December 22th
2008
7:12 PM
Hello I'm a 41 year old female, and I took Lipitor 20 mgs for 6 months about two years ago. When I called my doctor's office to complain about side effects they told me it couldn't be the Lipitor because I had been taking it for a month already, and would have had problems before that. I eventually took myself off of the drug 5 months later. Here are some of the side effects I experienced:
Itchy fingertips, increased blood pressure, 30lb weight gain, shaky hand writing, acne, poor driving skills, poor memory, hair loss, "frozen joints", IBS, incontinence, low grade fever, itchy feet, numb toes, numb hands, foggy brain, joint pain, muscle pain, foot pain, plantar pain, dizzy, jaw pain, back and neck pain, week ankles and wrists, nasal allergies, skin rashes, migraines, heartburn, Increase in Astham, heart palpitations, knee pain, difficulty standing up from sitting position, difficulty climbing stairs, water retention alternating in feet, hands, arms and legs, almost constant taste of bile in my mouth.
These are only the ones I can remember. Two years down the road everything but the muscle and joint pain and weakness is gone. even those have improved a lot. I stopped taking the Lipitor and lost all 30lbs I had gained on it, without dieting, in a months time. I still have two toes on each foot that are partially numb. I have trouble climbing stairs, and getting up from a sitting position. I can do both, but I move slowly while doing them. The pain in my muscles and joints drives me crazy, but I'm grateful that the rest of the symptoms have cleared up. My doctor never believed me about my symptoms, and neither does my new doctor really. Went to the emergency room for asthma that was not responding to my inhaler, and they were about to let me go home when I mentioned to the doctor that I had been on Lipitor. Suddenly a huge battery of tests were ordered including a CT scan and a stress test. When I asked the doctor why he said that they just wanted to be sure that it wasn't something other than asthma. Why did they do that after hearing about the Lipitor? Do they know something? Are there doctors who believe that statins are killing and seriously injuring people? I'm so angry. Even as I sit here typing I know when I stand up I will have massive amounts of pain that I will have to "walk off". My quadriceps have not recovered, and remain ridiculously weak.
If I can stop one other person from going through this I will be happy. Thanks everyone for taking the time to list your symptoms. It makes me feel better to know that someone believes me, and knows what I am going through.
September 29th
2008
10:29 AM
I'm 39 and have been on Coumadin for about a month. Was diagnosed with DVT in right calf after taking Yaz birth control for only about 4-5 months (no other pre-conditions - I'm a non-smoker, fairly active, not overweight, no recent airplane trips or long car rides.) I was on Yaz to treat severe problems with my period which has been the case since I was a teenager, but I was tired of having to call in sick to work every month, and had hoped Yaz would eliminate that problem. I had been on other BCPs when I was in my 20's, and never had any symptoms of clotting, so didn't think that it would be all that risky to try again, despite me being slightly older than the typical woman on BCP. Obviously, I am not taking Yaz anymore, and will not be able to take any other hormonal therapies for the rest of my life. But I guess that's minor compared to the risk of developing PE from an undiagnosed blood clot.
Anyway, I've been noticing I've been getting sudden, severe headaches since starting the Coumadin. I have a history of migraines but I usually only get one or two per year at most. Now I've had what feels a lot like a migraine twice in a matter of a couple weeks. My husband has also commented that I've been irritable and acting "spacy".
My INR has also been all over the place. They've been alternating me between 5 mg and 7.5 mg per day. For the first few weeks I was right where they wanted me - between 2 and 3, but then last Friday my results were 4.6!! Way too high. I go back this afternoon to see if anything's changed over the weekend, after skipping a dose and then doing 5 mg Sat. and Sun. I do hope they can find the right balance and don't have to keep tinkering with the dosage. I'm wondering if that's what's contributing to the headaches. Maybe if they can stabilize how much I'm taking from day to day, my body will adjust.
I wonder if anyone "official" is tracking the number of DVT/PE patients that can trace their onset of symptoms to Yaz. My sense is that this is a much more serious and prevalent side effect than their marketing dept. would like to admit.....
