TRUVADA can have side effects. NOTE: Not all side effects reported for TRUVADA are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking this medicine, please consult your doctor, pharmacist or other healthcare professional for advice.
If any of the following happens, stop taking TRUVADA and tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital:
- Swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, face, lips, mouth or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing (angioedema);
- rash or itching;
- fainting.
These are all very serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious allergic reaction to TRUVADA. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.
Tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:
- Difficulty breathing;
- less urine than is normal for you;
- signs or symptoms of lactic acidosis (build-up of acid in the blood) e.g. feeling weak or tired, having unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, feeling cold (especially in your arms and legs), feeling dizzy and lightheaded and having a fast or irregular heartbeat;
- signs or symptoms of serious liver problems e.g. skin or white part of the eye turns yellow (jaundice), urine turns dark, stools turn light in colour, feeling sick to your stomach (nausea), have lower stomach area pain (abdominal pain) and not feeling like eating food for several days or longer;
- signs of softening of the bones (bone pain and sometimes resulting in fractures).
These are all serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following:
The following side effects have been frequently reported:
- Stomach pain;
- pain;
- abnormal physical weakness or lack of energy;
- diarrhoea;
- headache;
- nausea (feeling sick), vomiting;
- dizziness;
- difficulty sleeping, abnormal dreams;
- problems with digestion resulting in discomfort after meals, feeling bloated, flatulence;
- rashes (including red spots or blotches sometimes with blistering and swelling of the skin which may be allergic reactions), itching, changes in skin colour including darkening of the skin in patches;
- other allergic reactions e.g. wheezing, swelling or feeling lightheaded.
Blood tests may also show:
- Low white blood cell count (a reduced white blood cell count can make you more prone to infection);
- increased triglycerides (fatty acids), bile or sugar in the blood;
- increased creatine kinase (an enzyme resulting from breakdown of your muscles);
- increased amylase or lipase in the blood;
- increased liver enzymes.
The following side effects have been reported with unknown frequency:
- Back pain caused by kidney problems;
- anaemia (low red blood cell count), which may include symptoms e.g. fatigue, skin pallor, shortness of breath, light-headedness, dizziness, or a fast heartbeat;
- breakdown of muscle, muscle pain or weakness which may occur due to damage to the kidney tubule cells;
- inflammation of the pancreas which most commonly begins with abdominal pain in the middle or upper left part of the abdomen and may increase after eating or lying flat the back.
Blood and urine tests may also show:
- Decreases in potassium in the blood;
- decreases in phosphate in the blood;
- increased creatinine in your blood;
- changes to your urine.
This list of side effects is not complete. If you have questions about side effects, ask your healthcare provider. You should report any new or continuing symptoms to your healthcare provider right away. Your healthcare provider may be able to help you manage these side effects. If you notice any side effects not mentioned in this leaflet, please inform your doctor or pharmacist.
