Truvada is a brand-name prescription medication that’s used for treating HIV infection. It’s also used for preventing HIV infection in people who have a high risk of getting HIV. This use, in which the treatment is given before the person may be exposed to HIV, is called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Truvada contains two drugs in one pill: emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. Both drugs are classified as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). These are antiviral drugs, which are used to treat infection from viruses. These specific antiviral drugs fight HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

Truvada comes as a tablet you take by mouth once daily.

Effectiveness

For information on the effectiveness of Truvada, see the “Truvada uses” section below.

Truvada is available only as a brand-name medication. It’s not currently available in generic form.

Truvada contains two active drug ingredients: emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.

Truvada can cause mild or serious side effects. The following list contains some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Truvada. This list does not include all possible side effects.

For more information on the possible side effects of Truvada, or tips on how to deal with a troubling side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

More common side effects

The more common side effects of Truvada include:

  • fatigue
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • dizziness
  • respiratory infections
  • sinus infection
  • rash
  • headache
  • insomnia (trouble sleeping)
  • bone pain
  • sore throat
  • high cholesterol

Many of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects

  • Liver problems. Symptoms of liver problems can include:
    • pain or swelling in your abdomen (belly)
    • nausea
    • vomiting
    • fatigue
    • yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes
  • Depression. Symptoms can include:
    • feeling sad or low
    • reduced interest in activities you once enjoyed
    • sleeping too much or too little
    • fatigue or loss of energy
  • Bone loss*
  • Kidney problems*
  • Immune reconstitution syndrome*
  • Lactic acidosis*
  • Worsening of hepatitis B virus infection*

*See below for more information about these serious side effects.

Side effect details

You may wonder how often certain side effects occur with this drug. Here’s some detail on certain side effects this drug may cause.

Long-term side effects

Long-term use of Truvada can increase your risk of bone loss and kidney problems.

When used for treating HIV, Truvada is used in combination with other antiviral drugs. Depending on what other drugs are taken with Truvada, other long-term side effects may also occur.

Bone loss

Truvada may cause bone loss in adults, and decrease bone growth in children. Although early symptoms of bone loss are rare, some symptoms can include:

  • receding gums
  • weaker grip strength
  • weak, brittle fingernails

If you take Truvada, your doctor may do tests to check for bone loss. They may also recommend that you take vitamin D and calcium supplements to help prevent bone loss.

To find out how often bone loss occurred in clinical studies, see Truvada’s prescribing information.

Kidney problems

In some people, Truvada can cause or worsen kidney problems. However, the risk seems to be low. To find out how often this side effect occurred in clinical studies, see Truvada’s prescribing information.

Your doctor will do blood tests to check your kidney function before and during your treatment with Truvada. If your kidneys aren’t working well, your doctor may change your dosage of Truvada. If you have severe kidney problems, you may not be able to take Truvada.

Symptoms of kidney problems can include:

  • bone or muscle pain
  • weakness
  • fatigue
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • decreased urine output

If these side effects occur or become severe, your doctor may recommend that you stop taking Truvada and switch to another treatment.

Immune reconstitution syndrome

Treatment of HIV with Truvada or similar medications can cause a quick improvement in the function of your immune system (which fights disease).

In some cases, this can cause your body to respond to infections you’ve had in the past. This can make it seem like you have a new infection, but it’s really just your body’s strengthened immune system reacting to an older infection.

This condition is called immune reconstitution syndrome. It’s also called immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), because your body often responds to the infection with high levels of inflammation.

Examples of infections that can “reappear” with this condition include tuberculosis, pneumonia, and fungal infections. If these infections reoccur, your doctor will likely prescribe antibiotic or antifungal medications to treat them.

To find out how often this immune reconstitution syndrome occurred in clinical studies, see Truvada’s prescribing information. If you have questions or concerns about this potential side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist

Lactic acidosis

There are some reports of lactic acidosis in people who take Truvada. Lactic acidosis is a buildup of acid in the body that can become life-threatening. If you develop symptoms of lactic acidosis, your doctor may recommend stopping your treatment with Truvada.