-- By sallyjane | Reply | (8) replies | Private Message me
May 18th
2008
1:07 PM
took Levaquin 500mg x 5 days end of March ,2008- no problems except still with bronchitis sx.Saw Allergist who said not enough,long enough-put on 750mg x 21 days, again no side effects and got better. after 5 days off, started productive cough so placed on another 16 days of 750mg. On day 13, awoke with terrible pain in knuckles, knee. Completed med as drug book only listed tendon pain not joint pain. Now 4 days after completing, pain in elbows as well as knees, less in knuckles. None of joint pain sx listed on Pharmacy info either.
-- By larjenmom | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
April 22th
2008
5:25 PM
I suggest to anyone that has Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (type of Hypothyroidism) to have a blood test done for Celiac Disease. There has been research done linking Celiac Disease and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Celiac Disease can be controlled by a gluten-free diet (wheat, rye, and barley free). In the US, not many doctors recognize/know of this link. I have been hypothyroid for 20 years (had Hodgkin's Disease (cancer) - radiation/chemo at age 16) I have 2 sisters with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and were iron and B12 deficient. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis 3 months ago with iron and B12 deficiency. I have been on a gluten-free diet for 2 months now. My dosage of synthroid (levothyroxine) was 175 mcg and now is down to 137 mcg. I hope that I am one of the lucky ones that will have their antibodies to their thyroid normalized (no more synthroid!) I have a couple of days left before my next blood test and I hope that it goes down more. I am feeling better now than I have in a very long time. I have attached a link for those of you interested. It is an endocrine article from Finland outling the link between Celiac Disease and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (among other things). I hope that this helps some of you. http://edrv.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/23/4/464
-- By sherrie77 | Reply | (4) replies | Private Message me
April 12th
2008
3:11 PM
I just had cortisone injected into rear to help break up persistant facial swelling caused by MIXto SX CO2 fractional laser treatment to face four weeks ago.
First signs were needles and pins feeling in cheeks. Later developed abdominal cramps and heartburn. 24 hours later my face is swollen and bright red allover plus upper chest is red. I feel anxious.
Oh well. Hope the cure eventually solves what it was meant to do: Decrease facial swelling.
April 4th
2008
2:37 PM
I am 54 I took lipitor 20 mg for one day and 14 hours later I couldn't void so I went to the Dr. for sx of a uti. Was told keep taking the lipitor sent home on an atb. A week later started getting acne thought it might be a reaction to the atb, so I kept taking the lipitor. All along I started with muscle pain but everyone I knew taking lipitor had those side effects. My pain increased but I thought I must have to get used to it. Day 13, I started with heavy menstrual bleeding, now I have not had a period for three years so we ladies know this is not normal. The female Dr. did an
ultra sound and it showed I was menopausal and everything was normal no cause for the bleeding and yes it couldn't be the lipitor. I had stopped it on day 13 but I still do not feel any better so I found your web site and I hope we all feel better soon and I wouldn't reccommend this drug for anyone.
December 2th
2007
12:33 PM
Today is my ninth day coming off Toprol (had been on 25 mg for 2 1/2 years, then 50mg for 1 1/2 years) - today is the first day that the Dr. does not want me to take any Toprol. It has been SO DIFFICULT... Extreme chest tightness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, headaches. She has me switching over to Diovan (80 mg) which I have been taking for 7 days now. I want to believe that everything I am feeling is from the Toprol Withdrawal and not NEW side effects from the Diovan - but I am scared. I feel really awful, I have no energy. I lay in bed waiting for the bad feelings to pass and they do not. I have lost 7 pounds in the past (2) weeks. Not sure if it is from going off the Toprol - or just not feeling that well. This website has been my only source of sanity and peace. Anyone else gone off this and can tell me what to expect? THANK YOU!
-- By vanessa74 | Reply | (2) replies | Private Message me
August 21th
2007
7:03 PM
The cough from Lisinopril is from the ACE inhibitor (drug classification not isolated to just Lisinopril), one of the main side effects of almost any ACE inhibitor is a persistent dry cough...do not stop blood pressure medications without discussing with your doctor. There are many other blood pressure medication which are not ACE inhibitors and will not cause coughing, but will control you blood pressure....ask you doctor to try a Angiotension receptor blocker or BETA blocker I've been there I thought I would go crazy from the cough I experienced!!!. I was on Avapro...it worked great for me, but when my insurance wouldn't cover that paricular medication I was switched to DIiovan, and it work well also without side effects!!! I hope this helps somone!
