Atripla users: travelling advice requested

[NY2011]

From the time I've been on a drug regimen that includes Sustiva, started in late January, I haven't traveled outside of the eastern time zone, so it's been easy for me to take a pill between 11pm and 12:30am each night.  Occasionally, I would push it to a little past 1am, but since my viral load has ticked up slightly from undetectable to 140, I've stopped doing that. So, I'm traveling to the west coast next week, which means that in order to stay on schedule, I'll be taking this pill at around 8:30pm each night.  I'll most likely be having dinner at that time, and probably will be drinking wine as well.  Any advice from others who deal with this issue?  Do you think it's okay to take with food for a few days? 

[Jeff G]

Its perfectly OK to take sustiva with food . Taking sustiva within two hours of a fatty meal can increase some of the listed side effects but doesn't stop the medication from working or make it less effective . You will be fine taking it with a meal if you choose to do so , I have for years and have remained undetectable doing so .

[bocker3]

Whenever I travel, I maintain my med timing, i.e., I take my Atripla sometime between 9:00 and 11:00 and my Reyataz/Norvir with my breakfast-- regardless of the timezone I'm in.  Been doing this for the almost 6 years I've been on this med.

The  delay or taking earlier, (depending on direction of travel), is less risky, in my view, than missing a dose entirely because I've changed my habit.

Not to mention that Atripla is very forgiving with timing.

Travel and enjoy yourself -- don't spend time fretting about your med timing.

Mike

Edited to add:  Taking Sustiva with food will only increase the dosage that is absorbed, so you won't "harm" yourself by eating and taking it -- although it could intensify any side effects.  If I have any high fat foods are the time I take mine, I end up feeling quite buzzed.

[darryaz]

Whenever I travel, I maintain my med timing, i.e., I take my Atripla sometime between 9:00 and 11:00 and my Reyataz/Norvir with my breakfast-- regardless of the timezone I'm in.  Been doing this for the almost 6 years I've been on this med.

The  delay or taking earlier, (depending on direction of travel), is less risky, in my view, than missing a dose entirely because I've changed my habit.

Not to mention that Atripla is very forgiving with timing.

Travel and enjoy yourself -- don't spend time fretting about your med timing.

Mike

Edited to add:  Taking Sustiva with food will only increase the dosage that is absorbed, so you won't "harm" yourself by eating and taking it -- although it could intensify any side effects.  If I have any high fat foods are the time I take mine, I end up feeling quite buzzed.

Exactly.

[Lou-ah-vull]

I also travel a great deal and two or three times a year overseas and across multiple time zones.  Atripla has a fairly wide dosing window and I find it easier to take it around bedtime no matter where I am in the world.  Coming from the US, it means taking it on the flight overseas, whereas on the long return home waiting until I get home and go to bed.  I have never had a problem with this.  As always, the first time around, you will want your HIV specialist to give his/her opinion on this.

Gary

[sshortguy1]

i been taking my medication right after i eat dinner since i started taking my dr told me it's perfectly fine
i'm also on atripla since january

[MiniPozToyota]

When I travel to another time zone I stick with what time it will be back home so just take it at 830 or when u get back from dinner. I normally take mine at 10pm and I'm hungry all the time so I don't listen to the food thing about two hour pior or one after

[bocker3]

I want to reiterate -- the best thing to do is whatever will ensure that you take your meds each day.  Being a few hours late or early won't do any harm, but missing doses because you have changed a habit is when it starts to get dicey.

Personally, when I travel,rather than trying to figure out the time back home, I find it far easier to continue my habit of taking meds in the 9-11 time frame, each night.  Atripla is very forgiving on timing -- plus, what if you traveled in the other direction?  Would you get up at 3:00am to take your pill, just to keep your timing exact?

Talk with your doctor, I am fairly certain he/she will say to stick the time of the clock where you are vs. being exact to the clock "back home".

Enjoy your trip -- don't let HIV and the meds cause you unnecessary grief around timing.

Mike

[leatherman]

don't forget to take more than just the meds for the exact number of days that you'll be traveling. One never knows when earthquakes, terrorist events, volcanoes, snowstorms, tornadoes, lost luggage, flights delays, good weather, good friends or good times will extend travel plans by a day or two.