Symptoms of lactic acidosis can include:

  • muscle cramps
  • confusion
  • fruity-smelling breath
  • weakness
  • fatigue
  • trouble breathing

To find out how often lactic acidosis occurred in clinical studies, see Truvada’s prescribing information. If you have questions or concerns about this potential side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Worsening of hepatitis B virus infection

Worsening of hepatitis B virus infection can happen in people with hepatitis B who stop taking Truvada. If you have hepatitis B and stop taking Truvada, your doctor will do blood tests from time to time to check your liver for several months after stopping the drug.

Symptoms of hepatitis B infection can include:

  • pain or swelling in your abdomen
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • fatigue
  • yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes

To find out how often worsening of hepatitis B infection occurred in clinical studies, see Truvada’s prescribing information. If you have questions or concerns about this potential side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Skin rash

Rash is a common side effect of Truvada. This side effect may go away with continued use of the drug.

To find out how often rash occurred in clinical studies, see Truvada’s prescribing information. If you have questions or concerns about this potential side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Weight loss or gain

Weight loss has occurred in people taking Truvada. To find out how often weight loss occurred in clinical studies, see Truvada’s prescribing information.

Weight gain has not been reported in studies of Truvada.

If you have questions or concerns about either of these potential side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to suit your needs.

Drug forms and strengths

Truvada comes as an oral tablet that contains two drugs in each pill: emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. It comes in four strengths:

  • 100 mg emtricitabine / 150 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
  • 133 mg emtricitabine / 200 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
  • 167 mg emtricitabine / 250 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
  • 200 mg emtricitabine / 300 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate

Dosage for HIV treatment

The dosage of Truvada depends on a person’s weight. These are typical dosages:

  • For adults or children who weigh 35 kg (77 lbs) or more: One tablet, 200 mg emtricitabine / 300 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, taken once daily.
  • For children who weigh 28 to 34 kg (62 to 75 lb): One tablet, 167 mg emtricitabine / 250 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, taken once daily.
  • For children who weigh 22 to 27 kg (48 to 59 lb): One tablet, 133 mg emtricitabine / 200 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, taken once daily.
  • For children who weigh 17 to 21 kg (37 to 46 lb): One tablet, 100 mg emtricitabine / 150 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, taken once daily.

For people with kidney disease: Your doctor may change how often you take Truvada.

  • For mild kidney disease, no dosage change is needed.
  • For moderate kidney disease, you may take Truvada every other day.
  • For severe kidney disease, including if you’re on dialysis, you may not be able to take Truvada.

Dosage for HIV prevention (PrEP)

For adults or adolescents who weigh 35 kg (77 lbs) or more, one tablet of 200 mg emtricitabine / 300 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is taken once daily. (The manufacturer doesn’t provide dosage for people who weigh less than 35 kg [77 lbs]).

If you have kidney disease, you may not be able to take Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

What if I miss a dose? Should I take a double dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. But if it’s almost time for your next dose, just take that one dose. Don’t double the dose to catch up. Taking two doses at once could increase your risk of serious side effects.

If you think you’ve accidentally taken two or more doses in one day, call your doctor. They may recommend treatment for any symptoms you may be having, or treatment to prevent side effects from occurring.

Testing before starting Truvada

Before starting Truvada, your doctor will do certain blood tests. These tests will check for:

  • hepatitis B virus infection
  • kidney and liver function problems
  • presence of HIV infection (for PrEP only)
  • HIV and immune system blood cell counts (for HIV treatment only)

Your doctor will do these blood tests and others before you start taking Truvada, and from time to time during your treatment with the medication.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Truvada to treat certain conditions.

