Feedback on Lipitor Side Effects and Usage Page 5
About Lipitor
If you use Lipitor or another statin please help others by sharing your experience. What would you tell your best friend about this product? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history.
Subj: Doctor problem
Date: 3/15/2007
I took Lipitor for almost one year. During the last six months of taking Lipitor I experienced progressive aches followed by muscle pain and then weakness. I informed my Physician of these symptoms during at least three visits over the six-month period. Finally I had to ‘get in his face’ before he acknowledged there could be side effects. I was also taking Cozaar and had to educate him on its similar list of side effects. He was under the mistaken impression that Cozaar did not have muscle pain and weakness as side effects, and he once was a really great Doctor; before HMOs. Now I can’t get him to offer any relief for the problem Lipitor and Cozaar have caused. He finally had me go for a liver test, which came back with high enzyme (?) results. Now I am considered an alcoholic but do NOT drink! Is there a real Doctor in the house?
James
Subj: Problem with Lipitor
Date: 3/29/2007
QUESTION I have been using lipitor for close to a year. I do believe I have a problem with it also taking Diovan. My legs are weak and muscles burn all the time. This just happened last week both of my kidneys hurt me so bad I was in tears {I can take alot of pain and never had stones in my life} ruled out I stopped with the lipitor and most of my pain was gone in 3 days. ANY CLUES? Thank You,
John
AskDocWeb: We’ve heard from others that Cholesterol lowering drugs have caused them to have muscle pain and weakness. Hope you went to your physician when this happened.
Subj: Long term use of Lipitor
Date: 4/3/2007
I am 69 years of age and have been on 10mg. of Lipitor for 9 years. During the 1st week of January I felt listless for a couple of days then on Jan. 5th there was colour in my urine. Ended up in emergency and later the next day was informed I had Rhabdomyalisis. I lost 20 lbs. and most of the muscle in my arms and control of my hands. Now 3 months later there is some improvement in my arms but my wrists and fingers I have a great deal of difficulty with. It looks like a long battle.
Allan
Subj: Thought it was arthritis
Date: 4/10/2007
I was having severe pain in my arms and my back but thought it was arthritis or bad posture due to my shift work…but … had an idea to check in Google on side effects of Lipator and was so glad I found this site…it just confirmed all the symptoms I have been having for the past 3 weeks….started using Lipator about 4 months ago and just started with the arm and back pain and headaches several mornings when I get up after taking Lipator in the evening. I just stopped taking them and will be going to visit my doctor…thanks.
Marilyn
Subj: Joint pain, muscle weakness, and numb toes
Date: 4/23/2007
Within 2 months of taking a daily 10mg dose of Lipitol, I was, like countless others, suffering increasingly from joint pain, muscle weakness, numb toes and constant weariness. I stopped taking it, binned what I had left, and decided to take another route. I have cut fat intake to about 10% of my food intake, upped my consumption of fruit and vegetables, and embarked on a course of vitamin C, co-enzyme Q10 and Lysine after researching the cholesterol issue. I am prepared to do this rather than be incapacitated through this risky and dangerous drug.
David
Please note that there are health concerns with using lysine.
Subj: Second thoughts
Date: 4/24/2007
I unreservedly withdraw critical comments I made yesterday concerning Lipitor. The medication made me feel generally unwell and in commenting on its side effects in my own case, I reacted more strongly than I would have done normally. My remarks that it is “risky” and “dangerous” really apply only to my own experience. I acknowledge that there are an awful lot of people who benefit from Lipitor.
David
Subj: Severe pain in hip, upper thigh, and leg
Date: 5/3/2007
I have been on lipitor for 6-7 years. About 3 months I developed severe pain in the hip, upper thigh, and leg. Doctors can’t find the cause. If I go off lipitor how long should it take to get out of my system?
Ralph
AskDocWeb: The half-life of Lipitor is about 14 hours but is may be several days for any side effects to clear up, probably less than a week.
Subj: Rash and itching
Date: 5/16/2007
Been on lipitor for one year…I have developed a rash and itching all over…what is it.
C.J.
Subj: Painful muscles, alternative?
Date: 5/17/2007
I have been on 20mg lipitor for 2 years. Dec of 2006, Doctor put me on 40mg. I have been feeling weak and painful muscles in my thighs and calves in both legs. I have trouble walking up stairs. Shopping with the wife yesterday, had to stop to rest several times from walking. Explained to the doctor that my 2-year-old grandson was standing on my laps and had to pull him off cause of the pain. Went to my family doctor and he’d indicated that he thought it was lipitor may be the cause of the muscle pain. My cardiologist doesn’t seem to be concerned. I feel like I’m 56 going on 76. Is there an alternative to lipitor?
Russell
AskDocWeb: Many of the cholesterol meds cause muscle pain and weakness. You might ask your doctor about Cholox, it seems to have less effect on the muscle.
Subj: Muscle pain
Date: 5/19/2007
I have only taken one lipitor 20 mg pill (about 10 days ago). From that time on I have had leg weakness and pain. Is it possible to experience this from just one dose? Or is it probably something else. Have had back problems in past. My Doctor is waiting for blood work to come back. Thanks!!