[Lou-ah-vull]

Excellent advice!  Although I use pill organizers for everything.  I always bring the Atripla bottle with me just in case my trip is prolonged.  This is the only prescription I worry about (although I have one extra day of everything else.)

Gary

[Ac75088]

My work and sleep schedule is usually all over the place, so my dosage has never really been on a set time..The earliest I've taken My pill is 11pm and the latest I've taken it is 3am..This has gone on since I started a year ago and Ive managed to maintain good and improving lab results..Atripla does have a fairly good time window to continue working

[Jeff64]

I take mine every night when I get home from work. Does not bother me at all.

From the time I've been on a drug regimen that includes Sustiva, started in late January, I haven't traveled outside of the eastern time zone, so it's been easy for me to take a pill between 11pm and 12:30am each night.  Occasionally, I would push it to a little past 1am, but since my viral load has ticked up slightly from undetectable to 140, I've stopped doing that. So, I'm traveling to the west coast next week, which means that in order to stay on schedule, I'll be taking this pill at around 8:30pm each night.  I'll most likely be having dinner at that time, and probably will be drinking wine as well.  Any advice from others who deal with this issue?  Do you think it's okay to take with food for a few days?

[OneTampa]

I have taken Sustiva (low dose 400 mg daily) for over 11 years now.  I have varied the timing slightly an hour or so when I travel (and also take an extra weeks worth of pills in case of delays).  I usually take Sustiva at night (around 11:00pm) about two hours after I've eaten dinner and before I go to bed. No problems and I remain non-detectable.

[NY2011]

thank you for the feedback.  I guess I'll just take comfort in knowing that if I choose to just take it at bedtime rather than synchronizing it to NY time, then a delay of a few hours the first night will probably not be a problem. 

[NY2011]

The trip went well, and I ended up taking the pill around 11:30pm PT, so there was a three hour lapse the first day, and I stuck to that time for the rest of the trip.   I felt fine, though I did have some issues when I got home. Up until today, I've been doing remarkably well, but I felt very weak yesterday, and developed a toothache. My gums are sore today and I woke up with a painful blister in my mouth. This makes me nervous because the first sign that something wasn't right with my health was when a blister appeared in my mouth about 4 days after (unknowingly) getting the virus.  I feel like I havent had much rest in the past few days.  Perhaps the stress of travelling is a little bit too much and I should just realize that life is different now.  Red-eye flights may not be an option like they were a few months ago.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do when I travel to Asia next month, but I will probably take the flight in segments and just stay relaxed. 

[leatherman]

because the first sign that something wasn't right with my health was when a blister appeared in my mouth about 4 days after (unknowingly) getting the virus.

actually HIV doesn't build up in your system or attack your system enough in just 4 days to have caused blisters - which isn't a symptom per se of HIV anyway. Swollen glands or fever might be possible several weeks after the initial infection. (http://www.accesscontinuingeducation.com/ACE5000-09/c1/p01.htm)

My gums are sore today and I woke up with a painful blister in my mouth....
I feel like I havent had much rest in the past few days.  Perhaps the stress of travelling is a little bit too much and I should just realize that life is different now.

I suggest you talk to your doctor about this issue as this symptom of blisters sounds like a herpes outbreak (could be simplex or zoster). Stress, fatigue, exhaustion, etc all can lead to an outbreak. Many people have this problem (myself for one) and have to daily take acyclovir to control/suppress these herpes outbreaks.

[NY2011]

I think you're right, Leatherman. It's probably a latent/ suppressed virus that I've had that now manifests much more easily.   I've got a dr appt next week to do random bloodwork,  so I will discuss this with him.  Symptom has disappeared. Feeling rested.     No gum issue, no toothache and blister thing inside my mouth is gone.  Thanks for your input. 

[leatherman]

I've got a dr appt next week to do random bloodwork,  so I will discuss this with him.  Symptom has disappeared. Feeling rested.     No gum issue, no toothache and blister thing inside my mouth is gone.

glad to hear that you're feeling better already! that's what really matters.