Hello,
Atripla and Odimune are the same treatment, with different names. They contain the same drugs but Atripla is the original brand name drug and Odimune is a generic version, made by a different company.
The reason why it says to take Odimune on an empty stomach is to reduce side effects. This doesn’t mean you need to eat nothing, just that it’s better not to take this with a high fat meal. But if you have been taking Atripla at 19:00 without having side effects (like feeling dizzy or mood changes) then you can take Odimune in the same way.
Good day
I’m currently on Atripla and will be changing to Odimune soon. Odimune indicate that one tablet a day in an empty stomach.
I eat about five times a day and dinner at 18:00. Currently I take Atripla at 19:00. Please advise , should I starve myself the whole and eat after 19:00 for the medication to work effectively. I’m concerned about the impact of taking it on a full stomach.