Truvada is FDA-approved for treating HIV infection, and for preventing HIV infection in people who have a high risk of getting HIV. This second use, in which the treatment is given before the person may be exposed to the HIV virus, is called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Truvada for HIV

Truvada is approved to treat HIV infection in both adults and children. HIV is a virus that weakens the immune system. Without treatment, HIV infection can develop into AIDS. In some cases, Truvada may be used to treat people who’ve tried a different HIV treatment that didn’t work for them.

Truvada is considered a “backbone” medication. That means it’s one of the drugs that an HIV treatment plan is based on. Other drugs are taken in combination with a backbone medication.

Truvada is always used along with at least one other antiviral drug for treating HIV. Examples of antiviral drugs that may be used with Truvada to treat HIV include:

  • Isentress (raltegravir)
  • Tivicay (dolutegravir)
  • Evotaz (atazanavir and cobicistat)
  • Prezcobix (darunavir and cobicistat)
  • Kaletra (lopinavir and ritonavir)
  • Prezista (darunavir)
  • Reyataz (atazanavir)
  • Norvir (ritonavir)

Effectiveness for treating HIV

According to treatment guidelines, Truvada, in combination with another antiviral drug, is considered a first-choice option for a person who’s starting HIV treatment.

First-choice drugs for HIV are medications that are:

  • effective for reducing virus levels
  • have fewer side effects than other options
  • easy to use

How well Truvada works for each person depends on many factors. These factors include:

  • characteristics of their HIV disease
  • other health conditions they have
  • how closely they stick to their treatment regimen

For information on how the drug performed in clinical studies, see Truvada’s prescribing information.

Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

Truvada is the only FDA-approved treatment for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). It’s also the only PrEP treatment recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Truvada is approved for preventing HIV in adults and adolescents with a high risk of getting HIV. People with a high risk of getting HIV include those who:

  • have a sex partner who has HIV infection
  • are sexually active in a geographic area where HIV is common and have other risk factors, such as:
    • not using a condom
    • living in jail or prison
    • having an alcohol or drug dependence
    • having a sexually transmitted disease
    • exchanging sex for money, drugs, food, or shelter

Effectiveness for HIV prevention (PrEP)

Truvada is the only treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for PrEP. It’s also the only PrEP treatment recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It’s been found effective in reducing the risk of infection with HIV.

For information on how the drug performed in clinical studies, see Truvada’s prescribing information and this study.

Truvada is used for treating HIV infection. It’s also used for preventing HIV infection in people who have a high risk of getting HIV. This second use is called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Use with other drugs for HIV treatment

When used for treating HIV, Truvada is used in combination with other antiviral drugs.

According to HIV treatment guidelines, Truvada combined with another antiviral drug such as Tivicay (dolutegravir) or Isentress (raltegravir) is considered a first-choice option when starting HIV treatment. In some cases, Truvada may be used to treat people who’ve tried a different HIV treatment that didn’t work for them.

First-choice drugs for HIV are medications that are:

  • effective for reducing virus levels
  • have fewer side effects than other options
  • easy to use

Truvada and Tivicay

Tivicay (dolutegravir) is a type of drug called an HIV integrase inhibitor. Tivicay is often used in combination with Truvada for treating HIV.

According to treatment guidelines, taking Truvada with Tivicay is a first-choice option for people who are starting HIV treatment.

Truvada and Isentress

Isentress (raltegravir) is a type of drug called an HIV integrase inhibitor. Isentress is often used in combination with Truvada for treating HIV.

According to HIV treatment guidelines, taking Truvada with Isentress is a first-choice option for people who are starting HIV treatment.

Truvada and Kaletra

Kaletra contains two drugs in one pill: lopinavir and ritonavir. Both drugs contained in Kaletra are classified as protease inhibitors.

Kaletra is sometimes combined with Truvada to treat HIV. Although the combination is effective for treating HIV, treatment guidelines don’t recommend it as a first-choice option for most people starting HIV treatment. That’s because this combination has a higher risk of side effects than other options.

