Nelfinavir tablets-oral

Read the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start using nelfinavir and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.Take this medication by mouth with a meal, usually 2 to 3 times daily or as directed by your doctor.If you are unable to swallow tablets, you may crush your dose and take it with food. The tablets may also be dissolved in a small amount of water. If dissolved in water, stir the mixture well and drink all of it immediately. Rinse your container with more water and drink the rinse liquid to be sure you receive the entire dose. Do not mix with acidic food or juices (such as orange juice, apple juice/sauce) since this may make the medicine taste bitter.The dosage is based on your weight, liver function, medical condition, other medications, and response to treatment.This medication works best when the amount of drug in your body is kept at a constant level. Therefore, take this drug at evenly spaced intervals. To help you remember, take it at the same times each day.It is very important to continue taking this medication (and other HIV medications) exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take more or less of this drug than prescribed or stop taking it (or other HIV medicines) even for a short time unless directed to do so by your doctor. Skipping or changing your dose without approval from your doctor may cause the amount of virus to increase, make the infection more difficult to treat, or worsen side effects.

Before taking nelfinavir, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; 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: diabetes, heart problems (coronary artery disease, heart attack), lipid problems (high cholesterol or triglycerides/fats), hemophilia, liver problems.Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).Children may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially diarrhea or rash.Tell your doctor if you are pregnant before using this medication.It is unknown if this medication passes into breast milk. Because breast milk can transmit HIV, do not breast-feed.

The effects of some drugs can change if you take other drugs or herbal products at the same time. This can increase your risk for serious side effects or may cause your medications not to work correctly. These drug interactions are possible, but do not always occur. Your doctor or pharmacist can often prevent or manage interactions by changing how you use your medications or by close monitoring.To help your doctor and pharmacist give you the best care, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products) before starting treatment with this product. While using this product, do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any other medicines you are using without your doctor's approval.Some products that may interact with this drug include: certain antiarrhythmics (amiodarone, quinidine), certain benzodiazepines (midazolam, triazolam), cisapride, eletriptan, eplerenone, ergot alkaloids (such as dihydroergotamine, ergonovine, ergotamine, methylergonovine), pimozide, ranolazine, rifampin, St. John's wort, certain "statin" cholesterol drugs (lovastatin, simvastatin), certain drugs to lower acid in the stomach (proton pump inhibitors such as lansoprazole, omeprazole).Other medications can affect the removal of nelfinavir from your body, which may affect how nelfinavir works. Examples include rifabutin, certain anti-seizure drugs (carbamazepine, phenobarbital), other HIV drugs (such as ritonavir), among others.Nelfinavir can slow down the removal of other medications from your body, which may affect how they work. Examples of affected drugs include alfuzosin, lurasidone, regorafenib, certain drugs that weaken the immune system (cyclosporine, tacrolimus, sirolimus), drugs to treat erectile dysfunction-ED or pulmonary hypertension (such as sildenafil, vardenafil), salmeterol, among others.This medication may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring. This could cause pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about additional or alternative reliable forms of birth control, and always use an effective barrier method (latex or polyurethane condoms/dental dams) during all 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.This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use. Share the list with your doctor and pharmacist to lessen your risk for serious medication problems.

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 and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.