Combivir

Common use

Combivir contains a combination of lamivudine and zidovudine. Lamivudine and zidovudine are antiviral medications that prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from multiplying in your body. Combivir is used to treat HIV, the virus that can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Dosage and direction

Take Combivir exactly as prescribed by your doctor. You may take this medicine with or without food. Usual Adult Dose of Combivir for HIV Infection: 1 tablet orally twice a day in combination with other antiretrovirals, for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.

Precautions

Tell your doctor if you have ever had: kidney disease; pancreas disorder (especially in a child taking this medicine); or if you take ribavirin to treat hepatitis C.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, and use your medications properly to control your infection. HIV can be passed to your baby if the virus is not controlled during pregnancy.
Women with HIV or AIDS should not breast-feed a baby. Even if your baby is born without HIV, the virus may be passed to the baby in your breast milk.

Contraindications

Do not take Combivir if you have ever had an allergic reaction to any medicine that contains lamivudine or zidovudine.
Do not take Combivir with any other medicine that contains lamivudine, zidovudine, or emtricitabine. This includes Atripla, Biktarvy, Cimduo, Complera, Descovy, Emtriva, Epzicom, Genvoya, Odefsey, Retrovir, Stribild, Symfi, Triumeq, Trizivir, and Truvada.
Combivir can also cause severe or fatal liver problems. Tell your doctor if you have liver disease, especially hepatitis B.
Combivir should not be used to treat HIV in adolescents weighing less than 66 pounds.

Possible side effect

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Combivir: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Mild symptoms of lactic acidosis may worsen over time, and this condition can be fatal. Get emergency medical help if you have: unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain, vomiting, irregular heart rate, dizziness, feeling cold, or feeling very weak or tired.
Call your doctor at once if you have: liver problems - swelling around your midsection, right-sided upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); low red blood cells (anemia) - pale skin, unusual tiredness, feeling light-headed or short of breath, cold hands and feet; low white blood cell counts - fever, mouth sores, skin sores, sore throat, cough, trouble breathing; or pancreatitis - severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting.
Common Combivir side effects may include: headache; nausea, diarrhea; tiredness, general ill feeling; cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sinus pain, cough; or loss of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, and buttocks).

Drug interaction

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially: ganciclovir; interferon alfa; or ribavirin.
Avoid taking other medications that contain an ingredient called sorbitol, often used as a sweetener in liquid medicines. Ask your pharmacist if you are not sure a medicine contains this ingredient.

Missed dose

Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.

Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention.

Storage

Store Combivir at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep away from children and pets.