Q and A

Question

What happens if I miss a dose?

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.

249 comments

  1. Gladys

    If I forgot my arv can i used my friend arv , is it the same tablet but different brands

  2. Roy Trevelion

    Hi Pearl,

    Please see this Q&A here.

    As Muirgen says, only a handful of ARVs have been associated with pigment changes. What ARVs are you taking? And do you have access to your CD4 count and viral load results? Please let us know what they are.

  3. pearl

    my skin starting to change on my face i’m getting dark in complection

  4. Roy Trevelion

    Hi Hames,

    Yes, in some countries they have WhatsApp groups for people who are HIV positive. But HIV treatment can be different in different countries. So messages about HIV meds in WhatsApp might be not be exactly the same. Can you ask the clinic or doctor if there is one where you live?

  5. Hames

    Any WhatsApp group for us who are having HIV?

  6. Roy Trevelion

    Hi Kgotso,

    Taking them at 2.30am was fine. And you can carry on taking them every day at your normal time of 20.00.

    If you forget to take your ARVs take them as soon as you remember. But do not take a double dose if it’s time for your next dose. Just take the single dose of meds that’s due at that time.

  7. Kgotso

    Hi my name is kgotso I started taking ARVS april and yesterday I over slept and forgot to take them I just wake up now at 2.30 am and I usually take dem at 20.00 I’m in danger I’m stress as it now I just took one now and drink it

  8. Roy Trevelion

    Hi Sindy,

    Could you be clearer? Please see this link to another Q&A that shows that Tribuss is marked with M171 on one side and D100 on the other.

    It’s a good idea to see the doctor if you’re feeling sick.

  9. Sindy

    Im taking M171 pills but i took D100 for 3 days im feeling sick should i go see a doctor?

  10. Roy Trevelion

    Hi Siyo,

    If you have missed a dose you should take it as soon as you remember. So you took your dose as soon as you could. It’s fine and it doesn’t affect your daily routine. You can carry on at your normal time.

    If you have only realised when you’re about to take your next dose do not take a double dose. Almost everyone will be late or miss a dose occasionally.

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