Muscle weakness symptoms and conditions

Hi, I’d like to thank all of you who took the time to write about your experiences with this drug. Sorry for the length of my post—Lisinopril and beta blockers caused quite a few problems for me.

I was put on Lisinopril in February 2008 for high blood pressure and proteinuria. At that time I was 41 years old, non-smoker, non-drinker, vegetarian for 16 years, and exercised on a regular basis (treadmill, walking my dog, strength training with weights). I had many symptoms start right after taking this drug. I was surprised that I had so much trouble with it because my mother has taken it for years without any noticeable problems. I told my doctors about my new symptoms, but no one considered that they could be related to the Lisinopril.

My first symptom was a constricted feeling in my chest--I felt short of breath. I even had difficulty speaking because of this. The doctor told me it was just “anxiety breathing”.

Severe anxiety happened to be another symptom I noticed right after taking Lisinopril. I couldn’t watch anything that was very emotionally stimulating on TV, such as news reports. I could not stand to be alone due to the anxiety. I was distrustful of anyone new, and I panicked if I was more than 10 ft. away from a family member. I had an overwhelming sense of impending doom. I was really afraid I was going to die, and could never figure out why the doctors failed to comprehend the sense of urgency.

I had other unusual emotional changes as well. I was often depressed, crying almost every day about one thing or another. I had a feeling of hopelessness; like there was no one to help me. I also had problems with irritability and fits of rage. These were very unlike my usual personality.

I had a great deal of weakness and extreme fatigue, especially in my legs and arms. I could barely walk at times due to muscle weakness.

Insomnia was another symptom that I noticed right away. I slept about two hours the first night. After that, I slept about every other night. I had multiple locations for sleeping. I’d move from my bed to a couch, then to a chair trying to get comfortable and relaxed. When I did get to sleep, I often experienced night terrors and night sweats. About four months after I started the Lisinopril, I got desperate enough for sleep that I started taking prescriptions for Xanax and Ativan.

I constantly had an Over stimulated and jittery feeling. I felt like I had consumed 10 cups of coffee. I was exhausted, but I could not relax. I had what seemed to be muscle spasms and nerve twitches—mostly in my feet, but in other areas as well. It was like having “restless leg syndrome” only it was everywhere—not just my legs. When I tried to go to sleep, I often felt sudden jerking sensations, mostly in my feet. This didn’t help with the insomnia. I noticed other nerve problems as well. I felt a tingling sensation in my face and chest, teeth pain, sore tongue, hand tremors—especially in my thumbs, nerves twitching on my lips and nose, and Heat/Cold intolerance. After 4 months of Lisinopril, I started to notice problems with numbness, especially in my legs and my right arm. I developed blurred vision with floaters and flashes in my field of vision. There was a lot of pressure behind my eyes too. I often had a rapid heart rate and experienced palpitations. A couple of months after starting the Lisinopril, I was put on Coreg (beta & alpha blocker) to slow my heart rate down. This made many of my symptoms worse, especially the low energy, nerve, emotional, and digestion problems.

I had numerous EKG’s due to the tachycardia—all normal, just fast. An echocardiogram was done 6 weeks after starting the Lisinopril, which was also normal.

I went to a neurologist because of all of the nerve problems I was having. He said it was not due to diabetes.

Another symptom I noticed right away was pain and stiffness of muscles (especially my legs and neck) and some joint problems. Within three days after starting Lisinopril, I had a severe cramp in my leg. It felt like something had hit me in the back of my calf. The next day, the chiropractor told me there was a problem with my knee as well. He did adjustments, and advised using ice, etc. I was on crutches for two weeks while both the knee and calf healed.

Fluid balance was another problem I experienced. I had frequent urination with great thirst. I always felt dehydrated, but it was difficult to replace fluids because whatever I drank seemed to go right through me without being absorbed, or it sloshed around in my stomach for a long time. My skin was dry, but my hands felt sticky. Sometimes my legs would swell up (edema). I eventually got to where I had no desire to drink. After several months of these drugs, I ended up doing IV therapy at home to help combat the dehydration.

