Took double dose of ATRIPLA last night.

[blondbeauty]

I realized it after taking the second pill. Today my entire body feels numb, specialy my hands and it is like watching reality from outside my body. Funny feeling.
Tonight I am going to miss a dose on purpose (it is the first time since I started treatment) but I feel so intoxicated...I think my body needs a rest for tomorrow.

[David_CA]

I realized it after taking the second pill. Today my entire body feels numb, specialy my hands and it is like watching reality from outside my body. Funny feeling.
Tonight I am going to miss a dose on purpose (it is the first time since I started treatment) but I feel so intoxicated...I think my body needs a rest for tomorrow.

I don't know that I'd skip a dose.  Before doing so, I'd certainly check with a medical professional.  I took a double dose a couple years ago.  It was weird, but I took the next dose as scheduled.  I'd rather err on the side of 100% compliance (what I've managed, so far).

[dhivpol]

Do not skip the dose. Even though you took twice the amount last time, you still need to take Atripla due to the Sustevia. If not, you do have a chance of resisting against Atripla.

[skeebo1969]

   Was there atleast some time in between the doses?  I've done this myself a couple of times and I did skip my next dose, but I didn't allow myself a full 48 hrs between doses.  I cut that day in half and took it in the afternoon, so it was about 36 hrs between doses.  Then I slowly bled my dosage time by a hour each day till I was back to my original dosage time.  Like you, I figured my body could use a break after my mistake.

[blondbeauty]

Yes I took them almost at the same time (before and after brushing my teeth) by mistake. I dont thing ONE gap of 48 hours in four years of treatment will make any difference...

[newt]

To be honest, I wouldn't worry about (just) 1 day off the meds under the circumstances.

Soz you were numbed and spaced out, not a nice feeling.

 - matt

[MarkB]

Newt is the expert on these matters, but I did exactly the same thing a few months ago and when I rang, the London clinic told me (a) not to worry; and (b) not to miss the next dose. But then again, I've only been on Atripla since September and it might be different for someone in my circumstances.

[blackwingbear]

I realized it after taking the second pill. Today my entire body feels numb, specialy my hands and it is like watching reality from outside my body. Funny feeling.
Tonight I am going to miss a dose on purpose (it is the first time since I started treatment) but I feel so intoxicated...I think my body needs a rest for tomorrow.

I wouldn't skip a dose.... You might risk resistance..

[leatherman]

skipping one dose has not been proven to cause resistance. The resistance mutation happens when too low a level of med is in the patient's system for an amount of time allowing the virus to mutate against the weakened attack of the med.

http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/Resistance_4740.shtml
Poor treatment adherence: In order for HIV drugs to work correctly, they must be taken exactly as prescribed. Skipping doses or not taking your medication correctly can cause the amount of an HIV drug to decrease in the bloodstream. If the drug level becomes too low, HIV can reproduce more freely and accumulate additional mutations.

http://ukpmc.ac.uk/articlerender.cgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=18728842
Providers strive to enhance adherence in HIV patients and view a 95% adherence rate to the treatment regimen as capable of producing the greatest treatment effect and diminishing the likelihood of resistant strains from developing (Vervoort et al 2006).

In this case the OP does not have too little med in his system but an overdose. Taking the one day off to allow himself to get back onto schedule and to REDUCE the amount of med in his system sounds reasonable, especially if his vl is under control and if he has not had other adherence issues.

[blackwingbear]

skipping one dose has not been proven to cause resistance. The resistance mutation happens when too low a level of med is in the patient's system for an amount of time allowing the virus to mutate against the weakened attack of the med. In this case the OP does not have too little med in his system but an overdose. Taking the one day off to allow himself to get back onto schedule and to REDUCE the amount of med in his system sounds reasonable, especially if his vl is under control and if he has not had other adherence issues.

Right on. I didn't think about that!

[tednlou2]

Doesn't Atripla, or the Sustiva, have a long half-life?  I was reading how some now believe they can do 5 days on and 2 days off.  I don't think many professionals are okay with this thinking.  I know I've read questions to the docs on thebody about missing a dose.  They've all said it shouldn't be a big deal.  I believe they all said they wouldn't make a habit of it.

[blondbeauty]

Thank you all for your reasonable opinions. I finally skipped the dose and just woke up feeling good and fresh. The sensation of intense heat on my face has also gone. Tonight I will take my meds as usual. Even if my levels of medication are below the normal levels for today I am sure my cells are charged with enough medication to stop the virus from replicating after 4 years on meds and being undetectable. People that stop treatment usually need two weeks or so to become detectable again...

