Dovato (dolutegravir/lamivudine) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat HIV. This drug can interact with other medications and some supplements. For example, Dovato can interact with antacids and metformin.
Dovato is used in certain adults as a complete treatment for HIV. This means you don’t need to take other HIV drugs with it.
Dovato contains two active ingredients: dolutegravir and lamivudine. The medication comes as an oral tablet.
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Keep reading to learn about Dovato’s possible interactions. And for more information about Dovato, including details about its uses, see this article.
Before you start taking Dovato, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Dovato interacts with herbs or vitamins and supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with Dovato?” section below.)
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The table below lists drugs that may interact with Dovato. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Dovato. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
|---|---|---|
| antacids | • aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide (Maalox) • aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide/simethicone (Mylanta) • calcium carbonate (Tums) • magnesium hydroxide/calcium carbonate (Rolaids) | can make Dovato less effective |
| certain seizure medications | • carbamazepine (Tegretol, others) • oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) • phenytoin (Dilantin) • phenobarbital (Sezaby) | can make Dovato less effective |
| drugs that contain sorbitol | • acetaminophen oral solution (Tylenol) • loratadine oral solution (Claritin) | can make Dovato less effective |
| dalfampridine (Ampyra) | — | can increase the risk of side effects from dalfampridine |
| dofetilide (Tikosyn) | — | can increase the risk of side effects from dofetilide |
| metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza) | — | can increase the risk of side effects from metformin |
| rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane) | — | can make Dovato less effective |
| sucralfate (Carafate) | — | can make Dovato less effective |
See the “Drug interactions explained” section below for more information on how Dovato and these drugs interact:
- antacids
- drugs that contain sorbitol
- metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza)
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Dovato. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Dovato for you. These are known as contraindications. The list below includes contraindications of Dovato.
If you take dofetilide (Tikosyn): If you take dofetilide (Tikosyn), which is a drug for certain irregular heartbeat, your doctor likely will not prescribe Dovato. This is because Dovato can increase the level of dofetilide in your body. This can raise your risk of serious side effects from dofetilide. Talk with your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Dovato or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely will not prescribe Dovato for you. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
Before you start taking Dovato, talk with your doctor if any of the factors above apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether Dovato is safe for you to take.
Dovato is not known to interact with alcohol. But Dovato and alcohol can cause some similar side effects. These include headache, nausea, diarrhea, and liver problems. So if you drink alcohol during your Dovato treatment, you may be more likely to experience them.
If you have questions about consuming alcohol while taking Dovato, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Dovato.
Interaction with antacids
Dovato can interact with antacids, which are used to treat indigestion and heartburn.
Examples of antacid medications include:
- aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide (Maalox)
- aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide/simethicone (Mylanta)
- calcium carbonate (Tums)
- magnesium hydroxide/calcium carbonate (Rolaids)
What could happen
Taking Dovato with antacids can stop Dovato from being absorbed into your body correctly. This can lower the amount of Dovato in your body. In turn, that can make Dovato less effective at treating your HIV.
Also, by having a lower level of Dovato in your body, your HIV can become resistant to Dovato more easily. This can make your HIV harder to treat with Dovato and other medications.
What you can do
You should not take Dovato at the same time of day as an antacid. If you take Dovato with an antacid, separate the doses. Take your dose of Dovato at least 2 hours before or at least 6 hours after the antacid.
If you have questions about taking Dovato with antacids, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with drugs that contain sorbitol
Dovato can interact with sorbitol, which is used to sweeten certain liquid medications, foods, and beverages. Sorbitol is also used as a laxative.
Examples of medications that contain sorbitol include:
- acetaminophen oral solution (Tylenol)
- loratadine oral solution (Claritin)
What could happen
Taking Dovato with sorbitol can stop Dovato from being absorbed into your body correctly. This can lower the amount of Dovato in your body. And that can make it less effective at treating your HIV.
Also, having a lower level of Dovato in your body can make it easier for your HIV to become resistant to Dovato. This can make your HIV harder to treat with Dovato and other medications.
What you can do
Your doctor likely will avoid prescribing drugs that contain sorbitol along with Dovato. You can ask your doctor about suitable alternatives.
Before you take over-the-counter (OTC) medications along with Dovato, be sure to check their ingredients. You can also ask your pharmacist to recommend suitable alternatives if any OTC medications contain sorbitol.
While taking Dovato, you should not use sorbitol as a laxative. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend other treatment options.
Interaction with metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza)
Dovato can interact with metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza). This drug helps manage blood sugar levels in people who have type 2 diabetes.