Another problem I had was muscle wasting. My weight went from 95 lbs. with good muscle tone to an emaciated-looking 83 lbs. in six weeks. Any weight I managed to gain back went right to my waist.

Shortly after the muscle waiting occurred, I also lost my appetite. I could only eat small amounts of food at a time because my digestion was very poor (severe bloating/constriction, belching, heartburn, acid reflux, diarrhea, constipation, changes in how foods tasted). Whenever I ate, my hands, legs, and nose became cold. I also felt like I had a lump in my throat often with a tightening sensation. I told my chiropractor I thought I might have a hiatal hernia, so he did some adjustments to fix it. That did help with the lump in the throat, but the digestion problems continued. For some reason, my best time for eating was after 10 p.m. Several doctors tried to blame diabetic gastroparesis for the digestion problems, even though I passed the gastroparesis test twice. I also had three endoscopies done—the first two while I was on ACE-inhibitors/beta blockers. For the third one, I was on neither of these drugs. The first one showed mild gastritis, the second showed erosions with a return of the hiatal hernia, and the third one showed just the hiatal hernia. I had my chiropractor fix the hiatal hernia again, which has helped. The GI dr. who did the third endoscopy said I do not have gastroparesis.

Fortunately, I did not have “the cough”, although I did have light wheezing, especially at night. I also had a lot of dryness in my throat.

After six months of these drugs I did a 24-hr. urine test that showed seven of my hormones that were tested were low (Testosterone , 5-Pregnenetriol, Estradiol, Androsterone, Androstanediol, 11b-OH androsterone, and 5a-THF)

Blood tests became abnormal as well. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate went from 19 (normal) to 35 (high) after being on these Rx’s for eight months. BUN went from low/normal to high. Eosinophils became elevated, serum sodium often went down into the 120’s. Chloride went low. Eventually, the potassium and magnesium went high. My blood pressure bounced all over—high, low, normal. This often left me feeling dizzy and lightheaded.

In winter 2008, they did another echocardiogram. This time I ended up having bypass surgery--not surprising after a year of very little sleep, almost no exercise, and constant physical and emotional stress. Everyone thought the surgery would get rid of all of the symptoms, but it ended up making me feel worse—possibly because I was put on even more drugs for about a month. I was also changed from animal insulin to synthetic insulin at this time.

I eventually went off of the beta-blockers because it weakened my legs so much that they prevented me from walking, and in the Spring of 2009 a nephrologist took me off of Lisinopril because my blood pressure was too low to tolerate it, and he didn’t want me to fall.

After that, the anxiety gradually went down, and I was able to go off of all of the Xanax and almost all of the Ativan within two months. I still use .5 mg. of Ativan to sleep. But, since going off of the Lisinopril, it is used for pain rather than anxiety. Unfortunately, the nerve and muscle problems that I developed while I was on ACE-inhibitors and beta blockers have continued.

While I was on these drugs, I was hospitalized five times for “failure to thrive” and/or low sodium, and I went to the ER many times for the rapid heart rate, dehydration, digestion problems, and anxiety. Many of the doctors believed that my symptoms were “mental” or “diabetes-related”. They never considered that they could be reactions to the Lisinopril or the beta blockers.

I’ve been off of ACE-inhibitors for more than a year now, but some of the effects are still with me. It could be partly due to the synthetic insulins I was on (see my Lantus and Novolog posts), but I suspect it may be the effects of the ACE-inhibitors and possibly the beta blockers as well.

I am currently seeing naturopathic doctors to get back to where I was before this mess started. It is nice to work with medical professionals who understand how toxic these drugs can be for some people.

If anyone has found anything that helps with any of the lasting side-effects, please let me know. D-ribose has been helpful for me, but I’m open to additional ideas. I’d really like to get back to walking my dog to the park instead of hobbling around the house with a walker. Also, if anyone knows of any law suits concerning ACE Inhibitor drugs, please let me know.

I hope all of you who have been harmed by this or any other medication can get your health back. I’ll be praying for you. Thanks again for your posts.

