Brief on side effects of Lamivudine

Lamivudine is a nucleoside analogue which has activity against HIV-1, HIV-2 and hepatitis B virus.
Lamivudine must be converted intracellularly to its triphosphate form, which then competes with cytosine triphosphate for incorporation into the developing viral DNA strand. This results in chain termination and ceases viral DNA replication.

Like other medicines, Lamivudine 300 mg Tablets can cause several side effects or adverse effects, although not everybody gets them.
When treating HIV-infection, it is not always possible to differentiate between undesired adverse effects caused by Lamivudine medication, and those caused by any other medicines you may be taking at the same time, and by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)disease. For such circumstances, it is quite necessary that you should talk to your healthcare provider or doctor of any kind of change in your health or body.

The major side effects of Lamivudine Tablets are lactic acidosis and hepatomegaly, severe
worsening of hepatitis B, hepatic decompensation, pancreatitis, immune reconstitution syndrome
and redistribution/accumulation of body fat.
Major side effects have also occurred in patients with HIV-1 and hepatitis B co-infection, and in patients who use other lamivudine- and emtricitabine containing products with Lamivudine Tablets.

Very commonly reported (greater than 1 in every 10 patients treated) side effects are as follows:

• headache 
• malaise
• fatigue
• fever or chills
• nausea 
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• anorexia
• decreased appetite
• neuropathy
• insomnia (trouble sleeping) and other sleep disorders
• dizziness,
• nasal signs and symptoms,
• cough, and musculoskeletal pain. 
• Commonly reported (greater than 1 in every 100 patients treated) side effects are mentioned as follows:
• abdominal pain or cramps
• dyspepsia
• depressive disorders
• skin rashes
• myalgia, and arthralgia. 

Uncommonly reported (between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 100 patients treated) side effects are pancreatitis.
Combination antiretroviral therapy may be responsible for a condition often known as lactic acidosis, which is a build-up of lactic acid in the body, which may cause dehydration, liver damage, and also coma have been observed on the rare occasions in patients with NRTIs. Deep, rapid breathing, drowsiness, and no specific symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and stomach pain, may indicate the development of lactic acidosis. A majority of these cases have been in women. If you are very overweight (obese) you may be at higher risk for this rare but serious side effect. If you have liver disease or prolonged nucleoside exposure you may also be at greater risk of getting this condition. Treatment with lamivudine should be stopped if you develop symptoms or laboratory results suggestive of lactic acidosis or pronounced liver toxicity.

Read:- Lamivudine for HIV as well as Hepatitis B treatment