What could happen
Taking Dovato with metformin can increase the amount of metformin in your body. This can raise your risk of metformin side effects. These include:
- nausea
- diarrhea
- stomach pain
What you can do
Tell your doctor if you take metformin. If your doctor prescribes Dovato along with it, they’ll likely monitor you more closely for side effects from metformin. If needed, they may prescribe a lowered dosage of metformin. Or they may prescribe a medication other than Dovato for your HIV.
If you have questions about taking Dovato with metformin, talk with your doctor.
Dovato may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other interactions possible with Dovato.
Does Dovato interact with supplements?
Before you start taking Dovato, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs or vitamins and supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Dovato interactions with herbs
Dovato can interact with St. John’s wort, which is used to treat depression and other conditions.
Taking Dovato with St. John’s wort can lower the amount of Dovato in your body. This can make it less effective at treating your HIV.
Having a lower level of Dovato in your body also can make it easier for your HIV to become resistant to Dovato. This can make your HIV harder to treat with Dovato and other medications.
Your doctor likely will recommend that you avoid taking St. John’s wort with Dovato. You can ask them about alternative options.
If you have questions about taking other herbs with Dovato, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Dovato and vitamins or minerals
Dovato is not known to interact with vitamins, but it can interact with calcium and iron supplements. Multivitamins sometimes contain these minerals.
Taking Dovato with calcium or iron supplements can stop Dovato from being absorbed into your body correctly. This can lower the amount of Dovato in your body, which can make it less effective at treating your HIV. This interaction also can occur if you take Dovato with multivitamins that contain calcium or iron.
Having a lower level of Dovato in your body also can make it easier for your HIV to become resistant to Dovato. This can make your HIV harder to treat with Dovato and other medications.
When taking Dovato and supplements or multivitamins containing calcium or iron, schedule them as follows:
- If you take Dovato with food: Take Dovato at the same time of day as the supplements or multivitamins.
- If you take Dovato without food: Take Dovato at least 2 hours before or at least 6 hours after these supplements or multivitamins.
If you have questions about taking Dovato with vitamins or minerals, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Does Dovato interact with food?
Dovato can interact with sorbitol. It’s used as a sweetener in certain foods, beverages, and liquid medications.
Consuming sorbitol with Dovato can stop the medication from being absorbed into your body correctly. This can make it less effective at treating your HIV. It can also make it easier for your HIV to become resistant to Dovato. This can make your HIV harder to treat with Dovato and other medications.
While you’re taking Dovato, you should avoid consuming foods and beverages that contain sorbitol.
If you have questions about eating certain foods during your treatment with Dovato, talk with your doctor.
Does Dovato interact with vaccines?
Dovato currently has no reports of interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your Dovato treatment, talk with your doctor.
Does Dovato interact with lab tests?
Dovato currently has no reports of interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about having certain lab tests during Dovato treatment, ask the healthcare professional ordering the test.
Does Dovato interact with cannabis or CBD?Cannabis (commonly called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have been reported to interact with Dovato.
Cannabis can increase the level of dolutegravir in your body. (Dolutegravir is one of the active drugs in Dovato.) This can raise your risk of side effects with Dovato.
Before you start treatment with Dovato, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you use cannabis. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Dovato. Before taking Dovato, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Dovato is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Dovato include:
Kidney problems: If you have a kidney problem, Dovato can build up in your body. This can raise your risk of its side effects. Depending on how severe your kidney problem is, your doctor may not prescribe Dovato. You can talk with them about other treatment options that may be safer for you.
Liver problems: If you have a liver problem, taking Dovato could make it worse. If you have severe liver problems, your doctor may not prescribe Dovato. You can talk with them about other treatment options that may be safer for you.
Pregnancy: Dovato is not safe to take during pregnancy. The drug can cause developmental issues in a fetus. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor about other HIV treatment options that may be safer.
If you’re able to become pregnant, your doctor likely will recommend taking a pregnancy test before you start taking Dovato. And they’ll likely recommend that you use birth control while you’re taking Dovato.
If you do take Dovato while pregnant, consider enrolling in the drug’s pregnancy registry. This registry collects details about pregnancy issues reported with Dovato. To learn more, call 800-258-4263 or talk with your doctor.
Breastfeeding: If you take Dovato, it’s recommended that you do not breastfeed. This is because HIV can pass to the child through your breast milk. Also, the active ingredients of Dovato can be found in breast milk during treatment. But it’s not known how Dovato may affect a child who’s breastfed. Talk with your doctor about safe ways to feed your child.
Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Dovato or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely will not prescribe Dovato. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Dovato. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
- other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs (they can help you fill out a medication list)
- what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Dovato treatment
It’s also important to understand Dovato’s
If you have difficulty reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.
Taking Dovato exactly as prescribed also can help prevent interactions.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.