Complera Helps Treat the Following Conditions:

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system and weakens the body’s natural ability to fight illness. Many people experience flu-like symptoms between two to four weeks after infection.

Diagnosing HIV is done through a blood test. HIV patients who receive appropriate treatment quickly can enjoy a high quality of life.If left untreated, HIV can progress to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and death.

Complera Active Ingredients

Complera is a combination medication with three active ingredients: emtricitabine, rilpivirine, and tenofovir. Emtricitabine and tenofovir belong to a class of drugs known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).

Rilpivirine belongs to a class of drugs known as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). Complera is used to limit the ability of the HIV virus to replicate itself.

Generic Complera Alternative

Generic alternatives to Complera are not yet available on this website.

General Drug Information

What is Complera and What Is It Used For?

Complera is used to lower the amount of HIV in the body and improves immune system function. This improves patients’ quality of life and minimizes the risk of HIV complications like cancer and various infections.

Patients should note that Complera is not a cure for HIV, and must take precautions to ensure that they do not spread the virus to others.

This means regularly taking Complera and other HIV medications exactly as prescribed, as well as using reliable protection methods when engaging in sexual activity. Patients should not share personal items (e.g. toothbrushes, razors, needles, syringes) that have possibly been in contact with blood or other bodily fluids.

Usage and Application

Before sourcing Complera online, please read the medication guide prescribed by your doctor or pharmacist.

Complera should be taken as prescribed by a patient’s doctor. Most patients are usually prescribed one oral dose per day, often with food.

Medications which reduce or block stomach acid may reduce the absorption of rilpivirine, one of the active ingredients in Complera. Do not take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like omeprazole and lansoprazole while using Complera. Patients who use antacids should take them at least two hours before (or at least four hours after) Complera. Take H2 blockers like famotidine and ranitidine at least twelve hours before (or at least four hours after) Complera.

It is important that patients continue taking this medication exactly as prescribed. Do not take smaller doses – even for a short period of time – as doing so may lead to resistance. Increasing the dose will not lead to faster improvement and may actually increase negative side effects.

Complera works best when taken at evenly-spaced intervals, as drug levels in the body should be constant. To help patients remember, Complera should be taken at the same time each day.

Considerations Before Taking Complera

If you shop for Complera online, please note that you may encounter the drug under its generic names: emtricitabine, rilpivirine, and tenofovir.

Before starting treatment, patients need to discuss the possibility of allergic reactions to Complera and its generic alternatives. Complera may also contain inactive ingredients which could cause allergy.

It is vital to discuss the patient’s medical history, especiallykidney disease, hepatitis B or C, cirrhosis, and depression. Alcohol use should also be discussed, along with bone problems such as weak/broken bones, and osteoporosis.

Rilpivirine, one of the active ingredients in Complera, may cause QT prolongation, a condition that affects heart rhythm. QT prolongation can cause severe dizziness and fainting, as well as serious (and sometimes fatal) fast and/or irregular heartbeat. Patients should seek immediate medical attention in the event of such symptoms.

The risk of QT prolongation may be increased in patients with certain medical conditions. Those taking other drugs that are linked to QT prolongation face a higher risk of complications.

Before using Complera, inform your doctor or pharmacist about all the drugs you take, and mention any of the following conditions: heart failure, slow heartbeat, and QT prolongation showing in an electrocardiogram (EKG). Please discuss a family history of QT prolongation and sudden cardiac death.

Patients with low levels of potassium or magnesium in the blood also face a higher risk of QT prolongation. This risk increases in patients who use certain drugs (like diuretics) or who have conditions such as severe sweating, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Complera may cause dizziness. Alcohol or marijuana have a similar effect. Patients should not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until they can do it safely. Limit alcoholic beverages and discuss marijuana use with your doctor.

Patients preparing for surgery or certain dental procedures should inform their doctor or dentist about all medicines, supplements, and herbal products they are taking.

Older adults are likely to be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially QT prolongation.

During pregnancy, Complera should only be used when needed. This medicine can lower the risk of transferring HIV from a mother to the fetus. Pregnant women should discuss the risks and benefits of Complera treatment with their doctor.

Emtricitabine and tenofovir, two of the active ingredients in Complera, pass into breast milk. It is not known whether the third active ingredient, rilpivirine, does. Mothers with HIV should not breastfeed as breast milk can transmit the virus to their babies.

