Aptivus

There have been cases of people having liver problems afer taking Aptivus (tipranavir). It's more common in people who have more advanced HIV who are taking a lot of other medications. The risk is also higher in people who already have liver damage or a chronic hepatitis B or C infection. Your provider will order lab tests before and during treatment to monitor your liver. Talk to your provider if you notice any yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or pale stools. These can be signs of liver damage.

It's rare, but there have been cases of people having bleeding in their brain while taking Aptivus (tipranavir). Most of these people had other conditions or were taking other medications that may have caused this as well. It's unknown if Aptivus (tipranavir) played a factor in these events. Talk to your provider if this is a concern for you.

Aptivus (tipranavir) interacts with many other medications. This might require adjusting the dose of Aptivus (tipranavir) or your other medications. If the medication doses are not adjusted for interactions, the dose may be too low for it to work properly, or the dose might end up being too high, which can cause unwanted side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting or stopping any medications.

Risk factors: Allergic reaction to other sulfa medications

Aptivus (tipranavir) and other HIV ARVs in the same protease inhibitor (PI) subclass can raise your blood sugar levels and lead to diabetes. If you already have diabetes, this medication can make it worse. Be sure to keep your regularly scheduled appointments and check your blood sugar at home if your provider tells you to.

HIV attacks your immune system. Over time, if the virus isn't treated your body may become defenseless against bacterial and fungal infections. Your HIV medications are very good at killing the virus, and when the number of viruses goes down, your immune system gets started making more cells. Once your immune system gets better, it will start to fight off any infections you might have, which can lead to a lot of inflammation. Even though it's a good thing that your immune system is getting better, too much inflammation can be bad. Your healthcare provider might check for underlying infections (sometimes called opportunistic infections) before starting Aptivus (tipranavir) especially if it is your first time taking HIV medications. Call your provider if you experience fever, difficulty breathing, or sudden changes to your health after starting Aptivus (tipranavir).

Some people taking HIV ARVs, including Aptivus (tipranavir) have noticed changes to the way fat is located in the body. There might be more fat in the abdomen and upper back, and less fat in the face, arms, and legs. Scientists and healthcare providers don't really know why this happens.