Emtricitabine

Emtricitabine 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 is an antiviral medicine. It works by blocking a protein that helps HIV spread, which reduces HIV levels in the blood.

Do NOT use Emtricitabine if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Emtricitabine
• 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 :

Some medical conditions may interact with Emtricitabine . 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, lactic acidosis, liver problems (eg, enlarged liver), or abnormal liver function test results

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Emtricitabine . However, no specific interactions with Emtricitabine are known at this time.

Ask your health care provider if Emtricitabine 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 :

Use Emtricitabine as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

• An extra patient leaflet is available with Emtricitabine . Talk to your pharmacist if you have questions about this information.
• Take Emtricitabine by mouth with or without food.
• Take Emtricitabine at the same time each day to keep a constant amount of medicine in your body. Do not skip doses of Emtricitabine .
• If you miss a dose of Emtricitabine , 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 2 doses at once. It is important not to miss doses of Emtricitabine .

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Emtricitabine .

Important safety information:

• Emtricitabine may cause dizziness. This effect may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Emtricitabine 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 may not provide additional benefits and may increase the risk of side effects.
• When your medicine supply is low, get more from your doctor or pharmacist as soon as you can. Do not stop taking Emtricitabine (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 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 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.
• Emtricitabine may not prevent other infections. If your health changes, check with your doctor.
• Lab tests, including liver and kidney function, may be performed while you use Emtricitabine . These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Emtricitabine 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 while you are pregnant. Mothers infected with HIV should not breast-feed. There is a risk of passing the HIV infection or Emtricitabine to the baby.

Possible side effects of Emtricitabine :

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 skin sensation; change in color of skin on palms or soles of feet; changes in body fat; cough; depression; diarrhea; dizziness; headache; indigestion; joint or muscle pain; nausea; runny nose; sleeplessness; stomach pain; vomiting; weakness or lack of energy.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); dark urine; fever, chills, or sore throat; rapid breathing; severe or persistent cough; severe weakness; unusual fatigue; yellowing of the eyes or skin.

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. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

If OVERDOSE is suspected:

Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center (http://www.aapcc.org), or emergency room immediately.

Store Emtricitabine at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Emtricitabine out of the reach of children and away from pets.

General information:

• If you have any questions about Emtricitabine , please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• Emtricitabine 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.

This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Emtricitabine . 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.

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