Question
Overdosing on ARVs
6 September 2013. Related: All topics, South Africa.
I over dosed ARVs with the intention of killing my self but i just felt dizzy and vomitted alot. Could my organs be in danger?
Answer
Hi
Please contact your doctor.
This is so he or she can go through the details of what you took and decide on appropriate medical care.
Your clinic can also help talk about the reasons why you did this and help see other options for your future that are going to be better.
If you were sick soon after taking the meds it is likely that they are out of your body and so the risk of long-term damage is likely to be low – but this is something a doctor needs to decide.
Why did you feel so low?
I hope you are feeling better now and that you contact your clinic so they can help.
Hi Nthabiseng, I am sorry to hear this. How is your son doing now?
When at the clinic did the doctors do anything? This will change if there are any long-terms risks associated with taking the nevirapine.
Hi today afternoon my son tried to commit suicide by taking neverapine tablets he took half of the table and he is not on medication,we rushed him to the nearest clinic.so I want to know the damage it can cause please help thank you
Hi Kay, please go to the emergency room. Taking 28 tablets of any medication needs to be assessed by a doctor.
Is there a reason you took 28 pills?
Just took 28 pills but it seems like am not dying anytime soon just dizzy
Hi Lulutho, please contact a doctor, hospital or friend asap. !5 tablets might be enough to cause serious problems including organ damage.
This may or may not kill you but it could change your life for the worse. You don’t say which country you are in, but this link has details of suicide phoneline in over 60 countries, including southern Africa.
http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html
You need medical advice and information now though, whateve you want to do in the future. This is why you contacted us and posted this online.
I just took about 15 of Tenimine tablets. I want to die but am not die I just feel dizzy and nausea. Will I die answer?
Hi Anelisa,
I’m sorry to hear your story. This sounds very tough.
However, there should be people at your clinic who can support your through this difficult time. Please see the following link about what we feel when we’ve just found out we’re HIV positive https://i-base.info/just-found-out/.
As Simon says on this page, finding out you are HIV positive changes how you feel about your life. It is likely to change your relationships with other people. But you have the time to work this all out.
Things will get easier…
Even if you feel worried, frightened, upset or angry now, it will get easier. You will still be able do all the things you wanted to do before you learned that you were HIV positive.
Please speak to your doctor or clinic about what services they have that can support you right now. And if you live in South Africa you can contact the Treatment Action Campaign at this contact link. They can give local support or let you know of services available in your area.
Please let us know how you get on.
Best wishes, Roy
I lost my parents my father 2018 & my mother last year last month i found out that im HIV Positive this all have been too much for me having to take care of my younger sisters and my son with no job while im 22 years sucidal thoughts have been on my mind for long now at the sametime im scared