Triglycerides symptoms and conditions

Went off simvastatin in March, all pain went away within a couple of months, but muscle weakness in legs remained. In October, found out my cholesterol is sky high, over 325. So Dr. wanted to try Crestor 5 mg. Within 1 week, I had overwhelming fatigue, could hardly stay awake during the day and the weakness in my legs was getting worse. So I just went off Crestor. Frustrating!!

I am asking a question on behalf of my brother. He had a stent inserted about 5 years ago due to blockage in one artery. The doctor put him on 20mg Lipitor and Plavix. Ever since then he has been getting Afib. Twice he has had to go to the hospital to get his heart back in rythm and other times he's able to get it back on his own. He has cut back to 10mg Lipitor and takes 100 mg COQ10. Has anyone else had Afib with Lipitor? He seems to think it's the stent causing it and I'm convinced it's the Lipitor. By the way, his cholesterol was not high, only his triglycerides. Thanks for any input.

If you are taking Yasmin for the first time, make sure you have your blood work done before you take it and after 6 months do it again. Watch your triglycerides level. That's what went wrong with me. My doctor told me my case was extremely rare but you won't find anything about triglycerides level on any kind of literature Yasmin has put out there. Be really careful with that. Acute pancreatitis could be fatal.

I'm still looking for someone who can help me with a class action lawsuit. If anyone knows anything about it, please contact me. Thanks.

I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a class action lawsuit against Yasmin.

I started taking Yasmin last October and the first three months I was on it, I was bleeding every day. It was the first time I ever got on a birth control pill. I stayed on the pill for a total of 6 months until one night I suddenly had severe abdominal pain along with nausea. It went bad from worse and I was rushed into emergency room later that day.

My diagnosis was acute pancreatitis due to high level of triglycerides. The doctors ran a series of tests, blood, ultrasound, CAT scan, and X-ray, etc. Their conclusion was Yasmin caused the dramatic increase of my triglycerides, and ultimately caused my acute pancreatitis.

My triglycerides level was below 200 before I started taking Yasmin and by May this year when I was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, my triglycerides was over 4,300!

After spending 3 weeks in hospital for pain control and being off food and water for a total of 2 weeks, I was able to go home and get on with my life. My doctor told me I should never take any form of birth control pills nor any kind of hormone. I stopped taking Yasmin since the day I was admitted.

If anyone knows of a lawsuit or a lawyer that is working on a case against Yasmin, please let me know.

I was prescribed Zocor for high cholesterol. Almost immediately I began to experience body aches -- some days more severe than others. I would take ibuprofen and it would help. Then, I started getting a pretty strong pain on my hip which radiated down my leg onto my foot. The pain was so severe, even the Motrin 800 mg. pills didn't help it. I am 53 years old, but I felt like a 90 year old. I had problems walking, especially after sitting for an hour or so. I had problems with stairs. Even laying down was painful. I tried heating pads, ointments, etc. When I told my doctor about it, she said that this was a typical side effect of statins, and that because I am diabetic, I need to continue taking Zocor to keep my cholesterol down. Just the other day, I stopped taking Zocor for 3 glorious days and guess what? NO pain!!! I resumed it because my doctor insists that I stay on it, but I wish there was something else I could take that wouldn't cause pain.

I also started taking Welchol, two in the morning and two in the evening. I started noticing that I can not get an erection, and I know it's the medication. Can someone out there tell me if i am the only one or is someone else having this problem due to Welchol?

I am currently 58 years old and lead a very active, healthy lifestyle. I began taking 10mg of Zocor, along with 1000mg of niacin in the summer of 2004 to reduce cholesterol (251) and triglycerides (571). The therapy dramatically improved my blood tests, however, within 6 weeks, I began to experience minor chronic skin infections, both fungal and bacterial. They were easily controlled with topical over the counter type medications, but they were annoying. At no time was this new condition linked to the statin/niacin therapy by my doctor(s). The infections became progressively worse over the next 3 years, and evolved into chronic folliculitis in my scalp, neck, and face, cystic acne, and persistent fungal infections that were becoming more difficult to control. In addition, I began to get chronic eye infections. It was as if my immune system was becoming ineffective. I stopped taking niacin in December of 2007 and the symptoms immediately lessened. I stopped taking Zocor in March of 2008 and within 2 weeks, all the skin problems and eye infections completely ended. My health was restored completely and I am glad to have put that whole mess behind me! I have been taking Omega 3 supplements to control my cholesterol and triglycerides and have had results that equaled the Zocor and Niacin therapy, with cholesterol at 160, triglycerides at 91, and a favorable HDL/LDL ratio. My physician is skeptical, but I know that my body was not functioning correctly with the statin/niacin treatment. I have found anecdotal reports from others who seem to have experienced a change in their immune system, but no mention of this as a side effect by the medical establishment.

I have been on Yasmin for 4 years now and I only recently started to question if some of the things that I have been experiencing are related to this pill. After reading your comments here, I'm more convinced then ever! I am a relatively healthy 31 year right now but for over a year now I have had a terrible ongoing ache in the back of my right thigh, just above my knee. I went to a vein specialist who just wanted to inject me to reduce the vein and "hoped" that it would help resolve the pain. He said that I had reticular veins and that they can be painful but as I understand it, you can get pain in your deep veins, which can result in deep vein thrombosis and even pulmonary embolisms (very life threatening). I have also had terrible ongoing headaches that last me 3 days at least once per month. I've always suffered from migraines so I didn't necessarily connect these headaches to the pill. I have absolutely ZERO sex drive. It's like I have to force myself to do it and it fills me with anxiety to even "gear up" for it. I have vaginal dryness, which can be very frustrating during foreplay and painful during sex. I had previously always been pleased that Yasmin resolved my 10 + year battle with painful cystic back acne. I have beautiful, clear skin on my back since I started taking Yasmin. I have also experienced fairly normal periods (for me). I used to have debilitating cramps and periods so heavy that I would wear a tampon and double my pads (with wings) so that I could live through the first part of the day at work without completely breaking through and bleeding through my pants. They would last for 5 - 7 days but with the pill I have more normal periods, manageable cramps, minor bloating, and still a heavy flow but not nearly as bad as before. I have always had good cholesterol levels and low triglycerides until 4 years ago when I started the pill. Since then I have had 2 blood tests where my cholesterol has skyrocketed and my triglycerides are triple the "normal" range. I eat healthier now then ever before and I regularly exercise as well so I cannot explain my cholesterol change, nor can my doctor (after showing a food diary of mostly fruits, veggies, limited whole grains, lean meat and optimal water). He told me to "go on a low carb diet" and "stay away from "sugars". I can't explain it either, I am always thirsty. I drink almost a gallon of water a day. I have this constant craving for a beverage and dryness if I'm not consistently sipping on water. My eyes are always dry, so dry in fact that it makes me feel tired or like I just want to close them to give them a break. I just started using eye drops, which has helped. Also, I'm tired, very very tired. It's summer so my energy is better only because I force myself to go workout, which always makes me feel better. I must say though, all in all, I have some concerning symptoms that seem to be prevalent throughout the blog but I've also had some positive effects from Yasmin. My concerns and your comments however are enough to take myself off the pill (Yasmin and all others) to try and live with my natural hormones instead of the synthetic in the pill. I think the potential risks outweigh the rewards. Thank you all for sharing and helping me in my decision making process.

Yaz has completely destroyed my health. Before I started taking Yaz I had a blood test done and my doctor told me I was the healthiest patient he had. However about 10 months after I started taking Yaz I began having nausea, right shoulder pain and became very gassy. I went to the doctor and they told me I had gallstones which is a side affect of birth control. I took another blood test and had high triglycerides and high cholesterol levels. I did not have any of this until after I pill. I eat very healthy and am only 23 yrs old. Things have only gotten worse because now I have heart palpitations and low blood pressure (another side effect) that became so severe it sent me to the E.R. I feel like my heart is going to explode daily. I DO NOT recommend Yaz to anyone.

I am 55 years old. I had open Heart surgery when I was 41. In the last five years, my triglycerides where high. I was on, Lipitor, Tricor, Mobic.
I droped thr Tricor, because I went on line and learned you are not supposed to take tricor and Lipitor together. Lately I have had tingling just below my neck. I am feeling flu like symptoms the last couple of days for no apparent reason. I am weak, all my joints amd muscles ache. My Cholesterol is about 146. Well after reading all this I am going off this stuff today. Are these some of the symptoms?
Also in the last 2 years I have gone from a 8 and half size shoe to a 9 and half...like my feet have swollen.

My doctor started me on Lipitor over a year ago. I started having muscle pain in my shoulders but didn't equate it to the meds until I was watching television one day and a Lipitor commercial came on. It said that some people experience muscle pain.....I thought HALLELUEH THAT'S WHAT IT IS.....I stopped talking the meds and went to see my doctor who immediately changed my meds to Zocor.....guess what? The same thing happened. Went to see her again and she switched to Crestor.....same thing happened....so I started doing my own research and was amazed at what I learned and bewildered as to why my doctor was acting like I was some whining baby.

No problem, I say to myself and stopped the meds. That was last November, in January I had my yearly physical and blood tests were ordered for me in December......guess what.....my triglycerides were still high so my doctor orders Antara. It didn't say "cor" anything so I'm thinking it's not the same stuff. No, it wasn't the same stuff it was WORSE!! Within three weeks I was crying I was in so much pain. I called her and got her nurse practitioner who says that my doctor said to stop taking the pills and the pain will go away. I call back and say, "you don't understand, I can't sleep, I can't move, I can't function the pain is so bad." After several calls back and forth, and let me tell you I NEVER call my doctor unless something is incredibly wrong and that is less than rarely. Well, my doctors partner tells the nurse practioner that they will not prescribe narcotics for me. WHAT? Who asked for narcotics? I needed relief from this pain.....I would have gone for amputation!!!

So I change docs...more blood work.....high triglycerides, I refuse to take any statins. She says she has something for me that will not cause muscle pain and hands me samples of Welchol.....this one took less than a week for increased muscle pain...again I wanted to trust, but guess what i learned when I went to the Welchol site? The first side effect listed? Muscle pain.

Called the new doctors office to let them know that I was experiencing pain again and was told to stop the Welchol (which I had already done) and take Red Yeast Rice and have bloodwork done in 3 to 6 months and come back to see her. Oh no! Not without research and guess what? A side effect of Red Yeast Rice? Muscle pain.

It has been 4 months since I stopped taking the Antara and took Welchol for a week in that 4 months. Sometimes my shoulders/neck and arms don't hurt too much. Unfortunately most times they do. Both doctors insist that the pain cannot be from the drugs because the drugs have left my body. The new doctor said I probably have myolgia just because I'm 52 and that it's just a coincidence that it happened while taken the drugs but then goes on to agree that I must be "sensitive" to statins. Both doctors treat me like I'm stupid and nuts all balled up in one. I am frustrated and in pain most of the time. I have been trying to find out how long to expect this pain and am dismayed to learn that it can be years or never go away.

Yes I have high triglycerides (so does my mother and she experiences the same kind of pain so refused to take statins) and I've been warned that not taking statins could cause pancreatitis and/or heart problems. My question to that is - "then my choice is chance the heart stuff or live an incredibly painful life?"

I'll take my chances and pray for the best because right now my quality of life stinks!!

I took this drug for 2 years. I was put on it the end of 6th grade and taken off of it in the 9th grade. I know I put on a significant amount of weight. I put on over 100 pounds in 9 months. I went from a size 14 to a size 26. My previous doctor took me off of it, because it was causing me to gain too much weight. At that moment, I gained so much weight, that I was starting to develop health related problems such as high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood sugar and high blood pressure. I was almost classified as "diabetic." in 2003, at 5'4" and 262 pounds, I had a BMI of 45. I was classified as "morbidly obese."

