If you have HIV, your doctor may prescribe Stribild for you. Stribild is a prescription medication used to treat HIV in adults and some children. To learn more about how Stribild treats HIV, see the “What is Stribild used for?” section below.

Stribild basics

Stribild comes as a tablet that you’ll take by mouth. It contains four active drugs:

  • elvitegravir
  • cobicistat
  • emtricitabine
  • tenofovir disoproxil fumarate

Stribild doesn’t come in a generic form. This combination of drugs is available only as a brand-name medication.

Read on to learn more about Stribild’s uses, side effects, and more.

Like most drugs, Stribild may cause mild or serious side effects. The lists below describe some of the more common side effects that Stribild may cause. These lists don’t include all possible side effects.

Keep in mind that side effects of a drug can depend on:

  • your age
  • other health conditions you have
  • other medications you take

Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about the potential side effects of Stribild. They can also suggest ways to help reduce side effects.

Mild side effects

Here’s a list of some of the mild side effects that Stribild can cause. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or read Stribild’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects of Stribild include:

Mild side effects of many drugs may go away within a few days to a couple of weeks. But if they become bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Allergic reaction” section below.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects from Stribild can occur, but they aren’t common. If you have serious side effects from Stribild, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or your local emergency number.

Serious side effects of Stribild that have been reported include:

* For more information, see the “Boxed warning” section at the beginning of this article.
† To learn more about this side effect, see the “Allergic reaction” section below.

SUICIDE PREVENTION

If you think someone is at immediate risk of self-harm or hurting another person:

  • Call 911 or your local emergency number.
  • Stay with the person until help arrives.
  • Remove any guns, knives, medications, or other things that may cause harm.
  • Listen, but don’t judge, argue, threaten, or yell.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, get help from a crisis or suicide prevention hotline. Try the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

Allergic reaction

Some people may have an allergic reaction to Stribild. Although allergic reaction wasn’t reported in studies of Stribild, it can still happen.

Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include:

A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include swelling under your skin, usually in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet. They can also include swelling of your tongue, mouth, or throat, which can cause trouble breathing.

Call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to Stribild. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

Stribild is used to treat HIV. It’s prescribed for adults and children ages 12 years and older who weigh at least 35 kilograms (about 77 pounds).

Stribild doesn’t need to be taken with other HIV drugs. It’s used on its own, so it’s considered a complete HIV treatment regimen.

Your doctor may prescribe Stribild if you haven’t tried another HIV medication before. Or if you’ve tried other HIV drugs before, Stribild may replace your current treatment if all of the factors below apply to you.

  • You’ve been using the same HIV treatment for at least 6 months.
  • Your HIV blood levels are below 50 copies per milliliter (mL)*
  • You haven’t used other HIV drugs in the past that weren’t effective for you.
  • You have HIV that isn’t resistant† to the active drugs in Stribild.

* HIV is measured in copies/mL on certain lab tests, such as the HIV viral load test. This number describes how many copies of the virus are in your body.
† With treatment resistance, a drug isn’t effective at preventing HIV from multiplying in your body.

About HIV

HIV is a virus that destroys certain cells in your immune system that fight infections.

HIV can spread through blood or other bodily fluids. Some people with HIV may not have symptoms for several years. But possible symptoms may include:

  • fatigue (low energy)
  • muscle and joint pain
  • skin rash
  • headache
  • sore throat
  • night sweats
  • diarrhea

Without treatment, HIV can develop into AIDS (which severely weakens the immune system and may result in other infections).

Stribild and Genvoya are both antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV. They contain similar active ingredients: elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir.

One difference between Stribild and Genvoya is their form and strength of tenofovir. Tenofovir comes in two forms. Stribild contains tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and Genvoya contains tenofovir alafenamide.

Genvoya has a lower strength of tenofovir than Stribild. Stribild contains 300 milligrams (mg) of tenofovir and Genvoya contains 10 mg.

If you’d like to learn more about how these drugs compare, see this article. Also, talk with your doctor about the treatment option that’s right for you.

Your doctor will recommend the dosage of Stribild that’s right for you. Below are commonly used dosages, but always take the dosage your doctor prescribes.

Form and strength

Stribild comes in a tablet that contains four active ingredients. The strengths of each drug are:

  • 150 milligrams (mg) elvitegravir
  • 150 mg of cobicistat
  • 200 mg of emtricitabine
  • 300 mg tenofovir

Recommended dosage

You’ll take one tablet of Stribild once daily with food.

Questions about Stribild’s dosage

Below are some common questions about Stribild’s dosage.

  • What if I miss a dose of Stribild? It’s important to take Stribild every day. If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. But if it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at its regularly scheduled time.
  • Will I need to use Stribild long term? Yes, Stribild is meant to be used as a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Stribild is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely take it long term.

How long does Stribild take to work? Stribild starts working as soon as you take a dose. The drug lowers the level of HIV in your blood, so you may not notice it working in your body. But during your treatment, your doctor will check your HIV levels through blood tests. It may take several months or up to 1 year of taking Stribild regularly before you have an undetectable level of HIV in your blood.

