Medication Information Leaflet
It is used to treat hepatitis B infection
Lamivudine is an antiviral medication that reduce the amount of hepatitis B virus in your body. This will help to prevent progression of the disease and its impact on your liver. Lamivudine is not a cure for hepatitis B infection and must be taken consistently.
It is used to treat HIV infection
Lamivudine is an antiretroviral medication used for treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It works by preventing the virus from reproducing, and hence, reducing the amount of virus in your body. This increases the CD4 cell count in your body. CD4 cells are a type of immune cells that help your body fight infections.
Lamivudine is not a cure for HIV infection. It must be taken consistently every day to slow the progression of the disease.
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Then take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses to make up for the missed dose.
Inform your healthcare professional if:
Inform your healthcare professional if these side effects persist or are intolerable.
Stop the medication and consult your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms of a drug allergy:
Rarely, lamivudine can cause a build-up of acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Consult your doctor if you experience signs of lactic acidosis such as:
This medication may affect the liver of some patients. Consult your doctor if you experience signs of liver problem such as:
Not applicable.
Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep this medication away from children.
Pack the medication into a bag and bring it back to the pharmacy where you received the medication from.
Please take note that the above is not a complete list of all possible side effects. If you have any concerns about your medication or if you have other side effects that you think are caused by this medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.
If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.
This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.
Last updated on August 2023
This article was last reviewed on Thursday, August 31, 2023