You may already be infected with hepatitis B (a virus that infects the liver and may cause severe liver damage) but not have any symptoms of the disease. In this case, taking sofosbuvir may increase the risk that you will develop symptoms and your infection will become more serious or life-threatening. Tell your doctor if you have or ever had a hepatitis B virus infection. Your doctor will order a blood test to see if you have or ever had a hepatitis B infection. Your doctor will also monitor you for signs of hepatitis B infection during and for several months after your treatment. If necessary, your doctor may give you medication to treat this infection before and during your treatment with sofosbuvir. If you experience any of the following symptoms during or after your treatment, call your doctor immediately: excessive tiredness, yellowing of the skin or eyes, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, pale stools, stomach pain, or dark urine.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain tests before, during, and after your treatment to check your body's response to sofosbuvir.
Talk to your doctor about the risk(s) of taking sofosbuvir.
Sofosbuvir is used along with ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol, Ribasphere, others) and sometimes another medication (peginterferon alfa [Pegasys] to treat certain types of chronic hepatitis C (an ongoing viral infection that damages the liver) in adults. Sofosbuvir is also used along with ribavirin to treat certain types of chronic hepatitis C (an ongoing viral infection that damages the liver) in children 12 years of age and older who weight at least 77 pounds (35 kilograms). Sofosbuvir is in a class of antiviral medications called nucleotide polymerase inhibitors. It works by decreasing the amount of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the body. Sofosbuvir may not prevent the spread of hepatitis C to other people.
Sofosbuvir comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken with or without food once a day. Take sofosbuvir at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take sofosbuvir exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Continue to take sofosbuvir even if you feel well. Sofosbuvir must be taken in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin or in combination with ribavirin alone. If sofosbuvir is taken in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin, it is usually taken for 12 weeks. If sofosbuvir is taken in combination with ribavirin alone, it is usually taken for 12 or 24 weeks. If you have liver cancer and are waiting for a liver transplant, you will take sofosbuvir with ribavirin for up to 48 weeks or until you have a liver transplant. The length of your treatment depends on your condition, how well you respond to the medication, and whether you experience severe side effects. Do not stop taking sofosbuvir, peginterferon alfa, or ribavirin, unless told to do so by your doctor.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Before taking sofosbuvir,
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.
If you remember the missed dose on the day that you were supposed to take it, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it on that day. However, if you do not remember the missed dose until the next day, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take two doses on the same day.
Sofosbuvir may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:
Sofosbuvir 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 ( Web Site ) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).
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).
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. Web Site
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website ( Web Site) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at Web Site. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
AHFS® Consumer Medication Information. © Copyright, The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. All Rights Reserved. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized by ASHP.
Selected Revisions: January 15, 2018.