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 forgot to take my meds with me on a travel and had to skip for four days. My viral load was undetected will this skip make a huge difference in ny health
Hi Nancy Jade,
If you’re feeling like this, then you should talk to your doctor. Ask them to give you something that doesn’t contain efavirenze. Please see Q3 here:
http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
hi am Nancy Jade
i ve started my treatment in August 2017..since from then the dizziness has never stop.. i take Antrioza at 8pm bt at 9:30 the dizziness and burning in my stomach starts everyday..and i am working shifts..what can i do plz help me…
Hi Luzuko,
Its great to hear that you’re now doing so well, this is great news. It sounds like the initial side effects have now warn off, this is how it should be.
Its fine to take your meds how you’re taken them, so a few hours either side.
I started treatment three weeks ago and I had side effects from drunkenness, I was not feeling drunk, but I was actually being drunk for a good two weeks, but never experienced anything during the day except when I focus too much on something. Never had headache. But now I’m fine. I feel absolutely nothing after taking my pill. What does this mean? Plus I take my pill between 8pm-11pm is that wrong? Depends if I’m home but mostly at the 9pm hour.
I’m telling you this because I have been coming here for information and you all have assisted.
Hi Rosey, Many people get mild side effects in the first week or two after starting ART. And this usually goes away soon. But it’s important that you talk to the clinic about your headache if it’s serious. You can ask for a check to see if it’s a side effect or if something else is causing it.
I can’t cope with the headache after starting with my art treatment
Hi Tebogo, As it says on this question here, in the UK, people on shift work usually use a different HIV combination. This is because efavirenz (one of the drugs in Tribuss) has side effects that are very difficult to manage for people who work shifts. Can you ask the clinic for meds that are easier for you to take? Here’s more about these side effects for Tribuss.
Hi i work shifts,two day and two night and am off for four days am on Tribuss i take my meds at 7pm and the doctor recommended that when i go work night shitf i must take them at 7am so that i dont get sleepy at night when at work but am worried I’ll get resistance because the cicurl is not the same,some days it will be 24 hours before i take my meds and some 12 hours.
Hi Cathy,
Its possible that you’re feeling like this due to the medication. It could however also be related to the pregnancy. Therefore, you should speak to a doctor and explain how you’re feeling.
Its important that you don’t stop taking the meds, you need these for your health. They will also reduce the risk of transmission to your baby. For more info on starting meds and pregnancy, please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/starting
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy