Pronunciation: EM-trye-SYE-ta-been
Generic Name: Emtricitabine
Brand Name: Emtriva
Emtricitabine Solution may cause a serious and sometimes fatal condition called lactic acidosis. The risk of lactic acidosis may be greater if you are a woman, are very overweight, or have liver problems. The risk may also be increased in patients who have taken certain HIV medicines for a prolonged period of time. Contact your doctor right away if you notice symptoms such as fast or difficult breathing; unusual muscle pain or tenderness; nausea or vomiting; sluggishness; fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat; unusual drowsiness, dizziness, or light-headedness; or unusual weakness or tiredness. Contact your doctor right away if you start to feel unusually cold or if you have a general feeling of being unwell.
Severe and sometimes fatal liver problems have been reported with this type of medicine (nucleoside analogs). Contact your doctor right away if you have dark urine; persistent loss of appetite; severe or persistent stomach pain or tenderness; or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
Emtricitabine Solution is not approved to treat chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Some patients with both HBV and HIV infection experience worsening of HBV infection after they stop taking Emtricitabine Solution. Your doctor will check your liver function while you take Emtricitabine Solution and for several months afterwards if you stop taking it. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments. Do not stop taking Emtricitabine Solution without checking with your doctor. Your doctor may need to prescribe other medicine if you experience worsening of your HBV infection.
Emtricitabine Solution is used for:
Treating HIV infection. It must be used in combination with other HIV medicines. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Emtricitabine Solution is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI). It works by blocking the growth of HIV.
Do NOT use Emtricitabine Solution if:
- you are allergic to any ingredient in Emtricitabine Solution
- you are taking other medicines that contain emtricitabine or lamivudine
Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
Before using Emtricitabine Solution:
Some medical conditions may interact with Emtricitabine Solution. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:
- if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
- if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
- if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
- if you have chronic hepatitis B, kidney problems, liver problems (eg, enlarged liver), or abnormal liver function test results, or if you are very overweight
- if you have a history of lactic acidosis
Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Emtricitabine Solution. However, no specific interactions with Emtricitabine Solution are known at this time.
Ask your health care provider if Emtricitabine Solution may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.
How to use Emtricitabine Solution:
Use Emtricitabine Solution as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
- An extra patient leaflet is available with Emtricitabine Solution. Talk to your pharmacist if you have questions about this information.
- Take Emtricitabine Solution by mouth with or without food.
- Take Emtricitabine Solution at the same time each day to keep a constant amount of medicine in your body. Do not skip doses of Emtricitabine Solution.
- If you miss a dose of Emtricitabine Solution, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take more than 1 dose in a day. Do not take 2 doses at once. It is important not to miss doses of Emtricitabine Solution.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Emtricitabine Solution.
Important safety information:
- Emtricitabine Solution may cause dizziness. This effect may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Emtricitabine Solution with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
- Do NOT take more than the recommended dose without checking with your doctor. Exceeding the prescribed dose of Emtricitabine Solution may not provide additional benefits and may increase the risk of side effects.
- Changes in body fat (eg, an increased amount of fat in the upper back, neck, breast, and trunk, and loss of fat from the legs, arms, and face) may occur in some patients taking medicines for HIV. The cause and long-terms effects of these changes are unknown. Discuss any questions or concerns with your doctor.
- Emtricitabine Solution may improve immune system function. This may reveal hidden infections in some patients. Tell your doctor right away if you notice symptoms of infection (eg, fever, sore throat, weakness, cough, shortness of breath) after you start Emtricitabine Solution.
- When your medicine supply is low, get more from your doctor or pharmacist as soon as you can. Do not stop taking Emtricitabine Solution (or other HIV medicines), even for a short period of time. If you do, the virus may grow resistant to the medicine and become harder to treat.
- Emtricitabine Solution is not a cure for HIV infection. Patients may still get illnesses and infections associated with HIV. Remain under the care of your doctor.
- Emtricitabine Solution does not stop the spread of HIV to others through blood or sexual contact. Use barrier methods of birth control (eg, condoms) if you have HIV infection. Do not share needles, injection supplies, or items like toothbrushes or razors.
- Lab tests, including liver and kidney function, may be performed while you use Emtricitabine Solution. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
- Emtricitabine Solution should be used with extreme caution in CHILDREN younger than 3 months old; safety and effectiveness in these children have not been confirmed.
- PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Emtricitabine Solution while you are pregnant. Mothers infected with HIV should not breast-feed. There is a risk of passing the HIV infection or Emtricitabine Solution to the baby.
Possible side effects of Emtricitabine Solution:
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:
Abnormal dreams; change in color of skin on palms or soles of feet; cough; diarrhea; dizziness; headache; indigestion or stomach upset; joint or muscle pain; mild stomach pain; nausea; runny nose; sleeplessness; tiredness; vomiting; weakness or lack of energy.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); burning, numbness, or tingling; depression; fast or difficult breathing; fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat; feeling unusually cold; fever, chills, or sore throat; general feeling of being unwell; muscle pain or tenderness; severe or persistent cough; severe or persistent nausea or vomiting; severe or persistent stomach discomfort, pain, or tenderness; sluggishness; symptoms of liver problems (eg, dark urine, pale stools, persistent loss of appetite, yellowing of the eyes or skin); unusual drowsiness, dizziness, or light-headedness; unusual muscle pain or tenderness; unusual tiredness or weakness.
This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.
See also: Emtricitabine side effects (in more detail)
If OVERDOSE is suspected:
Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center, or emergency room immediately.
Proper storage of Emtricitabine Solution:
Store Emtricitabine Solution in the refrigerator, between 36 and 46 degrees F (2 and 8 degrees C). Do not freeze. Emtricitabine Solution may be stored at room temperature for up to 3 months. If stored at room temperature, discard any remaining medicine after 3 months. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Emtricitabine Solution out of the reach of children and away from pets.
General information:
- If you have any questions about Emtricitabine Solution, please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
- Emtricitabine Solution is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.
- If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
- Check with your pharmacist about how to dispose of unused medicine.
This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Emtricitabine Solution. If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
More Emtricitabine resources
- Emtricitabine Side Effects (in more detail)
- Emtricitabine Dosage
- Emtricitabine Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Emtricitabine Drug Interactions
- Emtricitabine Support Group
- 0 Reviews for Emtricitabine - Add your own review/rating
Compare Emtricitabine with other medications
- HIV Infection
- Nonoccupational Exposure
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