I was diagnosed as type II diabetic in 2001. My weight was 209lbs. and A1C of 7.8. I was put on Metformin, which we have found out I am allergic to the hard way, if you get my drift. Next was Avandia, made me soooo sick, I told the doc we will try managing through diet and exercise. In 2003, I moved to a warmer climate, became extremely active, even working hard physical labor, lost 50 lbs. and kept my eating in check. I was told that eventually I may need insulin, but I was given the chance to try to control on my own. Well, I have been on Januvia for 3years, being driven back to the doctor due to uncontrollable glucose(A1c 9.6). The doctor tried me on Glypizide, Janumet, (still allergic to Metformin) I thought all the symptoms I was displaying were due to the diabetes itself, but I was also thinking maybe this Januvia mixed with insulin may be the culprit, only because my symptoms became even more pronounced after starting insulin and Januvia together. I was first prescribed Novolin: dropped me like a sack of rocks. Next they tried Levamir, about the same as the Novolin. My doctor has also put me on allergy medicine as well as seizure meds. I believe the high sugars may have been causing the seizures, which I did not have prior to taking Januvia. I am now on Humulin 70-30 injections with Januvia. Anyway, here are the symptoms I have been experiencing:
HIGH Blood/glucose 300s to 400s
Blurred vision/ can get worse as day goes on.
Poor eye to hand co-ordination
Memory troubles,(menopause could be underlying factor)
Numbness and tingling in hands and feet (neuropathy)
Nausea, fainting, mental confusion, anxiety
Raging hunger, then nausea when I eat
Fatigue coupled with insomnia
Muscle weakness, stabbing pains from out of nowhere!
Muscle spasms and sharp pains, pain in the mid-back, kidney area.
Pain in joints hands, knees, hips and ankles
Skin rashes, thickening of skin
Headaches, jaw- aches, and just plain pain everywhere!
I stopped taking Januvia 2 weeks ago, felt better, but still not the best, sugar still too high. How long after prolonged use before the symptoms are gone, too? Are the symptoms that remained, which are every one of them except the nausea, going to stay with me? Have I brought about permanent damage to myself? Anyone else been on Januvia for longer than a year? I don’t have insurance and the only way I can get checked out is if I go in to emergency room on a stretcher.

I am a 30 yr old male who has been diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. I have been on warfarin for 2 months now. I started experiencing extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, can concentrate and confused, dizziness, light-headedness, tingling and a weird sensation that the right side of my head is heavier. I just followed up with a pulmonologist from the cleveland clinic who reviewed my ct's and said that he probably wouldn't have started the warfarin treatment because he questions whether i ever had a pulmonary embolism, he said the "artifact" on my ct was so "infintismally small" that its questionable. I had been misdiagnosed. Now i want off the warfarin because i believe my symptoms are from taking it. I'm scared that these symptoms are permanent, I want to get stronger and fast, I want my old self back. Can someone please tell me that they have had these symptoms with warfarin and that they went away after stopping warfarin? I cant find anyone who has related a story about stopping warfarin and feeling better.

I have been on Lipitor 10 mg for three months now. I also have a heart valve problem. So when I started to have shortness of breadth and palpitation so badly, my GP thought it must be from my heart and sent me to see a cardiologist. However, my cardiologist did not think the problem has anything to do with the heart and suggested I have a lung test. However, I started researching on the side effects of Lipitor and I can truly say that it might be the cause. I have stopped taking the drug for two days and I am feeling much better although I still feel a little short of breadth. My neck was so sore and I was always feeling so tired and my cough never fully gone away after my chect infection during the times I was on Lipitor. I think the GP should know more about this drug before asking the patient to take it. What is the use of lowering the cholesterol when I felt half alive while taking the drug? It is poison and do greater damage than good!

Just read your email and was on Lisinopril 10mg for 8 months. I experienced severe stomach problems, can’t lift my arms above my shoulders or stretch due to trembling, lost 20% of my total weight, encountered muscle weakness and overall muscle twitches with digestive problems and abdominal discomfort. I went off the poison for nearly 2 months now, but still suffer the muscle twitching and other symptoms. A neurologist diagnosed moto neuro disease on a clinical basis of muscle twitching, weight loss, stomach problems, with which I disagree. Can anyone tell me how long these symptoms will go on and if they will ever go away? Is there any cure from this POISON!!!

