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How long a 30-year-old male with HIV sustain without his antiretroviral drug?

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Patient's Query

Hi,

I am a 30-year-old boy with undetectable HIV. I, unfortunately, lost my last batch of Eviplera two days back. After speaking with the national health service in my country, they put an emergency prescription through for this morning to collect three pills (three days worth) of the drug from a pharmacy. After heading there, it seemed there were none in stock. I have spent the whole day looking for the medication through various hospitals and pharmacies and spoken to the doctor and head nurses. I will now have to consult other hospitals tomorrow morning for the medicine. After tonight it will be two doses missed of my medication and worst outcome three, or even a couple more varying on the outcome of whether anywhere accessible has the medication in stock. How long could you reckon for the virus to become detectable or mutate to become resistant to the medication? I have been taking ARVs for the past 11 years. Please help.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and understand your concern. I am sorry that you have to miss your important doses.

It takes some time from negligible virus load to develop viral copies and then those to develop resistance to your medication which are not available. Viral replication takes two to three days. If the start levels are negligible, then it can take five to six days. I suggest you ask your virologist to prescribe an alternative medication for the same.

Thank you.

Patient's Query

Hi,

Thanks for the response. I will enquire about alternate medication while searching for the medication tomorrow. Thank you.

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

You are welcome.

Answered byDr. Shaikh Sadaf

Medically reviewed byiCliniq medical review team

Published At June 30, 2022
Reviewed AtOctober 11, 2023

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