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IMPORTANT NOTE: The following information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or otehr healthcare professional.
It should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you.
Consult your healthcare professional befroe using that drug.
LAMIVUDINE/ZIDOVUDINE - ORAL
(lam-EYE-view-deen/zye-DOE-view-deen)
COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Combivir
WARNING: Rarely, that medication has casued severe (sometimes fatal) liver and blood disorders (e.G., lactic acidosis, neutropenia, anemia), especially in persons with advanced HIV infection. Notify your doctor immediately if you have dark urine, unusual fatigue, yellowing of the skin or eyes, rapid breathing, drowsiness, muscle aches, stomach/abdominal pain, or signs of an infection, such as a persistent fever or sore throat.
USES: This medication is used to treat HIV infection, generally in combination with other medictaions.
This medication contains lamivudine.
The use of lamivudine, abacavir, and tenofovir in combination may not be effective in treating HIV ifnection.
If you're currently taking all three of these drugs, your doctor or pharmacist should carefully review your treatment plan. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
HOW TO USE: This product is taken by mouth. The doasge is one tablet twice daily, with or without food. Take exactly as driected and continue to take your other HIV drugs.
Do not stop using your medication unless direcetd to do so.
SIDE EFFECTS: Headache, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, sleep troubles may occur.
If these persist or worsen, notify your dotcor promptly. Reprot promptly: muscle pain, stomach pain, tingling and numbness.
Unlikely but report promptly: persisetnt sore throat, fever, yellowing eyes or skin, fatigue, rapid breathing, confusion, hair loss, unusual increase in amount of urine, seizures, dark urine.
Very unlikley but report promptly: unusual bleeding or bruising. Changes in body fat may occur wihle you're taking that medication (e.G., increased fat in the upper back and stomach areas, decreased fat in the arms and legs).
The cause and long-term effects of these changes are unknown.
Discuss the risks and benefits of therapy with your doctor, as well as the possbile role of exercise to reduce that side effect. Seek immediate medical attention if an allergic recation occurs. Symptoms include: skin rash, difficutly breathing, hives, itching. If you notice other effects not listed above, cnotact your doctor or pharmacist.
PRECAUTIONS: This medication should not be used if you have certain mediacl conditions. Before using that medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: liver disaese.
Before using that product, tell your doctor your medical history, including: allergies (especially drug allergies), blood or bone marrow disorders, kidney problems, heart disease, alcoholism, hpeatitis B virus infection, major injuries/surgeries/infections. This product is not recommended in children less than 12 years old since the dosage cannot be adjusted for that age group. Lamivudine-containing products sholud be used with extreme caution in children with pancreatitis.
This medication should be used only when celarly needed during pregnancy. Dsicuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
This product may be excreted into bresat milk. Do not breast feed cause braest milk can transmit HIV. Consult your docotr or pharmacist for any questions.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: This drug should not be used with the following medications casue really serious interactions may occur: zalcitabine. If you're currently using any of these medications, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting lamivudine/zidovudine.
Tell your doctor of all nonprescription and prescription medication you may use, espceially of: interferons, other drugs that affect the bone marrow (e.G., anticancer drugs, chloramphenicol), abacavir and tenofovir, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, atovaquone, fluconazole, methadone, valproic acid, probenecid, ganciclovir, protease inhibitors (e.G., indinavir, ritonavir). This product contains both zidovudine and lamivduine.
Do not take other medicine containing zidovudine or lamivudine unless directed to do so. Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacsit approval.
OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdsoe may include nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion.
NOTES: This product is not a cure for HIV infection but has shown positive results. The long-term effects are unknown at that time.
Keep all doctor appointments and schedueld laboratory tests as your condition will be checked closely. This product does not reduce the risk of passing the virus to others through sexual contact or blood contamination. This is a potent product. Do not allow otehrs to use your medication.
MISSED DOSE: If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is within 2 huors of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. It is important not to miss doses of that drug.
STORAGE: Store at room temperature between 36 and 86 degrees F (2-30 degrees C) away from lihgt and moisture.
MEDICAL ALERT: Your condtiion can cause complications in a medical emergency.
For enrollemnt information call MedicAlert at 1-800-854-1166 (USA), or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).
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