Not used with other drugs for HIV PrEP

Truvada is used alone when it’s prescribed for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). It’s not used with other drugs.

Drinking alcohol while taking Truvada might increase your risk of some side effects, such as:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • headache

Drinking too much alcohol and taking Truvada might also increase your risk of liver or kidney problems.

If you take Truvada, talk with your doctor about whether drinking alcohol is safe for you.

Truvada can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements, as well as with grapefruit juice.

Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects.

Truvada and other medications

Below is a list of medications that can interact with Truvada. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with Truvada.

Before taking Truvada, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Drugs that can interact with Truvada

Below are examples of medications that can interact with Truvada. This list doesn’t contain all drugs that may interact with Truvada.

  • Drugs that affect kidney function. Truvada is removed from your body by your kidneys. Taking Truvada with other drugs that are removed by your kidneys, or drugs that can damage your kidneys, can increase Truvada levels in your body and increase your risk of side effects. Examples of drugs that are removed by your kidneys or that can damage your kidneys include:
    • acyclovir (Zovirax)
    • adefovir (Hepsera)
    • aspirin
    • cidofovir
    • diclofenac (Cambia, Voltaren, Zorvolex)
    • ganciclovir (Cytovene)
    • gentamicin
    • ibuprofen (Motrin)
    • naproxen (Aleve)
    • valacyclovir (Valtrex)
    • valganciclovir (Valcyte)
  • Atazanavir. Taking Truvada with atazanavir (Reyataz), which is another HIV drug, can decrease levels of atazanavir in your body. This can make atazanavir less effective.
  • Didanosine. Taking Truvada with didanosine (Videx EC) can increase didanosine levels in your body and increase your risk of didanosine side effects.
  • Epclusa. A medication that treats hepatitis C, Epclusa contains two drugs in one pill: sofosbuvir and velpatasvir. Taking Epclusa with Truvada might increase your body’s levels of tenofovir, one of the components of Truvada. This could increase your risk of side effects from tenofovir.
  • Harvoni. A medication that treats hepatitis C, Harvoni contains two drugs in one pill: sofosbuvir and ledipasvir. Taking Harvoni with Truvada might increase your body’s levels of tenofovir, one of the components of Truvada. This could increase your risk of side effects from tenofovir.
  • Kaletra. Kaletra, another HIV medication, contains two drugs in one pill: lopinavir and ritonavir. Taking Kaletra with Truvada might increase your body’s levels of tenofovir, one of the ingredients of Truvada. This could increase your risk of side effects from tenefovir.

Truvada and grapefruit

Drinking grapefruit juice while taking Truvada might increase your body’s levels of tenofovir, one of the ingredients in Truvada. This could increase your risk of side effects from tenofovir. If you’re taking Truvada, don’t drink grapefruit juice.

There haven’t been studies on the effects of eating grapefruit while taking Truvada. However, it might be a good idea to avoid eating large amounts of grapefruit to avoid possible increased side effects.

Truvada contains two drugs in one pill: emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. These drugs are classified as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Truvada is used to treat and prevent HIV infection.

There are many other drugs that are used for treating HIV. Some may be better suited for you than others. Talk to your doctor to learn more about other medications that may work well for you.

Alternatives for treating HIV

When used to treat HIV, Truvada is combined with other HIV antiviral medications. The most common Truvada combinations are Truvada plus Isentress (raltegravir), and Truvada plus Tivicay (dolutegravir). These are considered first-choice treatment options for people who are starting HIV treatment.

Examples of other first-choice HIV drug combinations that may be used to treat HIV include:

  • Biktarvy (bictegravir, emtricitabine, tenofovir alafenamide)
  • Genvoya (elvitegravir, cobicistat, tenofovir alafenamide, emtricitabine)
  • Stribild (elvitegravir, cobicistat, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, emtricitabine)
  • Isentress (raltegravir) plus Descovy (tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine)
  • Isentress (raltegravir) plus Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and lamivudine
  • Tivicay (dolutegravir) plus Descovy (tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine)
  • Tivicay (dolutegravir) plus Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and lamivudine
  • Triumeq (dolutegravir, abacavir, lamivudine)

First-choice drugs for HIV are medications that:

  • help reduce virus levels
  • have fewer side effects than other options
  • are easy to use

There are many other drugs and drug combinations that are used to treat HIV in certain situations, but these are typically only used when first-choice drug combinations can’t be used.

