- To take your medication on time, every time.
- To take the right number of capsules or tablets with each dose.
- To take each of your anti-HIV medicines with or without food or liquid, as required.
Remembering to take your medication at the right times and in the right way may take some planning, but don’t stop taking your medication–even briefly–because it can interfere with the effectiveness of your anti-HIV medication.
- Don’t take “drug holidays.”
- Don’t skip doses.
- Do take your medicine on time.
- Do follow your doctor’s instructions about taking your medicine with or without food or liquid.
- Do plan ahead, and carry your anti-HIV medications with you if you think there’s a chance you might not be at home to take your next dose. This will help you to be sure to take them on time, every time.
Sometimes it helps to …
- Make a list of your medications and the times you take them, and put the list in a place where you’re sure to see it.
- Check off the list when you have taken your medication. That way, you can see if you’ve missed any doses and plan so that it doesn’t happen in the future.
Talk to your health care provider about ways to help you plan your medication times around meals, or ways to plan your meals around your medication doses.