Question
How soon can I eat after taking Odimune?
21 August 2012. Related: Adherence, All topics.
I hear you say its advisable to take odimune (efavrienz+ FTC+ tenofovir) at bed time and its only taken on empty stomach, how long exactly should i stay away from food before taking it? The reason i am asking this is I can not starve the whole day before taking the tablet.
Answer
Saying that Odimune needs to be taken on an ’empty stomach’ doesn’t mean you need to starve yourself. It is fine to eat something before or when you take this, but you have to be careful to make sure this is not a high fat meal.
A high fat meal will increase levels of efavirenz and so you may get more side effects (mood changes, anxiety, disorientation or interrupted sleep etc). Food low in fat or with just a little fat, will be fine.
More about this is explained in this question: What happens if don’t take Atripla on an empty stomach?
Odimune is a generic version of Atripla which includes the same meds but is just made by a different company.
If you are working shifts then odimune is not always recommended because you do not want to be taking it before or during a shift due to the side effects such as dizziness and mood changes. Have you experienced any of these side effects? If it is difficult for you to take odimune at the same time everyday it might be worth discussing with your doctor whether you could take a different ARV combination that would suit your lifestyle better. Please see this previous question about Atripla for more information (Atripla is the name for odimune in the UK).
Hi I’m working shift work,when is the best time to take odimune
There is no connection between using Odimune as HIV treatment and the risk of mosquitos. This just sounds like an unlucky coincidence. Ask your doctor for how to reduce mosquito risk as this may be different depending on where you live.
Evr since I started odimune last year, I’m a victim of mosquitos. Not anyone in the house except me. Do you think these are related
Hi Nombenhle,
I’m glad to hear that your side effects are getting easier to deal with. Usually side effects will get much easier after the first few weeks of treatment.
Your viral load should be undetectable after the first 3-6 months on treatment. It is important to have an undetectable viral load within the first 6 months or so to prevent the chance of developing resistance to treatment.
It can take a while for CD4 counts to increase, and it may take several months before you see a big change. Please follow this link for a graph showing average CD4 count increases.
It is important to take Odimune at the same time every day. Because Odimune shouldn’t be taken with high fat meal, and to avoid side effects, many people take this treatment an hour or so before bed. That way you are likely to have had a couple of hours since you last ate, and side effects are likely to be easier because you will be asleep when they would be worst.
It’s fine to drink alcohol when taking Odimune and Purbac- so long as you don’t drink so much that you forget to take your treatment.
Please see this previous question for more information about Odimune.
I also use Odimune and Purbac, it’s been a week now but the side effects are not as severe as the first three days , it made me to caugh often continuously, but now i don’t caugh. my CD4 count is 47. how long does it take for it to go up when on this medication? can the viral load go undetected as time goes on.
Do you have to take Odimune in a specific time everyday?
Can you mix medication with alcohol?
Hi Nombenhle,
I’m sorry to hear that you and your boyfriend are finding your diagnosis difficult to deal with. Unfortunately there are still many people who find an HIV diagnosis too difficult to deal with.
Do you have any friends or family who can support you?
I also disclosed to my boyfriend last year and it changed everything, at first he said he will be supportive but when the thought sank in , it changed everything. i have not seen him this year, he doesn’t call and when i ask him if he he’s having second thought about our relationship. He gets angry and say i use my sickness to blackmail him. He says he’s got other problems and a life. i must say it broke my heart as we loved each other, but the rejection is more painful that the desease itself. i thought i was doing the right thing, but now i know why people don’t disclose.
Telling your partner can be difficult, and it might help you to get some support before you do this. Does anybody know you have HIV that you could talk to about this? If you wanted to talk to other positive women you could contact SWAPOL (based in Manzini) or SWANNEPHA (in Mbabane).
The decision about when and how to tell your partner is a difficult one and one that only you can make. Disclosing your status is never easy but it is your judgement call. You need to think about what would be best for you as well as him. On the other hand if you need your partner’s support and you might think it is better to tell him. At some point your partner may also need to test for HIV for his own health. For more information and tips on how to disclose please follow this link.
If you are worried about transmission it’s a good idea to read about how HIV is, and is not, transmitted. Our guide to testing and transmission can help with this.
Hi again,my partner and I we use protection but my problem is he doesn’t know my status,the other thing is he play first before he can put on the condom,can I infect him and how do I tell him my status and he wants us to get married and have kids can u help