lipitor side effects liver

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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