Archive for the ‘Lipitor’ Category

Lipitor.

Thursday, September 20th, 2007

Take Lipitor tablets by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the Lipitor with a drink of water. Lipitor can be taken at anytime of the day with or without food. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed.
Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed. 
 

Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:
Rare or uncommon: dark yellow or brown urine; decreased urination, difficulty passing urine; fever; muscle pain, tenderness, cramps, or weakness; redness, blistering, peeling or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth; skin rash, itching; unusual tiredness or weakness; yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome): diarrhea; gas; headache; joint pain; nausea, vomiting; stomach upset or pain; tiredness. 
 

Visit your prescriber or health care professional for regular checks on your progress. You will need to have regular tests to make sure your liver is working properly.
Tell your prescriber or health care professional as soon as you can if you get any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever and tiredness.
Lipitor is only part of a total cholesterol-lowering program. Your physician or dietician can suggest a low-cholesterol and low-fat diet that will reduce your risk of getting heart and blood vessel disease. Avoid alcohol and smoking, and keep a proper exercise schedule.
If you are going to have surgery tell your prescriber or health care professional that you are taking
Lipitor. 

Alchohol-containing beverages; amiodarone; antacids; birth control pills; bosentan; certain antibiotics such as clarithromycin and erythromycin; cimetidine; digoxin; diltiazem; grapefruit juice; medicines for fungal infections (examples: fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, voriconazole); herbal medicines such as Went Yeast (Cholestin®); medicines for treating HIV infections; medicines that suppress your immune response (cyclosporine); medicines to lower cholesterol or triglycerides (examples: clofibrate, colestipol, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, niacin); medicine used to stop early pregnancy (mifepristone, RU-486 or Mifeprex™); nefazodone; phenytoin; spironolactone; troglitazone; verapamil.
Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines.