Ribavirin Oral Solution

If you miss a dose, use 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.

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:

• Headache.
• Not able to sleep.
• Upset stomach or throwing up.
• Loose stools (diarrhea).
• Not hungry.
• Hair loss.
• Feeling tired or weak.
• Muscle or joint pain.
• Dizziness.
• Dry skin.
• Dry mouth.

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.

• If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor.
• Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs.
• Keep a list of all your drugs (prescription, natural products, vitamins, OTC) with you. Give this list to your doctor.
• Talk with the doctor before starting any new drug, including prescription or OTC, natural products, or vitamins.
• This medicine comes with an extra patient fact sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it with care. Read it again each time this medicine is refilled. If you have any questions about ribavirin oral solution, please talk with the doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this medicine or any other medicine. Only the healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for a specific patient. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about ribavirin oral solution. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this medicine. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from the healthcare provider. You must talk with the healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using ribavirin oral solution.

Review Date: October 4, 2017

Ribavirin can interact with other medications, herbs, or vitamins you might be taking. That’s why your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. If you’re curious about how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Note: You can reduce your chances of drug interactions by having all of your prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy. That way, a pharmacist can check for possible drug interactions

Food Interactions

Don’t take ribavirin with a high fat meal. This can increase the amount of the drug in your blood. Take your medication with a low-fat meal.

Medications That Might Interact with This Drug

Immunosuppressant drug

• azathioprine

Taking ribavirin with azathioprine can increase the amount of azathioprine in your body. This may increase your risk for toxic side effects due to azathioprine.

Live flu vaccine

Taking ribavirin with the live flu vaccine may decrease the effect of the flu vaccine. Don’t take ribavirin 48 hours before or 2 weeks after receiving a live flu vaccine.

Interferons (alfa)

Taking ribavirin with interferons (alfa) might increase the risk for side effects, including low red blood cells (anemia), due to ribavirin treatment.

HIV medications

• reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Taking ribavirin with reverse transcriptase inhibitors may increase the risk for toxic effects on your liver. Taking these medications together should be avoided if possible.
• zidovudine. Taking ribavirin with zidovudine may increase your risk of adverse effects, including low red blood cells (anemia). Taking these two medications together should be avoided if possible.
• didanosine. Taking ribavirin with didanosine may increase your risk of adverse effects. Didanosine should not be taken with ribavirin.

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking. Ribavirin Warnings

Pregnant women

Ribavirin is a category X pregnancy drug. Category X drugs should never be used during pregnancy.

Don’t use ribavirin if you’re pregnant. Don’t use it if you or your female partner plans to become pregnant. Ribavirin can cause birth defects or death of an unborn baby. This can happen if either the mother or father uses ribavirin during conception, or if the mother takes the drug during pregnancy. You or your female partner should not become pregnant while taking ribavirin and for 6 months after treatment ends.

You must use two effective forms of birth control during and for 6 months after treatment if you’re a man or a woman being treated with ribavirin. Talk to your healthcare provider about forms of birth control that you can use.

Women must have a negative pregnancy test before starting treatment, every month while being treated, and for 6 months after treatment ends.

If you or your female partner becomes pregnant during or within 6 months after treatment with ribavirin, tell your healthcare provider right away. You or your healthcare provider should contact the Ribavirin Pregnancy Registry by calling 1-800-593-2214. The Ribavirin Pregnancy Registry collects information about what happens to mothers and their babies if the mother takes ribavirin while pregnant.

Women who are nursing

It isn’t known if ribavirin passes through breastmilk. If it does, it can cause serious effects in a nursing child.

You and your doctor may need to decide if you’ll take ribavirin or breastfeed.

For Children

The safety and effectiveness of the ribavirin solution haven’t been established in children under the age of 3 years.

When to call the doctor

• Tell your doctor right away if you or your female partner becomes pregnant during your treatment with ribavirin. Ribavirin can cause birth defects or death of an unborn baby.
• Talk to your doctor before starting any new prescription or over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Certain medications may affect how ribavirin works.

Allergies

Don’t take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Taking it again could be fatal.