Must Kaletra twice daily be exactly every 12 hours?

[LordBerners]

I've recently started my new regimen of Kaletra, 3tc, and tenofovir (changing from Reyetaz/Norvir, abacavir, and tenofovir for financial reasons).

I'm happy to report that I've had few side effects - no unusual diarrhea and only some annoying gas and very foul smelling B.M.s, but overall not as bad as I expected.

However my problem is this - I find it very difficult to fit exactly 12 hours between doses into my schedule, in terms of taking the Kaletra with a meal.  Does anyone know how important it is for the twice daily dosing to be at exactly 12 hour marks, given that for treatment-naive patients once a day is acceptable?

[newt]

In short no. You have at least +/- 2 hrs each dose. When you are undetectable for a few months taking it broadly speaking 2 x day at some point will usually be fine.

Now, many people will be more circumspect, and this is correct, but as my doc says, the studies for Kaletra didn't look at timing of doses, just the outcomes and they were very good with daily adherence, and in his experience in the long term it is the consistency of taking, not precise timing that seems key with PIs, and this is practical. Esp with PIs where 1 x day is possible and works most of the time.

I am assuming the nuke part is once a day (?).

- matt

[Assurbanipal]

Glad to hear you are doing well on the new regimen.  But curious as to why you are worrying about taking Kaletra with food?  In the US, the prescribing info says it can be taken with or without food.

I see the AIDSMEDS drug summary says that is just for the tablets, but I didn't think anyone would take the capsules if they had a choice of the tablets. 
" Kaletra tablets can be taken with or without food. Kaletra capsules should be taken with a meal or light snack" 

http://www.aidsmeds.com/archive/Kaletra_1559.shtml

Are you on the old capsules?

[littleprince]

I hardly ever take Kaletra with a meal, unless you consider scotch and coke a meal. I've never had a problem.

[frenchpat]

Been taking Kaletra for a few years, timming sometimes off by as much as 4 hours and stayed undetectable. Having said that the shits are guaranteed if I don't take it after a meal. Obviously mileage varies...

Pat

[LordBerners]

Glad to hear you are doing well on the new regimen.

Are you on the old capsules?

Yes, I'm on the capsules.  I'm getting them for free so beggars can't be choosers.  The most annoying part is not so much the with-a-meal part, its that they must be refrigerated most of the time (unlike the tablets).

But thanks all for your helpful comments, I'm very encouraged.  And very pleased that at least my short term side effects are so minimal (not looking forward to the long term buffalo hump, facial wasting, etc., though).

[surf18]

im curious does this medicine have a high tendency for facial wasting and buffalo hump? and if so why more so than others
thanks

[LordBerners]

im curious does this medicine have a high tendency for facial wasting and buffalo hump? and if so why more so than others

I remember hearing that it did.. which is one reason I tried to avoid it in favor of the Reyetaz.  Anyway I'm sorry for posting that because I'm sure many people take it without lipodystrophy issues.

Anyway, I'm taking the medicine at about noon and about nine PM, because I eat lunch and noon and dinner at nine, and don't normally eat any breakfast.  So that means there's just 9 hours between dosings, but 15 hours on the overnight shift between dosings.  I hope this is ok...

[newt]

I am sure it will probably be ok, Kaletra can be done 1 x day, I think it is the consistency of 2 x day that will matter.