Heart muscle symptoms and conditions

I have been on and off Lipitor for 2 years approx.
After a typical week on LIP I have left arm weakness, can't breathe fully, can't walk far, my pulse slows down to almost nothing, I get chest pains, my left side chest and around my shoulder is in such pain that if I try to gasp for a deeper breath my heart starts jumping missing beats. If I have some cheerios (low bad stuff) with soy milk (cow products are bad for anyone middle age or above) I can push what ever it is through my system to make it through the night; however if I don't have something to eat or an aspirin I'm sure with the worsening shooting chest pain and shooting pain in my neck and left hemisphere of my head area with accompanying foggy feeling, i'm really feeling that i'm having a stroke....
Get off th LIP and you heart muscle will attempt to repair itself somewhat.
There may be long term damage, so this needs to be solved.

On separate notes:The food companies like Zehrs keep adding fats and sugars into our foods, then the drug companies and doctors are scooping wads of cash to treat the symptoms. When they finally forced the food companies to eliminate trans fats from kids snacks, they added twice as much sugar so now along with obesity they can get diabetes. They rarely work on a cure or fixing the problems because they won't make money on it....
I find it strange that a lot of ladies getting cancer are working hard to raise money for treatments (the pink ribbon effort) but no-one will speak up against all these companies dumping tigger chemicals into our environment (water, air, landfills, products etc) as long as we all have cool hair dyes and appliances and stuff that is on the market making dollars before properly tested. We are the guinea pigs especially now that we are eating cr_p from China.... Guys, get off the drugs if you can;;; Too bad also, my kids are getting bombarded by tv commercials pushing sugar cereals and drugs for every little problem which cause worse side effects. I would like to invent a new good pill so I can become rich!!! ...Thanks, I have enjoyed reading that a lot of people are having similar side effects that I have had.
A higher power (not Al Gore) has given us internet technology to help solve a lot of problems, and protect innocent people from the huge worldwide companies. They have the money, we have the internet hopefully to use for the common good.
P.S. Nothing against Al, He is a great leader trying to do good things for mankind.

Has anyone experienced muscle loss of the heart since they are on vytorin? In 15 months on Vytorin my heart ejection fracture went from 48 to 30.

June 27/09
I am 65 yrs , very active. Play hockey, baseball, slopitch, and jog.
Started on Lipitor 10gm about 5 years ago. About 6 months later increased to 20gm. about 1 years later increased to 40 gm. Did not really notice any side effects. During that time cholesterol dropped from approx in Aug2005 to 8.01: ; Jan06 to 6.37:; Apr06 to 5.3 ; May09 @ 4.2. No problems noticed while on 40s for about 2 years.
June09 doctor increased to 80 gm !? Started to notice muscle cramps and pain . Also started to notice some stomach upsets.Thought I had strained a hamstring muscle from hard running acceleration but not sure now after reading some of the comments. Three days ago , although I always stretch for 1/2 to 3/4 an hour before every baseball which I play 4 times a week, I had very severe muscle cramps suddenly above my calf muscle just below the knee as I started to run to 1st base. I played the rest of the game but in pain and could not run hard . Could not sprint on my toes as I always did , so had to run about half speed but flat footed on the bases but painful,as we had only 9 players. Had hot shower Thursday night after game, massaged calf area with Wintercrest ointment. Got up this morning Friday , muscle sore but can walk on my toes. Tonight @ midnight slight soreness but most of the pain gone. I was thinking that I might have strained a calf muscle playing baseball but noway! I think it has to do with the doubling of the Lipitor from 40 to 80!!!! Will cut back back to 40 gm on my own till I see the doctor.
Will go to see my Doctor ASAP!!!

