Hivid

Who is Hivid for ?

Hivid is used alone or with other medications to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It will slow the spread of HIV infection in the body. Hivid is not a cure and may not decrease the number of HIV-related illnesses. Hivid does not prevent the spread of HIV to other people. Hivid is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

When should I be careful taking Hivid ?

Hivid can cause severe side effects, such as pancreatitis, severe liver damage, and a serious nerve disorder called peripheral neuropathy. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: unusual breathing, loss of appetite, upset stomach, vomiting, dark urine, yellowing of the skin, pale stools, stomach pain, or numbness, tingling, burning, or pain in the fingers or toes. Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your response to Hivid.

Before taking Hivid,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to Zalcitabine or any other drugs.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially amphotericin, antibiotics, cisplatin (Platinol), dapsone, didanosine (Videx, DDI), disulfiram (Antabuse), ethionamide (Trecator-SC), foscarnet (Foscavir), glutethimide (Doriden), gold, hydralazine (Apresoline), interferon, iodoquinol (Yodoxin), isoniazid (INH), medications for your stomach, such as antacids (Mylanta) or cimetidine (Tagamet), metoclopramide (Reglan), metronidazole (Flagyl), nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin), pentamidine (Pentam, NebuPent), phenytoin (Dilantin), probenecid (Benemid), ribavirin (Virazole), vincristine (Oncovin), and vitamins.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney, liver, or pancreas disease, tingling of the hands or feet (called peripheral neuropathy), any heart problems, a history of alcohol abuse, anemia, or bleeding or other blood problems.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking Hivid, call your doctor.
• tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.

Hivid Side Effects

Side effects from Hivid are common. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• mouth sores
• headache
• fatigue
• fever

If you experience any of the following symptoms, or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

• rash
• pain when swallowing
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• pale skin
• weakness
• chills
• sore throat