Can someone please help me figure out what to do. I weaned myself off of this DANGEROUS DRUG on 4-18-2010. I was taking 10mils a day for about 10 months. I too, like everyone else on this site, had numerous side effects. Now I am still having tingling/trembling in my muscles....mostly my .legs and it's prior to exercising. I exercise and drink lots of water to try and eliminate this DRUG. I also take vitamins and minerals and my blood pressure is in normal ranges. I am very healthy and not overweight.

I KNOW FOR A FACT that I did NOT have this going on PRIOR to taking this DRUG. I can't seem to figure out what to do to make it STOP. It comes and goes in different parts of my body....and it makes me tired and drives me crazy. Please please send me any input that you have. I refuse to go to a doctor because they don't have a solution. Like when I was on this drug they didn't want to listen to me. Also they will only want to load me up with more DANGEROUS DRUGS!!! The doctors are either not TOTALLY INFORMED or they are on the take (financially gaining) from the pharmaceutical industry.

Please send me an e-mail if you have ANY suggestions.
Thanks so much!!!

OMG...I am a 56 yr old female, a Type 2 Diabetic who also has a congenital aortic valve defect (which was only diagnosed app 2 yrs ago). I was placed on Lipitor app 1 yr ago "prophylactically" to "delay the need for the (inevitable) valve replacement surgery", in spite of NEVER having a problem with my cholesterol levels. I have had an ongoing problem with severe swelling of my feet and legs, which is MOST LIKELY a side effect of the Actos I take, along with Metformin, for the diabetes. I have also been having 'pins and needles' and muscle contractions in my shoulders and feet, and am unable to sleep on either hip because of the pain for about a year now. (Which 'could be diabetic neuropathy' also). Since I am also admittedly extremely overweight, any symptoms I have always get blamed on the weight issue. For the past few months, I have been getting really bad foot and calf cramps and contractions,esp when at rest; at times they wake me from sleep. The last few days, though, these cramps have 'graduated' to the point that I am SCREAMING and crying in pain when they occur, and NOTHING seems to help. I can still feel the ache in my calves and hip from 2 days ago. I have always had a pretty good pain threshold, but this pain is frightening....I found this site when looking up side effects of Lipitor, and read these stories in amazement. I am an R.N., & had never heard that the statin drugs could cause muscle problems. There is no doubt in my mind now. I am informing my Dr. tomorrow that I am finished taking Lipitor or anything like it. Since my cholesterol levels are "ridiculously low" in my doctor(s) own words, I will take my chances. I'd rather have the heart valve replacement a little sooner than become debilitated from taking meds to delay it. I only hope I am stopping it in time for me, & that there is no residual damage. Good luck to all!

i have been on prednisone for 2 years now i got cataracts in both eyes, mood swings, early menopause,i ache everywhere, painful joints in hands and knees, memory loss, lack of concentration, huge weight gain(56pounds),water retention in my feet and ankles causing difficulty walking, osteoporosis (causing fractures in my feet just by walking), i have lost an inch(2.5cm) in height due to compression of the spinal vertebrae, pains in my legs, dry itchy skin, thinning dry hair, muscle weakness, depression, and extreme tiredness.

If the hearing loss is severe, stop. If the memory loss and muscle weakness are the greatest problem, though, there could be another solution. Both these symptoms are because of bupropion's anticholinergic effect: it blocks nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter important in memory and muscle activity, and a shortage will lead to the symptoms you described. Those symptoms are also similar to some of those of myasthenia gravis, which is caused by blockage of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The lack of energy resulting from this could also have eventually increased depression, so that you had to increase your dosage.

