Truvada Side Effects

Serious side effects

• lost control of bladder or bowel movements, severe diarrhea and nausea, and unexplained weight loss
• menstrual cycle changes, erectile disfunction and low libido or loss of interest in sexual activity
• symptoms of liver damage or complications including pain in the upper abdomen, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools and jaundice of the skin or eyes
• rapid heart rates and shortness of breath, with weakness
• problems balancing, speaking/swallowing and trouble moving the eyes
• severe lower back pain with joint pain and pins and needles feeling in fingers/toes
• signs of an infection such as fever/chills, mild skin lesions and yellow/green mucus-like coughs
• increase in sweating, tremors/shakes, insomnia and irritability or anxiousness
• swelling the neck and throat
• kidney damage, and minor frequent fractures due to thinning bone

Common side effects

• mild stomach problems such as diarrhea, nausea and pain
• mild headaches, dizziness and depression, with lucid dreams
• mild skin rashes with some itching
• changes in the location of body fat

  Broken Bone due to Disease or Illness, Chronic Hepatitis B, Enlarged Fatty Liver, Liver Problems, Severe Liver Disease, Acute Kidney Disease, Kidney Disease, Decreased Calcification or Density of Bone, Abnormal Liver Function Tests, A Mother who is Producing Milk and Breastfeeding, Softening of Bones, Low Amount of Phosphate in the Blood, Increased Blood Acidity due to High Levels of Lactic Acid, Overweight, Fanconi's Syndrome

Warnings & Recalls for Truvada

Black Box Warning

• Truvada has a black box warning for its potential to cause liver and blood complications that can grow to become fatal. Liver enlargement and fat within the liver can also occur. Check regularly for signs of liver damage.
• Symptoms of lactic acidosis (muscle pain, dizziness/lightheadedness, nausea and vomiting, uneven heartbeat, numbness in appendages) should be immediately reported to a physician for analysis. This buildup of acid in the blood can be fatal if not treated in a timely manner.
• Females, patients who are overweight, patients who have had liver disease, or those who have been taking Truvada or similar medication for an extended period of time are all more likely to develop lactic acidosis or liver problems.
• Patients with a hepatitis B infection alongside HIV-1 infection can become very ill if they should discontinue the use of this drug suddenly. Truvada has not been approved for the treatment of hepatitis B, and may cause the existing condition to worsen after sudden discontinuation.

Warnings

• Before starting this medication patients should inform their doctor of any history of pancreatitis, kidney disease, liver complications such as hepatitis or cirrhosis, any alcohol use, bone disease, osteopenia or osteoporosis, or of any previous use of dialysis.
• Alcohol use should be limited while taking Truvada.
• Truvada can make patients dizzy, therefore patients are advised to not operate machinery or do anything that requires them to be heavily alert until they can accomplish these tasks with safety.
• Patients with hepatitis B can develop liver complications months after Truvada's discontinuation.

Family Planning

• Truvada has been assigned to pregnancy category B by the FDA. It is unknown if Truvada will affect an unborn baby, however it is not expected to be harmful. To exert the most extreme form of caution, patients should consult with a physician to determine if the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the child. Pregnant patients can be  placed on a pregnancy registry to track the effects of Truvada on the unborn fetus.
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• Patients who are breastfeeding should also exert caution as Truvada DOES pass through breast milk. Nursing mothers should NOT breast feed infants while taking this medication.

Interactions

• Atripla, Complera, Viread, Emtriva, Combivir, Epivir (HBV), Epzicom
• Trizivir, Hepsera, Lamivudine, Acylcovir, Valacyclovir
• Cidofovir, Ganciclovir, Valganciclovir, Lopinavir
• Atazanavir, Didanosine, Ritonavir, Adefovir Dipivoxil
• Amphotericin B, Cyclosporine, Tacromilus, Vancomycin, Amikacin/Gentamicin
• NSAIDs (Ibuprofen), pain or arthritis medications
• medicines used to treat bowel disorders
• medicines used to aid in organ transplant rejection
• injectable antibiotics and antiviral medicines
• chemotherapy medications

 

Truvada Treatment and Use

Truvada | emitricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is a nucleoside and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) medication manufactured by Gilead. Truvada is a combination of two different drugs which work to slow the growth of the HIV-1 virus in those 12 years of age and older, and lowers the risk of receiving complications from the virus like AIDS.

Truvada is used with other medications as part of HIV therapy. Although Truvada is used in the treatment of HIV, it is not a cure for HIV or the AIDS virus. This medication can also be used to prevent the HIV virus, but it must be used in patients who are HIV- negative before its use.

How it works

Truvada is a combination of emtricitabine and tenofovir. This combination prevents HIV cells from multiply, and can prevent the oncoming of AIDS. It can also lower the risks of new infections and possibly cancer.

Dosage Information

Truvada should be taken exactly as it is prescribed by a physician. Blood will be checked often so that the patient is being regularly monitored for adverse effects.

Dosage depends on the patient’s condition as specified by a physician. This medication should be taken orally once a day either with or without food. Truvada should be taken at the same time everyday.

Other Names for Truvada

Brand Name:

• Truvada

Generic: (Unavailable)

• Emitricitabine and tenofovir

Lawsuits & Legal Information for Truvada