Can drugs affect HIV medication?

Can drugs affect HIV medication?

Recreational drugs can interact dangerously with HIV medication. There are many possible interactions between recreational drugs and HIV medication, some of which can be dangerous.

Which herbs should not be taken together?

When herbals hurt

• Fenugreek. People with diabetes should watch out for this herb, Gorin noted.
• Melatonin. Don’t mix this with sedatives such as benzodiazepines, narcotics, and some antidepressants.
• St. John’s wort.
• Gingko biloba.
• Echinacea.
• Schisandra.

What is the most common side effect from HIV medications?

Common Side Effects of HIV Drugs

Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs)	Common Side Effects
efavirenz (Sustiva; also included in Atripla) etravirine (Intelence)	Vivid dreams, anxiety, depression, insomnia, skin rash, liver damage, suicidal ideation Skin rash

Why is yerba mate bad?

Yerba mate isn’t likely to pose a risk for healthy adults who occasionally drink it. However, some studies indicate that people who drink large amounts of yerba mate over long periods may be at increased risk of some types of cancer, such as cancer of the mouth, throat and lungs.

Can I take supplements while on ARV?

HIV specialists advise that a healthy, balanced diet is enough and there is no need for supplements. Evidence that supplements have any effect is limited. Mega dosages of any nutritional supplement are not recommended (see High doses of vitamins and minerals, below).

Can you take too many herbs?

Herbal products can pose unexpected risks because many supplements contain active ingredients that have strong effects in the body. For example, taking a combination of herbal supplements or using supplements together with prescription drugs could lead to harmful, even life-threatening results.

Is it safe to drink yerba mate everyday?

Yerba mate is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken in large amounts or for long periods of time. Drinking large amounts of yerba mate (1-2 liters daily) for a long time increases the risk of some types of cancer, including cancer of the esophagus, kidney, stomach, bladder, cervix, prostate, lung, and possibly larynx or mouth.

Is yerba mate a drug?

Caffeine (contained in yerba mate) and ephedrine are both stimulant drugs. Taking caffeine along with ephedrine might cause too much stimulation and sometimes serious side effects and heart problems.

What is a normal CD4 count in a healthy person?

A normal CD4 count ranges from 500–1,200 cells/mm3 in adults and teens. In general, a normal CD4 count means that your immune system is not yet significantly affected by HIV infection. A low CD4 count indicates that your immune system has been affected by HIV and/or the disease is progressing.

Are there any drugs that interact with HIV?

For example, it’s known that treatments for erectile dysfunction (such as Viagra) can interact with types of anti-HIV drugs that belong to the drug classes protease inhibitors (PIs) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs).

What happens if you take Viagra with HIV?

Interactions with protease inhibitors can increase blood levels of Viagra and similar drugs, increasing the risk of side-effects. You also need to tell your HIV doctor about any drugs you buy over the counter (at a chemist, for example) or from the internet.

Are there any drugs that do not interact with ARVs?

Drug–Drug Interactions with HIV Antiretroviral Therapy. Another option may be to consider alternative lipid-lowering drugs such as fibrates, ezetimibe, or niacin. All of these bypass the hepatic P450 system and undergo different routes of metabolism, thus eliminating the potential for major drug interactions with ARVs.

How to monitor fluoxetine and imipramine interactions?

Start with lowest fluoxetine dose. Monitor response and titrate dose according to efficacy and adverse effects Initiate imipramine at lowest dose. Monitor response and titrate according to efficacy, adverse effects, and/or drug levels. Initiate nortriptyline at lowest dose.