Statins symptoms and conditions

I started taking Lipitor in April 2009 and my Dr prescribed 10 mg per day. As I usually have negative reactions to medications I compromised & agreed to take it every other day. I am a healthy 56 year old woman and the only medication I take is hormone replacement therapy. I am also in pretty good shape physically. At the end of July I herniated two disc's in my lower back, the L6 & L7, after a day of normal yard work. I could not move for two days and experienced the worst pain of my life. At the time I did not make any connection between Lipitor and this event. The recovery was slow and painful. In Sept I also began to experience sharp pains in my thigh. I read the side effects again regarding Lipitor and determined that this drug is most likely the cause. I decided to stop taking the drug and after three to four weeks the thigh muscle pain disappeared and my back pain significant decreased. Just to make sure I was not imaging the whole thing I took Lipitor twice in the past week and my back pain symptoms returned and I experienced the muscle pain in my thigh again. I was so bad it woke me up. After reading more about Lipitor and the effect it is having on my quality of life I am done with this drug. Although it did reduce my cholesterol I will find another way to control the LDL's & HDL's.

2 genetic mutations in the gene that encodes for the transporter protein responsible for moving anti cholesterol statin drugs into the liver to be detoxified. have been identified. This gene is "SLCO1B1" (also referred to in the scientific lit as "OATP1B1"). Drugs must be "detoxified" by organs within the body and then eliminated, otherwise the drug stays in the blood stream, building up to toxic levels. With either of the 2 mutations, statins have been found to be (from various studies) anywhere from 122% to 400% ABOVE NORMAL plasma statin levels. How many people have either of these mutations? (Population genetic studies were done in Finland on Caucasian pop--so all the #'s refer to Caucasian population) 25 % to 38% of ALL Caucasian possess one of these 2 mutations. Thus, for however many yrs someone with one of these mutations has taken a statin, the level of the statin in their blood stream conceiveably could have been 400% ABOVE normal statin levels. ALll those pharmacologic effects of statins--decreased coenzyme q10, depressed manufacture of dolichols, depressed manufacture of selnproteins and thus glutathione, interrupted production of GTPases and glycoprotein function, decreased brain cholesterol levels--neuron synapses and new growth of neurons depend upon brain choelsterol--are intensified unrelentingly for the length of time the drug is taken.

I have been taking 20mg of Simvastatin every night for about 4 years now and after coming across this site I have decided to stop taking it. I have been feeling particularly unwell for a couple of days, decided to do some research and can't believe what I am reading on this site! For the last year I have suffered terrible pain and loss of movement in my neck shoulders and arms and shooting pains in my legs along with muscle tics. More recently dizzy spells and quite severe tinnitus and headpain and fatigue. I have also found that my muscles tire very quickly when doing the smallest of tasks i.e: changing a duvet cover! The night sweats are particularly bad which I have been putting down to my age but may be to do with the statins. I am praying that these symptoms will reverse once I stop taking them but remain skeptical after reading other peoples comments on here!

I am a 70 year old woman, I have been on 20mg Lipitor for high cholesterol, 200 total and 25mg of Spironolactone for a not so high blood pressure, for 3 1/2 yrs. Oh, my God, the Spironolactone is a potassium sparing diuretic that is very dangerous and has many uses I didn't know about or the terrible side effects, it causes breast cancer. It's also used to treat women who have an over growth of hairiness, or on a higher dose to treat hair loss and I've gone bald on the top of my head! Plus all of the good foods we're supposed to eat for high cholesterol, fruit & veggies one isn't to eat on this drug, because of lot's of potassium, what a huge contradiction. And muscle pains, and rashes, (eczema, atopic dermatitis) that I've suffered from both.
Anyway, Lipitor, had know idea about the side effects until I looked it up on the internet and read these posts on here.
I stopped taking Lipitor last week and Spironolactone 2 days ago.
I had cholesterol test last week too and saw my dr. Wednesday. He said it was okay that I stopped the Lipitor, but not the other one, why not the other one worse then Lipitor and why am I on this strong drug, geez.
The pain and burning started in my hip for no reason, then my ankles with eczema which started soon after Lipitor, then my fingers, numbness, can't pick things up, tingling, burning. Then my feet, yes, just like all of you I have these same problems. This is not just coincidental, this is from the drug Lipitor. I get severe joint cramps in my legs, feet and fingers.
For now on before I take any drug I've prescribed I will thoroughly check for side effects and not take it if they're seriously impairing like Lipitor. I feel like a cripple and older then I should feel, I almost just felt like why live anymore if this is how it's going to be.
Since I've stopped Lipitor I feel a little better, I read that it causes permanent muscle and nerve damage though, oh I hope not, I can barely walk anymore or get up out of my chair. This is all drug induced toxicity of my system. Thanks so much everyone who posted for sharing and enlightening all of us who are suffering from this drug and others.
It should be banned along with Baycol, (a statin) which was banned a few months ago because of these same side effects. With the studies that it only helps maybe to prevent heart attack, well I'd rather be able to walk again and hopefully all this will go away, the rash, etc.