I have been taking Crestor since early September 08. Prior to that I was on Vytorin for quite awhile. I now have right sided parthesia and my face tingles constantly on the right side. I have had MRIs MRAs not to mention blood tests that say my kidneys are spilling calcium. No one seems to have a clue what is going on. My feet and legs hurt so bad if I sit for too long I can't hardly walk. My uncle passed away from ALS and now I'm really scared that all of these statins are killing me slowly. I wonder if I quite taking this drug will I have a heart attack. I really just don't know what to do.

I am a 65 year old female taking 20mlg of lipitor for almost 10 years. All of a sudden I started having severe pain, shaking and weakness in the calf muscle. The pain is unbearable. Doctors after doctors including a cardiologist, rhoumatologist and internist don't know the reason. I have stopped lipitor for 3 days. I cry and pray to god to help me everyday. I cannot exercise which is my passion for many years. I am hoping the lipitor is the reason and not something else. I have to wait and see. But I suspect it is.
SR
I do have nausea, depression and low back pain and arthritis and frequent headaches.

I am asking a question on behalf of my brother. He had a stent inserted about 5 years ago due to blockage in one artery. The doctor put him on 20mg Lipitor and Plavix. Ever since then he has been getting Afib. Twice he has had to go to the hospital to get his heart back in rythm and other times he's able to get it back on his own. He has cut back to 10mg Lipitor and takes 100 mg COQ10. Has anyone else had Afib with Lipitor? He seems to think it's the stent causing it and I'm convinced it's the Lipitor. By the way, his cholesterol was not high, only his triglycerides. Thanks for any input.

On October 11, 2008 my 14 year old daughter began to complain of being dizzy, headache, faintness, nausea, vomiting and stated that her heart hurt each time she took a breath. This warranted her being admitted and transferred to a specialized children's hospital. They discovered an inexplicable enzyme (troponin) surrounding her heart muscle which only appears when someone is having a heart attack. All of her echo cardiograms were normal as well as her other blood levels. She was tested for all of the typical high school diseases as well as lupus, etc. She remained in the hospital until Thursday and is now exhibiting an irregular heartbeat pattern. After visiting with her pediatrician since her release, it is extremal possible that this is a side effect of the Gardisil shots that she had this past November - February.

Iv been on 40mg for a year now i could be feeling perfectly fine then suddenly an intense tiredness comes over me and i feel very sick and start heaving quite violently and desperately need to lie down until it passes, sometimes i fall asleep and sometimes not. This is a day occurrence, sometimes even 2 to 3 times a day. This only started when i started taking these tablets. The doctor says is not anything to do with the medication but im convinced it is. Has anyone else got these side effects?

I was given 40mg Lipitor for elevated cholesterol. I took it until I started having muscle weakness .I am a retired nurse of twenty five years, and knew this symptom was not correct. So I stopped taking the medication and told my doctor of this.He did not protest in any way.My symptoms now include;two torn ligaments, sob,mental deficits, muscle wasting, night sweats, weakness,h/a's, and more. I have not taken Lipitor for two years now. Damage is done.My doctor said it should be out of my system by now. Is this a cover up?

I have been on zocor for over a year, about 8 months ago I began to have pain in my left arm, got and injection and it was better it started again in my left arm , this time there was pain , tingling, numbness, swelling , it got better but it moved to the right arm which is twice as bad, I am often brought to tears from the pain..I sometime describe the pain like shutting your hand in a car door. My Dr keep giving me the same meds.

I have been on lipitor about 4 yrs. I am a runner and keep tract of my times. I have been losing about 4% of my speed each year and have recently had a large amount of muscle fatigue. Today a ran a 940 pace and thought I was not going to make it home. Three years ago my average pace was 805. Could the 20mg dosage be causing this problem?

