Let's take a minute to talk about your medication.

This is Descovy. Descovy contains two medicines in each tablet. It is used with other medicines to help treat HIV-1 infection and keep it under control. Descovy can also be used for PrEP or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection during sex. It may have other uses, too.
Descovy is often taken once a day, at the same time each day. It is important to take HIV and HIV PrEP medications exactly as your doctor tells you to. You can take your dose with or without food. It is very important to not miss any doses. 

Most people tolerate this medicine well. Common side effects include nausea and diarrhea. These effects are normal, if mild, and should go away. If these or other side effects become reasons you want to stop taking this medicine, please talk to your healthcare team. 
As with any medicine, rare but more serious side effects can occur. With Descovy, these include problems with your liver or kidney, changes in your immune system, and too much lactic acid in your blood. You should read the medication guide to know which symptoms to watch for and when to report changes. It can also cause a flare up of hepatitis B infection -- if you already have it. To prevent this, you should not stop taking it, unless your doctor says it is okay. To help keep this medicine safe for you, your doctor will follow your condition closely and may order blood tests. 

Descovy can interact with other medicines. You should always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any other medicines, herbal remedies, or vitamins.

While taking this medicine, you must still take precautions to prevent spreading HIV to others if you are infected. If you are taking Descovy for PrEP, you must remain HIV-negative. It is important to get tested at least every 3 months and tell your doctor right away if you are exposed to HIV. You should know that Descovy does not protect against other sexually transmitted diseases. Talk to your healthcare team for more information about safe sex practices. 

Women should talk to their doctors before becoming pregnant and should not breastfeed.

For best results with Descovy, be sure to plan ahead for refills. Also, store it in the original bottle with the lid tightly sealed.