You might already have hepatitis B (a virus that affects the liver and can result in serious liver damage), but you might not be aware of it. In this instance, taking glecaprevir and pibrentasvir together may raise your risk of developing symptoms and a more serious or life-threatening illness. If you have or have previously had a hepatitis B virus infection, let your doctor know. To determine whether you currently have or have previously had hepatitis B infection, your doctor will conduct a blood test. Throughout and for a few months after your treatment, your doctor will continue to keep an eye out for any symptoms of hepatitis B infection. Before and during the course of your therapy with the glecaprevir and pibrentasvir combination, your doctor may, if necessary, prescribe you medication to treat this infection. Call your doctor right away if you suffer any of the following symptoms during or during your treatment: extreme fatigue, yellowing of the skin or eyes, appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, pale feces, discomfort in the upper right side of the stomach, or dark urine.

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. To monitor your body’s reaction to the combination of glecaprevir and pibrentasvir, your doctor may prescribe specific tests prior to, during, and after your therapy.

The dangers of using glecaprevir with pibrentasvir should be discussed with your doctor.

For the treatment of some forms of chronic (long-term) hepatitis C infection (viral-induced liver swelling) in adults and children 3 years of age and older, glecaprevir and pibrentasvir are combined. Additionally, it is utilized to treat specific types of chronic hepatitis C infections in adults and children aged 3 and older who have already had treatment for their hepatitis C infection with another drug. The drug glecaprevir belongs to the group of drugs known as HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors. It functions by lowering the body’s level of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Pibrentasvir belongs to a group of drugs known as HCV NS5A inhibitors. It functions by preventing the spread of the hepatitis C virus within the body.

The oral tablet or pellet form of the glecaprevir and pibrentasvir combo is available. It is typically given once day for 8 to 16 weeks with food. How many pills or packets of pellets to take for each dose will be specified by your doctor. Glecaprevir and pibrentasvir should be taken at roughly the same time each day. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Glecaprevir and pibrentasvir should be taken exactly as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Pellets containing glecaprevir and pibrentasvir should be consumed with soft foods without chewing. A little amount of soft food, such as peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, cream cheese, jam, or Greek yogurt, should be combined with glecaprevir and pibrentasvir pellets to produce a dose. To avoid the medication dissolving too quickly, avoid mixing the pellets with liquid or foods that might slide off the spoon. After sprinkling the pellets on food, administer the complete mixture within 15 minutes. Add a tiny bit of soft food and then swallow the remaining combination if the pellets start to adhere to the dish or cup. The pellets shouldn’t be eaten or dissolved in meals to prevent a bitter aftertaste.

Even if you feel well, keep taking glecaprevir and pibrentasvir. Your condition, whether you’ve already used specific HCV drugs, how well you respond to the medication, and whether you encounter any serious side effects will all affect how long your therapy will last. Without consulting your physician, do not discontinue taking glecaprevir and pibrentasvir.

For a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you think this drug may be recommended for other conditions.

Before taking glecaprevir and pibrentasvir,

• If you have any allergies, including to any of the substances in glecaprevir and pibrentasvir tablets, notify your doctor and pharmacist right away. Request a list of the components from your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor if you are using rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifamate, in Rifater) or atazanavir (Reyataz, in Evotaz). If you are taking one of these drugs, your doctor would probably advise you not to take glecaprevir and pibrentasvir.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are now taking or intend to use. Incorporate any of the following: ‘Blood thinners’ or anticoagulants like warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven); benzodiazepines like carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol), statin drugs like atorvastatin (Lipitor, in Caduet), simvastatin (Zocor, in Simcor, in Vytorin), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Altoprev), pitavastatin (Livalo), pravastatin (Pravachol), and rosuvastatin (Crestor); ethinyl estradiol oral contraceptives such certain (‘birth control pills’), patches, hormonal vaginal rings, and other ethinyl estradiol products; specific hormone replacement therapy (HRT); cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune); dabigatran (Pradaxa); digoxin (Lanoxin); include phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), darunavir (Prezista, in Prezcobix), efavirenz (Sustiva, in Atripla), lopinavir (in Kaletra), or ritonavir (in Kaletra); and certain drugs for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• Please let your doctor know if you are taking any herbal supplements, especially St. John’s wort.
• If you have a liver illness other than hepatitis C, let your doctor know. Your physician could advise against taking glecaprevir and pibrentasvir.
• Inform your physician if you have diabetes, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are currently infected with HIV, or have previously had a liver or kidney transplant.
• 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 glecaprevir and pibrentasvir.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

Take the missed dose of glecaprevir and pibrentasvir with meals as soon as you remember it if it has been less than 18 hours since your missed dose. If, however, it has been more than 18 hours since your dose was due, skip the missed dose and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Pibrentasvir and glecaprevir may have adverse effects. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Headache
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Itching

There may be other adverse effects from glecaprevir and pibrentasvir. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

• Sleepiness
• Confusion
• Edema around the stomach
• Vomit blood or what appears to be coffee grinds
• Bloody, dark, or colored stools

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch or by phone at 1-800-332-1088 if you have a serious side event.

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it at room temperature and out of the bathroom and other places with excessive heat and moisture.

As 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, utilizing a medicine take-back program is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programs 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 program, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines 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. Additionally, 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 medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

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.