I am a 46 y/o male whom took lipitor 20mg for about 10 days. It was the first medication taken for me aside from occasional antibiotics. Within a week I began to develop severe nausea, weakness, postural dizziness and worst of all, chest pain at rest! I took my last dose last Saturday 8/9/08. Because of the chest pain, I went to the ER on 8/10/08 and discharged the next day after I ruled out for an MI and a negative exercise stress test. My chest pain recurred on 8/12. This AM awoke with nausea, dizziness and chest pain again. I'm going to have an adenosine stress test this PM. I consulted a pharmacologist yesterday about the metabolism of Lipitor and she told me indeed these side effects are not uncommon and in my case, Lipitor will not be eliminated from my body until probably this Sunday or early next week. Anyone experience what I'm feeling?

I have been taking simvastatin since June 28, 2008. I am 44 years old and have always been majorly active with my 17 year old daughter. Recently I have become chronically fatigued so much as to want to go back to bed within 2-3 hours after I get up in the morning, (definitely not me). I have felt spaced out,depressed to the point of wanting to cry all the time, have severe back, hip, knee, leg, and hand pain. I go to pain management for my back and hip problems (past surgery), but the usual pain has been intensified over the last 2 months and I wasn't sure why, until i decided to check out the Simvastatin to see if it has made me put on a few pounds, and boy have my eyes been opened!!!!!!!!! I AM STOPPING THE MEDICATION IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to all who have spoken up, I wish I would of checked on this sooner!!!!! I'm calling my Dr. first thing in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!

By exhausted in Canton

Hi, I am 25. I have taken omeprazole 20mg. for 4 months for my GERD, and after the fourth month, I started having these abnormal heartbeats. I am really worried if these are side effects of omeprazole, and if this medicine may cause permanent damage to the heart. So I decided to see my PCP and requested a change in medication, so he prescribed me 6 month-refills of Aciphex 20mg. It’s my second week now, and I feel this weird itchy feeling inside my chest. I feel like I am always tired, and breathe hard than usual. Id this a side effect of Aciphex? Should I stop taking Aciphex? And does achiphex damages the heart muscle, or cause CAD?

I had 95% occlusion of the major artery in my heart July 2007 with no symptoms except slight shoulder pain on 3 occasions. They did a cath and inserted 2 stents. Started with Lipitor 10 mg. and my LDL dropped from 75 to 112. The MD wanted to double the dose, but I refused because of intermittent nocturnal nausea. MD switched me to another statin and I had immediate muscle involvement and severe nausea at night. She wanted me to try another statin drug and I refused. After a 2 month period of no statins, she put me back on Lipitor 10 mg. daily. I decided to cut the pill in half and take it twice a week, then move to every other day and gradually go to 10 mg. daily. Immediately, the nocturnal nausea started again. Last night I awoke at 2 a.m. with nausea, sweating, sore muscles around my rib cage. Still no sleep at 4:30 a.m., so I got up and tried to eat something. This has been the pattern every night since I went on Lipitor.

I don't know if I can take this any more.