The solution to this could be simple: nootropics, such as piracetam, could restore acetylcholinergic activity while keeping bupropion's antidepressive effect. Be warned that not all nootropics are safe, and using one medicine for the side effects of another can only make matters worse if the other medicine causes more side effects. However, the evidence for piracetam's safety is fairly compelling, and the rare symptoms that do occur are usually "mild, few, and transient," which is why the FDA classifies piracetam as a dietary supplement. I have been using piracetam myself for several years without side effects, except for pins and needles when sweating when I started using it. I've also been doing quite a bit of research on piracetam. However, if you're still distrustful, there are other, natural ways of increasing your acetylcholine as well: choline bitartrate, choline citrate, choline alfoscerate, lecithin, cyprodenate, centrophenoxine, etc. If you try any other nootropics, even from plants, be careful to research them first, and if you can't find any information, don't use it.

Whether you stop using bupropion or not, I would advise to use piracetam or some other nootropic for just a while anyway, just to replenish acetylcholinergic activity. The increase of acetylcholine receptors caused by piracetam lasts for some time even after cessation.

I've been using bupropion myself and been having tinnitus, but it's mild. I hope the diagnosis of permanent nerve damage was wrong and that these people eventually recovered their hearing, but I wouldn't risk it, and if the tinnitus gets bad, I'll take the warning and stop, even though it's the only antidepressant which works for me.

Hope this helps.

Twitching and muscle weakness. I noticed this side-effect while target-shooting (trap shooting). I'd tend to start out OK, but by the third station, I have trouble holding the 8 lbs. shotgun steady enough to hit clay pigeons consistently. I'm in decent shape at 54, and muscle mass is still pretty good (biceps), and the trouble was easily correlated with the start of my Lyrica usage. Bad enough that my lousy trap scores aren't helping me with my team-mates. Rather embarrassing, as pre-Lyrica I was a fairly decent trap shot. However, it helps my lower-back/ radiating leg nerve pain, so I guess I must concede the benefit. I've also had problems with gait and even typing out this note effectively.
TP

Lisinopril is dangerous. I was placed on 10, 20 and 40 mg to reduce my blood pressure. It totally debilitated me at 20 and 40 mg. I tolerated 10 mg somewhat if taken at night, but still experienced dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, sinus problems (lisinopril increases histamine production) just to mention a few symptoms. I went off it after I convinced the doctor I may be allergic to it and had headaches, fluid imbalance, nervousness and muscle weakness. High blood pressure may be a silent killer, but I'd rather have that than be murdered by a little pill.

I'm stopping Lipitor tonight. Because of heart disease and strokes in my family and my high cholesterol I have tried different statins and have discontinued because of bad LEG PAIN. Two years ago with cholesterol 320 my doctor wanted me to try Lipitor again.Because I wanted to get my cholesterol reading down so badly I took prescribed medication for arthritis....which is what the doctors said I must have.. Leg pain that was/is so severe I cannot walk a half block. Even with pain medication my legs --the bones --my calf aches and hurts so much I can't go on. The muscle weakness in my legs has become so severe I cannot step upon the curb but have to use the slanted area used for wheel chairs. There is no other reason for the leg pain ...tests have been done, studies ...like emg's show nothing. I so much want to walk my dogs , to park and walk into a store again ... to not plan my life around my excruciatingly painful legs. This is the day I'm stopping Lipitor.

I am a normally healthy and fit 37-year-old from New Zealand. I have two morton's neuroma (compressed nerves in the foot), which have affected me on and off for about 5 years, though the pain has never been particularly bad - more annoying than anything. However, I did want to run more comfortably, so my orthopaedic surgon gave me two injections in to the foot of Kenacort-A 10 (same as Kenalog), 40mg each, on 13 Jan 2010. I asked if there were any side effects, and he replied no, though he said 'I shouldn't have too many injections'.

The first side effects I noticed (without realizing they were side effects) were headaches and irritability - plus my stomach/bowels were all screwed up. Then, some days or weeks later, I noticed that my heart had slowed - to around 40 beats a minute when resting. I went to the doctor about these things but still didn't make any connection with the steroid.

