Zocor – The Cholesterol Reducer
February 25th, 2010
Zocor, also known by its generic name simvastatin is a drug that many doctors will prescribe to lower your cholesterol. It is made to lower your total cholesterol number so you will have a lesser chance of stroke, heat disease and the arterial disease known as “hardening of the arteries”. This medication should not be taken if you’re pregnant or breast feeding and it can cause birth defects so be sure you are using the proper birth control method while on this medication.
As with any other drug Zocor can have some serious side effects so let your doctor know if you have persistent muscle pains as it may be a result of the medication. Not every muscle pain is caused by the drug itself so use your discretion when it comes to this side effect.
Zocor is taken at dinner time and some doctor recommend taking it at bedtime so the choice is either up to you or your doctor. Normally taken with a full glass of water there are no symptoms you have to worry about while taking the drug other than those that have been described.
Zocor is a good medication that helps to reduce your cholesterol levels but that should not leave out the fact that you need to perform some changes on your own. Taking into account what high cholesterol can do to you, you should always try to eat a healthy diet and maintain the proper weight. Being overweight and eating foods that are high in saturated fats will not allow the medication to work as well as it should.
You should follow the prescription directions and heed the advice of your doctors, if you’re a smoker, it is probably best to think about quitting because that too can affect your cholesterol numbers. This medication is not a fix all when it comes to your health, there are things that you too will have to do to get the best results from your treatment, listen to your doctor and take care of yourself.
While taking this medication there are a few things you will want to avoid, one of them is eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice, it can lead to interactions with the drug so it’s avoidance while on the medication is better. Drinking alcohol, while already problematic for some, can greatly increase damage to your liver while on this medication. Let your doctor know if you are a frequent drinker, it should be avoided while on the medication.
As always let your doctor know what kind of drugs you are already taking so you can know ahead of time of anything your on will react poorly with the Zocor regimen.