I'm only on 10mg Simvastatin and 10mg Lisinopril. I have type 1 diabetes and a minor TBI from a heat stroke. If I stop taking these then after a day or two I will start feeling barely controllable fits of rage. Sometimes I still get angry but for some reason the lisinopril and Simvastatin seem to ease it. I also have hypogonadism. I like my combo of simvastatin and lisinopril in the morning with my 20mg adderall. Little bit of redness on face but the benefits seem to outweigh.

I am a generally active and fairly healthy 77 yr old who had been taking 10 mg of Lipitor for over 12 years with no obvious adverse effects. Recently I started having pain in my right leg, severe enough to wake me at night. This was followed by a significant weakness in both legs, and for a while, accompanied by a lightheartedness. The doctor had me take a series of lumbar and leg x-rays which didn't show much of significance. He wrote a prescription for physical therapy, which I did not follow.
I did internet research on my own which made me aware that Lipitor could be the cause, in spite of the fact that I had tolerating the drug for so many years. I told the Doctor of my suspicions and we agree to stop the Lipitor for at least 6 weeks to see. A few days later, all my symptoms were gone. So be cautious, adverse effects from Lipitor can occur anytime.

Started taking the Zocor generic Simvistatin just 2 days ago. My legs hurt so bad that I can not sleep. My right knee is swollen to the point I have very limited range of motion and can barely walk up stairs. It is after midnight and I can't sleep. Also having some angina and my little toe on my right foot is somewhat numb. I will be contacting my physician about this tomorrow. My cholesterol was 105 and this doesn't seem to be worth it to me!

4 years ago i was given simvastatin 20mg for high cholesterol when i was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes....last year (November) i stopped taking it after someone commented after hearing me complain about aches and pains and asked if i was taking statins....i checked and found i could relate to several reported side effects...over the last 10 months my aches and pains had slowly disappeared and my cholesterol was recorded at 4.9 in July ....however 4 weeks ago i suffered an optic nerve stroke and my doctor immediately put me back on simvastatin at 40mg despite my complaints is there an alternative i can take as i don't want to risk loosing any more off my vision and as the aches and pains are returning ...i will reluctantly take it but carefully monitor myself....

Not a new, but seemingly common side effect, i just recently noted could be from Lipitor.......all over achey dead weight feeling, difficult to motivate and move without great fatigue an achiness....totally out of character & even herbal energy, once helpful was completely non effective. Also have arthritis and a knee replacement...knee ok but rest of body next to completely seized up, including hands, hip, sacro iliac, foot, and extreme neck stiffness and pain. Being a retired nurse i should have noted side effects, but attributed to another BP pill which was stopped... Of course absolutely no change and now tripping to chiropractor and acupuncture hoping to get this body going again, especially with much needed walking, post knee replacement. Also i had gained wt, maybe 10-15lbs in 6 months, but when lipitor ws recently doubled, i gained even more in a 3 wk period, and my midrift is cellulite lumpy looking, unlike ever b4, with my normally preferred very active lifestyle, that is now difficult with probs occurring. The chiropractor alerted me to the potential Lipitor side effects, but i know my cardiologist would not agree with this theory.....so afraid to mention, unless there is some conclusive test to be done. Otherwise they say everybody always wants to complain or blame probs on meds, if nothing else suits the situation. I have discontinued the Lipitor, just for 2 days so far and pray i will feel back to myself asap. Now of course i am torn with the lack of prevention of atherochlorosis and future bypass surgery as in father's family.... Feel like damned if i do and damned if i don't.....so definitely empathize with most. Thanks for commoradery and hoping i am not just becoming a cuckoo hypochondriac.