Alternatives for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

Truvada is the only FDA-approved treatment for PrEP. It’s also the only PrEP treatment recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently, there are no alternatives to Truvada for PrEP.

You may wonder how Truvada compares to other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Truvada and Descovy are alike and different.

Ingredients

Truvada contains two drugs in one pill: emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. Descovy also contains two drugs in one pill: emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide.

Both medications contain the drug tenofovir, but in different forms. Truvada contains tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and Descovy contains tenofovir alafenamide. These drugs are very similar, but they have slightly different effects in the body.

Uses

Truvada and Descovy are both FDA-approved to treat HIV infection when used in combination with other antiviral drugs.

Truvada is also approved for preventing HIV in people who have a high risk of getting HIV. This is called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Forms and administration

Truvada and Descovy both come as oral tablets that are taken once daily.

Side effects and risks

Truvada and Descovy are very similar drugs and cause similar common and severe side effects.

More common side effects

Examples of the more common side effects of Truvada and Descovy include:

  • diarrhea
  • headache
  • fatigue
  • respiratory infections
  • sore throat
  • vomiting
  • rash

Serious side effects

Examples of serious side effects shared by Truvada and Descovy include:

  • bone loss
  • kidney damage
  • liver damage
  • lactic acidosis
  • immune reconstitution syndrome

Both Truvada and Descovy have boxed warnings from the FDA. A boxed warning is the strongest kind of warning the FDA requires. The warnings state that these drugs can cause worsening of hepatitis B infection when use of the drugs is stopped.

Truvada and Descovy can both cause bone loss and kidney damage. However, Descovy causes less bone loss than Truvada. Descovy is also less likely to cause kidney damage than Truvada.

Effectiveness

The effectiveness of Truvada and Descovy has not been directly compared in clinical studies. However, an indirect comparison showed that Truvada and Descovy may be equally effective for treating HIV.

According to treatment guidelines, Truvada or Descovy combined with another antiviral drug, such as Tivicay (dolutegravir) or Isentress (raltegravir), are considered first-choice options when starting HIV treatment.

Costs

The cost of either Truvada or Descovy may vary depending on your treatment plan. The actual price you’ll pay for either drug depends on your insurance . your location, and the pharmacy you use.

You should take Truvada according to your doctor’s instructions.

Timing

Truvada should be taken once daily at about the same time each day.

Taking Truvada with food

Truvada can be taken with or without food. Taking it with food might help decrease any stomach upset that could be caused by the medication.

Can Truvada be crushed?

Truvada oral tablet should not be crushed. It must be swallowed whole.

Truvada contains two drugs: emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. These drugs are both nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).

These drugs block an enzyme called reverse transcriptase that HIV needs to copy itself. By blocking this enzyme, Truvada prevents the virus from growing and copying itself. As a result, the levels of HIV in your body begin to decrease.

How long does it take to work?

The medications contained in Truvada begin to work right away to reduce virus levels. However, it may take one to six months of treatment before your HIV levels are low enough that they’re no longer detectable in your blood. (This is the goal of treatment. When HIV is no longer detectable, it’s no longer transmissible to another person.)

This medication has boxed warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A boxed warning is the strongest warning that the FDA requires. A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.

  • Worsening of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection: HBV infection can worsen in people who have HBV infection and stop taking Truvada. If you have HBV and stop taking Truvada, your doctor will do blood tests to check your liver from time to time for several months after you stop the drug. You may need treatment for HBV infection.
  • Resistance to Truvada: Truvada should not be used for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in people who already have HIV because this can cause viral resistance to Truvada. Viral resistance means that HIV can no longer be treated with Truvada. If you’re using Truvada for PrEP, your doctor will do blood tests for HIV infection before you start treatment and at least every three months during your treatment.

