Quick awnswer please

[tommy246]

Its bedtime here in spain and im travelling in the early hours i left a pill by the side of my bed and packed my pill box about 10 pm , its now 11pm my pill has gone but i cant remember taking it . im 90 % i must of and its not on the floor i think i took it subconciously watching the football.Im taking atripla for 28 days now, what should be done in these circumstances , thanks

[RapidRod]

Skip it and start again tomorrow.

[Inchlingblue]

If you were already undetectable and had been on meds for a while then missing a dose would not be a huge concern.

If I were in your shoes and I really was not sure if I took it, I would probably not take another one tonight but I would take one in the morning tomorrow and then continue tomorrow night with my regular dose.

[RapidRod]

If you were already undetectable and had been on meds for a while then missing a dose would not be a huge concern.

If I were in your shoes and I really was not sure if I took it, I would probably not take another one tonight but I would take one in the morning tomorrow and then continue tomorrow night with my regular dose.

Atripla is only taken once a day.

[Inchlingblue]

Atripla is only taken once a day.

I know. I'd rather err on the side of having a little more in my system as opposed to not having enough.

I agree with skipping it till tomorrow as you suggested if the person is undetectable but tommy started taking meds recently and he may not yet be undetectable.

[RapidRod]

Not so. Atripla has a long half life.

[Inchlingblue]

Not so. Atripla has a long half life.

I am saying what I would do, if I absolutely was not sure I had taken it and if I was  not yet undetectable. As I mentioned before, if I was undetectable then I would skip it till tomorrow night.

It's a whole different ballgame when a person has a viral load as opposed to when a person is undetectable.

Even though Atripla has a decent half life you need a certain level of it in your system for it to be able to work and the big question here in tommy's particular case is that he might not yet be undetectable since he started recently.

 

[RapidRod]

What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose can cause uncontrolled muscle movements.

http://www.drugs.com/atripla.html

[Inchlingblue]

What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

http://www.drugs.com/atripla.html

"What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember."

My suggestion to take it tomorrow morning is perfectly in line with this recommendation, since he's not sure if he missed the dose.  

[RapidRod]

"What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember."[/b]

My suggestion to take it tomorrow morning is perfectly in line with this recommendation.

That is not what you stated. You stated

If I were in your shoes and I really was not sure if I took it, I would probably not take another one tonight but I would take one in the morning tomorrow and then continue tomorrow night with my regular dose.

which is incorrect.

Do not double the next dose. Carry on with your regular dosing schedule.  http://packageinserts.bms.com/ppi/ppi_atripla.pdf

[bocker3]

So, it seems to me that the OP isn't sure that he did miss a dose.  He doesn't remember taking it, but the pill wasn't were he left it.  In all probability, he did take it.  It seems most reasonable to me, to assume that it's been taken and take your next dose tomorrow.  Even if a dose was missed, it is not likely to have an impact -- regardless of viral load.

What this DOES show you Tommy, is that a pill box is your best friend.  However, you should swallow the pill(s) as soon as you remove it from the box.  This way you will never have a doubt.  It's a very good habit to get into.

Mike

[Inchlingblue]

What this DOES show you Tommy, is that a pill box is your best friend.  However, you should swallow the pill(s) as soon as you remove it from the box.  This way you will never have a doubt.  It's a very good habit to get into.

Very true. In all likelihood he did take it, as you say, so this is all kinda moot. It's a good lesson for having a better system in place.

 

[StacheBC]

Take it... don't take it... not really sure what I would do. Since Tommy has recently started Atripla... if he is like me, after an hour of taking the pill... I get a slight dizziness... nothing major but after an hour I can tell if I took the pill or not.

But agree with Inchlingblue... I would get a better system in place, since we're all human and mistakes can happen. I know that leaving pills on the side table would increase my chances of missing doses.
I have a 7 day pill box... that I fill up every Sunday. Pill only comes out when I have a glass of water ready to take it. 
Low tech, but seems to work great.

[WillyWump]

If you are sure you put the pill on the table, and you have looked around on the floor, in the bed, etc..and you dont have a dog or other animal that might have swallowed it then I would say you could safely assume you took it. Just keep on with your regular dosing schedule. Also, if you count your pills, then go ahead and count what you packed in your pill box, maybe you just "thought" that you laid it out on the table.

-Will

[tednlou2]

I've heard the same thing about Atripla--it has long half life.  I've actually heard of some docs allowing their patients to take the weekends off.  I got resistant to the Sustiva in it because the hospital gave me 4 days of it without my knowledge.  Because I didn't need meds yet, there was no plan to continue. 

I've thought when I do start meds, I'd take them at night before bed.  Now, I'm thinking what if ya fall asleep on the couch watching TV.  Or, what if you're tired and can't remember whether you've taken it already.  I run into this a lot with other meds--did I already take that?  When I had back surgery, I would sometimes find a pain pill in my hand in the morning.  I must have gotten up in pain and got a pill, but just never took it.  I swear--I was not high on pills.  Very strange.

Anyway, I think you probably took it.

[leatherman]

I run into this a lot with other meds--did I already take that? 

dude, definitely get yourself a pill box , then you won't have to worry about any of those hypotheticals. You'll sleep easier. Or if worse comes to worse, do what we did in the old days and set an alarm to go off and take your meds then. And be thankful you won't have to be resetting that alarm for every four hours 24/7.