Lactic acidosis and severe or life-threatening liver damage brought on by entecavir are both possible side effects (a buildup of acid in the blood). If you are a woman, are overweight, or have previously received extensive treatment for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, your chance of developing lactic acidosis may be higher. If you have liver illness now or ever had it, let your doctor know. Make a quick call to your doctor if you encounter any of the following signs: The following symptoms may also be present: yellowing of the skin or eyes; dark urine; light bowel movements; difficulty breathing; stomach pain or swelling; nausea; vomiting; unusual muscle pain; loss of appetite for at least a few days; lack of energy; extreme weakness or exhaustion; feeling cold, particularly in the arms or legs; dizziness or lightheadedness; or a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

Never stop taking entecavir without consulting your doctor first. It’s possible for your hepatitis to worsen when you stop using entecavir. The first few months after stopping entecavir are the most likely times for this to occur. Entecavir should be taken as prescribed. Make sure you don’t skip doses or run out of entecavir. After stopping entecavir, if you suffer any of the following symptoms, notify your doctor right away. Extreme fatigue, a lack of strength, nausea, vomiting, a loss of appetite, a yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, light bowel movements, or pain in the muscles or joints.

Entecavir may make treating your HIV infection more challenging if you have the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and are not currently taking medication for either condition. If you have HIV, AIDS, or suspect you may have been exposed to HIV, let your doctor know. If there is a potential that you may have been exposed to HIV, your doctor may do an HIV infection test on you before to starting entecavir medication as well as at any point while you are receiving it. HIV infection cannot be treated with entecavir.

Before, throughout, and for a few months after your entecavir therapy, keep all appointments with your doctor and the lab. To monitor how your body is responding to entecavir throughout this period, your doctor will prescribe specific tests.

Get a copy of the patient’s information from the manufacturer from your chemist or physician.

Discuss the dangers of taking entecavir with your doctor.

Entecavir is used to treat adults and children 2 years of age and older who have liver damage who have chronic (long-term) hepatitis B infection (viral-induced liver swelling). Nucleoside analogues are a class of drugs that includes entecavir. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) levels in the body are lowered as a result of its action. Entecavir does not treat chronic hepatitis B or prevent its consequences, such as liver cancer or cirrhosis of the liver. Entecavir does not stop the transmission of HBV to others.

Entecavir is available as a liquid and tablet for oral use. On an empty stomach, at least 2 hours after eating, and at least 2 hours before the next meal, it is typically taken once daily. Entecavir should be taken every day at about the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Follow the entecavir directions exactly. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

To use the oral entecavir solution, perform the following actions:

1. Holding the medicine spoon upright, slowly pour entecavir solution into it until it reaches the mark that corresponds to your dose.
2. Check to see that the top of the liquid is level with the mark that corresponds to your dose while holding the spoon with the volume markings facing you.
3. Straight from the measuring spoon, swallow the drug. Avoid combining the drug with any liquid, including water.
4. After each usage, wash the spoon with water and let it air dry.
5. You will need to use the spoon each time you take your prescription, so put it somewhere safe where it won’t be misplaced. Call your doctor or pharmacist if you do manage to lose the dosing spoon.

Ask your doctor or chemist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking entecavir,

• If you have an allergy to entecavir, any other drugs, or any of the ingredients in entecavir tablets or oral solution, inform your doctor right away. Get a list of the ingredients from your chemist.
• Inform your doctor and chemist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are now taking or intend to use. Mention the drugs in the IMPORTANT CAUTION section as well as any of the following: Amikacin, gentamicin, streptomycin, and tobramycin (Tobi) are examples of aminoglycoside antibiotics. Cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), tacrolimus, and others are used to prevent organ rejection following transplantation (Prograf). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• Inform your doctor if you have ever had kidney illness or if you have ever had a liver transplant (operation to replace a defective liver).
• Inform your physician if you are nursing a baby, intend to get pregnant, or are already pregnant. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking entecavir. If you are using entecavir, you should not breastfeed.
• Be sure to inform your doctor or dentist that you are taking entecavir if you are undergoing surgery, including dental surgery.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Entecavir could have negative effects. If this symptom is severe or does not go away, let your doctor know:

• Headache

Certain adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if you encounter any of the signs and symptoms detailed in the IMPORTANT CAUTION section.

Further adverse effects of entecavir could exist. If you experience any strange issues while taking this drug, call your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this prescription tightly wrapped in the container it came in, out from the reach of children and animals. Keep it away from excess heat, light, and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom medicine cabinet or near the kitchen sink).

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding prescription refills should be directed to your chemist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.