July 26th
2007
9:04 PM
I am totally shocked at what I have learned about Lipitor. My physician prescribed 10mg for me over 4 years ago. No major problems until recently. Severe neck/shoulder pain for about 3 months. Dr said it was a pulled muscle. Gave me Skelaxin. No help. Went to Chiropractor--yanked, cracked, beat, etc--no help. In the past 2 weeks or so I have developed pain in my hips, back and legs. Blamed it on being 52 years old. As I read some of the experiences on here I could relate to each one. I also have gained about 30 pounds in the past 4 years, short term memory is terrible. NO ENERGY> 3 years ago-Dr started me on Wellbutrin for depression, then added Zoloft. I am to the point now I want to get off of all this and see how I could really feel. Not sure about withdrawals. Any comments on stopping the meds?
-- By sissy1954 | Reply | (8) replies | Private Message me
November 25th
2006
6:32 PM
My doctor recently started a control treatment for my infrequent asthma. I am a 35 year old male, light smoker, with good blood pressure, good pulse.
Up until 3 weeks ago, I treated my infrequent asthma with an albuterol inhaler. The week before Halloween, I had developed bronchitis after trying to treat my asthma with Primatene Mist and Mucinex for a week.
She immediately put me on Augmentin, Advair (100/50mcg) Singulair (10mcg) and an albuterol nebulizer.
Last monday, I went to the hospital with chest pains. It felt like someone was grabbing my chest muscles and squeezing them. The 'cramps' for lack of a better word, went up into my neck specifically around my throat. I was dizzy, sweating, trembling suffering an anxiety attack and had a racing pulse. I was checked out by the nurse(still had good BP, high pulse) but could not breathe. I was given a nebulizer treatment, and the attack subsided.
On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, I had the same symptoms. It was so bad, I had to excuse myself from Thanksgiving dinner. I never felt this way before and know I could not be suffering a heart attack every day, all day so it has to be the medication.
I stopped the Advair Thursday night. By Friday, my appetite had returned and the tremors had deminished. I still took the Singulair.
Today, with just the Singulair, I still feel 'shaky' and out of sorts. I don't feel bad, but I don't feel 'well'. I have had a near constant headache all day and get dizzy when I stand up for long periods of time.
Tonight is my last night for the Singulair. I'll report back in a day or two to let you know how it's going.
On a good note, I haven't had an Asthma attack for 3 weeks now. I've just felt like crap ever since.
-- By jdmessner | Reply | Private Message me
December 1th
2005
9:34 PM
Became dehyrated, had to be admitted to Emergency room.
sick to my stomach, burning in chest, muscles ached; swollen abdomen;short of breath; NO energy. Very lithargic;10 mg; I am off now; after 4 days all symptoms left except, NO ENERGY at shortness of breath now and than, with a little heaviness on chest. Hope this all leaves soon. It's horrible. Mixed 4 days of work, still not right.
October 10th
2005
9:02 AM
I would like to worn anybody who is about to start to use Lipitor to please read the side effects first. I have been using Lipitor 40 mg for the past four years, and durning that time landed 3 times in hospital (taken by ambulace) with misterious chest pains, plus several visit do the doctor with the same complain. After the check-up , they told me I had muscle inflammation and was given strong pain-killers. The pain in my chest muscles was so severe, that I couldn't move, or take a breath... I also experienced progressing lack of concentration, hair-loss, numbness in my both feet, memory loss, and bad itching on my legs. Just recently I had a severe pain in my chest again and started to ask myself what is causing it. I read the information leaflet (for the first time...!!!) from my Lipitor tablet box and decided to stop taking it. It's been mow 4 days, and no pain. However, I still wonder if there is some permament damage done to my system, as it is too early to tell.
-- By yolad | Reply | Private Message me
July 6th
2005
4:44 PM
After taking statins (Provacol, Lovastatin, Lipitor, and Zocor) for over 4 years and having strong muscle pains throught out my body, I stopped taking statins.
During this time the doctor tested me for everything else. I started taking Celebrex to stop the pain. It greatly reduced it.
However, i stopped Celebrex after how it might affect heart patients was made known.
Now 2 months after I stopped Lipitor, 95% plus of my pains are gone. I did not realize how severe they were until i stopped. one can get used to pain, but it does negatively affect you without you being consciously aware of it.
I now aggressively use diet and exercise to control my cholesterol. a better solution in all aspects.
when I started statins, i had no apparent side affects like muscle pain for about 10-12 months. however over time the pain started kept building and spreading. Eventually my legs muscles, back muscles, chest muscles, hip joints, elbow joints, and knee joints all ached.
A friend of mine who had been taking Lipitor (20mg) for a little over a year, recently started having muscle pains.
What I do not understand is why this side affect is not better know and published.
-- By jmahr | Reply | Private Message me
February 8th
2008
10:22 AM
I have had the same reactions you all describe but here is how you can sort of combat them.
Take a drug called Dicetel with your food, it prevents bowel spasms and eases the nausea and vomiting. A lot of the overall sick feeling you get from Avelox is because of the stomach upset, nausea and vomiting
Take an anti anxiety drug called Ativan each morning or as required.This prevents the sudden tightening of the chest that Avelox causes which prevents you from being able to take a breath in, which then leads to symptoms that resemble an anxiety attack because your body releases chemicals to prevent the spasm and they cause symptoms like an anxiety attack. Ativan is technically is an anti anxiety drug but it relaxes the chest muscles allows you to take in air and thus stops the rapid heartbeat which then leads to these bizarre effects. Let your doctor think its anxiety if you have to, the key is to get the drug down and kill the infection, do what you have to do.
Now keep in mind you will still be bedridden due to exhaustion and weakness, because Ativan makes you drowsy, and Avelox makes you toxic but at least you wont be freaking out, breathing wildly, or throwing up and you have some hope of beating the bug
-- By sunshine8888 | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me