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| Pronunciation |
|
 (dye
DAN oh
seen) |
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| Brand Names |
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| Videx®; Videx® EC |
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| Therapeutic
Categories |
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|
Antiretroviral Agent, Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor
(Nucleoside) |
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| What key warnings should I know
about before taking this
medicine? |
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|
- This medicine may cause severe irritation to the pancreas, damage
the liver, or change acid levels in the blood. Closely review the section in
this leaflet which tells you when to immediately call your healthcare provider.
Pregnant women may be at a high risk of developing a change in acid levels
called lactic acidosis when taking stavudine and didanosine together. This
combination has rarely caused death. The combination should only be used in
pregnant women when the benefit outweighs the
risk.
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| Reasons not to take this
medicine |
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|
- If you have an allergy to didanosine or any other part of the
medicine.
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|
| What is this medicine used
for? |
|
|
- This medicine is used to treat HIV infection. It is usually taken with
2 other medicines.
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| How does it work? |
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- Didanosine stops the HIV virus from increasing. It blocks reproduction
of the virus.
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| How is it best taken? |
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- The medicine must be taken exactly as directed.
- Take on an empty stomach. Take 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals.
- Do not swallow buffered. chewable tablet whole. Chew or crush tablet
well. Tablet can also be dropped in at least 2 tablespoons of water. Stir and
drink.
- Mix crushed tablet with
1/2
a glass of water or clear apple juice.
- Open powder packet and mix with
1/2
a glass of water. Stir 2-3 minutes or until powder dissolves. Drink solution
now.
- A liquid (suspension) is available for children. Shake well first.
- Swallow delayed release capsule whole. Do not chew, break, or
crush.
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| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
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- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to
your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
- Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with
healthcare provider.
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| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
|
|
- Do not run out of this medication. Get it refilled today!
- Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor). May increase
irritation of the pancreas.
- Take antibiotics like tetracycline and ciprofloxacin 2 hours before
didanosine. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Tell healthcare provider if you ever had an irritated pancreas or
history of heavy alcohol (includes wine, beer, liquor) use.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are on a low salt diet (powder packet
contains salt).
- Each chewable tablet contains about 37 mg of phenylalanine.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make
sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling
about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of
face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Protect against sexual spread of disease. Use an effective method of
birth control. Talk with healthcare provider if you have questions.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant.
- Do not get pregnant. Use birth control that you can trust while taking
this medicine.
- Breast-feeding is not recommended in HIV
disease.
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| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
|
|
- Numbness, tingling, or pain in the feet or hands (unusual in
children).
- Irritated pancreas (nausea/vomiting, belly pain).
- Diarrhea.
- Rarely, lactic acidosis and liver damage when used with stavudine.
Pregnant women may be at increased
risk.
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| What should I monitor? |
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- Check blood work. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Have eye exams every 6 to 12 months.
- Follow up with healthcare provider.
- If on stavudine and didanosine and pregnant, monitor liver function
and acid balance in blood. Talk with healthcare
provider
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| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
|
|
- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Nausea/vomiting, belly pain.
- Numbness, tingling, or pain in the feet or hands.
- Severe nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
- Any rash.
- No improvement in condition or feeling
worse.
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| How should I store this
medicine? |
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- Store tablets and powder at room temperature.
- Store children's liquid (suspension) in the refrigerator. Throw away
after 30 days.
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| General statements |
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- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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