Question
Do antibiotics interact with HIV meds?
9 February 2008. Related: All topics, Drug interactions.
I have been HIV+ for 3 years and I take Atripla (efavirenz+tenofovir+FTC) and I currently have an undetectable viral load.
I haven’t had a cold in these last 3 years and always get my flu shot.
My question is I just got a cold and I am taking antibiotics to treat my cold. I am in any danger of a drug interaction affecting my HIV treatment?
Answer
Anyone taking HIV treatment is right to ask about interactions with any other treatments.
Drug reactions are complicated and this is an expert field. I always check with the interaction charts produced in collaborations Liverpool University at www.HIV-druginteractions.org
Antibiotics are usually pretty safe, but it is always worth checking.
Based on the information on this site:
Clarithromycin levels may be reduced and efavirenz levels increased when taken together, and because the implications of this are not know, an alternative antibiotic is recommended.
Streptomycin is not recommended with tenofovir (because of potential for kidney complications).
As long as you are not using either of these two drugs there is no problem. If you have been prescribed either of these, then a short course may still be ok, but you should contact your pharmacist first.
Hi Stanley, please go and see your doctor. At i-base we are not doctors and cannot provide medical advise.
Am taking tenofovir for hepatitis B Chronic for 2 months now , just go flu and a very painful soar throat for 5 days now please why do I do it’s so painful?
Pls I been taking other drugs because of my health issues apart from HIV drug, my question is am ok taking other drugs apart from HIV drug
Hi Mfon, what HIV and other drugs are you taking?
Hi Rebecca,
When someone has a viral load that is lower than detectable this means their HIV is under control. Are you saying that your viral load is above 50 copies ml even though you’re using ARVs? If this is the case, what’s your viral load history?
What can I do to make my vral load down.. I drink my pills always on time I’m using protection every Im sleeping with my partner. But my veral load sometimes is lower than dectable sometimes it’s crazy. I really need to understand what’s going on
Hi Liz,
What ARVs are you taking?
Is clamydicin allowed when on arvs?