Question
Why have I been given Tribuss – is this an ARV?
5 February 2018. Related: All topics, South Africa, Starting treatment.
I started taking Tribuss about two weeks ago.
I’d like to know what are the side effects of this medication and what is the difference between them and ARVs.
I was shocked when my doctor prescribed me with Tribuss instead of ARVs which I’m familiar with when people are HIV+?
Answer
Hello,
Thanks for your email. How are you doing?
Tribuss is a pill that contains three HIV drugs (ARVs) – efavirenz, FTC and tenofovir DF.
It is one of the generic versions of the brand-name drug Atripla. For a picture of Tribuss see this link.
So your doctor has prescribed you ARVs, and this pill is very effective at treating HIV.
Side effects mainly related to the efavirenz. These include mood changes, sleep problems, vivid dreams (sometimes nightmares). Luckily, for most people, these usually get easier within the first few weeks. If not though, please talk to your doctor about different choices.
This link has more information about efavirenz side effects and how to manage them.
You guide is an Introduction to ART.
Because you are in South Africa, the Treatment Action Campaign may also have more information about treatment and support in SA.
Note: This answer was updated in February 2018 from a question first posted online in October 2013.
Hi.am Hiv and ive been taking tribuss for over 12 months and now the doctor have given me oduime to drink for one month.and i dont knw whether i shud continue with it.
Hi Cm Moka,
Tribuss is for people who are positive. Do you think you may be positive?
Can sm1 who lost his husband drink tribuss to stop dying of Aids
Hi Eva,
Yes, you can have a healthy HIV negative child. Thousands of HIV positive women around the world have done this. Being on meds and undetectable will protect your hubby from HIV too.
Here’s a link to frequently asked questions about having a baby. And there’s more info in the i-Base guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health here.
Hi I would like to know my viral load has surprised & its been 8 months on HIV meds. I would like to know can we make a child natural? My hubby is HIV negative
Hi Siphiwe, PEP is a combination of three HIV drugs used after sex if you think there is a significant risk you have been exposed to HIV. PEP must be taken within 48 hours of exposure so that it’s likely to work. However, there are three HIV drugs in Tribuss and they are widely used to treat people who are living with HIV.
Perhaps you want to know about PrEP? This is taken before and after sex. It protects against HIV for people who are HIV negative. There are just two drugs in this pill.
There’s more about PEP, PrEP and treatment as prevention here.
Can tribuss used as a PEP? Thank you.
Hi Joz,
Starting ARVs sooner rather than later is recommended for all people who are HIV positive. This treatment reduces the amount of virus in your blood to such tiny levels that the blood test is called undetectable. When you are undetectable you can have sex with your partner without using a condom and you can’t transmit HIV.
There’s more about U=U (undetectable = untransmittable) here.
Can some play sex with someone who takes these ARVs, when he or she doesn’t have HIV?
Thank
Hi Rex, the symtoms you describe are common side effects of efavirenz (one of the three drugs in Tribuss). In the UK, this is one reason why Tribuss in not used as PEP. For people on treatment, the side effects usually get better. For PrEP, these side effects should stop within a few days of stopping treatment.