Sofosbuvir

Please tell your doctor if you are allergic to Sofosbuvir or any other medicines. If you are currently taking rifampicin (antibiotic), carbamazepine, phenobarbital and phenytoin (anticonvulsants), or St. John’s wort (herbal medicine used to treat depression), avoid taking Sofosbuvir. If you are currently taking or have taken amiodarone (the medicine to treat irregular heartbeats) in the last few months, inform your doctor before taking Sofosbuvir as it may result in a life-threatening slow heartbeat; your doctor may prescribe alternate treatments, or if Sofosbuvir is prescribed, additional heart monitoring may be recommended. Avoid pregnancy during treatment with Sofosbuvir as it may harm the unborn baby when used in combination with ribavirin. You or your partner must use an effective birth control method during and after this treatment. However, contact your doctor immediately if you become pregnant during treatment or in the months following your treatment with Sofosbuvir. Drive only if you are alert, as Sofosbuvir may cause dizziness, tiredness, blurred vision and reduced attention. You are advised to take proper precautions if you are infected with the hepatitis C virus infection to prevent the spread of infection to others. 

Drug-Drug Interaction: Sofosbuvir may interact with anticonvulsants (oxcarbazepine, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital), wakefulness-promoting agents (modafinil), antibiotics (rifapentine, rifabutin, rifampin), anti-HIV drug (tipranavir) and medicine used to treat irregular heartbeats (amiodarone).

Drug-Food Interaction: Avoid taking Sofosbuvir with St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) or a product containing St. John’s wort (herbal medicine used to treat depression).

Drug-Disease Interaction: If you have diabetes or liver problems other than hepatitis C (if you are awaiting liver transplantation), inform your doctor before taking Sofosbuvir.

• Include plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole grains such as brown rice, oats, quinoa and barley.
• Eat lean protein such as skinless chicken, fish, beans and egg whites.
• Include healthy fats like avocados, olive oil and nuts.
• Eat low-fat or non-fat dairy products to minimise damage to the liver.
• Drink plenty of water for better processing of food by the body.
• Avoid sugary foods such as cake, cookies, packaged baked food or soda. Also, avoid heavy salt foods.
• Avoid foods containing saturated fats such as fried foods, fatty cuts of meat, sour cream, butter and other high-fat dairy products, as they may lead to weight gain and result in fatty liver.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption as they may increase the risk of liver damage.

• Your doctor will recommend blood tests before, during and after your treatment with Sofosbuvir to decide what other medicines you should take with Sofosbuvir and for how long and also to confirm that your treatment has worked for you.
• If you are using warfarin or other blood thinners, inform your doctor. Your doctor may increase the frequency of your blood tests to check how well your blood can clot.