Abacavir, Dolutegravir, and Lamivudine

Abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine may cause a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction. Call your doctor immediately if you develop one symptom from two or more of the following groups:

Group 1: fever
Group 2: rash
Group 3: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach area pain
Group 4: generally ill feeling, extreme tiredness, or achiness
Group 5: shortness of breath, cough, or sore throat

Also, call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms: headache; muscle or joint pain; swelling of the face, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs; pain, burning, or tingling in the hands or feet; itching; blistering or peeling of the skin; difficulty swallowing or breathing; red, swollen, itchy, or teary eyes; or sores in the mouth.

Your pharmacist will give you a Warning Card when you receive your medication. The Warning Card contains the groups of symptoms listed above. Be sure to carry this Warning Card with you at all times.

Some people may be more likely to have an allergic reaction to abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine based on their genetic make-up. Your doctor may order a genetic lab test prior to starting abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine. Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine or any other medications that contain abacavir. If your doctor tells you to stop taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine because you had an allergic reaction, never take abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine or a medication containing abacavir again. If you stop taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine for any other reason, including missing several doses in a row or running out of medication, do not start taking it again without first talking to your doctor. You will need to be around people who can provide or call for emergency medical care, if needed, when you restart this medication.

Tell your doctor if you have or think you may have hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) or hepatitis C virus infection (HCV). If you have HBV and you take abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine, your condition may suddenly worsen when you stop taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine. Your doctor will examine you and order lab tests regularly for several months after you stop taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine.

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain tests to check your body's response to abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website ( https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm ) or the manufacturer's website to obtain the Medication Guide.

Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine.

Uses
How to Use
Precautions
Side Effects
Storage/Disposal
More Information

Why is this medicine prescribed?

The combination of abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine is used to treat HIV infection. Abacavir and lamivudine are in a class of medications called nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and dolutegravir is in a class of medications called integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs). They work by decreasing the amount of HIV in your blood and increasing the number of immune cells that help fight infections in your body.

Although abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine will not cure HIV, these medications may decrease your chance of developing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and HIV-related illnesses. Taking these medications and making other lifestyle changes may decrease the risk of giving the HIV virus to other people.

Are there other uses for this medicine?

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

How should this medicine be used?

The combination of abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine comes as a tablet to take by mouth or tablets to be dissolved into a suspension (liquid) to be taken by mouth. Take the tablets or tablets for suspension once daily with or without food. Take abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine at around the same time every day.

Take abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

If giving the tablets for suspension, the tablets should be placed in the provided cup with 15-20 mL of drinking water (3 tablets can be placed in 15 mL but more than 3 tablets should be placed in 20 mL) and then swirl contents until tablets are completely dissolved and no lumps remain. After tablets are completely dissolved, the contents of the cup should be completely swallowed within 30 minutes. For children too young to drink from a cup, the contents of the cup may be drawn into a syringe and the medication given this way.

Continue to take abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine without talking to your doctor. If you stop taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine, or skip doses, your condition may become more difficult to treat, or you could have an allergic reaction when restarting the medication (See Important Warning section).

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine,

tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to this drug, any part of this drug, or any other drugs, foods or substances. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and what symptoms you had.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take while taking abacavir, lamivudine, and zidovudine. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
if you are taking antacids, laxatives, or multivitamins that contain aluminum, magnesium, or calcium; calcium supplements; iron supplements; sucralfate (Carafate ^® ); or buffered medications such as buffered aspirin, take abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine at least 2 hours before or 6 hours after you take these medications.
the following nonprescription or herbal product may interact with abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine: St. John's wort. Be sure to let your doctor and pharmacist know that you are taking this medication before you start taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine. Do not start this medication while taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine.
tell your doctor if you smoke or drink alcohol, or if you have or have ever had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or heart or kidney disease.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. You will need to take a pregnancy test before you start treatment. You should not become pregnant while you are taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine. Talk to your doctor about effective birth control methods that you can use during your treatment. If you become pregnant while taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine, call your doctor immediately. Dolutegravir may harm the fetus.
tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Some of the medication and HIV may be passed to your baby in your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the risks of breastfeeding your baby if you are taking tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
you should know that while you are taking medications to treat HIV infection, your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight other infections that were already in your body. This may cause you to develop symptoms of those infections. If you have new or worsening symptoms at any time during your treatment with abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine, be sure to tell your doctor.
ask your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages and medications that contain alcohol while you are taking abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

What should I do if I forget to take a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

What should I do in case of overdose?

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222

. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help . If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.

What side effects can this medicine cause?

Abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
headache
tiredness

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, or those mentioned in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

excessive tiredness; weakness, dizziness, or lightheadedness; fast or irregular heartbeat; muscle pain; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, or cough; or feeling cold, especially in the arms or legs
light-colored bowel movements; yellowing of the skin or eyes; loss of appetite; unusual bleeding or bruising; dark yellow or brown urine; or pain in the upper right part of stomach

Abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online ( https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch ) or by phone (

1-800-332-1088).

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Do not remove the desiccant (small packet included with medication to absorb moisture) from your bottle.

Keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant. Always lock safety caps. Place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. https://www.upandaway.org

Dispose of unneeded medications in a way so that pets, children, and other people cannot take them. Do not flush this medication down the toilet. Use a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist about take-back programs in your community. Visit the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website https://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for more information.

What other information should I know?

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

Keep a supply of abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine on hand. Do not wait until you run out of medication to refill your prescription.

Keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines, vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements you are taking. Bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to the hospital. You should carry the list with you in case of emergencies.

¶ This branded product is no longer on the market. Generic alternatives may be available.

This report on medications is for your information only, and is not considered individual patient advice. Because of the changing nature of drug information, please consult your physician or pharmacist about specific clinical use.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. represents that the information provided hereunder was formulated with a reasonable standard of care, and in conformity with professional standards in the field. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, any implied warranty of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to such information and specifically disclaims all such warranties. Users are advised that decisions regarding drug therapy are complex medical decisions requiring the independent, informed decision of an appropriate health care professional, and the information is provided for informational purposes only. The entire monograph for a drug should be reviewed for a thorough understanding of the drug's actions, uses and side effects. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. does not endorse or recommend the use of any drug. The information is not a substitute for medical care.

AHFS ^® Patient Medication Information™. © Copyright, 2025. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists ^® , 4500 East-West Highway, Suite 900, Bethesda, Maryland. All Rights Reserved. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized by ASHP.

Selected Revisions: July 15, 2025.