CK

I felt it important to share the following information with everyone adversely affected by statins, and hope it permits all to live life more abundantly. Please see the complete article in LifeExtension Magazine: *******/mag2008/feb2008_Alleviating-Congestive-Heart-Failure-With-Coenzyme-Q10_01.htm, as well as, Citizen Petition: Needed - A Change In The Labeling Of All Statin Drugs by Dr. Peter H. Langsjoen, MD, FACC a "Blue Ribbon" Board Certified Cardiologist from Tyler, Texas, who describes in detail the trouble with statins: “All statin drugs block the biosynthesis of both cholesterol and CoQ10, which explains statins’ common side effects of fatigue, muscle pain and muscle weakness, and a worsening of heart failure. When CoQ10 levels are lowered by statin drug therapy, one of the first changes to occur is a weakening of heart muscle function… In 2004, a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology showed that diastolic dysfunction (heart muscle weakness) occurred in 70% of previously normal patients treated with 20 mg a day of Lipitor® for six months. This heart muscle dysfunction was reversible with supplemental CoQ10. Heart failure that develops after years of statin drug therapy can be termed statin cardiomyopathy and may well be playing a role in the epidemic of congestive heart failure in the United States. In an effort to determine the prevalence of adverse effects from using statins, we studied 50 consecutive new patients, all of whom were taking a statin drug at the time of their initial visit. All 50 patients were found to have one or more side effects from statin therapy, so we discontinued their statin drugs and began supplemental CoQ10. Patients were followed for an average of 28 months with the following observations in the prevalence of adverse effects:
• A high prevalence of skeletal muscle pain and weakness at 64% on initial visit was reduced to 6% in follow-up.
• Fatigue decreased from 84% to 16%.
• Shortness of breath went from 58% down to 12%.
• Memory loss was reduced from 8% to 4%.
• Peripheral neuropathy decreased from 10% to 2%.
There were no adverse effects from stopping statin drug therapy with no cases of heart attack or stroke during follow-up. Overall, there was an improvement in heart muscle function on discontinuation of statin therapy and addition of supplemental CoQ10. However, due to powerful propaganda surrounding both cholesterol and statin drug therapy, many patients and physicians are afraid to stop statin therapy…Over the past five years, statins have become more potent, are being prescribed in higher doses, and are being used with reckless abandon in the elderly and in patients with "normal" cholesterol levels. We are in the midst of a CHF (Congestive Heart Failure) epidemic in the US with a dramatic increase over the past decade. Are we causing this epidemic through our zealous use of statins? In large part I think the answer is yes. We are now in a position to witness the unfolding of the greatest medical tragedy of all time - never before in history has the medical establishment knowingly (Merck & Co., Inc. has two 1990 patents combining CoQ10 with statins to prevent CoQ10 depletion and attendant side effects) created a life threatening nutrient deficiency in millions of otherwise healthy people, only to then sit back with arrogance and horrific irresponsibility and watch to see what happens - as I see two to three new statin cardiomyopathies per week in my practice.” Additionally, I have found the following newsletters/medical information helpful:
******

I am a 35 yr old male and have been taking lipitor about 7 yrs. I have a genetically high cholesterol and it has been up to 275. On lipitor its around 175. Over the years I have been on this drug I went from being a normal weight and active to pretty much lethargic and sedentary due to lack of energy and gained ~50 lbs. I couldn't sleep. I got random nausea and fogginess in my brain to the point I could not remember how to perform my job. I usually had minor aches and was bloated. the past year everything has gotten much worse. For a year now, I have been getting large rashes on my body that itch severely and no medications have worked to alleviate them. I found out recently from my doctor that I have a genetic marker in my cholesterol that makes me 3 times as likely to have a heart attack. Its a portion of the cholesterol, i think its called LDL-b or something like that. Anyways, My doctor prescribed zetia to help with my cholesterol since the lipitor wasn't doing it alon. I begin feeling very sick when taking the zetia and after a week or two stopped it. The problems didn't end. As long as I remained on the lipitor, the problems seemed to continue. Its like the zetia released a dam of problems. I stopped the lipitor 4 days ago and have noticed that I feel energy coming back to me and the rash is starting to go away, but I ache severely all over. My shoulders, forearms, and legs are so sore and painful that I can't do anything about this except sleep so I don't feel the pain. I am also very weak feeling and I notice stiffness in my fingers and my grip is very weak compared to how it normally is. I have nausea and stomach cramps and constipation. I feel miserable. I notice its worse in the morning and gets a little better towards the afternoon. I typically took my lipitor in the morning. I do not know if there is a relationship here. Please advise on any help you can provide.

KMJ
07-30-08

Have been taking Zocor for a month. I am about to give it up starting tomorrow. Calling my doctor. I rather try flax seed in my diet. Have had normal cholesterol for life, however the last couple of years it has been hovering around 230-260 esp. since menopause. So, the last check up the doc put me on 20mg, I don't like how I am feeling. Very tired. Low level of energy, and my skin tone appears to be changing yellowish color. Has anyone else experience the dis-coloring of their skin? I am nervous.

