Abacavir And Lamivudine: What Should I Discuss With My Healthcare Provider Before Taking Abacavir And Lamivudine

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking abacavir and lamivudine?

Do not take this medicine if you have ever had an allergic reaction to abacavir. Tell your doctor if you have had an allergic reaction to any medicine that contains abacavir, such as Combivir, Trizivir, or Ziagen. Once you have had an allergic reaction to abacavir and lamivudine, you must never use it again.

This medication may cause lactic acidosis (the build up of lactic acid in the body). Lactic acidosis symptoms can start slowly and gradually get worse. Symptoms include unusual muscle pain and weakness, trouble breathing, fast or uneven heart rate, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and numbness or cold feeling in your arms or legs. Contact your doctor at once if you have any of these symptoms, even if they are only mild. Early signs of lactic acidosis generally get worse over time and this condition can be fatal.

Your name may need to be listed on an abacavir patient registry when you start using this medication.

Before taking abacavir and lamivudine, tell your doctor if you have kidney or disease, including hepatitis. You may not be able to use this medication or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. HIV can be passed to the baby if the mother is not properly treated during pregnancy. Take all of your HIV medicines as directed to control your infection while you are pregnant.

You should not breast-feed while you are using abacavir. Women with HIV or AIDS should not breast-feed at all. Even if your baby is born without HIV, you may still pass the virus to the baby in your breast milk.

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Last updated:	August 04, 2006