Oh my... I thought I was the only one!!! I have been taking Yasmin for about 6 years as it was recommended to me as the new and safer birth control pill. From time to time I also stopped taking it since I was not in a relationship and didn't feel like I needed it. Every time I did I felt like my old happy self - Like I was a 16 year old again. Happy and loving life! Everyone wanted to be around me and I was afraid of NOTHING!

I knew then that birth control can cause depression, but no one ever speak about it, not then, not now. My friends didn't seem to change. I was the only one. I was the only one, I think, that became a boring person when taking it; boring and afraid of things. I met my husband during those few months I was not taking it... and I can for sure tell you all that I am not the same person he met back then.

I have been thinking about stop taking the pill for a long time now, specially since I hit depression much easier now since I had to move away from my family and friends (they are all in Sweden) to be with my husband (USA). I cry so easy! And can't face conflicts, and just want to sleep - nothing is fun. Some of the depression I have managed pretty good by stop eating grains and sugar, but it only does so much. You guys have pretty much convinced me that now is the time to quit. I will not take one single Yasmin ever again!

For those of you that are in a relationship - how did your special someone take this change as far as birth control. What are you using now instead? I have been thinking about a female sponge - anyone tested those?

There are many out there that suffers from medication and I am actually on the path to help people get off other drugs like statins because there are other things you can do than give doctors and pharmaceutical companies your money for feeling ill the rest of your life. There is a cure - they just don't want you to know about it. Who would have guessed that I needed to be saved from this craziness too!

Good blogs about unconventional medicine is: ******
Thank you for being here GIRLS!!!

Dizzy, like getting sucker punched in the head; dizzy while LYING DOWN? This also happened with other statin. While bending over to pick something up or tie a shoe, almost fell on my head. Yet, cardiologist thinks it's "all in my head." It sure IS!

I have been on LIPITOR for years 10mg. at least 8years my doctor told me as long as my blood tests were normal "I had nothing too worry about" through the years I had so many health problems,along with so many tests I thought this pain was normal.My pain was gradually getting worse I started to think this pain has to be because of my age.I'm 67yrs old. Last week I had an appointment with one of many Drs. I mentioned that I felt more pain than usual when I told him I was taking Lipitor he was concerned I was told this medication I should stop but it was up to me if I wanted too or not. I had an appointment with another doctor the same day to found out the results of all my blood tests. I was pleased that all my blood were within normal range but there was the blood test for muscle enzyme,CPK was mildly elevated. I was told that Lipitor could make that test elevated. I had another test that that day and was called and was told that that blood test was elevated a little more.I have been off Lipitor for one week now and never going back to taking Lipitor again. I'm so glad I found out about Lipitor and the damage it could do to your health. I'm also grateful for finding this sight by accident. I hope one day I will feel better also I'm not going back to the Dr. that started me on Lipitor and wanted me to stay on it!

After several attempts to lower my cholesterol, my doctor has settled on 40 mg of Lipitor, but, after reading these comments, I'm going to self-medicate and work my way off the drug completely. My main complaint is the fatigue and brain fog others have experienced. I do have a shoulder that has developed pain and weakness, and my legs don't seem to be as strong as they used to be, but it's the fatigue and memory/cognitive slowness that concern me the most. Also, like others, I assumed it was normal aging (I'm 58 and have been on statins for about eight years). I'll report my results after getting this stuff out of my system. Good luck to everyone going through this...we're not crazy after all, huh?

I just read about a side effect from another member
He talks of pain in his inner elbows. Oh my I have that too, and I thought
it was because I strained that muscle when doing work. But it was so long ago. I still have the pain and find it hard to pick up things. Now I read about someone taking the same medication as me and having the same symptoms. I actually only take a half of a pill a day, but now i will discontinue it until I see my doctor (also my sleep pattern has been affected)
I did not have this problem when I took Lipitor.
I am hoping I can go back to Lipitor but maybe I will increase my exercise and not eat anymore junk food and then not have to take any of this silly medication.

itching of scalp, face.

