Epzicom® (Abacavir/3TC, Kivexa)
Who should take this?
Epzicom has only been studied in adults. It is not known how it affects children. Epzicom has also not been studied in pregnant women. One of its ingredients, abacavir, has been found to cause birth defects and other problems in animals when given in very high doses. A woman who is pregnant or plans to become pregnant should talk to her doctor before taking Epzicom.
One part of Epzicom – lamivudine – is passed into human breast milk. It then goes on to the nursing child, where it could cause unwanted effects. It is not known whether abacavir passes into breast milk.
HIV infection itself can be passed from a mother to a nursing child. Women who are taking Epzicom should bottle feed their babies.
How is it taken? / Dosage
This drug is given as a tablet taken once a day.
For best effectiveness, it is important to take Epzicom exactly as directed by the doctor. This will also help prevent the HIV from becoming resistant to the drug.
Side Effects
While Epzicom is helpful in fighting HIV, it does have side effects. It is important that person taking Epzicom visit his or her doctor regularly to see how treatment is going.
Taking Epzicom can increase the chance of developing blood problems. Other side effects of Epzicom include:
- A feeling of being unwell
- Allergic reactions to the drug. These may happen at any time. They usually show up within six weeks of starting the drug. Without treatment, such reactions can lead to death. A doctor should be seen immediately if a person taking Epzicom has a sudden fever, skin rash, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, a feeling of being tired or unwell, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat.
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Lightheadedness
- Muscle pain
- Nausea
- Numbness or tingling of the face, feet or hands
- Shortness of breath
- Skin rash
- Sleeplessness
- Sore throat
- Swollen feet or calves
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Vomiting
Side effects may go away as the body gets used to the medicine. Consult a doctor if any side effects continue or are troubling.
Drug Interactions
Some drugs when taken together can have bad effects. Sometimes combining drugs should be totally avoided. In other cases, it may be necessary to adjust the amount of the drugs given to balance the effects they have on each other.
A person taking Epzicom should be sure that his or her doctors and pharmacists know all the medicines and supplements that he or she is taking. This will help avoid interactions. Drugs that may cause problems if taken with Epzicom include:
- Ziagen®, which is the brand name of abacavir. Taking this and Epzicom might make the dose taken of abacavir too high. This increases the risk of side effects.
- Epivir-HBV®, Combivir® or Trizivir®, which are brand name drugs that all contain lamivudine. Using the extra lamivudine may make the dose of lamivudine too high.
- Hivid® (zalcitabine), which makes lamivudine not work as well when taken together
