lescol message boards
fluvastatin (FLEW va stah tin)
What is the most important information I should know about Lescol?
• Do not take Lescol without first talking to your doctor if you have liverdisease lescol message boards.
• Alcohol and Lescol can both damage your liver lescol message boards. Discuss with your doctorthe amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lescolis the best choice for lowering your cholesterol lescol message boards.
• Do not take Lescol if you are pregnant, if you are planning a pregnancy,or if you are breast-feeding a baby lescol message boards.
• Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained musclepain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if it is accompanied by a fever, flulikesymptoms, or yellowing of your skin or eyes lescol message boards.
What is Lescol?
• Lescol blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body lescol message boards.
• Lescol is used to reduce the amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol and totalcholesterol in your blood lescol message boards. Lescol also reduces the amounts of triglycerides(another type of fat) and apolipoprotein B (a protein needed to make cholesterol)in your blood lescol message boards. These actions are important in reducing the risk of hardeningof the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral vasculardisease lescol message boards.
• Lescol may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide lescol message boards.
Who should not take Lescol?
• Do not take Lescol without first talking to your doctor if you have liverdisease lescol message boards.
• Before taking Lescol, tell your doctor if you
· have kidney disease,
· drink alcoholic beverages,
· have a chronic muscular disease, or
· have a blood disorder lescol message boards.
• You may not be able to take Lescol, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listedabove lescol message boards.
• Lescol is in the FDA pregnancy category X lescol message boards. This means that Lescol willcause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy lescol message boards. Cholesterol is very importantfor the proper development of a baby lescol message boards. Do not take Lescol if you are pregnantor if you are planning a pregnancy lescol message boards.
• Lescol passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant lescol message boards. Do nottake Lescol without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding ababy lescol message boards.
• Lescol has not been approved for use by children younger than 18 yearsof age lescol message boards.
How should I take Lescol?
• Take Lescol exactly as directed by your doctor lescol message boards. If you do not understandthese directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you lescol message boards.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water lescol message boards.
• For the greatest effect, Lescol is usually taken at bedtime or with anevening meal lescol message boards. Lescol may also be taken twice daily lescol message boards. Follow your doctor's directions lescol message boards.
• Do not crush, chew, or break the extended-release tablets (Lescol XL) lescol message boards. Swallow them whole lescol message boards.
• Your doctor will probably want to monitor your liver function with bloodtests before starting treatment with Lescol and at twelve weeks after both thestart of your treatment and any increase in dose lescol message boards. Depending on the results ofthese tests, your doctor can determine how much monitoring you will require lescol message boards.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet lescol message boards. To realize beneficial effects fromLescol, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods lescol message boards.
• Do not stop taking Lescol without first talking to your doctor lescol message boards. It maybe weeks or months before beneficial effects are seen from Lescol lescol message boards.
• Store Lescol at room temperature away from moisture and heat lescol message boards.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember lescol message boards. However, if it is almosttime for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularlyscheduled dose lescol message boards. Do not take a double dose of this medication lescol message boards.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention lescol message boards.
• Symptoms of a Lescol overdose include nausea, diarrhea, stomach distress,and indigestion lescol message boards.
What should I avoid while taking Lescol?
• Alcohol and Lescol can both damage your liver lescol message boards. Discuss with your doctorthe amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lescolis the best choice for lowering your cholesterol lescol message boards.
What are the possible side effects of Lescol?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingLescol and call your doctor immediately:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat;swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· muscle aches, pain, or weakness;
· "flu-like" symptoms;
· decreased urine or rust-colored urine;
· blurred vision; or
· yellowing of your eyes or skin lescol message boards.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur lescol message boards. Continueto take Lescol and talk to your doctor if you experience
· gas, bloating, nausea, stomach upset, heartburn, abdominal pain, constipation,or diarrhea;
· cough;
· headache; or
· insomnia lescol message boards.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur lescol message boards. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome lescol message boards.
What other drugs will affect Lescol?
• Do not take Lescol without first talking to your doctor if you are takingany of the following medicines:
· cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);
· gemfibrozil (Lopid);
· niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Nicotinex, others); or
· clarithromycin (Biaxin);
· erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Ilotycin, Eryc, PCE, Ilosone,others) lescol message boards.
• These medications may interact with Lescol and damage your muscles lescol message boards.
• Before taking Lescol, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the followingmedicines:
· other cholesterol-lowering drugs such as cholestyramine (Questran)or colestipol (Colestid);
· digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps); or
· warfarin (Coumadin) lescol message boards.
• You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatmentif you are taking any of the medicines listed above lescol message boards.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Lescol lescol message boards. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines lescol message boards.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Lescol written for healthprofessionals that you may read lescol message boards.
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