Important note: Information in this Q&A was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.Five years before I was tested for HIV AIDS and resulted in HIV+ve. This year I experienced a series of diarrhea, headache and vomiting. After recovering I was examined for CD4 count, and it was 115.
Therefore, I have started Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) in June, 2007. The drugs my nurse prescribed to me, are a combination of Lamivudine, Stavudine, and Efavirenz
When I first received the drugs the pharmacist told me the time schedule for swallowing the drugs in the following way:
After taking the drugs for a month according to those time table, I went to the hospital to get the drugs for the next month. This time I came across another pharmacist and he asked me how I was taking the drugs in the previous month. I told him the above schedule. He shouted at me that was wrong time. Efavirenz didn't work in combating the virus in such administration and consequently a resistant strain of virus may be created, he added. He said that Efavirenz would have been also taken at 8:00 PM at the same time the other two drugs are taken in the evening.
I told the Nurse what he said to me, but she advised me to adhere the above schedule.
I am so confused and frustrated. Please tell me the correct time schedule for swallowing those drugs.
I think the schedule you are using is just fine. Try to take your pills as close to the same time a day as you can. If 8:00 am works best for you, that's good, if 9:00, or 10:15 is better, that's fine, too.
The reason for taking efavirenz at night is to just to control side effects. Some people get dizzy, so if you sleep through it, you miss it.
Just so you take the pills around the same time every day, all will be fine.
I would probably take the Lamuvidine and one stavudine in the morning, and the other stavudine and the efavirenz 12 hours later, possibly near bedtime.
Hope this helps.
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