I am a 39 year old white male that had aortic valve replacement surgery five years ago. About three months after the surgery (which went off without a hitch) I had a tremendous spike in my BP that went on for a few days (200/100 - enough so I could see my heartbeat in my eyes!). My Dr started me on Toprol XL 75 and while it brought my BP down some, it didn't bring it down a lot. He moved me to 200 mg a day and now my BP is around 105/55 with a resting pulse around 50.

While I experienced many of the side effects listed here (feeling groggy, confused, etc) they only lasted a few months. I must admit that I did pack on about 20 lbs over six months. However, unlike so many who choose to blame drugs (or lack thereof) for their problems, I took it upon myself to start exercising and guess what?!? The weight comes off! I now weigh less than when I graduated high school, I am in better shape than any time in my life and I believe that exercise helps me sleep better at night. All of this even though I still take 200mg a day. Given that some of you say that you're practically dead at taking 25, I should be 6 feet under or weigh 400 lbs.

I guess what I want to say is that perhaps instead of jumping on the bandwagon here that Toprol causes all of your problems, perhaps you want to take your own health into your hands and begin to eat a little better and exercise (and don't give me "but my ankles are swollen!" excuse - there is something called water aerobics). I don't deny that it can cause some side effects, but it can work wonders with your BP. You just have to DO SOMETHING to help keep the weight off (which then help with the sleep problems, mental clarity, etc).

I would encourage every patient on statins to read the recent article (Feb. 2008) by Dr. Peter Langsjoen, MD/Cardiologist: http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/feb2008_Alleviating-Congestive-Heart-Failure-With-Coenzyme-Q10_01.htm

The following information from this article is pertinent to complaints of muscle pain/weakness and fatigue:

"All statin drugs block the biosynthesis of both cholesterol and CoQ10, which explains statins’ common side effects of fatigue, muscle pain and muscle weakness, and a worsening of heart failure. When CoQ10 levels are lowered by statin drug therapy, one of the first changes to occur is a weakening of heart muscle function, known as diastolic dysfunction. This has nothing to do with diastolic blood pressure, but rather represents impairment in the relaxing or filling phase of the cardiac cycle. After heart muscle contracts, it takes a great deal of cellular energy, or ATP, to re-establish the calcium gradients such that muscle fibers may relax. Thus, if diastolic dysfunction is severe, it can result in congestive heart failure. In 2004, a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology showed that diastolic dysfunction (heart muscle weakness) occurred in 70% of previously normal patients treated with 20 mg a day of Lipitor® for six months. This heart muscle dysfunction was reversible with supplemental CoQ10."

I hope this information will be of help to patients suffering adverse reactions from statins..

I am a male of 67 years old. I took Lipitor for a year, and after a few months of taking it, I felt muscle pains in my arms and shoulders, as well as my back. I felt weak and could hardly put my socks on by myself. I told my family doctor that I thought the problem was caused by LIpitor. He said it couldn't be possible, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong, so he sent me to a rheumatologist, who gave me an initial diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica. I went back for a checkup, and although the sed rate was normal, the C-reactive protein was elevated. He felt his diagnosis was an accurate one. He prescribed prednisone for me. I had some doubts about it, since I am diabetic, and was concerned about the elevated blood sugar it might cause. Well, it did elevate my blood sugar, and I weaned myself off it within three months. My blood sugar went back to normal, and while the prednisone helped the symptoms of muscle pain and aches, after I stopped it, the pain returned with a vengeance.

About a year passed after discontinuing the prednisone, and I felt worse and worse. Any time I engaged in physical activity, such as yard work, I was almost incapacitated for two or three days. I felt weaker and weaker, and by now, my activity is about ten per cent of what it was three or four years ago. I am unable to do anything physical without paying a heavy price.

