interactions side effects lipitor

What is the most important information I should know about Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease interactions side effects lipitor.
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver interactions side effects lipitor. Discuss with your doctorthe amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lipitoris the best choice for lowering your cholesterol interactions side effects lipitor.
• Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant, if you are planning a pregnancy,or if you are breast-feeding a baby interactions side effects lipitor.
• Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained musclepain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if it is accompanied by a fever orflulike symptoms or yellowing of your skin or eyes interactions side effects lipitor.

What is Lipitor?
• Lipitor blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in yourbody interactions side effects lipitor.
• Lipitor is used to reduce the amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol, totalcholesterol, triglycerides (another type of fat), and apolipoprotein B (a proteinneeded to make cholesterol) in your blood interactions side effects lipitor. Lipitor is also used to increasethe level of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood interactions side effects lipitor. These actions are importantin reducing the risk of hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks,stroke, and peripheral vascular disease interactions side effects lipitor.
• Lipitor may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide interactions side effects lipitor.

Who should not take Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease interactions side effects lipitor.
• Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you
· drink alcoholic beverages,
· have a chronic muscular disease,
· require major surgery, or
· have a blood disorder interactions side effects lipitor.
• You may not be able to take Lipitor, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listedabove interactions side effects lipitor.
• Lipitor is in the FDA pregnancy category X interactions side effects lipitor. This means that Lipitor willcause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy interactions side effects lipitor. Cholesterol is very importantfor the proper development of a baby interactions side effects lipitor. Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnantor are planning a pregnancy interactions side effects lipitor.
• It is not known whether Lipitor passes into breast milk interactions side effects lipitor. Do not takethis medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby interactions side effects lipitor.

How should I take Lipitor?
• Take Lipitor exactly as directed by your doctor interactions side effects lipitor. If you do not understandthese directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you interactions side effects lipitor.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water interactions side effects lipitor.
• Lipitor can be taken with or without food interactions side effects lipitor.
• Lipitor is usually taken once a day interactions side effects lipitor. Try to take your dose at the sametime each day interactions side effects lipitor. Follow your doctor's instructions interactions side effects lipitor.
• Your doctor may want to monitor your liver function with blood testsbefore starting treatment with Lipitor, at twelve weeks after both the startof your treatment and any increase in dose, and periodically (every 6 months)thereafter interactions side effects lipitor. Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor can determinehow much monitoring you will require interactions side effects lipitor.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor interactions side effects lipitor. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects interactions side effects lipitor. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor interactions side effects lipitor. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor interactions side effects lipitor.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet interactions side effects lipitor. To realize beneficial effects fromLipitor, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods interactions side effects lipitor.
• Do not stop taking Lipitor without first talking to your doctor interactions side effects lipitor. It maybe weeks or months before beneficial effects are seen from this medication interactions side effects lipitor.
• Store Lipitor at room temperature away from moisture and heat interactions side effects lipitor.

What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember interactions side effects lipitor. However, if it is almosttime for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularlyscheduled dose interactions side effects lipitor. Do not take a double dose of this medication interactions side effects lipitor.

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention interactions side effects lipitor.
• The symptoms of an overdose of Lipitor are not known interactions side effects lipitor.

What should I avoid while taking Lipitor?
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver interactions side effects lipitor. Discuss with your doctorthe amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lipitoris the best choice for lowering your cholesterol interactions side effects lipitor.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor interactions side effects lipitor. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects interactions side effects lipitor. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor interactions side effects lipitor. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor interactions side effects lipitor.

What are the possible side effects of Lipitor?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingLipitor and seek emergency medical attention or 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 skin or eyes interactions side effects lipitor.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur interactions side effects lipitor. Continueto take Lipitor and talk to your doctor if you experience
· headache;
· upset stomach or flatulence; or
· a rash interactions side effects lipitor.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur interactions side effects lipitor. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome interactions side effects lipitor.

What other drugs will affect Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you are takingany of the following medicines:
· cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);
· gemfibrozil (Lopid);
· niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Nicotinex, others);
· clarithromycin (Biaxin);
· erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Ilotycin, Eryc, PCE, Ilosone,others); or
· fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), or ketoconazole (Nizoral) interactions side effects lipitor.
• The medications listed above interact with Lipitor and may cause damageyour muscles interactions side effects lipitor.
• Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you are taking any of thefollowing medicines:
· other cholesterol-lowering drugs such as cholestyramine (Questran)or colestipol (Colestid); or
· digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps) interactions side effects lipitor.
• You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatmentif you are taking any of the medicines listed above interactions side effects lipitor.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Lipitor interactions side effects lipitor. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines interactions side effects lipitor.

Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Lipitor written forhealth professionals that you may read interactions side effects lipitor.

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