Question
Hello, I was recently prescribed truvada and am currently taking it. The hospital medication instructions tell me to NOT drink alcohol at all while on this product, yet I have found online sources that say it is okay. Which is the right answer?
Answer
Hello and thanks for posting.
I'm not sure where your hospital is getting their information, but there is no significant interaction between the medications in Truvada (tenofovir and emtricitabine) and alcohol. In general it's perfectly ok to have a drink while on meds.
It's perhaps relevant to be mindful that it's important to be adherent to HIV medications (for either treatment or prevention) and to this end, if alcohol interferes with adherence, then moderation or avoidance might be relevant.
Also, people with chronic liver disease or viral hepatitis (hep B or C) should avoid alcohol since this can accelerate the progression of liver disease.
I hope that this is helpful, BY