Incivek and/or Equivalents

Incivek (Telaprevir)

Incivek Description

Incivek is the brand name for a pharmaceutical drug that is often prescribed to treat patients suffering from chronic Hepatits C. The scientific name-Telaprevir is marketed under 2 names viz., Incivek and Incivo. The drug was developed by two leading pharmaceutical companies - Vertex and Johnson and Johnson. In most cases, doctors prescribe this drug to patients when they have not shown any positive reaction to previous treatments and medication. The drug is relatively new in the retail market and has promising signs of healing the worst cases of hepatitis C infections. However, the drug is never used by itself it is prescribed with a combination of peginterferon and ribavirin.

Conditions Treated by Incivek

The drug is commonly used to treat chronic hepatitis C along with other combination drugs. Sometimes, doctors may also choose to treat patients who show minor signs of the disease with this drug if they feel the patient will benefit from it. In layman terms, the drug is an antivirus medicine that prevents viral cells from multiplying. It binds itself to the Hepatatis virus causing patients to recover.

Incivek Dosage Information

a.) Typical dosage recommendations

The drug is typically administered thrice a day to patients. The recommended dose is 750mg and it is to be taken orally after every 7 to 9 hours. Tablets with smaller dosages are also available and prescribed to younger patients. You are advised to take the drug only after your meals. It cannot be taken on an empty stomach because that would lead to further complications since it is an anti-virus medicine. Furthermore, since the drug is prescribed along with other medication it is necessary to have a meal before taking the medication for better results. Ideally, patients should consume low fat meals when taking the drug because it increases the body’s ability to absorb the anti-virus properties.

b.) Missing a dose

Since Incivek is not used as a monotherapy drug it can be a problem if you miss a dose. If you miss a dose of Incivek be sure to contact your health care center or doctor as soon as you realize. Ask you doctor if you can have another extra tablet in its place considering that you have already taken the other combination drugs. Futhermore, if you have missed the dose within 4 hours of the time you were to have it, you must avoid replacing the missed dose. It is safer to consume food and have the medication from the next dose onwards. You can revert back to your earlier schedule later.

c.) Overdosing

If you have overdosed on Incivek, contact your physician immediately. You may experience severe Diarrhea and vomiting. The extent of the damage caused by an overdose will depend on what you took the medication with. Other symptoms may include nausea, decreased appetite and fever. If you experience these symtoms, you may need to be hospitalized. Doctors may then need to pump your stomach to remove leftover medication that has not been absorbed by the body. Treating an overdose will also include supportive care. An overdose would usually mean consuming more than the prescribed 750mg per day or consuming more than 1 tablet at a time. Either way, the minute you experience any kind of discomfort you must contact your doctor.

Incivek Warnings

Being an anti-viral drug Incivek may cause certain adverse reactions in your body if necessary precautions are not taken. It is always better to take precautions during treatment. For instance,

• If you are pregnant, you should avoid the drug completely. However, if you are trying to get pregnant before the drug is administered to you it is better to put your pregnancy plans on hold until 6 months after the treatment. This is because the drug may cause severe harm and birth defects in the fetus.
• Patients and their partners should refrain from having a child during the treatment and 6 months after the treatment. Strict contraception procedures should be adhered to, by female patients or female spouses/partners of male patients during this time.
• Considering the above, it is definitely not advised for mothers with new born babies to take the drug. This is because the drug may mix with the mother’s feed. This might cause a reaction in the milk and the baby may suffer.
• Incivek can cause skin rashes in patients. If you ever experience a sudden skin outbreak, reddening or sores, including blisters you must contact your nearest health care centre immediately. Although the rash may not be cause of serious concern,it is better to get immediate health care for any minor form of skin outbreak too.
• You may experience anemia - a condition where there is less hemoglobin in the blood when you take Incivek regularly. Although this is curable and not serious, as a side effect if may affect your physical strength and energy levels. Patients usually bounce back a few months after they stop the treatment though.
• You must get regular lab tests done when you go on the Incivek drug. HCV-RNA levels should be checked every 4 to 12 weeks.
• Before you begin an Incivek combination treatment it is advisable to get a complete blood count done. this will help your doctor keep a record of how your body or blood counts are being affected by the drug during the treatment phase.

Incivek Side Effects

Incivek may cause some minor side effects in the body like:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Anemia
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Skin rashes
• Discomfort

If you suffer from severe rashes during treatment your doctor may discontinue the Incivek medication. Since the drug is had in combination, doctors may find it necessary to discontinue the entire combination treatment or part of it depending on the extent of your rashes. Since Anemia is a common side effect of Incivek, it is advisable for doctors to monitor hemoglobin levels in their patients before and during the treatment at regular intervals of time.

Incivek Drug Interactions

Several medicines are known to interact with Incivek. Since it is considered safe to take it with almost all major medications including Ambien, Benadryl, Ibuprofen, Nexium, Seroquel, Pegasys, Ribapak, Synthroid and Trazodone.

If you have any questions about buying discount Incivek online or any other prescription products you can contact our team of professional Patient Service Representatives or one of our pharmacists 24-7 by calling 1-800-226-3784.

Notice: The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Incivek and/or Equivalents warnings, side-effects and general information