Combivir

What you should know before using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatrics

Either lamivudine or zidovudine used alone may cause serious side effects, and children should receive less of these medicines than adults. However, lamivudine and zidovudine combination contains a fixed amount of each medicine that cannot be decreased. Therefore, lamivudine and zidovudine combination is not recommended for children less than 12 years of age, or children who weigh less than 50 kilograms (110 pounds) because the amounts of lamivudine and zidovudine in this product cannot be adjusted for smaller body sizes.

Geriatric

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. Many older people have problems with their liver, heart and kidneys. Your doctor may change the amount of medicine you take because of other health problems.

Drug Interactions

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Dapsone
• Doxorubicin Hydrochloride
• Flucytosine
• Ganciclovir
• Interferon Alfa
• Pyrazinamide
• Pyrimethamine
• Ribavirin
• Stavudine
• Vinblastine
• Vincristine
• Vincristine Liposome
• Zalcitabine

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Blood problems, including decreased bone marrow production—Lamivudine and zidovudine combination may make these conditions worse

• Infection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) at the same time—This medicine could make your hepatitis worse or prevent the medicine from working properly.

• Kidney disease—Patients with kidney disease may experience an increase in side effects

• Liver disease or
• Risk factors for liver disease or
• Obesity (being overweight) or
• Use of other HIV medicines over a long period of time—This medicine may make liver disease worse in patients with liver disease, obesity or other HIV medicine use.