My ID doc does not care when I take them as long as I have the required every other day, 3X per week. My schedule starts on a Wed: Rifabutin is W-F-S; Azithromycin is TH-S-M; Ethambutol is F-S-T. Doc never mentioned to take Rifabutin without pills, I learned of that on my own and take it between meals. The others I take with food. I have not had trouble with this staggered schedule and to me it's better than taking them all on three given days a week. In other words I am taking one of them on any given day of the week.