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When taken consistently, most people have improvements in their cholesterol within 2 to 4 weeks. You may not feel Lipitor working in your body, but your doctor will monitor your cholesterol levels by ordering certain lab tests during your treatment. Most side effects caused by Lipitor are mild and typically go away on their own. However, there are some rare but serious side effects reported by people using the drug in clinical trials. These include myopathy, rhabdomyolysis, and liver damage.
- (With myopathy, you have muscle pain and weakness.) Your doctor can recommend safer treatments for your condition if you have liver problems.
- Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Lipitor.
- Red yeast rice and Lipitor work in similar ways to lower cholesterol levels.
- Your doctor or pharmacist may be able to recommend a pharmacy that offers these options if your current pharmacy doesn’t.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with atorvastatin and lead to unwanted side effects. Avoid drinking more than 1 liter of grapefruit juice per day while taking this medicine. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Lipitor belongs to a group of drugs called HMG CoA reductase inhibitors, or “statins.”
Before taking Lipitor, talk with your doctor about your health history. But if you need to have lab tests, make sure the healthcare professional giving you the test knows about all medications you currently take. They can make sure there won’t be any interactions between your lab tests and medications. Taking birth control pills with Lipitor may raise your risk of side effects from your birth control pills.
PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Statins can also increase the risk of developing benign proteinuria, a condition in which there is excess protein in the urine. Statins work by reducing how much cholesterol the liver produces and increasing its clearance from the blood.
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Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide. Combining the two can increase your risk of this side effect, especially if you consume two or more alcoholic drinks daily. Although side effects believed to be caused by statins can be annoying, consider the benefits of taking a statin before you decide to stop taking your medication. Remember that statin medications can reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke, and the risk of life-threatening side effects from statins is very low. Unaccustomed vigorous exercise might increase the risk of muscle injury.
Drinking in moderation is not likely to be a problem while taking Lipitor. The main issue with Lipitor and alcohol consumption arises if you tend to drink heavily every week. Drinking large amounts of alcohol puts you at an increased risk of liver damage, which may be worsened by Lipitor. As always, you should seek medical advice from a healthcare professional if you have concerns about how to take prescription statin therapy, such as Lipitor. For most people, light to moderate drinking is unlikely to negatively affect cholesterol levels. In fact, it may improve HDL cholesterol levels and even reduce the risk of heart disease.
You should not take Lipitor if you have liver problems, including liver disease. If you already have liver problems, taking Lipitor may make your condition worse. Your doctor can recommend a different treatment option for you. Depending on your intake, alcohol may either positively or negatively affect cholesterol levels and other measures of heart health. Cholesterol levels are affected by many factors, including body weight and dietary intake.
AlcoholicsAnonymous.com is not a medical provider or treatment facility and does not provide medical advice. AlcoholicsAnonymous.com is not owned or operated by any treatment facility. AlcoholicsAnonymous.com does not endorse any treatment facility or guarantee the quality of care provided, or the results to be achieved, by any treatment facility. The information provided by AlcoholicsAnonymous.com is not a substitute for professional treatment advice. If you think you are experiencing an overdose or interaction from mixing Lipitor and alcohol, call 911 immediately.
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You can also refer to our cardiovascular hub and the 4 stages of alcoholism for the functioning alcoholic of related articles. Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out. If you’d like to learn more about taking a CoQ10 supplement with Lipitor, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. If you have additional questions about Viagra and Lipitor, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Here are some frequently asked questions about Lipitor and possible interactions. Despite this, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before receiving any vaccines while taking Lipitor.
It may take up to 2 weeks before your cholesterol levels improve, and you may need frequent blood test. Even if you have no symptoms, tests can help your doctor determine if Lipitor is effective. Avoid eating foods that are high in fat or cholesterol. Lipitor will not be as effective in lowering your cholesterol if you do not follow a cholesterol-lowering diet plan.
Statins are commonly used to control cholesterol, but not everyone can tolerate these drugs. Up to 30 percent of people experience muscle pain with statin use. But nearly all find that when they switch to a different statin, their symptoms resolve. Statins can increase the risk of developing rhabdomyolysis, which can cause kidney damage and, eventually, kidney failure.
As with most drugs, Lipitor can cause an allergic reaction in some people. But it’s not clear whether this side effect occurred in clinical trials. If you notice symptoms of rhabdomyolysis, immediately call your doctor or seek emergency medical help. And its risks of long-term damage, and even death, increase if it’s not urgently treated. It’s important to note that muscle pain or weakness may be a sign of more serious side effects. These include myopathy and rhabdomyolysis, which are discussed in more detail just below.
Drug interactions explained
These products can react with atorvastatin, preventing its full absorption. The dosage is based on your medical condition, response to treatment, age, and other medications you may be taking. Be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you use . Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start taking atorvastatin and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Statins disrupt insulin-signaling pathways and can affect the function of beta cells in the pancreas, which create and release insulin. The primary concern with alcohol in people using Lipitor, however, is likely the host of other problems that are found with alcohol alone. What we have learned over time, however, is that most of the time these elevations are only temporary and not usually dangerous.
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Read on to learn more about Lipitor’s side effects, dosage, and some frequently asked questions. This is not meant as a daily average or target, either. Instead, consider it more of a boundary on any given day when you might choose to have an alcoholic beverage. Much of the alcohol that flows into your system after tipping back a glass finds its way to your liver for a digestive after-party. Alcohol is broken down in your liver and reconstructed as cholesterol and triglycerides. Atorvastatin can harm an unborn baby or cause birth defects.
To view some of Lipitor’s side effects, see the sections above for lists of mild and serious ones. For a full list of side effects that the medication may cause, check out Lipitor’s patient information. To view a full comparison of Crestor and Lipitor, you can check out this article.
Muscle pain or weakness
You can also contact the Poison Control Center for guidance. Receiving medical attention as soon as possible is the best solution. Alcohol may change the effects of the ingredients in statins. A safe ingredient may now be unsafe when combined with alcohol. No, there aren’t any known interactions between Lipitor and lisinopril .