Question
What happens if I miss a dose?
5 February 2018. Related: Adherence, All topics.
Hi,
I’m aged 28, female, im starting this new Atroiza today. I’m responsible but what happens if I miss a day or 30 min off drinking my tablet.
Answer
Hi,
Thanks for your email.
The best reason to aim for the same time every day, is so that you get into a good routine. This will help you make your meds an easy part of your life. This is especially true when you first start treatment until your viral load becomes undetectable.
Generally it is OK to have a window of an hour either side of your normal time to take your meds. So if you aim to take it at 9 pm each day so long as you take it between 8pm and 10pm this will all be fine.
Most people will miss a dose at some point, but so long as this is not every week , this is also okay.If this keeps happening, please talk to your doctor about things that might help. The more doses you miss though the more likely that you will develop drug resistance.
Please see this page about adherence for more information.
Note: This answer was updated in February 2018 from a question first posted online in September 2013.
Hi, I am pregnant and I have ran out of my ARVs, I work very far from where I get my treatment. Usually my aunt sends them to me via post as she’s a nurse. I think we both miscalculated because it has run out and I only have 2 weeks before I go back home. Will my unborn baby be infected if I skip these two week, I’m really worried about the baby. At the moment my viral load is undetectable. Please help what should I do.
Hi Simphiwe,
You won’t get ill. Your viral load however may begin to rise. Is there any reason why you haven’t taken your meds for 3 days?
Hi am simphiwe I want to ask that what happens if I don’t take my pills for 3days. Am I going to be sick or what?
Hi Patiamo,
i-base don’t have a support app, however there are organisations that do have online support groups. Where is it that you live?
With regards to medication, I find that setting an alarm on my phone works. You could try that.
Id like to know if there’s no what’s app group here which would be able to make us support each other or remind each other on taking our meds on time? if the is one id like to be added.
Hi Kwanda,
Its now recommended that everyone who is positive should be on medication. Therefore, if you feel ready, then yes you should be on meds. This is more important if a person has a low CD4 count. Do you know what yours is?
I was on medication when I was pregnant. After giving birth I stopped taking them, its now been a year. Should I restart?
Hi Samuel,
Here’s a link to tips about taking your meds on time and in the right way. The first tip is about choosing meds that fit in best with your life. So, if you are not smoking too much in the morning, maybe you could ask the clinic to switch you to meds you can take at the start of the day. Some meds are best taken before bedtime, such as Atripla, and it’s not recommended to take these in the morning.
Some HIV meds last longer in the body than others. So it could be that, if you’ve not missed too many days but just taken the meds late, your meds will still work.
Plz i need help i usually take my drugs by 10pm before i change to 11pm but depression makes me to smoke alot and i usually miss my drugs sometimes three times a week and sometimes i take it late before my usual time 1am and 12am am afraid am going to die i need help plz and i have tried to stop smoking but i can’t help myself plz i need help
Hi Patiamo,
It’s great that you’ve started ARVs. Drinking alcohol doesn’t interact with ARVs so that’s okay. But if you drink too much you might forget to take these meds.
Changing from 20:00 to 22:00 is fine. Do it once and stick to the same time.
But you can ask at the clinic to find out why you’re losing weight, and tell them about it if the pills are not helping you put weight back on.
Can they tell you at the clinic about transferring to other cities? It must be different in different countries.