Question:

I have started taking Duovir and Sustiva, 2 months before.But ,social life and family responsibility of taking children from school, sometimes does not allow me to take them on time. Some time,there is a delay of 10 or 15 minutes in swallowing, sometimes I am forced to take them 10 or 15 minutes, ahead of time, due to certain reasons which are beyond my capacity,therfore my questions are:

1/ What could be the least and maximum time to be delayed, if things are out of control in taking the ARV?
2/ Does taking the drug,some 15 or 10 minutes ahead of the proper time, brings bad impact(if i take them sometimes)?
3/ I do not drink enough water in night time,because I sleep well, what shall I do to minimize the thirstiness in the morning?
4/ Sometimes when I do not sleep well, in the morning I feel of vomitting, how could this be minimized?

Answer provided by:

Douglas T. Dieterich, M. D.
Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Cabrini Medical Center
Assoc. Prof. of Medicine NYU School of Medicine

Actually a delay of several hours in taking the meds does not really matter as long as you take them that day! Some people take the Sustiva in the morning after they have been taking it for a while and then drinking water is no problem. Otherwise drinking water during the night is your only option other than switching to Viramune which you can take twice a day with the Duovir.

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