Some important things to discuss with your doctor when considering Stribild include your overall health and any medical conditions you may have.

You should also tell your doctor if you’re taking other medications. This is important because certain drugs can interfere with Stribild.

These and other considerations to discuss with your doctor are described below.

Interactions

Taking a medication with certain vaccines, foods, and other things can affect how the medication works. These effects are called interactions.

Before taking Stribild, be sure to tell your doctor about all medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter types. Also describe any vitamins, herbs, or supplements you use. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you about any interactions these items may cause with Stribild.

For information about drug-condition interactions, see the “Other warnings” section below.

Interactions with drugs or supplements

Stribild can interact with several types of drugs. Here is a list of these medications:

  • antiretroviral medications such as abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine) (Triumeq) and darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir (Symtuza)
  • antibacterial drug such as clarithromycin
  • antifungal drugs including itraconazole (Sporanox) and ketoconazole
  • antiviral drugs such as acyclovir (Zovirax) and valacyclovir (Valtrex)
  • blood thinners, including apixaban (Eliquis), dabigatran (Pradaxa), and clopidogrel (Plavix)
  • hormonal birth control with ethinyl estradiol, such as ethinyl estradiol/desogestrel (Apri) and ethinyl estradiol/norethindrone (Loestrin)
  • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve)
  • the herbal medicine St. John’s wort

This list does not contain all types of drugs that may interact with Stribild. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about these interactions and any others that may occur with the use of Stribild.

Boxed warning

Stribild has a boxed warning about the risk of worsening hepatitis B infection in people who have both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV. This is a serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

For more information, see the “Boxed warning” section at the beginning of this article.

Other warnings

Stribild may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions. These are known as drug-condition interactions. Other factors, called contraindications, may also affect whether Stribild is a good treatment option for you. (A contraindication is a factor or condition that could prevent your doctor from prescribing a drug due to risk of harm.)

Talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Stribild. Factors to consider include those in the list below.

  • Depression or other mental health conditions. People with a history of mental health conditions, including depression, may have a higher risk of suicidal thoughts or actions while taking Stribild. Before starting treatment with Stribild, tell your doctor if you’ve had depression or other mental health conditions. They may recommend a different HIV medication. And if you have suicidal thoughts or actions during your Stribild treatment, call 911 or your local emergency number right away.
  • Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Stribild or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Stribild. Ask them about other medications that may be better options for you.
  • Kidney failure. Stribild can cause kidney problems, including kidney failure. If you already have kidney failure, taking Stribild could worsen your condition. Before prescribing Stribild and during your treatment, your doctor will check how well your kidneys are working. If your kidney function worsens while you’re taking Stribild, your doctor may have you stop taking the drug.
  • Liver problems. Stribild may cause liver disease in some people. If you already have liver problems, you may have a higher risk of liver disease from Stribild. Because of this risk, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Stribild for you if you have certain liver problems. Talk with your doctor about another treatment that may be safer for you.
  • Decreased bone density. Stribild may cause bone loss. If you already have bone problems, including bone loss or past fractures, talk with your doctor before taking Stribild. Your doctor may suggest a different HIV drug for you. Or if they do prescribe Stribild, they may monitor your bone health more closely during treatment. They may also have you take calcium and vitamin D supplements while you’re taking Stribild to help prevent bone problems.

Stribild and alcohol

Stribild is not known to interact with alcohol. But it’s important to note that Stribild can cause liver problems in some people, and alcohol can also affect your liver. Drinking alcohol during your Stribild treatment may raise your risk of this side effect.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about the amount that may be safe for you to drink with Stribild.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Stribild is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Being pregnant may result in lower levels of cobicistat and elvitegravir (two of the drugs in Stribild) in the body. This could make Stribild less effective in someone who’s pregnant.

If you do take Stribild while pregnant, you can enroll in a pregnancy registry. Pregnancy registries collect information about a drug’s use during pregnancy to help doctors learn about the drug’s safety. Your doctor can enroll you in the pregnancy registry, and you can learn more from the Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry website or by calling 1-800-258-4263.

You shouldn’t breastfeed while using Stribild. Tenofovir and emtricitabine (two of the four drugs in Stribild), pass into breast milk. It’s not known how this may affect a breastfed child.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) doesn’t recommend breastfeeding if you have HIV. Even with undetectable levels of HIV in the blood, it can still be passed to a breastfed child.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or to breastfed, talk with your doctor about your treatment options.

Costs of prescription drugs can vary depending on many factors. These factors include what your insurance plan covers and which pharmacy you use.

If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. A program called Advancing Access may also be available for Stribild.

You can also check out this article to learn more about saving money on prescriptions.

Find answers to some commonly asked questions about Stribild.

Is Stribild used for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP)?

Stribild isn’t approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for PEP. But in some cases, doctors may prescribe Stribild off-label for this use. (Off label-use is when an FDA-approved drug is prescribed for a purpose other than what it’s approved for.)

