lipitor dilemma smartmoney

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

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

Who should not take Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease lipitor dilemma smartmoney.
• 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 dilemma smartmoney.
• 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 dilemma smartmoney.
• Lipitor is in the FDA pregnancy category X lipitor dilemma smartmoney. This means that Lipitor willcause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy lipitor dilemma smartmoney. Cholesterol is very importantfor the proper development of a baby lipitor dilemma smartmoney. Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnantor are planning a pregnancy lipitor dilemma smartmoney.
• It is not known whether Lipitor passes into breast milk lipitor dilemma smartmoney. Do not takethis medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby lipitor dilemma smartmoney.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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