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Precautions
If you will be taking this medicine for a long time, it is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.
You should not breastfeed if you have HIV or AIDS, because you may give the infection to your baby through your breast milk.
This medicine may decrease the effects of some oral contraceptives (birth control pills). To avoid an unwanted pregnancy, it is a good idea to use additional contraceptive methods with your birth control pills while you are taking nelfinavir.
You should NOT take nelfinavir if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- Amiodarone (e.g., Cordarone®) or
- Ergot medicines (dihydroergotamine [e.g., DHE 45®], ergoloid mesylate [e.g., Hydergine®], ergonovine [e.g., Ergotrate®], ergotamine [e.g., Ergomar®], methylergonovine [e.g., Methergine®], methysergide [e.g., Sansert®]) or
- Esomeprazole (e.g., Nexium®) or
- Lansoprazole (e.g., Prevacid®) or
- Lovastatin (e.g., Altocor®) or
- Midazolam (e.g., Versed®) or
- Omeprazole (e.g., Prilosec®) or
- Pantoprazole (e.g., Protonix®) or
- Pimozide (e.g., Orap®) or
- Quinidine (e.g., Quinaglute®) or
- Rabeprazole (e.g., Aciphex®) or
- Rifampin (e.g., Rifadin®) or
- Simvastatin (e.g., Zocor®) or
- St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum) or
- Triazolam (e.g., Halcion®).
Tell your doctor if you are taking rifabutin (e.g., Mycobutin®). Your doctor may need to reduce the dose of rifabutin if you are taking it together with nelfinavir.
Tell your doctor if you are also taking sildenafil (e.g., Viagra®), tadalafil (e.g., Cialis®), or vardenafil (e.g., Levitra®). Taking these medicines together with nelfinavir may increase your risk of having side effects such as low blood pressure, changes in vision, or prolonged erection of the penis.
Do not take any other medicines without first checking with your doctor. To do so may increase the chance of side effects from nelfinavir.
This medicine may cause you to have excess body fat. Tell your doctor if you notice changes in your body shape, such as an increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck, or around the chest and stomach area. You might also lose fat from the legs, arms, and face.
When you start taking HIV medicines, your immune system may get stronger. If you have certain infections, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis, you may notice new symptoms when your body tries to fight them. If this occurs, be sure to tell your doctor.
