Q: What should I do if I am taking Baycol?
A: Contact your physician immediately to discuss other medication options. If you are taking Baycol and experience muscle pain, discontinue Baycol immediately and contact your physician.
Q: What is rhabdomyolysis?
A: Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle fibers, which results in the release of those fibers into the bloodstream. This condition is toxic to the kidneys and can often result in kidney damage.
Q: How do I know if I am having this serious reaction (rhabdomyolysis) to Baycol?
A: Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include muscle tenderness, weakness of the damaged muscle(s), general weakness, muscle stiffness or aching and abnormal urine color. In addition, unintentional weight gain, joint pain, seizures and fatigue may occur.
Q: What should I do if I think I'm having a reaction to Baycol?
A: Stop all use of the drug immediately and contact your physician.
Q: Will I have any problems if I stop Baycol?
A: If you were prescribed Baycol to lower your cholesterol, the count may revert to the levels they were before you started taking Baycol. However, any increase will most likely take a few days to a couple of weeks to occur. Be sure to contact your physician to discuss alternatives for lowering your cholesterol.
Q: Are there any other cholesterol-lowering drugs I can use instead of Baycol?
A: There are five (5) other drugs in the same class (statins) available in the U.S. market. They include
* atorvastatin (Lipitor)
* fluvastatin (Lescol)
* lovastatin (Mevacor)
* pravastatin (Pravachol)
* simvastatin (Zocor)
In addition, there are also drugs approved for lowering cholesterol that are not statin drugs. Consult your physician to determine which treatment is right for you.
Q: Do the other statin drugs have the same potentially dangerous side effects as Baycol?
A: All drugs in the statin class have been associated with reports of rhabdomyolysis, but they are rare. These cases may occur when the drugs are used alone or in combination with another lipid-lowering drug such as gemfibrozil. Cases of rhabdomyolysis becoming fatal in association with Baycol use have been reported far more frequently than other approved statins.
Contact Dinkes & Schwitzer if you or a family member have taken Baycol and would like more information concerning your legal rights.
