What is abacavir and lamivudine?
Abacavir and lamivudine are antiviral medications that prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body.
The combination of abacavir and lamivudine is used to treat HIV, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This medication is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.
Abacavir and lamivudine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about abacavir and lamivudine?
Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: fever; rash; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain; general ill feeling, extreme tiredness, body aches; shortness of breath, cough, sore throat.
Once you have had an allergic reaction to abacavir, you must never use it again.
Read the Warning Card that comes with this medication, and carry it with you at all times so you will know the symptoms of allergic reaction to watch for.
Some people develop lactic acidosis while taking abacavir and lamivudine. Early symptoms may get worse over time and this condition can be fatal. Get emergency medical help if you have even mild symptoms such as: muscle pain or weakness, numb or cold feeling in your arms and legs, trouble breathing, stomach pain, nausea with vomiting, fast or uneven heart rate, dizziness, or feeling very weak or tired.
Abacavir and lamivudine can also cause severe or life-threatening effects on your liver. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these symptoms while taking this medication: pain in your upper stomach, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
If you have hepatitis B you may develop liver symptoms after you stop taking this medication, even months after stopping. Your doctor may want to check your liver function for several months after you stop using abacavir and lamivudine. Visit your doctor regularly.
Do not allow your medicine to run out completely before you get your prescription refilled. It is important that you not stop taking abacavir and lamivudine once you have started. If you miss several doses, you may have a dangerous or even fatal allergic reaction once you start taking the medicine again. If you stop taking abacavir and lamivudine for any reason, talk to your doctor before you start taking the medication again.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking abacavir and lamivudine?
Do not take this medication if you have ever had an allergic reaction to Epzicom or any medicine that contains abacavir or lamivudine, including: Combivir, Epivir, Trizivir, or Ziagen. Once you have had an allergic reaction to abacavir, you must never use it again.
Some people develop a life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis while taking abacavir and lamivudine. You may be more likely to develop lactic acidosis if you are overweight or have liver disease, if you are a woman, or if you have taken HIV or AIDS medications for a long time. Talk with your doctor about your individual risk.
Abacavir and lamivudine can also cause severe or life-threatening effects on your liver. You should not take abacavir and lamivudine if you have liver disease.
Do not take abacavir and lamivudine with any of the following HIV medications: Atripla, Combivir, Complera, Emtriva, Epivir, Trizivir, Truvada, Zerit, or Ziagen.
To make sure you can safely take abacavir and lamivudine, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
kidney disease;
heart disease or high blood pressure;
a risk factor for heart disease such as smoking, diabetes, or high cholesterol; or
if you have used an HIV medication in the past, such as abacavir (Ziagen), didanosine (Videx), emtricitabine (Atripla, Complera, Emtriva, Truvada), lamivudine (Combivir, Epivir, Trizivir), stavudine (Zerit), tenofovir (Viread), zalcitabine (Hivid), or zidovudine (Retrovir).
You may need a blood test before you start taking abacavir and lamivudine for the first time, or if you are restarting the medication after stopping for reasons not related to an allergic reaction.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether abacavir and lamivudine will harm an unborn baby. HIV can be passed to your baby if you are not properly treated during pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Take all of your HIV medicines as directed to control your infection.
If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to evaluate any effects of this medication on the baby.
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.