Fred
AskDocWeb: Yes, it is possible, some people have muscle pain from just one pill.
Subj: Shoulder pain
Date: 5/19/2007
I have been on lipitor 20mg since Dec 06 and find I now suffer from shoulder pain also hip pain is this common?
Eugene
AskDocWeb: Not common, less than 4% (3.8%) have reported back pain, abdominal pain, etc. but no reports of shoulder pain. You do need to report this to your doctor.
Subj: Severe muscle aches and pains
Date: 5/19/2007
I too had been taking lipitor for two months now and have severe muscle aches and pains I did not have before taking this drug. I stopped taking it and within a couple days the aches and pains totally disappeared.
Debbie
Subj: Stabbing pain in left thigh
Date: 6/9/2007
I have been taking 40mg of lipitor for 8 months. My cholesterol has gone from 265 to 145. However I have been experiencing a stabbing pain in the front of my left thigh. The pain occurs randomly. It can happen in bed, while driving, but is especially prevalent when I walk or exercise. I told my doctor and he said that pain from Lipitor is symmetrical and that it would be in both (not one) thigh. I have been taking smaller (cut the pill in 1/2 then 1/3) amounts of lipitor recently and the pain has definitely lessened, but it is still there. And I actually feel as if the muscle is weakening. In addition (and I am starting to get obsessed by this) the pain seems to be slowly traveling down to my left knee. I am planning on weaning myself entirely off this stuff as I need to know what is going on with my left leg pain (none at all on the right side). Does this seem like a known side effect of this drug and is my doctor mistaken by his belief that lipitor pain is symmetrical? Thanks,
Dan
AskDocWeb: No, your doctor is not mistaken most of the time. That pain has been described as “usually” symmetrical and “relatively” symmetrical but everyone is affected differently in one way or another. The fact that the pain decreased when the dosage was reduced would be reason enough for us to seek alternatives to Lipitor.
Subj: Stomach discomfort
Date: 6/11/2007
Started on lipitor some 6 months ago and it lowered my cholesterol numbers dramatically…however in taking it before bedtime I do have stomach discomfort every night about 3 AM…would it be OK to take in the mornings after breakfast instead.
Harry
AskDocWeb: Lipitor can be taken any time of day.
Subj: Bad side effects
Date: 7/6/2007
I had been taking 10 mg. of Lipitor for a while until the doctor increased it to 20 mg. Now, after four years of taking this 20 mg I have decided that after reading about the dangers of taking more than is needed (since the Pfizer drug company who is the major manufacturer of that drug has not manufactured a smaller dose. My research with those who had done some studying of the ill effects of the medicine had decided that there are many bad side effects of the 10 mg of the drug and obviously a greater effect on the higher amounts. I was concerned about this so I have decided to take my 20 mgs of the drug every other day. Now, I am observing that my cognitive skills have benefited, and that I don’t have those peculiar muscle problems that I suffered from before. I am also considering dropping down to what would be the equivalent of about 2.5 milligrams, an amount I find through my research which would be sufficient enough to control my cholesterol levels along with exercise and a low fat diet.
Richard
Subj: My concerns aren’t being heard by my GP
Date: 7/9/2007
I am a 52 year old male with moderately high cholesterol, which is hereditary. My BP is also high. I am on Lipitor, Diovan (BP) and a beta-blocker along with aspirin. A recent MIBI test showed that I had a minor heart attack years ago and there was some minor plaque build up. My doctor increased my Lipitor from 10mg a day to 40mg a day, recently. I have expressed my concern over cognitive anomalies and a general feeling of having a low grade flu/fatigue/some muscle weakness…constantly. Now that my dose has been increased significantly I feel like I could have a nap or good sleep several times a day…let alone the inability to concentrate properly on running my business. I was working out on weights 20-30 minutes a day and cutting our (large) yard twice a week; even though I haven’t felt quite right since starting Lipitor several years ago. Now that the dose is higher, I can barely muster the motivation to do my weights a couple times a week. I feel that my concerns aren’t being heard by my GP or specialist. I have stopped Lipitor a couple of times for a few days and noticed a marked decrease in fatigue and the mental-fog. Are there alternatives to Lipitor (and the combo of other meds I’m on) and other statins such as fish oils/fibre supplements…anything? I didn’t seem to tolerate Pravochol too well many years ago, either. I think this stuff is toxic to a lot of people and wonder how the doctors determine that “…the benefits of this drug outweigh the side effects…” as is stated on the insert with my Lipitor. I am 5′ 10″ tall, weigh 175 pounds, 44 chest, 32 waist and a working engineering professional…I eat well, exercise often (until recently) and I know this chemical decreases my ability to think clearly and function properly.
Mike
AskDocWeb: When your concerns aren’t being heard by your doctor then they are not doing their job. You have a right to change doctors and should do so just as you would replace any other professional that does unsatisfactory work. The alternative drug combinations are best determined by your new doctor. Read more feedback about Lipitor.
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