The Health & disability commissioner in NZ has received my complaint of criminal negligence re my former doctor. They have now asked my former doctor for a please explain his version of events. The police have written to me saying they are seeking medical advice re criminal/negligence/failing to carry out professional duties complaint. Whilst I agree with everyone's feelings on big pharma, it is my very firm opinion that the doctor is the "retailer" and it is the doctor's direct responsibility to us the customer/patient to monitor and inform us of all safety concerns. Big pharma in covering their butts have warned the doctors to warn the patients. Of the 8 doctors including an anesthetist I have spoken with socially and in consultation, not a single doctor could name any adverse effects with statins beyond mild muscle pain. Given the warnings from pharma on the labels that is wholly shameful & negligent. An effective way to help others avoid being maimed like us, is to fight back from the bottom. The FDA and CARM in NZ take no notice, litigation is expensive and drawn out so neither really helps future innocent victims. I encourage everyone where negligence is fairly on the table to take your complaints to your country's police and medical discipline bodies enough of these complaints will soon have the doctor's "reading & obeying instructions" which would go a long way to preventing more tragic victims.

i have never taken lipitor and i never will but here's a warning for everyone- there is actually a company that sells reports for stock investors and they are advising people to invest in the company that makes the one of the only drugs used in the management of ALS. they predict that the ALS patient population (code for customers) will grow as a result of all the people on lipitor.

ok, aside from the fact that it made me sick to my stomach that wall street views the potential suffering and death of ALS victims as a business opportunity (what else is new?), this is a pretty good indication that there is a link. it will probably take years for "science" to conclusively state the connection and for the FDA to take lipitor off the market

in the meantime, save your own life. if you're not taking it, don't start. if you are, stop NOW! cholesterol is not the enemy

Now it makes sense why doctors were so eager to prescribe Lipitor. Pfizer has been hit with a 2.3 billion penalty for illegal marketing promotions of 13 drugs that includes LIPITOR. They were awarding doctors free golf, massages, and resort junkets for "pushing" Lipitor, Viagra, Zoloft and 9 other drugs.

I took myself off it after 3 months of taking it. I simply told my doctor that I will take no more statins. I had liver enzymes checked, but I had come off the drug 3 weeks before that. My enzymes were through the roof!
Needless to say, this drug is poison. Guess I'll eat avocados instead....
and they're a lot cheaper. My cholesterol is coming down without that poison. Exercise and diet...and if I can lose weight my numbers will be perfect. Hope you will all be blessed.

The doctor incrested my Lovastatin from 40 mg. to 80. Not long afterwards, I started to notice that I had trouble climbing stairs or walking up a hill without stopping to rest. It was causing some chest pain. It got much worse over the next month, causing a severe burning in my chest and pain down my arms. Finally at a result, I ended up in the E.R. twice, thinking I was having a heart attack. I had many test, including a heart cath., all of which found nothing wrong with my heart. I started thinking about what might have caused these problems and pain, then remembered my increased dosage of Lovastatin. I stopped taking it, and within a week nearly all my pain was gone. I explained all of this to my cardiologist, and he is reluctant to admit Lovastatin was the problem. I believe it was and am not sure I will take this drug again. Anyone out there who had these symptoms?

I have not had good experiences with various statin drugs through the years. I was on Zocor a few years ago. I suffered from a tripping gait at times (seemed as if the bottom of the toe area would stick to the sidewalk and I felt as if I was going head over heels and balance issues), so much so that I was referred to a neurologist. My internist poo-pooed my symptoms at the time until I mentioned the formation of cataracts. That did it. Zocor stopped. On to Crestor. Crestor was briefly tolerated until I was walking up four flights of stairs. While on the second flight, my legs literally locked. I could not raise my legs (thigh muscles had tightened so badly, that I had to stop, regroup, and start again. Next course after a brief respite, Lipitor. I am taking between 5 and 10 mg. as tolerated.

I have had issues with Lipitor as well, despite the 'pediatric' dose. I have felt occasional ankle tweaks, and most recently over this past weekend, upon going down a flight of stairs, my left knee buckled. Thank goodness I did not fall, but the weakness was there for the day. I have not taken Lipitor since last Friday night. My cholesterol level (off the statins) had reached a high of 357. As of the last testing (my first after being started on Lipitor), it was 255 - my LDL was 137. I know that if I stop the medication that the numbers will start to rise. This yo-yo effect is very frustrating but my overall well-being is of my utmost concern. Both parents had heart disease. My father passed away at 63 years of age (heart attack, recuperation, then massive heart attack 22 months later), and my mother had angina pectoris, bypass surgery and recurrence of blockages, only to die from multiple myeloma at the age of 89. My newest symptom is pain in the right side, outer portion of the rib cage area. This started two days ago. I had this when I was on Welchol as well.

