Manufacturer: Glaxo SmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Salt Composition : Lamivudine(10mg)
Epivir Oral Solution is not a cure for HIV or AIDS and only helps to decrease the amount of HIV in your body. This helps to lower your risk of getting HIV-related complications and improves your lifespan. It is prescribed in combination with other HIV medicines. Your doctor will recommend the best medicines for you and will decide the doses that you need. Follow carefully the instructions for all the medicines that you are given. It can be taken with or without food. Taking all these medicines regularly at the right times greatly increases their effectiveness and reduces the chances of HIV becoming resistant to them. It is important not to miss doses and to keep taking them until your doctor tells you it is safe to stop.
Common side effects of this medicine include headache, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, fatigue, diarrhea, and rash. These are usually not serious but tell your doctor if they bother you or do not go away. Rarely, some people may experience a skin reaction or liver damage. Your doctor will closely monitor you for these in the initial period of treatment.
Before taking it, tell your doctor if you have any skin problems or liver or kidney disease. While using it, you may need regular blood tests to check your blood counts and liver function. Avoid drinking alcohol as it may increase your risk of liver damage. Pregnant or breastfeeding mothers should consult their doctor before using this medicine. Do not have unprotected sex or share personal items like razors or toothbrushes, if you are HIV positive. Talk to your doctor about safe ways like condoms to prevent HIV transmission during sex.
Epivir Oral Solution is an antiviral medication. It prevents the multiplication of virus in human cells. This stops the virus from producing new viruses and clears up your infection.
Lamivudine is absorbed rapidly, with a maximum lamivudine concentration of 0.5 to 1.5 hours following oral dose administration and absolute bioavailability of approximately 82% in adults and 68% in children. [11] Lamivudine can be taken with or without food.
Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them
Common side effects of Epivir
Headache
Nausea
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Fatigue
Stomach pain
Rash
Contraindicated in patients with previously demonstrated clinically significant hypersensitivity to any of the components of the products.
Epivir Oral Solution may be unsafe to use during pregnancy. Although there are limited studies in humans, animal studies have shown harmful effects on the developing baby. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and any potential risks before prescribing it to you. Please consult your doctor.
Caution is advised when consuming alcohol with Epivir Oral Solution. Please consult your doctor.
Epivir Oral Solution is probably safe to use during breastfeeding. Limited human data suggests that the drug does not represent any significant risk to the baby.
Lamivudine (Epivir) is used along with other medications to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in adults and children 3 months of age and older. Lamivudine (Epivir-HBV) is used to treat hepatitis B infection.
Drug-Drug Interactions: LAMIVUDINE may interact with a medication used to treat hepatitis B virus (adefovir dipivoxil), used to treat HIV infection (emtricitabine), antibiotic (cotrimoxazole), anticancer (cladribine, bexarotene), anti-gout medicine (leflunomide).
Drug-food interactions: No interactions found.
Drug-disease interactions: LAMIVUDINE should be used with caution in patients with pancreatic, severe liver, or kidney diseases.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
ADEFOVIR
COTRIMOXAZOLE
CLADRIBINE
BEXAROTENE
LEFLUNOMIDE
Check the label for directions before use. Measure it with a measuring cup and take it by mouth. Shake well before use. Epivir Oral Solution may be taken with or without food,
Store below 30°C
If you miss a dose of Epivir Oral Solution, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Do not double the dose.
Consult a doctor before taking any medicines.
You have been prescribed Epivir Oral Solution for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
In combination with other medicines, it is used for the treatment of HIV infections.
Take it with food, as this increases the absorption of the medicine into the body.
Epivir Oral Solution may cause dizziness or sleepiness. Do not drive or do anything requiring concentration until you know how it affects you.
You may still develop infections or other illnesses associated with viral infection while taking this medication.
You can also pass on HIV or HBV to others. Don't share needles or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them.
During treatment and for at least six months after stopping this medicine, regular blood tests are needed to monitor your liver function, level of hepatitis B virus and blood cells in your blood.
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Check the label for directions before use. Measure it with a measuring cup and take it by mouth. Shake well before use. Epivir Oral Solution may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
Q. How should I take Epivir Oral Solution?
Epivir Oral Solution should be taken in the dose and duration advised by the doctor. This medicine can be taken with or without food. However, it is better to take it at a fixed time of the day to avoid the chances of missing a dose.
Q. Is Epivir Oral Solution effective?
Epivir Oral Solution is effective if used in the dose and duration advised by your doctor. Do not stop taking it even if you see improvement in your condition. If you stop using Epivir Oral Solution too early, the symptoms may return or worsen.
Q. What is drug resistance? Can I develop drug resistance with Epivir Oral Solution?
Drug resistance is a state where the medicine which was once effective in treating an infection becomes ineffective. This mainly happens due to the ability acquired by the virus or bacteria to get modified inside the body which affects the overall working of the medicine. Hence, the medicine is no longer able to fight against the virus or bacteria. Generally, drug resistance with Epivir Oral Solution is more likely to happen if you take less dose than what is recommended.
Q. How long should I take Epivir Oral Solution?
Do not stop taking entecavir without consulting your doctor. Stopping entecavir before treatment may worsen your hepatitis. This can happen during the first several months after you stop taking entecavir. Take the medicine strictly as advised and do not miss any dose.
