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’ve just miss one dose of tenef tablets,am I in danger?
Hi Anonymous Olex,
Please see this similar Q&A.
As Robin says, if you have missed a dose you should take it as soon as you remember. If you have only realised when you’re taking your next dose do not take a double dose. Almost everyone will be late or miss a dose occasionally. However this becomes a concern if it is happening regularly.
I missed my ARV this morning, what shall i do?
Hi Andile,
What medication where you taking before the change? What are you taking now?
Last month I went to clinic to take my ARV’s as usual they they took blood from me for a check up then yesterday they called me and told me that I should start taking my medication two times a day and this medication is differ from the one that I used to take one a day, so now I’m worried about what might happen to me. Is they any other way to fix this than taking it two times a day. I’m really worried about this two times a day thing. It wont be easy for me according to my job.
Hi Anonymous,
It’s great that you’ve been on ARVs for 4 years and are healthy. But you can talk to your clinic about genital warts and ask to be monitored or screened for HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). There are over 100 different types of HPV. Some cause genital warts, some cause warts on your hands or feet, and some are linked to cervical and anal cancers.
I’ve been in ARV’s for 4yrs and m healthy I have no problem or side effects but M warried now last week I had sex and the condom bust’s only to find that the person I had sex with has something on his penis it looked like genital warts so m worried I myte be infected too pls help
Hi Daniel,
Please see Q4 here: http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
I have missed my dose for a day what next for me
Hi Miller,
I’m sorry, this sounds like an anxious time for you and your girlfriend.
But is your girlfiend taking Eflaten too? This can reduce the viral load result very quickly. That means that after a few months if her viral load result is undetectable, HIV cannot be transmitted – even without using condoms.
You can also ask the doctor if PrEP would be a better choice for you at the moment. PrEP contains only 2 drugs similar to 2 of the drugs in Eflaten. At least until your girlfriend’s viral load gets to stable and undetectable, then you will not need PrEP.
Here’s a link to details of PrEP. And please see this link to a question about Undetectable = Untransmittable.