[Inchlingblue]

Even if my levels of medication are below the normal levels for today I am sure my cells are charged with enough medication to stop the virus from replicating after 4 years on meds and being undetectable. People that stop treatment usually need two weeks or so to become detectable again...

That's the important thing to consider in this particular case: that you are undetectable and have been on meds for a while.

Skipping even one dose would be more of a concern if a person is not yet undetectable and/or had only been a meds a short time.

[clsoca]

My ID Doc advised me to be at least 95% compliant while undetectable. If detectable, you must be 100% compliant.

[Esquare]

I screwed up and took two Atripla on one day also.  I felt really weird the next day.  From then on I invested in a pill box to make sure I didn't make this mistake again.  My doc laughed at me about it, it was kind of funny I guess.

[blondbeauty]

I think missing one pill in 3 years and 7 months is more than 95% adherence, isn´t it?


http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Resistance/Current/Q189786.html

[kev72]

Hello Gang,

I went through a brain fog this morning and could not remember if I took my Atripla or not. I remember saying to myself "Oh its time to take my pills" then went I went to the bottle I seemed to remember taking them. I am also taking Flucozinol and started that the same day as Atripla so I counted both pills. Go figure I was 1 short on the Atripla and 1 extra Flucozinol based on the calender days and what I had left.

I called my pharmacist who is pretty educated with the HIV meds and he said I should just take one to be on the safe side and take one tomorrow at my normal time. He said taking it twice can not hurt.

As far as side effects, I am sure I doubled the dose now because 3 hours later, I am much more dizzier than normal. Like when I first started the medication. It is not a bad feeling, just a spaced out feeling.
I am lucky I do not have to work until later tonight, so its not so bad laying around.

For what its worth, I should have put my meds into daily cases. My parents who are supplement fanatics gave me some large pill boxes (7 day) which lock and hold a massive amount to pills so I am going to use them from now on. I believe they purchased the boxes at AC More or Michael's where they sell them for craft stuff.

[BrotherDavid]

I went through a brain fog this morning and could not remember if I took my Atripla or not. I remember saying to myself "Oh its time to take my pills" then went I went to the bottle I seemed to remember taking them. I am also taking Flucozinol and started that the same day as Atripla so I counted both pills. Go figure I was 1 short on the Atripla and 1 extra Flucozinol based on the calender days and what I had left.

For what its worth, I should have put my meds into daily cases. My parents who are supplement fanatics gave me some large pill boxes (7 day) which lock and hold a massive amount to pills so I am going to use them from now on. I believe they purchased the boxes at AC More or Michael's where they sell them for craft stuff.

Hello Kev,

It is good that you posted the above information. It may help others who may make this common mistake. Please let us know if you have any other side effects tomorrow after you take you're next scheduled dose.

The Pill boxes are a good idea. Since I take a load of supplements daily also, I am always looking for larger pill boxes. I never thought of the craft shops for these. Thank You for the heads up.

[kev72]

Hello Kev,

Please let us know if you have any other side effects tomorrow after you take you're next scheduled dose.

Thanks David,

Funny you asked if I have gotten any other side effects later from the double dose. I am sitting here at work, and I feel a third eye growing out of the side of my head... Kidding, I actually feel no different than usual.

I do hope that this means I have adjusted to Atripla with minimal side effects and can continue taking it. I get my first lab results this coming Wednesday.

Kev

[red_Dragon888]

your dizziness sounds alot like my first time taking Atripla.  I felt outside my body and worried that this was how I was going to be for the rest of my life.  luckily, it was the worst for the first day and gone back to normal life after a week.  i do not feel that it will hurt you but mention to your doctor and make sure your number are ok.

[mecch]

Last night I dreamed I made a butter cake with butter cream icing and some kid in my dream asked for sprinkles and I only had peanut M&Ms.  But when I was half finished pressing the M&Ms into the frosting all over the cake, I realised they were truvada pills.  So I got a bag of M&Ms (they were pastel and multiculored - how would I have mistaken truvada for these, hmmm?) and then I refrosted the cake correctly but while i was frosting the cake, i started eating the m&ms absent mindedly, and again I realised after I had eaten a few, they were truvada pills from an open bottle on the table, not the m&ms.

hmmm

[kev72]

Wow Mecch, funny how we become so conscious of our meds that they become part of our dreams...