Gradually, I noticed that my foot was weakening and getting more sore. Then I noticed the atrophy and discoloration around the site of the injections, which gave me a hell of a fright. Numbness in my leg was the next symptom, and then pain - awful, intense pain that radiated up my lower leg and kept me awake at night. Then my heart started racing, up to about 90 beats a minute or higher - this is about 2 months after the injection. Massive adrenaline rushes/anxiety attacks, insomnia, and depression .... I was on sleeping pills every night for a couple of weeks and wound up at the emergency dept one night just wanting to be sedated. I even had pain elsewhere in my body, as if the body's pain messages had all gone haywire. The doctors suggested reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

The foot got all skinny and weak - certainly not just fat atrophy but also muscle weakness and loss. I lost 7kg in 2 weeks.

I've been to a physio, which has helped to regain some muscle strength, though the fat, I hear, is gone for good - an issue in itself. Though I was loathe to try another drug, I had to go on amitriptyline for the pain, and that has also helped. But the foot still feels pretty awful to walk on - tight/stretched and sore, especially by the end of the day. I force myself to keep it moving and to exercise, but it's hard. I can no longer run or cycle (though I'm hoping to get back to the latter.) Fortunately, the racing heart, adrenaline rushes and insomnia have subsided - possibly as a result of the amitriptyline - so I am now faced mostly with the 'injured' foot. I tell you what, morton neuroma was nothing compared to this!

I'm currently arguing with Accident Compensation Corporation (the New Zealand insurer for accidents) over the medical misadventure claim my doctor lodged with them. They're willing to accept the fat atrophy but are questioning everything else. I may have a fight on my hands so am researching as much as possible. I'm also interested in any legal action taking place.

All the side effects I have experienced are actually listed in info about the drug, but the suggestion is that they're very uncommon. I have my doubts about that having read all these posts. I also wonder about the dose my doctor gave me. The drug info says 2 to 10mg for small joints. I had 80mg in total in one go.

As a mother of two children under 5, my life has really been turned upside down by all this. At my lowest point (intense pain and no significant sleep for 6 weeks), I really didn't feel like I could face life. Fortunately, I've gone uphill somewhat from there, but I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

All the best to anyone suffering severe side effects from this drug!

I am 66 years old and was prescribed Lipitor after I had a blocked artery and the placement of a stent. After being on Lipitor, my muscles gradually became weak and tired. I could hardly walk because of the muscle weakness, and then the shortness of breath started. I couldn't even climb one flight of stairs up to my apartment without being completely out of breath, to the point I wanted to cry. Also, I had intestinal gas almost constantly. I have been taking this terrible drug for 1 year and 5 months and I quit taking it 4 days ago. I have noticed a little improvement just in 4 days, but I am still having severe shortness of breath. Hopefully, the symptoms will go away and there will be no permanent damage. Only time will tell. I will NEVER take this drug again, no matter how high my cholesterol gets. Lipitor needs to be taken off of the market!!!

I have been taking Linsinopril for over two years, started with 10mgs, doctor raised me to 20mgs. I have experienced a multitude of symptoms but could not sort them out as they appeared gradually over the pasted 30 months.and some could be confused with my other medical conditions. Finally I developed terrible acid reflux and diarrhea, spending half my day in the bathroom. Gastroenterologist performed biopsies looking for Barretts Esophagus, celiac disease..praise God,nothing. The only other medication I was taking for thyroid disease and that one has been vetted already. After reading this site, all of the medical complaints I have experienced make sense..muscle weakness and cramping, constant mucus in the throat, blurred vision, dizziness, tightness in the chest. The abdominal cramps and pain were the worst and I am asking for an immediate change. I wonder if beta blockers a better alternative?

My doctor prescribed Lipitor for me 6years ago(2004). I stopped taking it in 2006 because after having severe cramping in my lower extremities and a blood test result that revealed that my muscle enzymes, CPK was in the 5000 range. After that the spasms/cramping continue to move through my body up to my throat. Now my Neurologist wants to diagnose me with ALS. There is information on Google.com stating that the adverse effects of Lipitor can mimic ALS. The World Health Organization is now getting in the mix by investigating these claims.
My life has changed drastically.
The really said thing is after taking the drug for 2 years it never reduced my Cholesterol any greater than 2 points. After I stopped taking the Lipitor and followed the recommendation to take 3000 mgs of Vitamin C for one week, I had a blood test taken to see the effect. My doctor e-mailed me with the results. He stated that my cholesterol was lower than he has ever seen it and that I should continue doing whatever I was doing to keep it that way.
Enough with the greed and disregard/disrespect for the dignity of life.

