Forgot to take my meds for 4 months

[2tcells]

Ok i know i messed up. But i didnt take my meds biktarvy for 4 months. Im a alcoholic and just didnt remember until my insurance asked me why i havnt renewed. I have done my bloodwork and always lie and say im taking my pill daily but im still UD is this normal? Should i just get my shit together or should i tell the dr i never take my pills and maybe its something unusual they can study? I probably take my pill once a week

[Jim Allen]

Sure, there are many examples of people in controlled circumstances maintaining UD for weeks or months before VL rebounding.

I would be more concerned with taking the meds haphazardly, so just once a week as it's just waiting for the VL to finally rebound and risking resistance.

Seems you got lucky so far but I would not push it. If it was me I would mention it to my healthcare provider so they are aware, can check drug levels and then can do additional check-ups when restarting treatment.

[Jim Allen]

Im a alcoholic

You are not alone and if you ever feel the need to talk my door is open, just send me a pm and we can connect.

[leatherman]

what should you do now? well, you can't change the past; but you can change the path you're on. Go back to taking your meds everyday.
easy said than done, right?   

Taking your meds haphazardly is unfortunately a sure fire way to develop resistance, lose the success you've made against HIV, and go through the hassle and stress of finding a new regimen that will work again.

Remember from time of infection to being sick with advanced HIV could be a 10-yr process. In the same way, after being undetectable for a while and stopping medication, it can take a while for HIV to start fully replicating again. After taking meds for several years, I stopped taking meds myself . . . a few times. Both times in the first 6 months things were fine; but by month 7, I had a viral load exploding in number. By month 9, I was back to having a health crisis due to an AIDS condition. I'm not saying you would follow this timeline; but not taking meds will make your viral load and health follow this pattern of getting worse.

So, tell your doctor. It's hard to admit this kind of "failure" but everyone makes mistakes and doctors have seen it all. You won't be the first patient to improperly take meds, and you won't be the last either.

um, I have to be honest and say that I remember lying to my doctor for a long time too; so don't knock yourself too much for that either. We're all just human, life is hard, and we f*ck up. But that's when you have to try dig down and start working on fixing the problem. I've been a lot of crap in my life (house fire, multiple burglaries, deaths of several long term partners, deaths of close friends, multiple car accidents - I was a courier and none were my fault btw, homelessness, no transportation, poverty...ugh. the list seems endless) and yet the thing I was surprised to learn about myself was that I really did have the strength inside to get through those issues. Matter of fact, everyone has that strength. Don't believe me? Well, i would point out that unless you die, you'll be here next year and whatever crisis you are facing right now will be something that happened in the past. Somehow you will have moved on. You will have had that strength, that you didn't know you had, to get through. Of course, by that time you'll probably be having some other crisis (being human really does suck sometimes. LOL); but eventually you'll get through those issues too. That's what humans do.

Forming and keeping a habit of taking meds daily is hard for most everyone. And that's no different from us taking HIV meds to others taking daily psych meds or blood pressure meds. Your doctor needs to know so they can properly monitor your situation to help you get back on track. You'll want to monitor your bloodwork for a while to make sure your regimen is still working and HIV didn't develop a resistance to something.

Then work on a way to remember taking your meds. Put a calendar and pen on the wall. Get a reminder app. Make sure your pills are in a daily/weekly pill caddy in a noticeable place, so you can remember and also double check on which days you took meds if your can't remember.

TL;DR
go back to taking your meds
let your doctor know
work on a way to remind yourself about taking your meds every day

best wishes to you on straightening this out and getting back on track. You can do this!

[Matths]

Hi, I can only second what has been said so far.

One addition: you may want to consider the new Cabenuva. It may help relieving you from thinking daily of your medicine and whether you have taken it or not. It’s a once a month intramuscular injection (soon hopefully every other month), and your doctor will monitor and make sure you are well taken care of.

This may take one burden away from you and may help you focusing on overcoming the addiction which will be another huge accomplishment. Best Matt

[kentfrat1783]

Good evening,

I want to reiterate what others have said but also to give you my personal experience.

First off, please talk with your specialist about your drinking.  I'm sure you are like me, that I'm afraid to be honest but I've learned to be honest.  They know "it" already but waiting for you to tell them.  Yes, they will tell you to stop but have a healthy and honest conversation with them.  (This isn't the first time they have been through it).

Over the last few years they have encouraged me to reduce my drinking.  I've went from 7 days a week (10+ a day) to one day a week (5+)  They initially told me not to stop but reduce my drinking.  They were afraid of me going into shock.  Now I'm having nerve damage and they are thinking it could be due to the drinking.  They have now warned me not to have more then 1 drink a day. 

Now, your medication.  I have the pill box (Mon-Sun) next to my bed and I take one a night.  In the past some mornings I wasn't sure if I took my pill the night before (yes I blacked out at points) so that is how I knew if I took my pill.  Even helps now as it's such a norm for me to take my pill I can forget 5 minutes later. 

And as Jim mentioned hit me up in PM if you want to talk, vent, etc.  We are here but even going to a meeting could be good.  I've done AA in the past but stopped and now afraid to go back but should. 

In the end I just want you to be honest at your next doctors appointment.  I'm sure they will do additional blood tests but they are there to help you and not to make you feel awful.  Also, if you can't be honest with your doctors could be a good moment to find a new one (as I done). 

Wishing you the best.
Kenneth