Delayed and Omitted Doses

Patients who miss a dose of Complera should take it as soon as they remember, provided this happens within 12 hours of the time the dose is usually taken. If this happens more than 12 hours from the time of the next dose, patients should skip the missed dose and proceed as usual. Patients should not double up on the dose in order to catch up.

Other Medications and Complera

Drug interactions may change the way Complera works, and can increase the risk of side effects. Before starting treatment, patients need to discuss the full list of medications and supplements they are taking with their doctor. Patients should not change their dose or stop taking this medication unless their physician advises them to do so.

Some products that may interact with Complera include weight loss drug orlistat and the hepatitis B medication adefovir.

Negative interactions are also possible with proton pump inhibitors like dexlansoprazole (e.g. Dexilant), esomeprazole, lansoprazole (e.g. Prevacid), omeprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole. Avoid taking Complera together with aminoglycosides such as amikacin and gentamicin.

Patients should not take Complera with other HIV medications, especially those that contain didanosine, emtricitabine, tenofovir, or lamivudine. Patients should not take Complera with other products that contain rilpivirine (unless they are also taking rifabutin).

Some medications can affect the removal of Complera from the body, altering the way it works. Examples include rifamycin antibiotics (e.g. rifampin and rifapentine), macrolide antibiotics (e.g. erythromycin), and certain drugs used to treat seizures (e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, and primidone). The herb St. John's wort has a similar effect as do drugs like dexamethasone and telithromycin.

Adverse Reactions

Many patients are able to take Complera without serious side effects. Common side effects include tiredness, headache, diarrhea, dizziness, and trouble sleeping. Some patients may develop skin discoloration (e.g. small spots, freckles, or darkening of the palms and/or the soles of the feet). Patients should alert their doctor should these changes persist or worsen.

Overactive Immune System

Complera is designed to help improve immune system function so the body can fight HIV more effectively. As the immune system gets stronger, it can begin to fight infections patients already have, causing symptoms of these infections to manifest.

It is possible for a patient’s immune system to become overactive. This can happen at the beginning of treatment or months later. Patients should seek medical help if they experience unexplained weight loss, severe tiredness, joint pain, persisting muscle weakness, and severe headaches. Additional symptoms may include vision changes and numbness and/or tingling of the extremities.

Users may experience signs of infection like fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, trouble breathing, coughing and skin sores that don’t heal.

Some patients may experience an overactive thyroid due to immune hyperfunction. Symptoms may include irritability, nervousness, heat intolerance, irregular heartbeat, bulging eyes, and an unusual growth in the neck (known as a goiter). Patients should monitor for signs of a certain Guillain-Barre syndrome, a nerve condition which can include trouble breathing, swallowing, facial drooping, paralysis, and trouble speaking.

Serious Side Effects

Contact your doctor immediately if you have any serious side effects like changes in the amount of urine, pink or bloody urine, depression, and thoughts of suicide.

In rare cases, Complera can cause serious liver problems, as well as lactic acidosis (a severe, sometimes fatal blood condition). Patients should seek immediate medical assistance in the event of symptoms like nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain, darkened urine, and yellowing eyes and/or skin. Lactic acidosis manifests in symptoms like deep or rapid breathing, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, and unusual weakness.

Patients should seek immediate medical assistance in the event of serious side effects like irregular heartbeat, severe dizziness, and fainting.

Some patients may experience changes in body fat. This manifests as increased fat in the upper back and stomach, and decreased fat in the arms and legs. The cause and long-term effects of these changes are unknown, though exercise may help to reduce these side effects.

Tenofovir (one of the active ingredients in Complera) may increase the risk of bone loss. One viable alternative could be to use calcium and vitamin D to reduce bone loss. Patients who are at risk for bone loss may have their bone mineral density monitored regularly. Patients should monitor for serious side effects like bone pain and easily broken bones, and speak to their physician about the best treatment.

Complera commonly causes a rash that is not serious. However, patients may find it difficult to tell this kind of rash apart from one that can signify a severe reaction. Patients should seek medical help if they experience any kind of rash.

Serious allergic reactions to Complera are rare, yet patients should be aware of allergic symptoms such as rash, itching and swelling, severe dizziness and trouble breathing.

How to Store Complera

Complera should be stored at room temperature, away from light and moisture. Store in the original bottle. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep away from children and pets.

Unwanted medication should be disposed of properly and should not be poured into drains or flushed down the toilet. Patients should consult a pharmacist or their local waste disposal company to find out more about safe disposal methods.