I don't want to add to the alarm that reading these posts might bring anyone on lisinopril, but I had some pretty serious side effects to report. However, I was also talking amlodopine which also has similar side effects so probably magnified the problems.

I was 33 (female) who had never had any health problems but was put on lisinopril first four years ago after two close bereavements - my blood pressure went out of control. I had the cough that most have written about. This would come and go at different periods - but found that if I stayed well hydrated it would disappear. This drug does tend to dry everything out - skin, hair, scalp, etc. I developed a horrible scalp condition which I have only just conquered using foul smelling shampoo. As my bp was poorly controlled my dose was upped to 20mg and the problems became worse. Then amlodopine was added. I didn't realize that the fatigue and low mood I have been experiencing was related to the medication as I thought this might be a lingering depression that I had suffered during that initial period. But I know now for a fact that it was.

In January I noticed that my hands had begun to swell up and the joints in my fingers and wrists were very painful. As I had been doing a lot of work on a laptop I put it down to that and figured that I had a long holiday planned in March and this would be a break from the computer/ allow my hands to recover. Whilst on holiday the pain and swelling became even worse - I lost strength in my hands and couldn't open things or dress properly. I also noticed muscle weakness in my legs but put this down to increased activity whilst on holiday.

The weekend I got back from holiday I was extremely tired and every joint in my body was screaming with agony. I thought that perhaps I was developing arthritis and was very distressed at the thought of this. Over the course of the weekend (which incedently in the UK was a long bank holiday so no GP services!) I lost strength in the muscles in my legs and arms and it felt like the circulation in my arms/ feet and parts of my legs was being cut off. I became extremely dizzy and felt particularly alarmed when lying down. I developed chest pains and my kidneys felt very much under pressure. I felt my throat was closing up. I took an antihistamine which alleviated the breathing problems and I kept moving around to keep my circulation going and my body began to elimiate what was in my system. My lips were tingling as if I had been poisoned. I decided to stop taking my medication and monitor my bp until I could get to see my family doctor.

Within 12 hours of stopping my medication most of the above problems disappeared. However, my fingers still felt sore and arthritic for days (this is subsiding now as I have been eating foods that help reduce inflammation). This has been the scariest experience of my life and really genuinely thought I was going to die! I have since seen my family doctor who has agreed to keep me off meds entirely for the time being as my blood pressure is borderline normal/ edging into high.

I think the side effects got so extreme because I am now a lot less stress and have made significant changes to my lifestyle - mainly walking every day - my bp was very low before I went on holiday so probably dropped even lower due to relaxing break.

Almost a week off these drugs and I feel more alert mentally and more energetic than I've felt in years. I'm also sleeping soundly and not feeling groggy in the mornings. This, despite the fact that my body is clearly detoxing and aching all over as I try to eliminate the poison in my body.

Would recommend keeping a very close eye on your bp if you're taking this drug!

My dad was taking simvastatin for two months and complained of severe dizziness and weakness. I told him to stop taking the drug but he still feels weak and have done loads of test and everything is fine, doctors says it all in his head. He wants to know what he can do to stop feeling dizzy, he is convinced its becuz of the statin. Will the weakness go away?

I took lisinopril for 1 month and have been off of it for about 11 days now. I have experienced extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, pain in throat upon swallowing, chest pain and extreme soreness in my upper chest and throat muscles. I have also had stomach discomfort. I was sent to a cardiologist for an EKG, Stress Test and Echocardiogram. Thank god everything checked out okay but I just wanted to let others know that this drug definitely causes a lot of bad side effects. I wish I had found this site before even starting this medicine as it has altered my life in a way like I have never experienced. I hope and pray everyday these horrible side effects lesson and I hope this information helps others.

