Zerit Drug Information | Usage | Interactions and Side Effects

Zerit Drug Information | Usage | Interactions and Side Effects

Zerit (stavudine) is an antiviral medication that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body. Generic Zerit is a cost-saving medication prescribed by medical physicians worldwide.

Generic Zerit may also be marketed as: Stavudine.

*Zerit® is manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Uses

Generic Zerit (stavudine) is an antiviral medication that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body. Generic Zerit is used to treat HIV, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.

How to take

Take Generic Zerit exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Generic Zerit can be taken with or without food. Take your doses at regular intervals to keep a steady amount of the drug in your body at all times. Generic Zerit is usually given once every 12 hours.

Side effects

Stop using Generic Zerit and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Get emergency medical help if you have even mild symptoms of lactic acidosis, such as:

muscle pain or weakness;
numb or cold feeling in your arms and legs;
trouble breathing;
feeling dizzy, light-headed, tired, or very weak;
stomach pain, nausea with vomiting; or
fast or uneven heart rate.

Stop using Generic Zerit and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

signs of a new infection such as fever, chills, sore throat, flu symptoms, easy bruising or unusual bleeding, loss of appetite, mouth sores;
severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate;
upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
increased sweating, tremors in your hands, anxiety, feeling irritable, sleep problems (insomnia);
diarrhea, unexplained weight loss, menstrual changes, impotence, loss of interest in sex;
swelling in your neck or throat (enlarged thyroid);
weakness, numbness, pain, or prickly feeling in your hands or feet;
problems with walking, breathing, speech, swallowing, or eye movement; or
severe lower back pain, loss of bladder or bowel control.

Precautions

Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of pancreas or liver damage while you are taking Generic Zerit. Taking this medication will not prevent you from passing HIV to other people. Do not have unprotected sex or share razors or toothbrushes.

Talk with your doctor about safe ways to prevent HIV transmission during sex. Sharing drug or medicine needles is never safe, even for a healthy person.

Generic Zerit can also cause severe or life-threatening effects on your liver or pancreas. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these symptoms while taking Generic Zerit.

Drug interactions

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

didanosine (Videx);
doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Rubex);
hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea);
interferon-alfa (Roferon, Intron, Rebetron); or
ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol, RibaPak, Ribasphere, RibaTab, Virazole).

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with Generic Zerit.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of Generic Zerit, take it as soon as possible. If it is within 2 hours of your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Storage

Store Generic Zerit at room temperature, between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C), in a tightly closed container. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Stavudine out of the reach of children and away from pets.