Cholesterol Medication Side Effects: What to Expect & What to Do

Will My Cholesterol Medicine Cause Side Effects?

Will My Cholesterol Medicine Cause Side Effects?

What Your Doctor Can Do for Side EffectsIf you're bothered by side effects, your doctor can often help by changing:

• How much medicine you take. Sometimes side effects can be stopped or minimized by reducing the dose. Or your doctor may lower the dose and then raise it more slowly.
• When you take the medicine. You may be able to reduce the impact of some side effects, for instance, by taking your medicine in the evening.
• How you take the medicine. Taking your medicine in smaller doses several times a day rather than in one dose may be an option. Eating a meal or drinking water along with your medicine may help, too.
• The type of medicine. A different medicine may be able to reduce your cholesterol with fewer or less severe side effects.

Don't make any changes on your own. Always talk with your doctor before you make any changes in how you take medicines.

Tell your doctor right away if you think you're having side effects from your medicine. Depending on the specific medicine, the most serious side effects are liver damage, muscle pain, irregular heartbeat, and shortness of breath. Side effects vary for different types of medicines that lower cholesterol. See the chart in What Is the Specific Type I'm Taking? to look up the side effects for the type you take.