Lopid symptoms and conditions

I have had diabetes 47 years, and have been treated for high cholesterol for nearly 25 years. First with Lopid, then with Lipitor which causde my leg muscles to weaken and hurt after minimal exertion. Was swtched to Zocor about 1 year ago - the weakness and pain in my legs are still present, although not with too much difference that I have noticed. Weight-bearing exercise does seem to help the weakness, but the pain during the exertion is very unpleasant. Interestingly, the strangest thing did occur after starting Zocor. Suddenly I could hear my heartbeat very loudly inside my head. This seems to occur for a few days, then it will quiet down (although it will not disappear completely) for awhile. My cardiologist was certain that I had to have some blockage in my heart, and was sure that I was experiencing major blockage in my carotiids. The result: no blockage in my heart, and minimal blockage in my carotids. The doc was quite shocked, but let me say that vegetarianism pays off! So there is no explanatin for the loud beating in my ears. I take several supplements and they do seem to help, and they are strongly recommended for diabetics with high cholesterol: vitamin E - 400 IU daily, CoQ10 - 60 mg daily, cayenne pepper - 1 capsule at each meal, and Garlic - 1 talet or capsule at each meal. The medication did not seem to be very effective (diabetics' bodies produce an inordinate amount of their own cholesterol for some reason), but since taking the supplements, I have noticed a significant reduction in my cholesterol levels. I went from 238 in January 2005 to 93 in January 2006.

My dad has been taking Pravachol for 1 month (he was switched from Lopid) He has had an increased amount of hair loss since taking Pravachol. (more than his normal aging hair loss) Has anyone else experienced this.

After taking 10 mg. Lipitor for a couple of years, although my cholesterol was down to 170 from a 239 high, my new endocrinologist raised it to 20 mg. then 40 mg. after which I began developing many symptoms (rashes, edema. etc.), the worst of which was and still is extreme pain and muscle weakness in my legs and feet. After I complained to my internist and the endocrinologist, the former tested me and said I do not have rhabdomyelesis (sp?) but the latter said blood tests for this are highly inaccurate and put me on other drugs: Diovan and Vytorin. To my astonishment, Vytorin contains 40 mg. simvastatin (Lipitor) and 10 mg. ezetimibe. My best reference book for pills is WORST PILLS, BEST PILLS, which saved me before when doctors put me on a variety of painkilling drugs, namely Vioxx, Celebrex, and Bextra. I ran very high BP and heart rate with all of them and simply tossed them in the garbage. Now WPBP says DO NOT USE Vytorin OR Diovan as well as Lipitor. But with Lipitor, how does one stop, once placed on this damnable drug? I have seen references to something called Welchol, Tricor and Lopid as being good substitutes (also old drugs like Questran and Colestid), but if we as patients have to argue with our doctors to have them take us off this dangerous drug, and they prophesy death by high cholesterol if we ignore their advice, just precisely what are we to do? Anyone out there have a solution? Has anyone simply stopped taking Lipitor and not died? Did the pain disappear? I am thinking about doing just that in order to find out.

I had extreme swelling of lower legs and ankles. I also take altace. Now I am wondering why I am on both. Physcian changed my dose of lopid to twice a day and the swelling stopped. I still get bad cramps in my legs, especially if they are crossed.

my dad is on lopid..... to lower cholesterol.
he has developed severe itching.....can
anyone help???
thanks
kat

A friend sent me to this site. I am a 52 y.o. female that has dealt with high choelestoral for 18 years. Levels exceeded 362. Triglycerides threes times normal. I started out 18 years ago with them knowing very little about what caused it or how to prevent it so I started with the diet routine. THis is at a time when no labels read content of fat. Consequently, I read the two books at the library published at that time and reported to my doctor who honeslty told me I probably knew more about it than he did. It did not work after nine months it had actually elevated, so we started a drug regime. The powder, the pills, he finally gave me a new drug that had just hit the markt, lopid. I was on that for many years with no success. I was on the treadmill, very active, no results. I went off. I told him, I am putting something in my body that we do not know for sure is doing anything for me but could be causing damage to my liver. He agreed. He retired. My new doctor to me many new drugs she would like me to try something again. I went on Zocor. After 1 1/2 year on that, very little change. In October of 2003 she put me on Lipitor. After 90 days it had dropped to 187 and triglycerides to 186. I was ecstatic. I too felt that due to my age, rheumetoid arthritis and weight gain that it had nothing to do with meds. I have seen my doctor on numerous occasions and complained about the problems. She said no way is it a side effect of a drug. I have been to this site on several occasions and read my symptoms over and over again from each of you. It scares me to death to go off and have my choelestorol shoot up again, but I can hardly get out of bed now. I also take zetia with it. I am on 40 mgs. of Lipitor. My sister is on the same dose after a massive heart attack at 53. She can hardly walk up the stairs or get out of bed. I told her to go back and read some more and go off the Lipitor. After reading todays posts I too am going off. Without the doctors permission. I feel very strongly that we have to sometimes take charge of ourselves. We know our body best. I have a wonderful doctor but they are only human and they have to decipher a lot of infomation and come to a conclusion. Their job is to keep us healthy and alive. I beleive they think they are doing that for the most part. If she had to get around in this body, she would drop the meds until she figured out what was causing the symptoms also. Fatigue, water retention, left shoulder feels like I have been hi with a baseball bat, right hip joint is so panful it hurts to lean down to put socks on. Achiness, dizziness and the list goes on. I have to say some of it must be contributed to Lipitor, I had none of these symptoms prior to starting it 10 months ago. Thank God, we have a place to feel like it is not just in our heads!
Sherri

I was put on 80mg of Zocor with Lopid in 1999. That great decision by the cardiologist resulted in rhabdomyolysis in 2001 and three episodes of anaphylaxis shock! In addition, I had a cardiolite stress test in 1999 prior to going on the high doses of Zocor that reflected a left ventricular ejection fraction of 70. One month after my episode of rhabdo, a cardiolite stress test revealed my heart had enlarged and weakened and I had a left ventricular ejection fraction of 37! That is what that wonderful drug and doctors that believe the propaganda released by the drug companies can do for you.

My 81 year old grandmother is taking 20 mg of Zocor per day, AS WELL AS 600mg of Lopid per day. I just read that Zocor and Lopid should NOT be taken together, but the quack of a doctor she's seeing is a real pill pusher, and he hasn't made any attempt and getting her off of this. She began losing muscles last fall after taking the medications for a while, but now she is nearly helpless, and falls and loses her balance a lot. Which medication should be stopped, the Zocor or the Lopid? Both of these medications can cause muscle deterioration. Since she will not be going back to the quack, I was just wondering which one we should take her off of, or possibly both. Thanks for any information.