Sustiva and/or Equivalents

Sustiva (Efavirenz)

Sustiva Description

Sustiva or Efavirenz is a drug which is a non nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. It is a HIV medicine. The mode of action of Sustiva is to prevent the HIV from making an entry into the nucleus of CD4 cells that are healthy. Hence the cells cannot produce new virus and this reduces the amount of total virus in the body. Sustiva is supplied in the form of capsules that contain either 50-mg or 200-mg of efavirenz. Tablets of Sustiva that contain 600-mg of efavirenz are also available. Sustiva is one of the medicines that can reduce the viral load of the body. Doctors may prescribe it as a combination of two or more drugs.

Conditions Treated by Sustiva

Doctors generally prescribe Sustiva for patients who are HIV positive and are starting therapy for HIV for the first time.

Sustiva Dosage Information

a.) Typical Dosage Recommendations

For patients weighing 88 pounds or more, doctors usually prescribe 600 mg of Sustiva. It is generally recommended that the medicine should be taken at bedtime. Doctors may ask you to take three capsules of 100-mg each or one capsule of 100-mg and one capsule of 200-mg. The capsule must be taken in its original form. Breaking the capsule into half is not recommended by the manufacturer. You must never change the dose without your doctor’s recommendation.

b.) Missing a Dose

In case you happen to miss a dose, you should skip the missed dose. You must never take extra medicine to compensate for the missed dose. It can cause you more harm than benefit.

c.) Overdosing

In case you have taken extra doses of Sustiva, immediately contact your healthcare provider. You may also contact the local poison control center or emergency center for help. Patients who have been overdosed may experience lack of balance or co-ordination, behavioral or mood changes, confusion or thoughts of committing suicide.

Sustiva Warnings

HIV positive female patients should not take Sustiva while they are pregnant especially when they are in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is not known whether Sustiva can be excreted in breast milk and whether it can affect a nursing baby. You must discuss with your doctor if you have a history of liver diseases, mental illness, or if you are currently taking anti-seizure medicines, drugs, alcohol etc. Your doctor must be informed in case you are allergic to efavirenz or any components of this drug. Inactive ingredients of this drug may cause allergic reactions in some patients. The HIV virus can become resistant to anti-HIV medicines. Hence you must take care to see that you take the doses exactly as prescribed by your doctor and do not miss any dose. Many a times Sustiva is prescribed in combination with other HIV drugs to help improve the efficacy of the treatment. You should carefully follow all instructions given by your healthcare provider and be sure to ask questions in case you have any questions. Sustiva is not to be taken by patients who have history galactose intolerance. Such patients must not take Sustiva capsules or tablets since they contain lactose. Lactose-free Sustiva oral solution may be taken by such patients to avoid complications. Your doctor may require you to undergo regular blood tests so that they can monitor your liver function while you are taking this medicine. Taking Sustiva does not reduce chances of transmission of HIV to your partner. Hence an effective barrier method must be used during sexual activity to prevent transmission. You must never share this medicine with others who may be having the same symptoms. This medicine should be taken strictly on the prescription of a doctor and it may cause more harm than benefit if taken without a doctor’s recommendation. Sustiva may cause dizziness or reduced alertness in some patients. Hence it is very important that patients who are taking Sustiva should not drive or operate any machinery that requires concentration and mental alertness until they know how the medicine affects them.

Sustiva Side Effects

Sustiva has been known to be associated with the following side effects:

• Mild to moderate rash formation
• Blistering
• Fever
• Scaling
• Sleepiness
• Nausea
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Paranoia
• Difficulty in sleeping
• Severe depression
• Mood changes
• Delusions
• Redistribution of body fat
• Osteonecrosis
• Nervousness
• Weakness
• Tiredness
• Yellowing of the eyes and skin
• Loss of appetite
• Severe cough
• Change in personality
• Numbness

Side-effects may start as soon as you start taking the medicine but are known to reduce gradually and go away once the body is used to taking the medicine. However, if you find any worsening of your condition or the severity of the side-effect increases, you must contact your healthcare provider. It is very important to seek medical attention to avoid any serious health problems.

Sustiva Drug Interactions

Drug interactions may be very dangerous because not only does the effectiveness of the drugs you are taking decreases, but it may also lead to generation of a third component that may be harmful to the body. Hence you should always inform your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, over-the-counter drugs, vitamin supplements, protein pills or shakes, herbal pills, diet or weight loss supplements etc. Sustiva may react with the following drugs:

• Midazolam
• Triazolam
• Pimozide
• Warfarin
• Sporanox
• Phenobarbital
• Aplezin
• Fosamprenavir
• Bepridil
• Astemizole
• Atorvastatin
• Sertraline
• Ritonavir
• Tegretol
• Methadone
• Oral contraceptive pills
• Clarithromycin
• Atazanavir
• Atripla
• Saint John’s Wort
• Saquinavir
• Cisapride

You should also inform your doctor if consume alcohol or take drugs. You must never start a new medicine without consulting your doctor. Your healthcare provider is the best person to tell you if the drugs you are consuming are safe and whether they affect each other or not. Never take any decision on your own. It is not always necessary that you may have to stop taking one drug because you are taking another. Your doctor can suggest you alternate drugs that will achieve the same effect or can help you by adjusting doses of the drugs or by suggesting you to keep a gap between the two drugs so that they will not interact with one another.

If you have any questions about buying discount Sustiva 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.

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