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chrisnxs
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Reged: 11/09/10
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Posts: 1
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Skipping Doses
#253044 - 11/09/10 07:28 PM
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Hello Everyone, can someone please elaborate on the severity of skipping meds? My bf is positive and has been on meds for about a year. He's on my insurance and it kills the price down to a point where he can get his meds pretty easily. I discovered today that he's skipping doses..big time. He got his prescriptions of Norvir, Epzicom, and Lexiva filled on September 29th and he STILL has 14 of his once-per-day Norvir and Epzicom pills left. He's done this before and he told me that his last blood-work showed that his numbers actually increased so I don't understand why that didn't scare him into being more consistent.
I'm really worried about this because I don't want him to get sicker, but I have no idea how to even approach him about this. Is there some hope here? If he straightens up his act, should his health improve? Thanks.
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bartleby
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Reged: 01/19/10
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Posts: 641
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it varies from person to person, but overall, skipping meds is bad. once or twice is fine, but extended periods of time or spotty adherence can lead to drug resistance.
Here is a fact sheet that explains why adherence to medications is important.
Someone recently wrote in to Dr. Bob talking about a friend who stopped taking meds and ultimately died. Here is part of what Dr. Bob said:
"Non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy can lead to drug resistance. The development of drug resistance makes antiretroviral medications less or not effective, which in turn allows HIV to replicate wildly. When the HIV viral load increases, CD4 cells are attacked and destroyed and the person becomes progressively more immunodeficient (unable to fight off infections and cancers). Shingles, pneumonia and a host of other opportunistic infections can result. It's these opportunistic processes (infections and malignancies) that lead to the demise of HIV/AIDS patients. Perhaps your friend's sad story will serve as a cautionary tale for others who may not be taking their mediations as directed or who are not being monitored by an HIV physician specialist."
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Bartleby at The Body
Bulletin Board Administrator
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"He's done this before and he told me that his last blood-work showed that his numbers actually increased so I don't understand why that didn't scare him into being more consistent."
Fear and cautionary tales never are very productive for long-term change. Sure it might make a person more adherant in the short term, but it won't last. We all know the dangers of not taking medications properly.
What you aren't asking is "why"?
Reasons for not taking meds are varied and until the reasons for not doing so are examined, then the behavior is unlikely to change. Or not. You may just have to accept that complete adherence is something your boyfriend is not willing to do and in the end he is the only one to decide.
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Hmm. I know you love him, but you kind of have to let go and let him handle his own treatment and take his own journey.
Just make sure he knows that he could die if he doesn't take his meds, and the rest is out of your hands...
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