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.
I am taking Eflaten due to the anxiety that my girlfriend was tested HIV positive this month but I still tested Negative in 3 different test conducted but I am really worried at the moment . I need help please, is it possible to take my medication 2 times a day rather than once daily ? Please help
Hi Evelyn,
PEP is taken for 28 days, and this should include all the tablets of course. But 28 days after finishing you should have an HIV test to make sure PEP has worked. You missed 5 full doses, but it might have worked.
what happens when i don’t complete my doze for pep, i missed 5 of the big tablets but continued taking the small ones until they were done, so am safe?
Hi Khaya,
Are you taking your ARVs now? You can ask the clinic for a viral load test to find out if there is viral rebound.
What was the reason you missed some doses? There are tips for adherence at this link.
Hi I missed last week my arv and today will I have drug resistance
Hi Noma,
Please get in touch with the clinic and tell them that they made a mistake. You should also explain this to work, that is if you can. Going without meds for 5 days isn’t ideal as your viral load is likely to rebound.
Hie. They made a mistake at the clinic the date they gave me my arvs are finishing 5days before that day and i cant change the day now because at work i had told them that date written on my card so they put it in their diary so i get a day off then. What should i do i discovered only after 2 weeks i came from the clinic.
Hi Jane,
PEP is supposed to be taken daily for 28 days. If you’ve missed 2 weeks, then it won’t be effective.
Hello doctor I’m totally confused I missed to take pep for two weeks due to side effects ..can I still continue or what should I do thank you
Hi Akhona,
You aren’t going to develop drug resistance after missing one dose of meds. You’ll be fine. Just try and remember to take them.