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What are the side effects of Abacavir?

Updated Sep 6, 20261 min readAnswer
On this pageShort answer Living with abacavir: what to watch for Common questions Related questions Sources
Short answer

**Abacavir can cause nausea, headache, tiredness, vomiting, and sleep problems, as well as a serious allergic reaction.**

Before you start, your clinician should check for HLA-B*5701, a genetic marker linked to higher allergy risk; a negative result does not eliminate that risk. Call your prescriber immediately if you develop symptoms from two or more allergy groups: fever; rash; digestive symptoms; marked tiredness or aches; and respiratory symptoms. Other serious effects include liver problems and lactic acidosis, a buildup of acid in your blood. Keep your medication Warning Card with you and discuss persistent side effects before changing your dose.

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Living with abacavir: what to watch for

1**Check screening:**Confirm your HLA-B*5701 result with your prescriber before starting abacavir.
2**Carry your Warning Card:**Use the symptom groups on your card to recognize when you need immediate medical advice.
3**Report persistent symptoms:**Tell your clinician if nausea, headaches, or sleep problems persist or disrupt your day.
4**Restart only with guidance:**Contact your prescriber before restarting after an interruption, and never restart after an allergic reaction.
5**Review heart health:**Discuss your heart disease risk with your clinician because abacavir may increase heart attack risk.

Common questions

What are the side effects of Abacavir?

Abacavir can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, tiredness, and trouble sleeping. A serious allergy can occur even with a negative HLA-B*5701 screening test. Call your prescriber immediately if you have symptoms from two or more groups: fever; rash; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain; marked tiredness or aches; cough, sore throat, or breathlessness. Stop abacavir if an allergy is suspected and never restart after an allergic reaction. Call 911 for difficulty breathing or collapse. Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, or unusual weakness need urgent assessment for liver problems or lactic acidosis.

About this page. Written and maintained by the Pymander Health team. Last updated September 6, 2026.

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