GEMFIBROZIL

(jem FYE broe zil) Brand: Lopid

What is the most significant information I must know about gemfibrozil?

• You must not use this medicine if you are allergic to gemfibrozil, if you are also taking repaglinide (Prandin), or if you have gallbladder malady, liver malady, or severe kidney disease.

• Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as sharp pain in your upper stomach (especially after eating), jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes), blurred vision, eye pain, or seeing halos near lights, or pain or burning when you urinate.

• Avoid eating foods that are tall in thick or cholesterol. Gemfibrozil will not be as effective in lowering your cholesterol if you do not follow a cholesterol-lowering diet plan.

• Avoid drinking alcohol. It may interfere with your treatment.

• To be certain this medication is helping your condition and is not causing deleterious effects, your blood will need to be tested often. Your liver and kidney function may also need to be tested. Visit your doctor regularly.

What is gemfibrozil?

• Gemfibrozil helps reduce cholesterol and triglycerides (fatty acids) in the blood. Tall levels of these types of thick in the blood are associated with an heighten risk of atherosclerosis (clogged arteries).

• Gemfibrozil is used to treat very tall cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with pancreatitis.

• Gemfibrozil is also used to lower the risk of stroke, heart onslaught, or another heart complications in people with tall cholesterol and triglycerides who have not been helped by another treatment methods.

• Gemfibrozil may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking gemfibrozil?

• You must not use this medicine if you are allergic to gemfibrozil, if you have:

· liver disease;

· severe kidney malady;

· gallbladder malady; or

· if are also taking repaglinide (Prandin) to treat type 2 diabetes.

• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether gemfibrozil will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

• It is not known whether gemfibrozil passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while taking gemfibrozil.

How must I take gemfibrozil?

• Take exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not take in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• Gemfibrozil is generally taken twice daily, 30 minutes till breakfast and lunch. Follow your doctor's instructions.

• Use gemfibrozil regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled till you run out of medication completely.

• Gemfibrozil is only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet, exercice, and weight control. Follow your diet, medicine, and exercice routines very closely.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What must I avoid while taking gemfibrozil?

• Avoid eating foods that are tall in thick or cholesterol. Gemfibrozil will not be as effective in lowering your cholesterol if you do not follow a cholesterol-lowering diet plan.

• Avoid drinking alcohol. It may interfere with your treatment.

• If you are also taking cholestyramine (Questran), colestipol (Colestid), colesevelam (Welchol), avoid taking any of these medicines within 2 hours till or after you take gemfibrozil.

What are the possible side effects of gemfibrozil?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

· sharp pain in your upper stomach (especially after eating);

· jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes);

· blurred vision, eye pain, or seeing halos near lights;

· pain or burning when you urinate;

· unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, unusual tiredness, and dark colored urine; or

· pale skin, light bruising, unusual bleeding, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart course, trouble concentrating, purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin.

• Smaller serious side effects may include:

· upset stomach;

· mild stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;

· headache, dizziness, drowsiness;

· mild joint or muscle pain;

· loss of interest in sex, impotence, difficulty having an orgasm;

· numbness or tingly feeling; or

· cool symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect gemfibrozil?

• Speak your doctor about all another medicines you use, especially:

· a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);

· insulin or diabetes medicine you take by mouth; or

· other cholesterol-lowering drug such as atorvastatin (Lipitor, Caduet), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev, Advicor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), or simvastatin (Zocor, Simcor, Vytorin).

• This list is not complete and another drugs may interact with gemfibrozil. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about gemfibrozil.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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