Emtricitabine, nelfinavir, and tenofovir

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

This medicine works best if you take it with food.

To be sure this medication is helping your condition and not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested often. Your kidney and liver function or bone density may also need to be tested. Visit your doctor regularly.

If you have hepatitis B you may develop liver symptoms after you stop taking emtricitabine, nelfinavir, and tenofovir, even months after stopping. Your doctor may want to check your liver function at regular visits for several months after you stop using the medicine. Do not miss any follow-up visits to your doctor.

HIV/AIDS is usually treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor's advice. Every person with HIV or AIDS should remain under the care of a doctor.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep the tablets in their original container, along with the packet of moisture-absorbing preservative that comes with this medicine.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

If you also take didanosine, take it 1 hour before or 2 hours after you take emtricitabine, nelfinavir, and tenofovir.

Taking this medication will not prevent you from passing HIV to other people. Avoid having unprotected sex or sharing razors or toothbrushes. Talk with your doctor about safe ways to prevent HIV transmission during sex. Sharing drug or medicine needles is never safe, even for a healthy person.

Emtricitabine, nelfinavir, and tenofovir can harm your kidneys. This effect is increased when you also use other medicines harmful to the kidneys. You may need dose adjustments or special tests if you have recently used:

• lithium (Lithobid);

• methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall);

• pain or arthritis medicines such as aspirin (Anacin, Excedrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naprelan, Treximet), celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Arthrotec, Voltaren), indomethacin (Indocin), meloxicam (Mobic), and others;

• medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, such as cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), sirolimus (Rapamune) or tacrolimus (Prograf);

• IV antibiotics such as amphotericin B (Fungizone, AmBisome, Amphotec, Abelcet), amikacin (Amikin), bacitracin (Baci IM), capreomycin (Capastat), gentamicin (Garamycin), kanamycin (Kantrex), streptomycin, or vancomycin (Vancocin, Vancoled);

• antiviral medicines such as adefovir (Hepsera), cidofovir (Vistide), or foscarnet (Foscavir); or

• cancer medicine such as aldesleukin (Proleukin), carmustine (BiCNU, Gliadel), cisplatin (Platinol), ifosfamide (Ifex), oxaliplatin (Eloxatin), streptozocin (Zanosar), or tretinoin (Vesanoid).

You may need dose adjustments or special tests when taking any of these medications together with emtricitabine, nelfinavir, and tenofovir.

Many other drugs can interact with emtricitabine, nelfinavir, and tenofovir. Below is just a partial list:

• antiviral medications for herpes or HIV;

• antifungal medicine;

• cholesterol-lowering medicines;

• heart or blood pressure medications;

• insulin or oral diabetes medication;

• seizure medications; or

• medicines to treat erectile dysfunction.

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with emtricitabine, nelfinavir, and tenofovir. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.