Truvada

Truvada is used for:

Treating HIV infection in combination with other medicines. Truvada is not a cure for HIV or AIDS. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Truvada is an antiviral combination of 2 reverse transcriptase inhibitors. It works by blocking an enzyme, which reduces the amount of HIV in the body by reducing its ability to multiply.

Do NOT use Truvada if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Truvada
• you have a history of abnormal liver function tests, severe liver problems, severe kidney problems, or lactic acidosis
• you are taking other medicines that contain emtricitabine or tenofovir

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Truvada :

Some medical conditions may interact with Truvada . 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 bone problems or kidney problems, including dialysis treatment
• if you have liver problems, including HBV infection

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Truvada . Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Acyclovir, adefovir, cidofovir, ganciclovir, valacyclovir, valganciclovir, or other medicines that may affect kidney function because they may increase the risk of Truvada 's side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if any of your medicines may affect your kidneys
• HIV protease inhibitors (eg, indinavir) or lopinavir/ritonavir because they may increase the risk of Truvada 's side effects
• Didanosine because the risk of its side effects may be increased by Truvada

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Truvada 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 Truvada :

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

• Take Truvada by mouth with or without food.
• Continue to take Truvada even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses.
• Do not suddenly stop taking Truvada without checking with your doctor. This may cause the virus to become less sensitive to this or other medicines. Also, some conditions (eg, hepatitis B) could become worse if you suddenly stop taking Truvada .
• Taking Truvada at the same time each day will help you remember to take it.
• If you miss a dose of Truvada , take it as soon as possible. If you do not remember until the next day, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do NOT take more than 1 dose in the same day.

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

Important safety information:

• Truvada may cause dizziness or lightheadedness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Truvada with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
• Keep a list of all the medicines that you take. Make a new list each time medicines are added or stopped. Find out about medicines that should not be taken while you are using Truvada . Be sure that each of your health care providers knows all the medicines that you are taking.
• When your medicine supply is low, get more from your doctor or pharmacist as soon as you can. Do not stop taking Truvada , even for a short period of time. If you do, the virus may grow resistant to the medicine and become harder to treat.
• Truvada is not a cure for HIV infection. Patients may still get illnesses and infections associated with HIV. Remain under the care of your doctor.
• Truvada 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.
• Truvada is not for the treatment of HBV. If you have HBV and HIV, you will need close medical follow-up for several months after stopping treatment with Truvada . Follow-up includes medical exams and blood tests to check for HBV infection that could be getting worse.
• 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 Truvada . The cause and long-term effects of these changes are unknown. Discuss any concerns with your doctor.
• Truvada 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 Truvada .
• Ask your doctor if you should take a calcium and vitamin D supplement while you are taking Truvada .
• Lab tests, including liver and kidney function tests and bone mineral density tests, may be performed while you use Truvada . These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Truvada should not be used in CHILDREN younger than 18 years old; safety and effectiveness in 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 Truvada while you are pregnant. It is not known if Truvada is found in breast milk. Mothers infected with HIV should not breast-feed. There is a risk of passing the HIV infection or Truvada to the baby. Do not breast-feed while taking Truvada .

Possible side effects of Truvada :

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 sensations; back pain; changes in body fat (eg, increased fat in the upper back and stomach areas, decreased fat in the face, arms, and legs); cough; diarrhea; gas; headache; indigestion; lightening of the skin color on the palms of hands or soles of feet; loss of appetite; nausea; sinus drainage; skin discoloration (small spots or freckles); sleeplessness; strange dreams; sweating; vomiting; weakness; weight loss.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bone pain; chest pain; chills; dark urine; decreased urination or difficulty urinating; dizziness; extreme weakness or tiredness; fast or irregular heartbeat; feeling cold, especially in the arms and legs; fever; increased thirst; increased urination; light-colored bowel movements (stools); lightheadedness; mental or mood changes (eg, depression); muscle aches; not feeling like eating for several days; numbness, burning, pain, or tingling in the hands or feet; pneumonia; rapid breathing; sore throat; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; unusual muscle pain; unusual tiredness; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

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 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. Do not use Truvada if the seal over the bottle opening is broken or missing. Keep Truvada in its original container and keep the container tightly closed. Do not keep medicine that is out of date or that you no longer need. If you throw any medicines away, make sure that children or pets cannot find them. Keep Truvada out of the reach of children and away from pets.

General information:

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