Other precautions

Before taking Truvada, talk with your doctor about your health history. Truvada may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health. These include:

  • Kidney disease: Truvada can worsen kidney function in people who have kidney disease. If you have kidney disease, you may need to take Truvada every other day instead of daily. If you have severe kidney disease, you may not be able to take Truvada.
  • Liver disease: Truvada can cause liver damage. If you have liver disease, Truvada might make your condition worse.
  • Bone disease: Truvada can cause bone loss. If you have bone disease, such as osteoporosis, you may have an increased risk of bone fracture if you take Truvada.

Note: For more information about the potential negative effects of Truvada, see the “Truvada side effects” section above.

Taking too much of this medication can increase your risk of serious side effects.

Overdose symptoms

Symptoms of an overdose can include:

  • stomach upset
  • diarrhea
  • vomiting
  • fatigue
  • headache
  • dizziness
  • symptoms of kidney damage, such as:
    • bone or muscle pain
    • weakness
    • fatigue
    • nausea
    • vomiting
    • decreased urine output
  • symptoms of liver damage, such as:
    • pain or swelling in your abdomen
    • nausea
    • vomiting
    • fatigue
    • yellowing of skin or the whites of your eyes

What to do in case of overdose

If you think you’ve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor or seek guidance from the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or through their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

Taking Truvada during the first trimester of pregnancy does not appear to increase the risk of birth defects. However, there’s no information available about the effects of Truvada if it’s taken during the second or third trimesters, or if Truvada increases the risk of miscarriage.

In animal studies, Truvada did not have harmful effects on offspring. However, animal studies don’t always reflect how humans would respond.

If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking Truvada. If you become pregnant while taking Truvada, talk with your doctor right away.

The drugs contained in Truvada are passed in breast milk. Mothers who are taking Truvada should not breastfeed, because a child who is breastfed may have side effects from Truvada.

Another reason not to breastfeed is that HIV may be transmitted to a child through breast milk. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that women with HIV avoid breastfeeding.

(The World Health Organization still encourages breastfeeding for women with HIV in many countries.)

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Truvada.

Can Truvada cause diabetes?

Diabetes is not a side effect that has been reported in studies of Truvada. However, a kidney condition called nephrogenic diabetes insipidus has occurred in people taking Truvada. With this condition, the kidneys don’t function correctly, and the person passes a large amount of urine. This can lead to dehydration.

If you have this condition and it becomes severe, your doctor may stop your treatment with Truvada.

Symptoms of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus can include:

  • dry skin
  • decreased memory
  • dizziness
  • fatigue
  • headache
  • muscle pain
  • weight loss
  • orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure causing dizziness upon standing)

Can Truvada be used to treat herpes?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services doesn’t recommend Truvada for preventing herpes infection in people with HIV infection.

However, some clinical studies have tested whether Truvada, when used for PrEP, can also prevent herpes infection. These studies, which can be found here and here, had mixed results.

If you have questions about using Truvada to treat herpes, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Can I use Tylenol while I’m taking Truvada?

There are no reported interactions between Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Truvada. However, taking high doses of Tylenol can cause liver damage. In some cases, Truvada has also caused liver damage. Taking high doses of Tylenol along with Truvada might increase your risk of liver damage.

When Truvada is dispensed from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the bottle. This date is typically one year from the date the medication was dispensed. The purpose of this expiration date is to guarantee the effectiveness of the medication during this time.

The current stance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to avoid using expired medications. However, an FDA study showed that many medications may still be good beyond the expiration date listed on the bottle.

How long the medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where the medication is stored. Truvada should be stored in the original container at room temperature, at about 77°F (25°C).

If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk to your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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