RibaHep Ribavirin 200 mg Capsules

WHAT IS RIBAHEP ?

RibaHep is an antiviral that belongs to a class of medications called nucleoside analogues. It inhibits an enzyme RNA polymerase which is essential for viral replication and thus decreases the amount of Hepatitis C virus in the body thereby resulting in less liver damage and improved liver function.

MEDICINE USES :

Ribavirin 200mg is an antiviral medication. This medicine must be used together with an interferon alfa product to treat chronic Hepatitis C viral infection that damages the liver.

RIBAVIRIN COMMON SIDE EFFECTS :

nausea, flu-like symptoms, tiredness; fever, chills or shaking; headache; mood changes, feeling irritable; muscle pain; or stomach pain, vomiting, loss of appetite.

Call your doctor at once if you have :

    problems with your vision;
    severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
    stabbing chest pain, wheezing, feeling short of breath;
    severe depression, thoughts about suicide, or thoughts about hurting someone else;
    signs of serious anemia–pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, confusion or weakness; or
    other signs of low blood cell counts–fever, chills, flu-like symptoms, swollen gums, mouth sores, skin sores, easy bruising, unusual bleeding, feeling light-headed.
    signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

SAFETY INFORMATION (Precautions) for RIBAHEP RIBAVIRIN CAPSULES :

    Ribavirin may cause drowsiness, dizziness, or blurred vision. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Ribavirin with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
    Ribavirin may lower the ability of your body to fight infection. Avoid contact with people who have colds or infections. Tell your doctor if you notice signs of infection like fever, sore throat, rash, or chills.
    Serious and sometimes fatal lung problems have happened with Ribavirin. Call your doctor right away if you have lung or breathing problems (eg, trouble breathing, shortness of breath, a cough that is new or worse).
    Diabetes patients – Ribavirin may affect your blood sugar. Check blood sugar levels closely. Ask your doctor before you change the dose of your diabetes medicine.
    Some brands of Ribavirin are not approved for use in CHILDREN younger than 18 years old. Discuss any questions with your doctor.
    PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: Do not use Ribavirin if you are pregnant. It has been shown to cause harm to the fetus. Avoid becoming pregnant while you are taking it. If you think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor right away. It is not known if this medicine is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Ribavirin.

This is not a complete list. Ask your health care provider for more information.

MEDICATION STORAGE REQUIREMENTS :

Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15° and 30°C (59° and 86°F). Keep bottle tightly closed.

DRUG INTERACTIONS :

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Zydus Ribavirin. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

    Didanosine or other nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) (eg, lamivudine), other antiretroviral medicines for HIV infection, or thiopurines (eg, azathioprine) because serious side effects, including risk of infection, nerve problems (peripheral neuropathy), pancreas problems, bone marrow suppression, lactic acidosis, and severe or fatal liver failure, may be increased by Ribavirin
    Anticoagulants (eg, warfarin) or certain NRTIs (eg, lamivudine, stavudine, zidovudine) because their effectiveness may be decreased by Ribavirin

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Generic Ribavirin may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.