Epivir Side Effects
Serious Side Effects of Epivir
- new infection: fever,
feeling cold or getting the chills, soreness of the throat or any flu-like symptoms
- bruising or bleeding easier than normal
- mouth sores
- feeling nauseous, pain in the upper right section of your stomach, darkened urine, jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin) and clay or pale-colored stools could be signs of liver damage
- sweating more than usual, rapid or abnormal heart rate, nausea and throwing up, and fever could be signs of pancreas damage
- twitching or trembling of the hands
- feeling anxious, nervous or agitated
- difficulty sleeping
- persistent diarrhea or rapid and unexplained weight loss
- changes in menstruation
- loss of desire or ability to have sex
- enlargement of your neck or throat
- muscle pain or weakness
- numbness of the fingers or toes
- trouble walking, breathing, or speaking and vision problems
- pain in the upper stomach or abdomen spreading to your back
- strong pain in the lower back and loss of control over bladder or bowel function
- allergic reaction: swelling of the tongue, throat, mouth and face, difficulty breathing, and hives or a rash
Symptoms of Lactic Acidosis
Patients who are taking Epivir have an increased risk of developing
lactic acidosis, which is a serious, potentially fatal condition. Let your doctor know
immediately if you have these symptoms:
- nauseousness and loss of appetite
- feeling extremely fatigue or tired
- loss of strength
- darkened or brown urine
- abnormal bleeding and buising
- symptoms of the flu: fever, chills and sore throat
- jaundice: yellowing of the skin or eyes
- pain in the upper right abdomen or stomach pain
Common Side Effects of Epivir
- coughing, congestion or runny nose
- feeling tired or drowsy
- headache
- minor diarrhea
- changes in distribution of body fat (particularly of fat in the arms, face, neck, abdomen, and breasts)
Warnings & Recalls for Epivir
Epivir Black Box Warning
Epivir has received a black box warning due to the possible development of a condition known as lactic acidosis. See
Side Effects tab for more details; seek immediate emergency help if you suspect that you are suffering from any of the symptoms of lactic acidosis, as this condition can result in serious side effects, and in rare cases can prove fatal.
Epivir and Pregnancy
Epivir is an FDA
pregnancy Category C medicine. The effect on the fetus if taken during pregnancy is
unknown. However, if you have HIV it is important to
be treated for this infection properly while you are pregnant as HIV may be passed onto the baby.
Do not breastfeed if you are using
Epivir HBV for treating hepatis or
if you have HIV or AIDS. These viruses
may be passed through breast-milk to a nursing baby.
If you are
pregnant,
may become pregnant or are
breastfeeding, talk to your doctor
before using Epivir to make sure this treatment is a safe option for you.
General Warnings
Let your doctor know if you have any of the following to be sure that you may safely use Epivir:
- any allergies you may have
- liver disease or kidney disease
- hepatitis B
- pancreatitis or a history of pancreatitis
- any medicines you have used to treat HIV, AIDS or hepatitis B
Epivir may
increase the risk of severe liver injury or damage. Be aware of liver symptoms and be sure to have your liver and blood tested on a regular basis. Epivir may increase the risk of developing
lactic acidosis, especially in women, patients who are overweight, or patients who have liver disease or have been using AIDS or HIV medicines for an extended period of time. See "
Side Effects" tab for information about
signs of lactic acidosis.
For patients treating
hepatitis B, Epivir may cause
liver symptoms even several months after treatment has ended. Keep all appointments with your doctor to be sure your liver is healthy.
Epivir
does not stop the transmission of
HIV or
AIDS during sexual contact.
Ask your doctor about methods for
safe and protected sex to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Epivir Interactions
Epivir
may interact with some medicines. Be sure to let your doctor know about
all drugs you have used or are currently using.
Do not take Epivir HBV with any medicines that contain lamivudine and
do not use Epivir along with the following:
- Atripla
- Combivir
- Complera
- Emtriva
- Epzicom
- Trizivir
- Truvada
Interferon medicines may also interact with Epivir.
Ask your doctor which medicines you may safely use during treatment.
Epivir Treatment and Use
Epivir | Lamivudine is a brand name nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) medicine marketed by GlaxoSmithKline for treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Epivir is commonly combined with Ziagin to form the HIV drug Epzicom . Epivir may also be prescribed for the following:
- treating hepatitis B (treated with Epivir HBV)
- patients who have come in contact with HIV
- preventing the development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Epivir is not a cure for HIV and does not prevent the spreading of sexually transmitted diseases during contact.
Epivir HBV should not be used to treat patients with hepatitis B who also have HIV.
How Does Epivir Work?
The human immunodeficiency virus attacks the body by converting RNA cells into infected DNA cells. Epivir blocks this action and prevents further contamination of the cells. This stops HIV from spreading throughout the body and possibly developing into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
How to Take Epivir
Epivir comes as a 150 mg or 300 mg tablet or as an oral suspension (liquid) to be taken by moutb. Take Epivir as instructed by your doctor; do not use anything different than the amount prescribed. Before starting treatment, be sure you are using the correct medicine. Epivir is used for treating HIV and AIDS, while Epivir HBV is used for treating hepatitis B. If you are taking Epivir, be sure to read all instructions so that you use the proper amount. Children may need to have the tablet broken in half. Be sure to use a proper dose-measuring device to pour the correct amount of oral suspension (liquid).
HIV or AIDS treatment using Epivir is usually prescribed to be taken as:
- a 150mg dose twice each day (once every 12 hours) for adults
- a 300mg dose once every day for adults
- a 1.36 mg (depending on weight) dose twice each day for patients between 3 months and 16 years old
For treating hepatitis B, it is typically recommended that patents take Epivir HBV as:
- a 100 mg dose once each day for adults
- a 1.36 mg dose twice each day for patients between the ages of 2 and 17 depending on weight and age
Continue using Epivir until your treatment has been completed. Do not stop using Epivir without consent from your doctor.
While taking Epivir, you should have your liver function and blood tested frequently to ensure that Epivir is working safely and properly.
