Efavirenz Tablets

• It is used to treat HIV infection.

For all patients taking this medicine:

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take this medicine (efavirenz tablets). This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Do not run out of this medicine (efavirenz tablets).
• Have blood work checked as you have been told by the doctor. Talk with the doctor.
• This medicine may affect certain lab tests. Tell all of your health care providers and lab workers that you take this medicine.
• Talk with your doctor before you drink alcohol or use other drugs and natural products that slow your actions.
• This medicine is not a cure for HIV. Stay under the care of your doctor.
• This medicine does not stop the spread of diseases like HIV or hepatitis that are passed through blood or having sex. Do not have any kind of sex without using a latex or polyurethane condom. Do not share needles or other things like toothbrushes or razors. Talk with your doctor.
• This medicine may affect how much of some other drugs are in your body. If you are taking other drugs, talk with your doctor. You may need to have your blood work checked more closely while taking this medicine (efavirenz tablets) with your other drugs.
• This medicine may raise the chance of seizures in some people, including people who have had seizures in the past. Talk to your doctor to see if you have a greater chance of seizures while taking this medicine.
• If you are able to get pregnant, a pregnancy test will be done to show that you are NOT pregnant before starting this medicine (efavirenz tablets). Talk with your doctor.
• This medicine may cause harm to the unborn baby if you take it while you are pregnant.
• Use birth control that you can trust to prevent pregnancy while taking this medicine and for 3 months after care ends.
• Birth control pills and other hormone-based birth control may not work as well to prevent pregnancy. Use some other kind of birth control also like a condom when taking this medicine (efavirenz tablets) and for 3 months after your last dose.
• If you get pregnant while taking this medicine or within 3 months after your last dose, call your doctor right away.
• Do not breast-feed if you have HIV disease unless your doctor tells you to.

Children:

• If your child's weight changes, talk with the doctor. The dose of this medicine (efavirenz tablets) may need to be changed.

Use this medicine as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

• Take this medicine (efavirenz tablets) at bedtime.
• Take on an empty stomach.
• Take with a full glass of water.
• Swallow whole. Do not chew or crush.
• Do not split or break tablet.
• If you have trouble swallowing, talk with your doctor.
• It is important that you do not miss or skip a dose of this medicine during treatment.
• Keep taking this medicine (efavirenz tablets) as you have been told by your doctor or other health care provider, even if you feel well.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Take a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
• Do not take 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.
• If you are not sure what to do if you miss a dose, call your doctor.

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:

• Upset stomach or throwing up.
• Loose stools (diarrhea).
• Headache.
• Feeling tired or weak.
• This medicine may cause you to have dizziness, sleepiness, trouble sleeping, trouble focusing, or dreams that are not normal. Most of the time, these effects go away after taking this medicine for 2 to 4 weeks. It may help if you take this medicine (efavirenz tablets) at bedtime. Call your doctor if these effects last, they bother you, or are very bad.

These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

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