What Happens If You Miss an Ivermectin Dose?

Missing medication is always concerning. Missing parasitic medication is understandably worrying. If you missed, should you play catch-up with Ivermectin, skip it, or do you get to play catch-up with the next dose as well?

It depends on a lot of factors, like your schedule for taking Ivermectin, the reason why you’re taking the medication, and even how long it’s been since you were supposed to take it. There are some instances where missing a dose isn’t cause for panic. Missing a dose still can have the drug not work the way you and your medical professional intended, and it is always extremely important you follow the guidance of your medical professional.

This will detail what you can do to prevent missing a dose and what you should do if you miss a dose of Ivermectin.

What Is Ivermectin?

Ivermectin is a drug that treats parasitic infections. It works on the parasites’ nervous and muscle systems and ultimately leads to their death.

You may take Ivermectin as:

• One single dose
• Two doses that are spaced a few days apart
• Or multiple doses over a period of time

Ivermectin is tailored to the needs of the patient and prescribing medical professional, so it is vital that you follow the directions of the prescribing medical professional.

What Should You Do If You Miss an Ivermectin Dose?

The rule is if you remember and it isn’t close to the time of your next scheduled dose, take the missed dose.

If your next dose is due soon:

• Skip the missed dose.
• Take your next dose on the schedule as normal.
• Do not take two doses at once to compensate for a missed dose.
• Taking a dose twice increases the chance of side effects but does not improve the effectiveness of the medication.

Your doctor or pharmacist can always provide you with the best options if you have questions.

Does Missing One Dose Reduce Effectiveness?

• Most of the time, missing one dose is not the end of your treatment. Missing a dose can make treatment less effective. This is especially true for medications that need to be taken multiple times to fully clear an infection.
• For medications that need to be taken in a series, adherence to the instructions helps the provider’s plan for the best health outcome.
• If you miss several doses, please consult your doctor before taking them again.

What If Ivermectin Was Prescribed as a Single Dose?

• Many therapies to clear a parasitic infection is the one-time oral dose of Ivermectin.
• If you miss the one-time oral dose of Ivermectin, take it as soon as you can unless your doctor instructed otherwise.
• There is no need to take the dose two times just because it was taken late.
• If several days have passed since the dose was to be taken, please contact your doctor to see if your health plan needs to be revised.

What if Ivermectin Was Prescribed for Multiple Dosing?

There are some conditions that Ivermectin needs to be taken multiple times.

If you miss one of these doses, take it as soon as you can unless it is very close to the next scheduled dose. In this case, skip the missed dose.

Continue with the doses outlined in your treatment plan.

If you have not yet mastered the timing, check in with your provider or the pharmacy before making any changes.

Can Missing a Dose Make the Infection Worse?

one dose typically doesn’t make an infection get worse.

One or more if you missed doses can:

• Delay healing
• Less effective treatment
• Allow parasites to stay in the body longer
• Create a higher risk of needing more treatment

Taking ivermectin as directed the first time, gives the medicine the best chance to be effective.

Should You Double the Next Dose?

No, you should not take two doses.

In the absence of your provider giving the order, you should not take multiple doses of ivermectin.

Ivermectin does not work faster when multiple doses are taken; however, the side effects of:

• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Diarrhea
• Headaches
• Fatigue

Overdose, which can be life threatening, can also cause severe Dizziness, Difficulty walking and other symptoms that may require emergency help and add to the previous list.

Tips to Avoid Missing a Dose

It is inevitable that there will be times when a dose is missed. The following will help ensure you stay on schedule.

• Set phone alarms
• Use a dose time reminder app
• Keep your medicine in a visible, safe location
• Mark doses on a calendar
• Use a weekly pill organizer

Doses taken as directed, prevent missed doses.

When Should You Contact Your Healthcare Provider?

You should alert your provider when a dose is missed.

You might have some of the following concerns:

• You think you need another dose.
• You accidentally overdosed on Ivermectin.
• You are having side effects on your medication.
• Your symptoms have gotten worse.

Your provider will help you determine if you need a dose of something different or if you need a different treatment.

FAQs

Can I take ivermectin a few hours late?

Not exactly, but it can affect the treatment. If it is the first time you are forgetting a dose, try to take the dose as soon as you can, as long as it’s not close to the time you are scheduled to take the next dose.

What happens if I forget my only ivermectin dose?

You should take the missed dose as soon as you remember, but if it has been a few days, you should call your physician to get specific advice.

Should I take two ivermectin tablets if I missed yesterday’s dose?

Definitely not, unless your physician gives you explicit permission to double your dose, you should not double your dose.

Can missing a dose mean treatment has failed?

Definitely not. Treatment won’t fail just because on dose is missed, but if doses are consistently missed, the treatment will be less effective and recovery will be longer.

How can I remember to take ivermectin?

Setting reminders, getting a dose organizer, and writing a schedule can help you remember to take your medication.

Final Thoughts

If you Missing a dose is normally not a cause for concern, as long as the correct steps are followed. Generally, you are meant to take ivermectin as soon as you remember the dose, unless you are close to a scheduled ivermectin dose. In that case, If you missed skip dose and continue with your usual schedule. You are not meant to take a dose to make up for the missed dose.

The best way to treat parasitic infections with the aid of ivermectin is to follow the treatment plan as prescribed. In case of uncertainty, the best option is to reach out to your health care or pharmacy professional to get expert advice on missed doses.