Precautions
Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.
Do not use didanosine if you or your child are also using allopurinol (Zyloprim®), ribavirin (Copegus®, Rebetol®), or stavudine (Zerit®). Using these medicines together may cause serious side effects.
This medicine may cause a life-threatening condition called pancreatitis. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have more than one of these symptoms: bloating, chills, constipation, darkened urine, a fast heartbeat, fever, indigestion, loss of appetite, nausea, pains in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin.
Two rare but serious reactions to this medicine are lactic acidosis (too much acid in the blood) and liver toxicity, which includes an enlarged liver. These are more common if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking anti-HIV medicines for a long time. Call your doctor right away if you or your child have more than one of these symptoms: abdominal or stomach discomfort or cramping, dark urine, decreased appetite, diarrhea, a general feeling of discomfort, light-colored stools, muscle cramping or pain, nausea, unusual tiredness or weakness, trouble breathing, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin.
Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have abdominal or stomach pain, black, tarry stools, bleeding gums, blood in the urine or stools, pinpoint red spots on the skin, or unusual bleeding or bruising. These may be symptoms of a condition called non-cirrhotic portal hypertension.
Tell your doctor right away if you or your child start having numbness, tingling, or burning pain in your hands, arms, legs, or feet. These may be symptoms of a condition called peripheral neuropathy.
Your immune system may get stronger when you start taking HIV medicines. Sometimes the immune system will start to fight infections that were hidden in your body, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis, or may result in a flare-up of a hidden autoimmune disorder such as Graves' disease, polymyositis, or Guillain-Barré syndrome. Tell your doctor right away if you notice any changes in your health.
This medicine may cause you or your child to lose fat from your legs, arms, or face. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.
Check with your doctor right away if you or your child start to see unusual colors or have blurred vision. Your doctor may want you to have your eyes checked regularly by an eye doctor (ophthalmologist).
Do not drink alcohol while you are using this medicine.
This medicine will not keep you from giving HIV to your partner during sex. Make sure you understand this and practice safe sex, even if your partner also has HIV, by using a latex condom or other barrier method. This medicine will also not keep you from giving HIV to other people if they are exposed to your blood. Do not re-use or share needles with anyone.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Portions of this document last updated: June 01, 2024
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