I would tell the doctor that I felt the problem was caused by the Lipitor. He would dismiss my comments, saying that the pain should have gone away after discontinuing Lipitor. He sent me back to the rheumatologist with results of recent blood tests. Both the sed rate and C-reactive protein were normal. The rheumatologist touched my back and other areas, which caused me to jump. He said it might be fibromyalgia. I told him again that I thought it was caused by the Lipitor. He said the same thing my GP had said: if it had been the Lipitor, the pain would have gone away when I stopped taking it. I know the Lipitor caused the pain, because I tried red yeast rice for a couple months. The pain increased to almost unbearable, so I discontinued the red yeast rice. If I were not susceptible to the pain from the Lipitor, would the red yeast rice have increased the pain?

So here I am with a fuzzy diagnosis from the rheumatologist, and no clue from my family doctor (that he will verbalize, at any rate). My life has gone steadily downhill. I used to be a strong, active person, but now I can do very little, and my strength is a shadow of what it formerly was. What can I do?

I just spent 3 days in the hospital due to taking simvastatin.
I was having weakness in my legs and arms, to the point that I could not walk up steps. I finally went into emergency when I took an attack that resembled a heart attack, shortness of breath, cold sweat, trembling and
nausea. They flushed my body with saline solution for two days. I now have the use of my legs, but am very weak.

I was taking Lovastatin until the VA told me that it was not on their formulary any longer and I had to take Simvastatin. Within a couple months my feet started burning and a numbness began creeping up my legs. I began falling, staggering and lost the ability to walk without two canes. I thought I was in the early stages of MS or ALS and feared I was dying. My fiance' did research on the internet (Spacedoc.com) and discovered that the symptoms I was suffering from were the result of Statin Poisoning (don't take my word...look it up) I took myself off the Simvastatin at the doctors request and began taking 4 1000mg of Omega 3 Fish Oil, 2 50mg CoQ10, 1 50mg L Carnitine, a multi vitamin, and 1 81mg coated aspirin per day. I still have numbness in my legs and some burning in my feet one and one half years later. My Neurologist has told me (and written a letter to the effect) that I am permanently disabled...that this will never go away. Statins (all Statins) are poison...don't take them....the pharmacutical companies only push them to make MONEY they don't care about you or your health. If you need more information contact me anytime and I'll be happy to share any research I have. ******

Lipitor an all Statins deplete the natural enzymes from your muscles.
Your Heart is a muscle. I haved been on Lipitor for a number of years
with many of the side effects posted here. I have had Heart Failure fo
a year now and the best doctors could not help me. My son recently
researched an found a possible solution the indicated Statins deplete
th heart muscled of COQ10 a natural enzyme in the Heart Muscle.
This depletion over time can caused Heart failure due to weak walls.
Since my doctors could offer no solution, I decided to try it for 90 days.
I am off Lipitor an taking 400mg of COQ10 per day.
I am now in day seven an have slept in my own bed with my wife for the first time in a year. I am less restless, an have ha no recurrence of Heart Failure. The drug companies know the problems but thy have
deep pockets an the best lobby to get laws passed and FDA approvals.

They have now received approval to get kids on Statins so they can
make even more money before the patient run out. Thy should be ashamed but they are not!!

Hi Gang,
Im on 20 mg of Lisinopril in the morning and 25 mg of atenolol at night. The Lisinoril is for my blood pressure and the Atenolol is for my anxiety attacks that i have. O.o But im still have anxiety attacks, and i don't know why. So ive had all the test, heart ultra sound, ekg's, blood work, treadmill ekg, halter monitor for 3 days. The works basicly. Im 40 and yes over weight. But i passed all the test with flying colors. Doc said he only ever wants to see me again, if im Really sick. Anyone know why im getting anxiety attacks (mine are rapid heart beats, and feeling like fainting) all of a sudden. When i started the lisinopril i had a minor cough, but not any more. Otherwise ive been pretty good with both meds. Just don't know what is triggering the anxiety!