Generic Nelfinavir

This drug, used in combination with at least 2 other medications, is used to help treat your HIV infection, thereby improving your quality of life. It also lowers your risk of getting HIV complications (such as new infections, cancer). Nelfinavir belongs to a class of drugs known as protease inhibitors. Nelfinavir is not a cure for HIV. It does not prevent the spread of HIV to others through sexual contact or blood contamination (such as sharing used needles).

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.

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.

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), eletriptan, eplerenone, ergot alkaloids (such as dihydroergotamine, ergonovine, ergotamine, methylergonovine), pimozide, ranolazine, rifampin, St. John's wort, certain "statin" cholesterol drugs (lovastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin), certain drugs to lower acid in the stomach (proton pump inhibitors such as 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 delavirdine, indinavir, 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 certain drugs that weaken the immune system (cyclosporine, tacrolimus, sirolimus), drugs to treat erectile dysfunction/pulmonary hypertension (such as sildenafil, vardenafil), among others. This medication may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal birth control products (such as pills, patch, ring). This effect can result in pregnancy. However, to reduce the risk of spreading HIV to others, always use barrier protections during all sexual activity. (See also Notes section.) 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.

Diarrhea is a common side effect of this medication. If you have diarrhea, ask your doctor or pharmacist about ways to lessen this side effect, such as using anti-diarrhea medicine. Nausea or gas may also occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Some people may experience worsening of a previous medical condition (such as an old infection) as their immune systems improve, or develop new conditions because their immune systems have become overactive. This reaction may occur at any time (soon after starting HIV treatment or many months later). Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: unexplained weight loss, persistent muscle aches/weakness, joint pain, numbness/tingling of the hands/feet/arms/legs, severe tiredness, vision changes, severe/persistent headaches, signs of infection (such as fever, chills, trouble breathing, cough, non-healing skin sores), signs of an overactive thyroid (such as irritability, nervousness, heat intolerance, fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat, bulging eyes, unusual growth in the neck/thyroid known as a goiter), signs of a certain nerve problem known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome (such as difficulty breathing/swallowing/moving your eyes, drooping face, paralysis, slurred speech). Seek immediate medical attention if any of these rare but serious side effects occur: symptoms of a heart attack (such as chest/jaw/left arm pain, shortness of breath, unusual sweating), easy bruising/bleeding, persistent nausea/vomiting, stomach/abdominal pain, dark urine, yellowing eyes/skin. This medication may infrequently make your blood sugar level rise, which can cause or worsen diabetes. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop symptoms of high blood sugar such as increased thirst and urination. If you already have diabetes, check your blood sugar levels regularly. Your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication, exercise program, or diet. Changes in body fat may occur while you are taking this medication (such as increased fat in the upper back and stomach areas, decreased fat in the arms and legs). The cause and long-term effects of these changes are unknown. Discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doctor, as well as the possible use of exercise to reduce this side effect. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Store at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.