I can't believe that after only 5 doses of this drug I have had so many of the side effects that are listed on this website -- and ironically, considered "rare" in the drug information provided in the drug insert and on other drug information websites. Joint pain, tightness of the chest, sinus pressure, dizziness back and neck pain, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, headaches, eye-twitching, blurred vision caused by my eyes feeling like they were bugging out of my head, muscle weakness, night sweats, and sore scalp have all been present at some time since I started this drug. After having stopped the drug only three nights ago, I am still struggling with these things, especially the bloating and dizziness. This is crazy! I have warned eveyone I know of what I have experienced. I will let my doctor know as soon as I feel that this has cleared my system so as to give my body a break before I am prescribed another drug to make me feel like crap. Just wondering how long I have to wait to feel better for just 5 days of use...

Oh, my gosh! I've been on Lipitor for about 3 years now, and had no idea until this weekend, that it might be the cause of so many of my problems!

After having worked so hard to lose 62 pounds, I was put on Lipitor 10 mg. I've gained back all of my weight, particularly around my abdomen. I have also been treated for hypothyroidism for about 12 years.

Around three years ago, I began having spontaneous nosebleeds. My nose would begin itching uncontrolably, sometimes for hours. Eventually, it would stop itching, and perhaps an hour later, the nosebleed would begin. The bleeding would be fairly heavy.

I found that if I took an allergy medication such as Claritin or Zyrtec, the nosebleeds were eliminated, however if I missed a few days, they would return. I've developed constant sinus congestion which leads to frequent sinus and ear infections. My doctor tells me I've probably suddenly developed an allergy to the dog I've had for 12 years.

Upon reading these articles, I realize that so many of my other symptoms may also be related to Lipitor. They include;
1. Weight gain
2. Lethargy
3. Difficulty standing
3. Muscle weakness
4. Difficulty climbing stair
5. Depression
6. Heartburn and acid reflux
7. Lack of stamina (I can only walk for short distances without suffering back and leg pain)
8. Hot flashes (Sometimes, I get so hot, I almost lose consciousness)
9. Short term memory loss (I also search for words and cannot find them)
10. Seriously diminished libido
11. Aches and pain all over my body, (a feeling similar to being bruised)
12, Blurry vision

Thank you so much for putting this website out here, I intend to discontinue use of Lipitor beginning now. I hope to be myself again very soon.

I am a 48 yr.old male taking 20mg.of lipitor for over 10yrs. Total Cholesterol was 305 when I was 35, now 175. TG 350 now 150. History of high lipids in family but no history of cardiac problems. In fact my sister has high numbers and has a master's degree in Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry but refuses to take meds for lipid control. Anyway, I've about had enough of the sides: Memory loss, daily headaches, lower back pain, muscle twitching, chest pain, involuntary leg shakes, dizziness. Worst problem, INSOMNIA. My doc medicated with ambien but that just covers up one of the problems. This is not the way to live. MY QUESTION TO ALL, SHOULD I QUIT COLD TURKEY OR IN STAGES? Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

Ive been taking zocor 20mg for almost a year, and I noticed that dizziness has becoming worse, when I forgot to take it I was feeling better, I just felt like my eyes cant focus. I noticed sharp pains on my legs and fatigue all day. I also been taking omega 3, I want to taper off for a week and see if its the zocor which I could tell its the medication.

These posts go back all the way to 2003. Everyone has complained about side effects, most of which I have experienced myself. Please . . . if someone . . . anyone has lasted all the way to 2010, and has improved or maybe is side effect free, finally, please post that so the rest of us can either be encouraged of resign ourselves to the fact that we're not going to get better. Thanks.

I had a 40ml kenolog injection into the top of my foot in between my toes june 2nd 09. I now have an area that has severely atrophied. It is purple and painful. I have no idea what I can do to improve this situation. It was done under the advice of a foot specialist and a specialist doctor gave me the injection with ultrasound. Nobody told me that it would do more harm than good.

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