You should not take lovastatin if you have active liver disease, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using. Many drugs can interact, and some drugs should not be used together.
Stop taking  lovastatin and tell your doctor at once if you become pregnant.
Before taking this medicine
You should not use lovastatin if you are allergic to it, or if:
you are pregnant or breastfeeding; or
you have active liver disease.
Many drugs can interact and cause dangerous effects. Some drugs should not be used together with lovastatin. Your doctor may change your treatment plan if you also use:
nefazodone;
an antibiotic--clarithromycin, erythromycin, telithromycin;
antifungal medicine--itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole; or
antiviral medicine to treat HIV or hepatitis C--boceprevir, cobicistat, dasabuvir, elvitegravir, indinavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, nelfinavir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir saquinavir, telaprevir, tipranavir.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
liver disease;
muscle pain or weakness;
kidney disease;
a thyroid disorder; or
if you drink large amounts of alcohol.
Lovastatin can cause the breakdown of muscle tissue, which can lead to kidney failure. This happens more often in older adults or people who have kidney disease or poorly controlled hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).
Do not use if you are pregnant. This medicine can harm an unborn baby. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy. Stop taking this medicine and tell your doctor at once if you become pregnant.
Do not breastfeed while using this medicine.
Lovastatin is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
