You and your doctor are a team in managing your high cholesterol or triglycerides. To get the most from your treatment, talk openly and honestly with your doctor.

I am embarrassed to ask my doctor some questions.

• All questions are important. Do not be afraid to speak up if you do not understand something.
• Ask a family member to join you for doctor visits. They can write down your doctor's answers.
• In general, many patients who take niacin will have a side effect called flushing (skin turns red and warm). Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about flushing and what you can do about it.

If you have trouble understanding what your doctor says:

• Ask for written information about your medicine. Is it available in large print or another language?
• Ask your doctor or pharmacist to help you answer the following questions.

Questions to ask my doctor or pharmacist:

• What is the name of the medicine and how will it help me?
• How and when do I take the medicine, and for how long?
• When and how do I refill my prescription?
• What do I do if I miss a dose?
• Will other nonprescription or prescription medicines affect my lipid-lowering medicine?
• How will I know if my lipid-lowering medicines are working?
• What are the possible side effects? What should I do if they occur?

 

 

Other Tools

• My Medicine Schedule