PEP is treatment that’s used to prevent HIV transmission after being exposed to the virus. If you need PEP, you must start your treatment within 72 hours of being exposed.

A study showed that when Stribild was taken once daily, it was effective in preventing HIV transmission in people who had been exposed to the virus.

To learn more about using Stribild for PEP, talk with your doctor.

Does Stribild cause weight gain?

No, Stribild doesn’t cause weight gain. Other drugs used to treat HIV, such as dolutegravir (Tivicay), may cause weight gain. But this wasn’t a side effect reported in studies of Stribild.

HIV can cause weight loss. Once a person starts HIV treatment, they might gain some or all the weight back. But this isn’t caused by Stribild itself.

If you’re concerned about how Stribild may affect your weight, talk with your doctor.

Is hair loss a side effect of Stribild?

No, Stribild doesn’t cause hair loss. This wasn’t a side effect reported in studies of the drug.

Other HIV treatments can cause hair loss, such as abacavir/lamivudine/dolutegravir (Triumeq) and abacavir/lamivudine/zidovudine (Trizivir).

If you’re concerned about hair loss, talk with your doctor.

Don’t take more Stribild than your doctor prescribes. Using more than this can lead to serious side effects. If you take too much Stribild, your doctor may closely monitor you for signs and symptoms of overdose.

What to do in case you take too much Stribild

Call your doctor if you think you’ve taken too much Stribild. You can also call 800-222-1222 to reach the American Association of Poison Control Centers or use its online resource. But if you have severe symptoms, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number. Or go to the nearest emergency room.

Your doctor will explain how you should take Stribild. They’ll also explain how much to take and how often. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions.

Taking Stribild

Stribild comes in a tablet that you swallow.

Accessible medication containers and labels

If it’s hard for you to read the label on your prescription, tell your doctor or pharmacist. Certain pharmacies may provide medication labels that:

  • have large print
  • use braille
  • contain a code you can scan with a smartphone to change the text into audio

Your doctor or pharmacist may be able to recommend a pharmacy that offers these options if your current pharmacy doesn’t.

Also, if you’re having trouble opening your medication bottles, let your pharmacist know. They may be able to put Stribild in an easy-open container. Your pharmacist may also recommend tools to help make it simpler to open the drug’s container.

Questions about taking Stribild

Below are some common questions about taking Stribild.

  • Can Stribild be chewed, crushed, or split? No, you shouldn’t chew, crush, or split Stribild tablets. You must swallow the tablet whole. If you’re having trouble swallowing your pills, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. This article also has tips that may be helpful for swallowing pills.
  • Should I take Stribild with food? Yes, you should take Stribild with food. This helps your body absorb enough of the drug for it to be effective. You can have either a light or full meal with Stribild.
  • Is there a best time of day to take Stribild? There’s no one best time of day to take Stribild, but you should take it at the same time each day. This helps keep a consistent amount of the drug in your body. Taking Stribild with a meal that you eat at the same time each day can help you remember to take your dose.
Questions for your doctor

You may have questions about Stribild and your treatment plan. It’s important to discuss all your concerns with your doctor.

Here are a few tips that might help guide your discussion:

  • Before your appointment, write down questions such as:
    • How will Stribild affect my body, mood, or lifestyle?
  • Bring someone with you to your appointment if doing so will help you feel more comfortable.
  • If you don’t understand something related to your condition or treatment, ask your doctor to explain it to you.

Remember, your doctor and other healthcare professionals are available to help you. And they want you to get the best care possible. So don’t be afraid to ask questions or offer feedback on your treatment.

Stribild and Biktarvy are both drugs used to treat HIV. Biktarvy contains the drugs bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide. Stribild contains elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.

Both Stribild and Biktarvy have a boxed warning for worsening hepatitis B infection. Before you start treatment with either drug, your doctor will test you for the hepatitis B virus.

If you’d like to learn more about Stribild and Biktarvy, see this detailed comparison. Also, talk with your doctor about whether one of these drugs may be right for you.

If you have questions about taking Stribild, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Some questions about Stribild you may want to ask your doctor include:

  • How often will I need blood tests to check how much virus is in my blood?
  • Which pain medications are safe to take with Stribild?
  • Should my partner also take Stribild to prevent HIV transmission?
  • I have both hepatitis B and HIV. Which HIV drug can replace Stribild?

And if you’re interested in learning about other treatment options for your condition, check out this article.

Q:

Will taking Stribild cure my condition?

Anonymous

A:

No, Stribild can’t cure HIV. Currently, there’s no cure for this condition.

A goal of HIV treatment is to lower the amount of the virus in your body so that it’s undetectable on blood tests. This also lowers the risk of spreading the virus to another person. Stribild can prevent HIV from making copies of itself. In some people, this can lower the amount of the virus to an undetectable level.

If you have questions about what to expect from Stribild treatment or about how the drug works, talk with your doctor.

The Healthline Pharmacist TeamAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.
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Disclaimer: Healthline 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 another 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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