Compare Truvada vs. Epivir
Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.
Works with other medications to treat HIV infection, or works alone to prevent HIV infection.
Truvada (emtricitabine / tenofovir) is a versatile, first-choice HIV medication that is used in combination with other HIV medications to treat and prevent HIV infections.
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4.8/ 5 average rating with 16 reviewsforTruvada
Works with other medicines to treat HIV infection or chronic hepatitis B.
Epivir (lamivudine) is a first-choice and commonly used medicine to take together with other HIV medications to treat HIV. It is also an alternative option for treating chronic hepatitis B.
Upsides
- Contains two first-choice medications which can be used in combination with other drugs to treat HIV infection.
- Truvada (emtricitabine / tenofovir) is also a first-choice option to be used for preventing HIV.
- Take only once daily, with or without food.
- Epivir (lamivudine) can be used with many other HIV options to create a combination that's right for you.
- Has very minimal interactions with other medications.
- Available in tablet and liquid form.
- Can be take once or twice a day. Also available in different combination pills so you don't have to take as many pills per day.
- Available in cheaper generic form.
Downsides
- If you're taking Truvada (emtricitabine / tenofovir) to stop you from getting HIV, you should continue having safe sex since it won't protect you from other sexually transmitted infections.
- If you're taking Truvada (emtricitabine / tenofovir) to stop you from getting HIV, you have to get blood tests every 3 months to check for overall health and to make sure you don't have HIV or other sexually transmitted infections.
- People with poorly functioning kidneys shouldn't take Truvada (emtricitabine / tenofovir).
- Can weaken your bones.
- If you have HIV as well as Hepatitis B and stop taking Truvada (emtricitabine / tenofovir) suddenly, your hepatitis may get worse.
- Cannot take Epivir (lamivudine) by itself to treat HIV.
- Might need to change dosage based on how well your kidneys function.
- It is recommended to use other options to treat chronic hepatitis B before choosing Epivir (lamivudine) due to drug resistance.
- You'll have to be tested for both HIV and hepatitis B, since the dose to treat hepatitis B is lower than the dose for HIV. If you have the lower dose, HIV can be harder to treat if you also have hepatitis B.
- The liquid version of Epivir (lamivudine) has sugar, so if you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels might change.
Used for
- HIV treatment
- HIV prevention
- Hepatitis B treatment
- HIV infection
- Hepatitis B
- HIV prevention, non-occupational (PEP)
- HIV prevention, mother-to-child
Dosage forms
- Pill
- Pill
- Liquid
Price
Lowest price
$1837.09
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$396.84
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Reviews
16 reviews so far
100%
saidit'sworth it
94%
saiditworked well
0%
saidit'sa big hassle
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Side effects
12possible side effects
- Diarrhea9%
- Nausea9%
- Fatigue9%
- Depression9%
- Stuffy or runny nose8%
- Flu or bronchitis8%
- Dizziness8%
- Rash event7%
- Headache6%
- Common cold5%
- Insomnia5%
- Vomiting2%
3possible side effects
- Ear, nose, and throat infections25%
- Diarrhea14%
- Sore throat13%
Risks and risk factors
- Lactic acidosis | Enlarged, fatty liver
- Liver disease
- Women
- Obesity
- Worsening hepatitis B infection
- Hepatitis B Virus infection
- Kidney damage
- History of kidney damage
- Concurrent use of other drugs known to harm kidneys
- Bone loss/osteoporosis
- History of bone fractures
- Osteoporosis
- Immune reconstitution syndrome
- HIV
- Exposure to other infections
- Start of a new HIV medication
- Change in HIV therapy
- Drug resistance while using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
- Undiscovered HIV infection while on PrEP
- Lactic acidosis | Enlarged, fatty liver
- Liver disease
- Women
- Obesity
- Acute Exacerbation of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
- Hepatitis B virus
- Different doses available
- HIV counseling/testing
- Immune reconstitution syndrome
- HIV
- Exposure to other infections
- Start of a new HIV medication
- Change in HIV therapy
- Pancreatitis