by Cynthia Wall

Created on: October 11, 2008

"We'll wait three more months and retest. If your cholesterol numbers aren't starting to come down by then, I'm going to recommend that you start on medication."

So, even though you have been trying, you try even harder. You eliminate fat from your diet, you exercise, and you listen to all the horror stories people tell you about so and so whose legs hurt so bad after he started medication that he could barely walk. At three months, you go back, roll up your sleeve, and then go home to wait. The news which comes the next day isn't what you'd hoped for. You're clearly in the danger zone. Uncontrolled cholesterol and triglyceride levels can greatly increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and the need for emergency medical procedures to open blocked blood vessels.

"I'm going to recommend Zocor for you," your doctor tells you. "The pharmacist may be able to give you Simvastin, the generic version which will save you some money."

"But what about the side effects?" you ask.

"Only about two percent of patients do experience side effects," your doctor reassures you. "The benefits far outweigh the risks. I'll give you literature to read about the danger signs to watch for, but I don't anticipate any problems."

Pamphlet and pills in hand, you go home. The first line is technical jargon: "Zocor is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, also known as a statin. It works by reducing the production of certain fatty substances in the body, including cholesterol." Okay, so far so good, but next is the list of possible side effects. Don't use if you're allergic to any of the ingredients, if you have liver problems, if you're pregnant or breast feeding, if you're taking any kind of "macrolide antibiotic like clarithromycin, erythromycin, etc, if you're taking an HIV protease inhibitor like ritonavir, mibefradil, and others. You should also tell your doctor if you're planning to become pregnant, if you take any medication (prescription, non-prescription, or herbal), if you have low blood pressure, kidney problems, diabetes, an infection or seizures. Additionally, you should tell your doctor if you have metabolic, hormonal, or electrolyte problems, or if you drink alcohol, or if you've had surgery or an injury.

Phew. You don't have any of those conditions, but wait, there's more: an entire page of medications, everything from St. John's Wort to Warfarin that may either increase or decrease the effectiveness of Zocor. You're still in the clear as you don't see any of your meds on the list.

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