Important information about Combivir

Combivir should not be taken together with any other medications that contain either lamivudine and zidovudine. This includes Epivir, Retrovir, Epzicom (abacavir and lamivudine), and Trizivir (abacavir, lamivudine, zidovudine). Before taking Combivir, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease, liver disease, a pancreas disorder, bone marrow suppression, or problems with your muscles. Combivir can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can make it easier for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being around others who are ill. Your blood may need to be tested often. Visit your doctor regularly. If you have hepatitis B you may develop liver symptoms after you stop taking Combivir, even months after stopping. Your doctor may want to check your liver function for several months after you stop using Combivir. Visit your doctor regularly. Some people develop lactic acidosis while taking Combivir. Early symptoms may get worse over time and this condition can be fatal. Get emergency medical help if you have even mild symptoms such as: muscle pain or weakness, numb or cold feeling in your arms and legs, trouble breathing, stomach pain, nausea with vomiting, slow or uneven heart rate, dizziness, or feeling very weak or tired. Before taking Combivir Do not use Combivir if you are allergic to lamivudine or zidovudine. Combivir (Combivir) should not be taken together with any other medications that contain either of the two drugs. This includes Epivir, Retrovir, Epzicom (abacavir and lamivudine), and Trizivir (abacavir, lamivudine, zidovudine).

To make sure you can safely take Combivir, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

�kidney disease;

�liver disease (including hepatitis);

�pancreatitis;

�bone marrow suppression; or

�problems with your muscles.

Some people develop a life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis while taking Combivir. You may be more likely to develop lactic acidosis if you are overweight or have liver disease, if you are a woman, or if you have taken HIV or AIDS medications for a long time. Talk with your doctor about your individual risk. FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether Combivir will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using Combivir. HIV can be passed to your baby if you are not properly treated during pregnancy. Take all of your HIV medicines as directed to control your infection. If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to evaluate any effects of Combivir on the baby. Women with HIV or AIDS should not breast-feed a baby. Even if your baby is born without HIV, the virus may be passed to the baby in your breast milk. Do not give this medication to a child who weighs less than 66 pounds.