Adherence tips

You need to take your HIV treatment properly for it to work. The word used for taking your treatment properly is adherence.

The main reason why people miss doses of their anti-HIV drugs is because they forget to take them.

If you forget to take a dose of your medicine, try and learn from the experience so you can reduce the risk of it happening again.

But it's a good idea to talk to your doctor if you are forgetting to take a lot of your doses. Help is available to help you take your medication properly. Or it might be possible to change your treatment so that you are taking medicines that you find easier to take.

Keeping a diary

Try keeping a diary where you record taking each dose of your medicine. Your HIV doctor or pharmacist might have a schedule of your daily doses that you can tick as you take them.

Jogging your memory

Some people find that setting an alarm on their watch or mobile phone helps them to remember to take their medication.

Pill boxes

Some people find pill boxes useful. These have separate compartments into which you can put each dose of your medicine.  Some people find it helpful to fill their pill box at the start of the week so they can keep track of exactly which pills they have taken.

Pill boxes might be available for free from your HIV clinic.

Changes to your routine

Simple changes to your daily routine, for example getting up earlier or later, or going out for the night, might mean that you forget to take your medicine.

Some people keep doses of their medication in different places in case they forget to take their medication. For example in their coat pocket or bag, at work, in the glove compartment of their car, or at a friend's or relation's home. But always make sure that medicines are stored out of the reach of children. And remember, medicines can go out of date and some need to be kept at a certain temperature.

Travelling with your medication

You might find the following information useful if you are planning to travel with your HIV medicines.

Remember to take enough medicine with you if you are going to be away from home, even if it is just overnight.

Carry medicines in your hand luggage. This means it’s easier to get to and is less likely to get lost.

If you are travelling to another time zone you might need to change the time you take your medicines. There are two ways of doing this. Some people change their dosing schedule to fit in with their new time zone. But this could mean that there is a very long or short gap between the doses of your medicine when you make the change. Other people try and overcome this by gradually adjusting the time they take their medicine, for example by an hour every day in the week or so before they travel so it fits in with their new time zone.

Taking a break from treatment when you travel can have risks, including the development of drug-resistant HIV. Do not stop taking your medicines without discussing this with your doctor.

Food and drink

Keeping a bottle of water handy can be helpful. Some medicines need to be taken with a meal or snack. In some cases a large chocolate bar or something similar might be sufficient.

Answering questions about your medication

You might not always be able to take your medicines in private. Some people might ask you why you need to take pills if they see you taking them in public. If you don’t want to tell them that it’s for HIV, you could try saying that they are vitamin tablets.