It appears to be, not quite all the facts in yet, but my cardiologist put me on a Lipitor hiatis to see if some of my arrhythmia issues, dizziness and light headedness may be associated with Lipitor.
After just 4 days, I am feeling pretty good! Could be placebo? I don't think so.
After being taken from work in an ambulance to the hospital and experiencing 48 hours worth of testing for a possible coronary, I asked my doctor to examine the possibility of Lipitor causing the symptoms.
I do not have a family history of heart disease. I eat well and am a moderate exerciser. When I was bumped up from 20 mg. to 40 mg. around 6 months ago, my symptoms started.
I have to decide now how much of an elevated cholesterol level I am willing to "live" with. My cardiologist said if it turns out to be the Lipitor, we'll try Zocor and maybe get a higher cholesterol level on my labs, but that's okay. How low does the low need to be??

I have been reading all of your Simvastatin experiences with high interest and would like to share my adventures with all of you as well. My story began seven years ago when I was relatively healthy and enjoying life. My doctor prescribed Lipitor for my elevated cholesterol and two months later I found myself in the emergency room after having a severe bout with vertigo for the first time in my life. I have since spent the last seven years fighting this debilitating illness which continues to haunt me after having seen every top neurologist in my area and having taken every neurological test available. It would be as difficult to convince me that I was not somehow "poisoned" by Lipitor as it was for me to convince my doctor.

I was eventually prescribed Simvastatin 40MG and seemed to stabilize for a few years even though my dizziness problems persisted. Suddenly I began experiencing bouts of upset stomach and severe lower abdominal pain. I allowed my doctor to order basically every nasty test known to man in an effort to discover the cause of this new problem, but all have come up negative so far. Eventually I began to experience total exhaustion in the middle of my work day, not to mention the back, neck, and muscle pain that has been described so vividly in this forum. Basically, I have become a 53 year old man who feels much older, has absolutely no energy, and rarely has a day when I can honestly say I feel alive and well.

I am not a doctor and I can't honestly prove that Simvastatin is the cause of all of my problems. However, I do have common sense and after reading all of your thoughtful comments on the subject I would be foolish to at least not suspect that the drug may possibly be making me less healthy and not more healthy. Thank you all for opening my mind to this possibility and I certainly plan on discussing this with my doctor very soon, who may no longer by my doctor should he continue to insist that I take this nasty drug.

August 12, 2009. I have been on Zocor/Simvastatin (40mgs) off and on over 5 years. I do not have any muscle mass left. I am an avid walker and exercise as much as possible in addition to still working in a high pressure position at the age of 72 (thankful for the job). My entire body hurts constantly, hands, fingers, legs, knees, neck, back, head and other parts to numerous to mention. My sex life is the pits. My doctor tells me I have high cholesterol that must be controlled by medication. I had a quad bypass in 1999, a cardiac defibrillator installed in 2003 (Actually 3 of them, first one was defective and went off, got a severe infection on reinstall #2, and 3rd one still is in and working hopefully). I never had a heart attack, no high blood pressure, just clogged up. I take enough medication to kill an elephant. At 72 I am going to trash the Simvastatin because I know it is the basis for my muscle loss and severe pain constantly. Doctor also had me on Lipitor for a long time (5 years). Statins really suck!

I am a 46 y.o male who started taking Simvastatin almost 8 months. At first I had no problems. I am an avid swimmer who swims laps at least 3x a week and had a weight lifting program (light wghts./ numerous repetitions. About 2 months ago I got severe pains in my neck and shoulder. I thought maybe I was overdoing it so I ceased workouts and went to the chiropractor. After two months of misery and missing swimming I decided to look into the statins. I am going off it tomorrow and will see if that does the trick. If I cannot exercise and be fit the Statin is not going to be useful anyway. I have a feeling stopping will help because rest and treatment sure didn't. I will try and report back