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Norvir Advisory
Practical Considerations on the Portability of Norvir LiquidCharles Farthing, MD
Some of my patients have been concerned about having to carry a bottle of Norvir liquid with them. A bottle of Norvir liquid is harder to conceal than a few capsules. This same concern was noted by one of the patients that Mark Schoofs interviewed for "The Norvir Switch." Questions about the portability (the ability to carry or transport) Norvir liquid are rare since Norvir is taken bid - or every 12 hours - usually in the morning and in the evening in the privacy of one's home. So questions about portability are usually related to travel or to those instances when one cannot be at home to take their medication. I have been asked several questions about this issue. Here are my responses. Q My parents and coworkers don't know I'm HIV-positive. If they see me with a bottle of Norvir, they are bound to find out. A If you have to carry your Norvir liquid with you, you can peel off the label. It should come off easily in one piece. You can always say that it is cough syrup. Some patients have transferred Norvir liquid to small brown bottles that hold a single dose when they plan on getting home late and can't take their medication on schedule. There is a theoretical risk in transferring Norvir liquid into other containers. There is no risk in peeling off the label. Why take an unnecessary risk? Q Sometimes I have to work a double shift, so I have to take my medicine with me. I take the bus to work which takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. Even in the morning, the bus is hot. - it has to be in the 90s. That's over the temperature limits [recommended for Norvir liquid]. What should I do? A For periods as short as a ride to work in the bus, I would not worry about the heat. Short exposures of Norvir liquid to higher temperatures are not a significant risk. Q I'm traveling from London to San Diego for ICAAC. Should I carry my Norvir in a cold pack? A Temperatures can get hot during the day in San Diego and many hotels don't have air- conditioning. So carrying a cold pack could be wise. (Refer to my comments on practical considerations of the new temperature guidelines for Norvir liquid.) Posted 9/18/98
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