-- By racer26 | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
February 18th
2007
5:18 PM
Hello everyone,
I have been on the ring now for a little over a year. I like most of you hre have no sx drive. I also have headaches every month around my period. They usually last 3 to 4 days and then when i start they go away. I also notice that i get light headed alot around the same time. When i first started the ring i loved it ( and still do ) because i don't like taking the pill every day, but I am going to the dr about this and see what else i can take for bith control. I just can't take the headaches anymore.
-- By cdbacs | Reply | Private Message me
January 24th
2007
3:54 AM
coating in my throat and flu like sx,also if i don't use my advair my asthma gets out of control.
-- By cmcnair | Reply | Private Message me
January 17th
2007
7:07 AM
Hi everyone...
When I first heard of Nuvaring I thought it was a great idea. Except, the second month after I started using it I started to get flu like symptoms around my period.
I took out the ring last night and right now I have the chills, sweats, my throat is sore and scratchy and I ache all over. I had such bad abdominal pain that I was curled up in my bed sweating and popping the maximum dosage of tylenol allowed. Normally I would attribute this kind of thing to a poor immune system and the flu, but I rarely got sick before I started the ring.
I have been looking up side effects on other sites and have noticed that upper respiratory tract infections are common with this drug. From what I can tell I have all the classic sx of such an infection.
I have decided to go off the ring to see if these symptoms clear up or if they return in the same monthly pattern.
Also, my sex drive has dried up completely.
I'll check back on this site to see if anyone has had some of the same symptoms that I am experiencing.
-- By squrlgurl | Reply | Private Message me
November 11th
2005
6:17 PM
I was attempting to wean my self off Celexa with Md. ok. I couldn't get off it! The feelings of electrical current abruptly would occur (I don't really know the words for how it felt) with movement.
I am again trying to cut my dosage little by little because when I was down to 10 mg and using SAME 200 - 1200 mg I was feeling better than ever! I had a sense of humor again and my creativity had returned.
Celexa has dull my personality but has help with the depressiona and brief bouts of anxiety. But S.A.M.E.was doing it also.
If you are giving it to your children DONOT abruptly take them off it because it is a horrible feeling and they won't be able to tell you what they are feeling. I am an adult and I can 't explain to my Md.
-- By fivecrowsflying | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
April 18th
2005
1:51 PM
muscle weakness-dry mouth-hands and feet tingle-fatigue. Have been on Topamax for over 1 year and sx have subsided, mostly. Definitly memory problem involved here. Dr dc'd med because of extreem muscle spasms around lower rib cage area. We'll see...
-- By d609667 | Reply | Private Message me
Lipitor (3) NuvaRing (2) Synthroid (1) Advair HFA (1) Klonopin (1) Warfarin Sodium (1) Levaquin (1) Lisinopril (1) Cortisone Acetate (1) Topamax (1) Celexa (1) Toprol-XL (1)
July 13th
2009
12:53 PM
I started feeling much better very quickly after being off Lipitor now 7 months. However, the symptoms I had using the RX has cause significant problems. I fell so many times with my weak joints and muscles, that I had severe problems. I now need to have knee replacement surgery after falling so many times injuring my knees and weakened muscles to support myself. I am getting cortisone shots in that knee, as well as physical therapy. My MRI shows a torn meniscus, stretch PCL very thin, cartlidge loss and debris, still swollen with csyt after all these months. With no meds, and lack of being able to exercise, I now have hig-chol back. On and on it goes.... a real catch 22. Take care of yourself, watch out for symptoms. I ignored sx's thinking it was stress but after reading adverse reactions, it fit me to the T.
My original posting re: Lipitor is Forestseaski on Jan. 2, 2009
C.
-- By forestseaski | Reply | (3) replies | Private Message me