Liver tests symptoms and conditions

Can Lisinopril raise my liver enzymes - my ALT keeps going up -
but the rest of the liver tests are normal

Information For The Recently Diagnosed
Possible Side Effects of Coumadin®

I found the following on a website dedicated to Factor V Leiden patients who need the warfarin/coumadin due to the genetic issues:
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Here are some of the side effects reported by members of our mailing list who are on Coumadin®:

Hair thinning-hair loss
fatigue or being tired more often
taking longer to recover from cuts or bruises
sun burn or sensitivity to light
depression.
You may experience some of these effects or none of them.

Also reported: Uneven INR's with generic coumadin®. I refuse to take generic coumadin® (warfarin). My INR will not stay stable on it. But some folks like it. It's a personal choice.

Possible side effects of LMWH:

Bleeding is the main adverse effect, either major (internal) or minor (injection site bruises, easy bruising, etc).
osteoporosis may be an issue with long-term use
very rarely an allergy develops, called HIT (heparin-induced thrombocytopenia)
liver tests (enzyme levels) may become temporarily elevated, but usually return to normal and rarely lead to the need to stop LMWH
last but not least: empty wallet syndrome (very expensive drugs)

link

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61 year old female, on Lipitor 2002-2005 10 mgs a day. Doc increased dose 2006-current to 20 mgs a day. No muscle problems BUT hair has thinned out dramatically! Doc called today and reduced dose back to 10 mgs for 6 weeks as liver enzymes up with tests last week. Also have tingling in feet. Haven't read all the posts here yet as just found site today but anyone else losing hair and taking drug? If you had hair loss and quit the drug, did your hair come back? If your liver tests were higher and you cut back on the dose, did your numbers go down?

Update: I have been off this medication for 15 days, no problems with stomach acid. I do believe my hair feels thicker as if I am getting some growth where I have loss it. The last side effect I am looking forward to seeing if it is affected, is my Liver tests. The enzymes have always been high (since I started taking this med some 5 to 7 years ago. No matter what I did I could not lower those results, maybe being off this medication will do the trick as I just read last month that one of the side effects are elevated levels in the livers (AST & ALT levels). That can't be good to keep those levels over the recommended zone.

I am 48. Family history of Cholesterol problems. Tried a change of diet with some success, but, according to my Doctor, not enough. Doctor strongly encouraged me to take Lipitor to lower cholesterol. I had never been on any meds, so I was reluctant. I asked about niacin as opposed to a statin. He said no.

for 2 years, I've been on Lipitor-10mg/day. I was informed to look for side effects related to liver and muscle. I have never experienced any of the muscle aches/side effects described in the postings I just scanned, with the exception of mild lethargy. Liver tests have always been normal.

However I have been experiencing what I consider significant cognitive decline. I have experienced difficulty concentrating, short-term memory loss (e.g., did I take my medication, or only THINK I took it). I feel inept when trying to carry on conversations, helping my kids with homework, reading an article in the paper. Ask my age--I have to think about it. recalling words to put together a complete sentence--challenging at times. I also have experienced occasional feelings of dizziness/floating.

For a long time, I blamed much of these symptoms on stress and a preoccupation with a variety of family problems, however when these problems subsided, and the symptoms persisted, I then assumed that they might be menopause-related.

Until a week ago, I didn't realize there might be a possible link between Lipitor and cognitive decline, until I read an syndicated medical advice column in our local newspaper.

My annual check-up was 4 days ago, and was prepared to discuss with him, my concerns/fears about my cognitive decline in relation to menopause or early-onset alzheimers. Instead, I asked him about a connection between Lipitor and cognitive decline. He acknowleged a link, but minimized it in relation to the studies performed. Never-the less, he agreed that I go off lipitor and come back into the office in 2 months for a recheck. I have been lipitor-free for 3 days.

I also took Lipitor, about 5 years ago, my legs got so weak that, if I got down on the floor, I could not get back up. I told my GP. She said that I needed to have my CPK checked. It was 5,500, normal is between a high of 200 and a low of 50. I was put on a drug plan and blood work. It was not fun. My liver tests were not good. So get to your doctor and ask to have your CPK checked, NOW, NOW!!! Your CPK can climb so high that you will not be able to move or breath on your own

I took Singulair for 4 years, it worked otustandingly to stop my asthma where steroids had failed and also to prevent the worst of my salicylate intolerance. I am now a 26 year-old-male. In the last 6 months I started to suffer from Chronic Flu-like symptoms. Liver tests showed that there were raised levels of enzymes in my blood suggesting mild liver effects. I have stopped the medication and these problems have gone, but now I am left with my asthma again and salicylate allergy problems. I would still recommend asthma suffers try this medication as for many people it can help enourmously. Just beaware of the possbile side effects and if you fell you are suffering them get liver tests.

If you guys think you had a rough time with Lipitor read this.

I sufferered a heat attack at the age of 45 without knowing I had high Cholesterol. They put me on 80mg of Lipitor for about 8 years. About 2 years ago I was suffering so much body pain they tested me for Rhumatoid and although the tests were negitive off they sent me to the Rhumatoid Doctor who said I had classic Rhumatoid. They put me on Prednazone and Methotrexate which is about the worst drugs of all.

After 2 years my live function fails so they reduce my metho and increase the pred BUT KEEP ME ON LIPITOR ???????

I took myself off Lipitor and within 4 weeks my Liver tests go back to normal BUT THEY WANT ME TO STAY ON LIPITOR ????

I said NO WAY so I started to also reduce the Pred and the Metho. I'm now down to 1 mg of pred and 5mg of Metho and NO LIPTOR.

Results so far are as follows:

Body pains have continued to reduce
Skin has started to clear up
Sleep is better
Mental upsets have reduced to almost nothing
plus plus plus

Now I don't think I have Rhumatoid and if I'm correct then there needs to be a full enquiry into the side effects if Lipitor and the doctors who diagnosed me. If I have Rhumatoide then time will tell.

Good luck everyone
Bob

I'm a 44 year old male. I was on Lipitor for four years and recently started having severe cramps in my thighs and calf muscles, severe dirrhea, severe fatigue and bloody urine. I asked my doctor if it was the Lipitor, and he said it wasn't. Probably a virus he said because the Liver tests came back okay even though had some jaundice.

Like a fool, I continued with the prescription and the cramps got worse in my legs and feet. I ended up stopping the Lipitor on my own in February 2005, nearly a year later, as the symptoms had not gone away, and I developed muscle twitches and tremors. My doctor then sent me for more blood work that showed my muscle enzyme levels were over 350% above my normal range, and a subsequent EMG/NC&VT showed the muscles had been weakend on my left side! He then had me discontinue the Lipitor and all statins indefinitely.

As it turns out I am not the only one in my family with adverse reactions to statin drugs. My cousin and his father, both on my dad's side both have the same total cholesteral level I have at 268, and both are statin sensitve. My grandmother (same side) and her sister had very high cholesteral and both died from congestive heart failure at 87 and 92 respectively.

I went from a fairly active person to someone who became really old fast. I now have to push myself out of a chair like my 93 year old uncle did.

I am no longer taking any statin drugs and will control my cholesteral through diet and exercise. If I live to 92 like my great aunt did with no problems until she became that age, I should be so lucky.

John

I RELUCTANTLY BEGAN 10 MG OF LIPITOR ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I WAS EXPERIENCING FATIGUE AND UNUSUAL MUSCULAR ACHES AND PAINS SOMETIMES WITH HEADACHE. MY DR. WOULD TELL ME TO STAY OFF THE LIPITOR UNTIL MY SYMPTOMS WENT AWAY. IWAS DIAG
NOSED WITH MILD SUB ACUTE HYPERTHYROIDISM AROUND THE SAME TIME . I BELIEVED THAT THE MUSCLE ACHES AND WEAKNESS WAS FROM THAT. SINCE MY LIVER TESTS WERE NORMAL I NEVER GAVE MUCH THOUGHT UNTIL NOW THAT IT WAS THE LIPITOR CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN TO
A ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALIST AND HAVE HAD TO HAVE MRI'S
X-RAYS ETC. THE TEST SHOW MOSTLY DEGENERATIVE CHANGES AND ARTHRITIS. I AM 52 AND WAS WATER SKIING ON 1 SKI A YEAR AGO,CLIMBING THE WHITE MOUNTAIN APPALACHIAN RANGE, AND MOUNTAIN BIKING AND SKIING SUGAR LOAF USA IN MAINE ON BLACK DIAMOND TRAILS. I FIND IT STANGE THAT I HAVE BECOME A DEBILITATED OLD WOMEN FEELING LIKE 90 IN A SHORT TIME AFTER TAKING LIPITOR. MY DR. CHANGED ME TO CRESTOR. I STILL WAKE UP ACHING AND LIMPING. I CANNOT GET 15 MINUTES INTO THE MORNING PAPER WITH OUT INTENSE PAIN AND STIFFNESS ALONG MY WHOLE SPINE FROM COCCYX TO NECK. WHEN I READ THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED ON THIS WEBSITE I WAS SO SURPRISED TO HEAR OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING WHAT I HAVE. IF ANY ONE KNOWS OF ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES I WISH THEY COULD SHARE WHAT THEY KNOW.