fosamprenavir

Some medications can interfere with how well your body gets rid of fosamprenavir (Lexiva) from your system. This can affect the amount of fosamprenavir (Lexiva) in your body, how well it works, and the risk of side effects.

Fosamprenavir (Lexiva) can sometimes cause rash and other severe skin reactions. If you have a mild or moderate rash, continue to take fosamprenavir (Lexiva) and let your provider know. Oftentimes, the rash goes away on its own. If you have a severe rash or your rash gets worse, talk with your provider right away. In rare cases, if you experience a rash with fever, general discomfort, muscle or joint pain, mouth sores, blisters, or facial swelling, stop taking fosamprenavir (Lexiva) right away and get medical attention. These might be sign of a serious skin reaction called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS).

Fosamprenavir (Lexiva) can cause liver problems. Your risk is higher if you've a history of hepatitis, liver problems, or if you take this medication with ritonavir (Norvir) at a higher dose. Your provider will order blood tests for you before and during treatment so they can make sure this medication is safe for your liver. Let your provider know immediately if you experience signs and symptoms of liver damage, such as feeling sleepy, nausea, loss of appetite, light-colored stool, upper right stomach pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or dark urine.

Taking fosamprenavir (Lexiva) and certain HIV ARVs can raise your blood sugar levels or worsen your diabetes. In some cases, your provider will need to adjust your dose of diabetic medications to make sure your blood sugar is under control. If you have a history of diabetes, let your provider know before starting fosamprenavir (Lexiva). Your provider might ask you to check your blood sugar at home to make sure this medication is safe for you.

Taking combination ARV therapy, such as fosamprenavir (Lexiva) with other HIV medications, can cause changes to your immune system called immune reconstitution syndrome. This condition happens when your immune system becomes overly active after you start combination therapy. So your immune system begins to fight off different infections that it was too weak to fight off before you started treatment. In rare cases, your immune response might improve too much with treatment that it starts to attack normal cells in your body (autoimmune). You can develop these conditions as early as during the first few weeks of treatment or many months later. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having any new symptoms, such as fever, pain, hair loss, bulging eyes, or sweating, after starting fosamprenavir (Lexiva).

Rarely, people taking HIV medications, such as fosamprenavir (Lexiva), have experienced changes in body fat. These changes include fat buildup in the back of the neck, breast, and around the middle of the body. Some people also lost fat from the legs, arms, and face. It's not clear whether fosamprenavir (Lexiva) causes these changes to body fat, why this happens, and whether it will affect your health in the future. Let your provider know if these changes occur while you're taking fosamprenavir (Lexiva).

Fosamprenavir (Lexiva) raises the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides (fats) in your blood, which can put you at higher risk for a heart attack or stroke. Your provider will monitor your blood tests before and during treatment with this medication to make sure it's safe for you. If your cholesterol levels are too high, your might need to take medications to help keep them under control. Keep in mind that certain cholesterol medications, such as lovastatin (Altoprev) or simvastatin (Zocor), should be avoided with fosamprenavir (Lexiva) to prevent serious side effects. Make sure to let your provider know all the medications you're taking before being prescribed new ones.

Some people with a bleeding condition called hemophilia have reported more bleeding after treatment with a protease inhibitor, such as fosamprenavir (Lexiva). It's unclear whether or not protease inhibitors were the cause for the bleeding. Many people were able to continue treatment with the protease inhibitor. Let your provider know if you experience any sudden bleeds or bleeding that's difficult to stop.