Question
Can I stop meds for a week?
14 July 2016. Related: Adherence, All topics, Support.
Hi. I am on HIV treatment from 2004 and I never stopped taking medicines. I feel i am comfortable now and no known health issues..My question is can i stop taking medicines for a week 7 days as I am travelling out side my country ? Is it risky to stop?
Answer
Hi
In general, it is not a good idea to stop treatment. Missing a day or two is sometimes okay but within a week your viral load is likely to already rebound to detectable levels again.
In doing this, there is a chance the reistance will develop as there will be low levels of drugs still in your body. If resistance does develop, then the meds might not work again when you restart.
This is why is it so important for people to have a steady and reliable supply of HIV meds. It is why stock-outs (if a clinic runs out of medicine) are so worrying.
If this is just because you are travelling, it is much better to find a way to take your meds with you.
This would be better for your long term health.
Hi Sarah,
Though not ideal, you’ll be fine.
As soon as you get home, you’ll need to restart using your meds.
Is there any way you can access to some meds?
I have travelled abroad and forgotten my hiv medication I will be gone for a total of 4 days what does this mean if I miss it for 4 days
Hi, thanks, it is much better that you travelled with your meds :)
Your test results are really good. Your strong CD4 count will keep you healthy and the undetectable viral load will stop drug resistance.
The CD4:CD8 ratio is a different marker for the immune system. As there are no interventions to change this, you just have to accept it. Even though having a CD4:CD8 ratio that is greater than 1.0 is ideal, unless you start HIV meds very soon after becoming HIV positive, most people will have a number that is less than 1.0.
See here for more info: http://i-base.info/qa/20
Thank you all for your valuable suggestions..i have traveled abroad with my medication and I am fine now..done a test after my travel ..Viral load is less than 40 and cd 4 count is 973..how ever cx4 cd8 ratio is .55..is it a. Bad sign?
Stopping treatment just because you’ve been taking it for a long time is not a good idea. The reply to this question is clear – your viral load is likely to rebound to detectable levels. And then there’s the chance that resistance will develop.
If this has been recommended by a health worker there are probably other serious or complex reasons for this. It’s not likely to happen just because someone has been taking medication for a long time.
Many people from around the world take ARVs for decades and for longer. And health outcomes are good.
But I have seen someone that after long treatment he stopped for six months, and some health workers even advise stopping medication if is long taken