Zerit 1mg/ml oral solution

Zerit is an anti-HIV medicine that is used in the treatment of infection with human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV). It is used in combination with other anti-HIV medicines .

HIV weakens the body's immune system and reduces the body's ability to fight infections. Anti-HIV medicines do not kill the virus but they slow down or stop the HIV virus from making copies of itself. This allows the body's immune system to keep working and gives the body a chance to fight other infections. Anti-HIV medicines do not cure HIV infections or prevent you from getting other infections.

Anti-HIV medicines are most effective when taken in combination with other anti-HIV medicines. Combination therapy reduces the chances of the virus becoming resistant to a single medicine. Resistance to medicines makes HIV treatment more difficult. For HIV therapy to be effective and to reduce the chances of developing resistance to your medicine, it is important you take the full daily dose and take your medicines exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

Treatment with anti-HIV medicines does not reduce the risk of passing the virus on to other people through sexual contact or through contact with blood. It is important you take precautions against passing HIV to other people.

Women who are infected with HIV should not breast-feed their babies as the virus may be passed to the baby.

Do not share your medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.

The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should take. It also tells you how often you should take your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should take. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.

If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.

Some medicines work best if they are taken at a specific time of day. Getting the most from your medicine can also be affected by what you eat, when you eat and the times at which you take other medicines. Make sure you follow any specific instructions given to you by your prescriber or that are in the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this medicine.

In the case of Zerit:

Some medicines have specific instructions about how to take them. This is because they work better when taken correctly. These instructions can include getting the right dose and special instructions for preparing the medicine.

In the case of Zerit:

If you are having problems taking this form of Zerit, you should talk to your prescriber or pharmacist. They may be able to give you advice on other ways to take your medicine or other preparations that are easier for you to take.

Taking extra doses of some medicines can be harmful. In some cases even one extra dose can cause you problems. If you take extra doses of your medicine, you must get medical advice immediately. You may need a test to assess the effect of taking extra doses. This is because the effects of taking too much medicine are very complex so it is very important that you seek medical advice.

Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for advice.

Make sure you take all of your medicine containers with you if you are advised to go to hospital.

If you are having any problems taking your medicine you must speak to your prescriber. If you are not having any problems taking this medicine then do not stop taking it, even if you feel better, unless advised to do so by your prescriber.

If you are in any doubt, contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

The instructions on how you should keep your medicine are on the pharmacy label. You should keep your medicine in the original container. This will help to keep your medicine in the best condition and also allow you to check the instructions. Do not take the medicine if the packaging appears to have been tampered with or if the medicine shows any signs of damage. Make sure that the medicine is out of the sight and reach of children.

In the case of Zerit:

You must not take the medicine after the expiry date shown on the packaging. If you have any unused medicine, return it to your pharmacist who will dispose of it safely.

Zerit is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all for a neonate.

As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:

Over time it is possible that Zerit can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Zerit has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.

A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.

Common: More than 1 in 100 people who take Zerit:

• abnormal laboratory test results
• depression
• diarrhoea
• difficulty sleeping
• feeling dizzy
• headaches
• increased levels of lactic acid in the blood
• indigestion
• itching
• lipodystrophy
• neurological problems including paraesthesiae, neuropathy or neuritis of the extremities. Seek medical advice if you have persistent numbness, tingling or pain in your hands or feet
• skin rash or rashes
• sleepiness
• strange dreams
• tiredness
• unusual thoughts

Uncommon: More than 1 in 1000 people who take Zerit:

• breast enlargement in men
• changes in emotions
• feeling anxious
• jaundice
• liver problems or worsening of liver problems - some of these liver problems may be fatal
• muscle pain or tenderness
• urticaria
• weakness

Rare: More than 1 in 10,000 people who take Zerit:

• blood and bone marrow problems
• increased blood sugar levels

Very rare: Fewer than 1 in 10,000 people who take Zerit:

• diabetes

The frequency of these side-effects is unknown:

• high levels of cholesterol or other lipids in the blood
• immune reactivation syndrome - this may occur shortly after starting treatment with Zerit. Seek medical advice if you get signs and symptoms of an infection shortly after starting anti-HIV therapy
• mitochondrial problems

The following side effects have also been reported in people who take Zerit. The reported frequency of these side-effects varies so the frequency is not included here.:

• metabolic problems - some of these metabolic problems may affect the muscles, liver, pancreas or the kidneys and may be fatal. Seek medical advice if you have nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, muscle weakness, breathing problems or if you generally feel unwell
• osteonecrosis - seek medical advice if symptoms like joint aches, pain, joint stiffness or difficulty in movement occurs.
• pancreatitis - this may be fatal

If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feel very ill, get medical help straight away. Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.

The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.

Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.

The following medicines may interact with Zerit:

The following types of medicine may interact with Zerit:

If you are taking Zerit and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.

Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins. In general, there is not much information available about interactions between medicines and complementary preparations or vitamins.

If you are planning to take or are already taking any complementary preparations and vitamins you should ask your prescriber whether there are any known interactions with Zerit.

Your prescriber can advise whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact. They can also discuss with you the possible effect that the complementary preparations and vitamins may have on your condition.

If you experience any unusual effects while taking this medicine in combination with complementary preparations and vitamins, you should tell your prescriber.

When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.

In the case of Zerit:

You should see how this medicine affects you before you judge whether you are safe to drive or operate machinery. If you are in any doubt about whether you should drive or operate machinery, talk to your prescriber.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.

In the case of Zerit:

Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.

In the case of Zerit:

You should seek advice from your prescriber as to whether you may drink alcohol while taking this medicine.

Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.

In the case of Zerit:

You should discuss your personal circumstances with your doctor if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant. This is so that together you can make a decision about what treatment you may need during your pregnancy.

You should discuss whether there are any other medicines which you could take during pregnancy which would treat your condition.

Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.

In the case of Zerit:

Before you have your baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. They will help you decide what is best for you and your baby based on the benefits and risks associated with this medicine. If you wish to breast-feed you should discuss with your prescriber whether there are any other medicines you could take which would also allow you to breast-feed. You should not stop this medicine without taking advice from your doctor.

Medicines contain active ingredients. They may also contain other, additional ingredients that help ensure the stability, safety and effectiveness of the medicine. They are also added to improve the medicine's taste and appearance and to make it easier to take. Some may be used to prolong the life of the medicine.

You should check that you are able to take the ingredients in your medicine, especially if you have any allergies.

Zerit contains:

If you are not able to take any of the ingredients in your medicine, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist to see if they can suggest an alternative medicine. If you have reacted badly to Zerit before, do not take Zerit. Talk to your prescriber, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible.