This product is used to help control HIV infection. It
helps to decrease the amount of HIV in your body so your immune system can
work better. This lowers your chance of getting HIV complications (such as
new infections, cancer) and improves your quality of life. This product
contains 4 different medications: darunavir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and
tenofovir alafenamide. Darunavir is known as a protease inhibitor.
Cobicistat helps darunavir work better. Emtricitabine is called a
nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, while tenofovir alafenamide is
called a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor; both kinds of drugs
are often called NRTIs.
Darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide
is not a cure for HIV infection. To decrease your risk of spreading HIV
disease to others, continue to take all HIV medications exactly as
prescribed by your doctor. Use an effective barrier method (latex or
polyurethane condoms/dental dams) during sexual activity as directed by
your doctor. Do not share personal items (such as needles/syringes,
toothbrushes, and razors) that may have contacted blood or other body
fluids. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from
your pharmacist before you start taking this medication and each time you
get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or
pharmacist.
Take this medication by mouth with food as directed by
your doctor, usually once daily. If you have trouble swallowing this
medication whole, you may split the tablet with a tablet cutter before
taking it. Take each part of the split tablet right away.
It is very important to keep taking this medication
exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not skip any
doses.
For the best effect, take this medication at evenly
spaced times. To help you remember, take this medication at the same time
every day.
Do not take more or less of this drug than prescribed or
stop taking it even for a short time unless directed to do so by your
doctor. Doing so may cause the amount of virus to increase, make the
infection more difficult to treat (resistant), or worsen side
effects.
Diarrhea, nausea, headache, or tiredness may occur. If
any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist
promptly.
Remember that this medication has been prescribed
because your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the
risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious
side effects.
As your immune system gets stronger, it can begin to
fight off infections you already had, possibly causing disease symptoms to
come back. You could also have symptoms if your immune system becomes
overactive. This reaction may happen at any time (soon after starting HIV
treatment or many months later). Get medical help right away if you have
any serious symptoms, including:
- unexplained weight loss
- severe tiredness
- muscle aches/weakness that doesn't go away
- headaches that are severe or don't go away
- joint pain
- numbness/tingling of the hands/feet/arms/legs
- vision changes
- signs of infection (such as fever, chills, swollen lymph
nodes, trouble breathing, cough, non-healing skin sores)
- signs of an overactive thyroid (such as irritability,
nervousness, heat intolerance, fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat, bulging
eyes, unusual growth in the neck/thyroid known as a goiter)
- signs of a certain nerve problem known as Guillain-Barre
syndrome (such as unsteadiness, loss of coordination, trouble
swallowing/speaking/chewing, trouble moving your eyes)
Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side
effects, including:
- signs of kidney problems (such as change in the amount of
urine, pink/bloody urine)
- easy bruising/bleeding
Rarely, this medication can cause severe (sometimes
fatal) liver and blood problems (lactic acidosis). Tell your doctor right
away if you develop symptoms of liver problems (such as nausea/vomiting
that doesn't stop, loss of appetite, stomach/abdominal pain, yellowing
eyes/skin, dark urine) or lactic acidosis (such as deep/rapid breathing,
drowsiness, nausea/vomiting, unusual weakness).
This medication may rarely make your blood sugar rise,
which can cause or worsen diabetes. Tell your doctor right away if you have
symptoms of high blood sugar such as increased thirst/urination. If you
already have diabetes, check your blood sugar regularly as directed and
share the results with your doctor. Your doctor may need to adjust your
diabetes medication, exercise program, or diet.
Changes in body fat may occur while you are taking this
medication (such as increased fat in the upper back and stomach areas,
decreased fat in the arms and legs). The cause and long-term effects of
these changes are unknown. Discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with
your doctor, as well as the possible use of exercise to reduce this side
effect.
This medication can commonly cause a rash that is
usually not serious. However, you may not be able to tell it apart from a
rare rash that could be a sign of a severe reaction. Get medical help right
away if you develop any rash, especially with symptoms such as fever,
tiredness, muscle/joint pain, blisters, mouth sores, or red/swollen
eyes.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare.
However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a
serious allergic reaction, including:
- rash
- itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat)
- severe dizziness
- trouble breathing
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If
you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or
pharmacist.
In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at
www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about
side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at
1-866-234-2345.
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor or
pharmacist if you are allergic to darunavir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, or
tenofovir; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain
inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems.
Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or
pharmacist your medical history, especially of:
- liver problems (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cirrhosis)
- a certain bleeding problem (hemophilia)
- kidney problems
Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about
all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription
drugs, and herbal products).
This medication is not recommended for use during
pregnancy. It may not work well in a pregnant woman. If you become pregnant
or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor right away. Your doctor may
change your HIV medications.
Emtricitabine, darunavir, and tenofovir alafenamide pass
into breast milk. It is unknown if cobicistat passes into breast milk.
Because breast milk may transmit HIV, consult your doctor before
breastfeeding.
Drug interactions may change how your medications work
or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not
contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you
use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and
share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the
dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
Some products that may interact with this drug
are:
Do not take this medication with other HIV medications
(such as ritonavir). Do not take this medication with other products that
contain cobicistat, darunavir, emtricitabine, or tenofovir.
This medication can slow down the removal of other
medications from your body, which may affect how they work. Examples of
affected drugs include dronedarone, eletriptan, eplerenone, ergot alkaloids
(such as ergotamine, dihydroergotamine), lomitapide, pimozide, ranolazine,
rivaroxaban, salmeterol, tolvaptan, certain alpha blockers (such as
alfuzosin, tamsulosin), certain benzodiazepines (such as midazolam,
triazolam), certain statins (such as lovastatin, simvastatin), certain
drugs to treat erectile dysfunction-ED or pulmonary hypertension (such as
avanafil, sildenafil), among others.
Other medications can affect the removal of this
medication from your body, which may affect how this medication works.
Examples include apalutamide, mitotane, certain rifamycins (such as
rifampin, rifapentine), St. John's wort, certain drugs used to treat
seizures (such as carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin,
primidone), among others.
This medication may decrease the effectiveness of
hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring. This could cause
pregnancy. This medication may also increase the risk of some hormonal
birth control side effects. Talk to your doctor about other reliable forms
of birth control, and use an effective barrier method (latex or
polyurethane condoms/dental dams) during sexual activity to decrease the
risk of spreading HIV to others. Tell your doctor if you have any new
spotting or breakthrough bleeding, because these may be signs that your
hormonal birth control is not working well.
If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such
as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison
control center right away. US residents can call 1-800-222-1222. Canada
residents can call 1-844-764-7669.
Do not share this medication with others.
Lab and/or medical tests (such as kidney/liver function,
test for hepatitis B virus, viral load, T-cell counts, blood mineral
levels, bone density tests, urine glucose/protein) should be done before
you start taking this medication and while you are taking it. Keep all
medical and lab appointments. Consult your doctor for more
details.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If
it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next
dose at the regular time. Do not double the dose to catch
up.
Store in the original container at room temperature away
from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications
away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them
into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when
it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste
disposal company.