Drug Database: Lamivudine / Zidovudine

What is Combivir?

Combivir is a prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HIV infection in adults and children who weigh at least 66 lb (30 kg). Combivir is always used in combination with other HIV medicines.

Combivir contains two different medicines: lamivudine and zidovudine.

For more information on the use of Combivir in people with HIV, please refer to the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents with HIV and the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Pediatric HIV Infection. 

HIV medicines cannot cure HIV/AIDS, but taking HIV medicines every day helps people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. HIV medicines also reduce the risk of HIV transmission. If you are taking HIV medicines, do not cut down on, skip, or stop taking them unless your health care provider tells you to.

What should I tell my health care provider before taking Combivir?

Before taking Combivir, tell your health care provider:

• If you are allergic to any of the HIV medicines in Combivir (lamivudine or zidovudine) or any other medicines.
• If you have any blood disorders, such as anemia or neutropenia.
• If you have myopathy (muscle disease).
• If you have kidney problems.
• If you have liver problems, such as hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) or hepatitis C virus infection (HCV).
• If you have had inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
• If you have any other medical conditions.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of taking Combivir during pregnancy. For more information on the use of Combivir during pregnancy, please refer to the Recommendations for the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs During Pregnancy and Interventions to Reduce Perinatal HIV Transmission in the United States. 
• If you are breast/chestfeeding or plan to breast/chestfeed. For people with HIV in the United States, the Guideline recommends speaking with your health care provider to discuss options for feeding your baby. People with suppressed viral load have a less than 1% chance of transmitting HIV to their baby via their own milk.
• If you are using hormone-based birth control (such as pills, implants, or vaginal rings). For more information about using birth control and HIV medicines at the same time, view the HIVinfo HIV and Birth Control infographic. 
• About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Combivir may affect the way other medicines or products work, and other medicines or products may affect how Combivir works. Taking Combivir together with certain medicines or products may cause serious, life-threatening side effects.

How should I take Combivir?

Combivir comes in tablet form. Each tablet contains:

• 150 mg lamivudine
• 300 mg zidovudine

Take Combivir according to your health care provider’s instructions. Do not miss a dose of Combivir, and do not change your dose or stop taking Combivir without first talking with your health care provider.

Take Combivir by mouth with or without food. Tell your health care provider if your child has trouble swallowing Combivir tablets. 

Always take Combivir in combination with other HIV medicines.

If you have taken too much Combivir, contact your health care provider or local poison control center (1-800-222-1222) right away, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

For more information on how to take Combivir, see the FDA drug label. 

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you miss a dose of Combivir, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. But if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and just take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose.

What side effects can Combivir cause?

Combivir may cause side effects. Some side effects of Combivir can be serious as noted above. Many side effects from HIV medicines, such as nausea or occasional dizziness, are manageable. See the HIVinfo fact sheet on HIV Medicines and Side Effects for more information.

Other possible side effects of Combivir include:

• Changes in your immune system (called immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome or IRIS). IRIS is a condition that sometimes occurs when the immune system begins to recover after treatment with an HIV medicine. As the immune system gets stronger, it may have an increased response to a previously hidden infection.
• Loss of body fat (lipoatrophy).
• Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).

Tell your health care provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of Combivir. To learn more about possible side effects of Combivir, read the drug label or package insert or talk to your health care provider or pharmacist. 

You can report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088) or online.

How should Combivir be stored?

• Store Combivir between 36°F and 86°F (2°C to 30°C).
• Keep Combivir in the container that it came in and keep the container tightly closed.
• Do not use Combivir if the original seal over the container opening is broken or missing.
• Throw away Combivir that is no longer needed or expired (out of date). Follow FDA guidelines on how to safely dispose of unused medicine.
• Keep Combivir and all medicines out of reach of children.

Where can I find more information about Combivir?

• For more information on the use of Combivir in people with HIV, please refer to the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents with HIV and the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Pediatric HIV Infection.
• This Patient Version drug summary is based on the following FDA label(s): Tablet (film coated). The Patient Counseling Information section of the label includes information for people taking Combivir.
• The American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) Patient Medication Information for lamivudine and zidovudine available from MedlinePlus.
• Combivir-related research studies, from ClinicalTrials.gov. (The ClinicalTrials.gov search can be modified so that you can get results that better match your interests. To learn more about the ClinicalTrials.gov search features, please see How to Search.)
• A list of FDA-approved HIV medicines, from HIVinfo.