lipitor allergy

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 lipitor allergy.
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver lipitor allergy. 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 lipitor allergy.
• Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant, if you are planning a pregnancy,or if you are breast-feeding a baby lipitor allergy.
• 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 lipitor allergy.

What is Lipitor?
• Lipitor blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in yourbody lipitor allergy.
• 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 lipitor allergy. Lipitor is also used to increasethe level of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood lipitor allergy. These actions are importantin reducing the risk of hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks,stroke, and peripheral vascular disease lipitor allergy.
• Lipitor may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide lipitor allergy.

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

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

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

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

What should I avoid while taking Lipitor?
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver lipitor allergy. 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 lipitor allergy.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor lipitor allergy. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects lipitor allergy. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor lipitor allergy. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor lipitor allergy.

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 lipitor allergy.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur lipitor allergy. Continueto take Lipitor and talk to your doctor if you experience
· headache;
· upset stomach or flatulence; or
· a rash lipitor allergy.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur lipitor allergy. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome lipitor allergy.

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) lipitor allergy.
• The medications listed above interact with Lipitor and may cause damageyour muscles lipitor allergy.
• 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) lipitor allergy.
• You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatmentif you are taking any of the medicines listed above lipitor allergy.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Lipitor lipitor allergy. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines lipitor allergy.

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

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