I'm a 52 yr old male who had a massive heart attack 14 months ago. I ended up with 3 stents. In the hospital, I was told I was probably one of the healthiest people they had seen with come through there in my condition. All my numbers were good, except for the triglycerides. Over the top.
So, anyways, we start a lipitor therapy. Within 6 months, I needed help to get up from a kneeling position. I had aches in my chest, abdomen, knees, the bottom of my feet hurt, I would wake in the middle of the night with a pain shooting up and down my legs. Up until that time, (I work in a large shop) concerned co-workers ask I how was doing and the topic of lipitor would come up.
This is when I started noticing the common underlying theme of aches and pains. Someone always knew somebody that was taking lipitor. Finally, the day I had to be helped up at work, I said that was enough. I was sure the lipitor was the problem. I stopped the lipitor and all the symptoms went away within a couple weeks.
My doctor had a fit when at my next visit I told him I wasn't taking that crap drug anymore. So, my next test was Kozar, I had the same problems.
Today I'm on crestor, (almost sounds like I'm sucking toothpaste) they are 10mg tabs, but I still whack 'em in half and so I can tolerate the symptoms. These side effects are not near as bad as the lipitor was.
I also found out, and I don't know why, but I started taking a multi-vitamin tab every other day ( only cause I'm allergic to those too) but, something in them seems to counteract against the side effects of stain drug. I felt super good for about 3 weeks on the one-a-days until the allergy's kicked in and I backed off on them.
But, in closing, after reading many of the postings, it still comes down to that doctor will not know everything that is going on in your body, the doctor probably will not spend anymore time on you than your 15 minute visit. It is up to you to research what options are available and use them.
I researched what triglycerides were and how to control them. I quit smoking and started daily exercising. I adjusted my diet. My recent tests show that so far the lifestyle change is working. My heart is stronger, my tubes a little cleaner.
Those crappy statin drugs are not a cure all pill of the day, but they do help. The more you change your habits, the less dosage you should need.

So, if you didn't anything out of my rambling, sorry, but at least take my one advice and get off that Lipitor.
Billy

I am 54, I was diagnosed with diabetes type l in 2003. I started showing high cholesterol levels about 2 years ago. When it reached 280 I was prescribed Lipitor 10 mg at first after no improvement it was increased to 20mg. I was very much against this. I have problems with muscle pain, and dizziness.
I checked into an alternative from a doctor who is an MD but prefers natural solutions if possible. I stopped the Lipitor without the knowledge of my primary physician and started taking fish oil 3600mg daily in the evening.
9 weeks later both my cholesterol and triglycerides were normal. I told him about the fish oil, but he wanted me to continue the Lipitor, because diabetics should be on some type of statin medication to help protect the heart. I have visited a couple of sites and haven't anyone talking about liver function problems. I have had an ultra sound for my liver which showed some problems, I am still waiting on some of the tests to return. I also have an appointment to schedule a liver biopsy. When reading my first lab results his first words were." Your results are uncommonly abnormal, stop taking the Lipitor, I am going down and get an ultra sound set up for you." "You might be thinking it could be the diabetes causing this. My diabetes is completely under control, and haven't tested high sugar levels since first diagnosed. I don't drink or smoke. I would like to know if others have had problems with liver function tests being abnormal. Please everyone remember my doctors first response to the abnormal tests stop the Lipitor immediately, it wasn't let's run some other tests to see the cause, because you need the Lipitor as protection for your heart. This medication works in the liver which we only have one of, and it is an extremely vital organ for maintaining health on several levels.

I started taking Tricor (145mg) in Dec 07 to help lower my triglycerides. I experienced some low grade nausea and stomach upset periodically. At the beginning of Feb 08 (about six weeks after starting the drug) I had a severe gallbladder attack. I NEVER had an issue with my gallbladder before taking this drug. I checked another website and found out that this drug can cause gallstones and liver malfunction. I ended up having to have my gallbladder removed in mid February due to multiple gallstones and persistent pain in the liver. There was still a stone caught in my liver even after the gallbladder was removed. This caused jaundice and resulted in a five day hospital stay before the stone was found and removed.
I would advise SEVERE CAUTION before taking this drug.

First time user of Niaspan ER. First night I woke up red-faced and puffy; later same night fiercely itchy. Took four baby Niaspan (81 mg) the next night 30 minutes prior to Niaspan...no further problems. I'm planning on trying to cut down on Niaspan to 81 mg, which my doctor wants me to take anyway. Trying to balance HDL & LDL levels.

Due to an slight increase in triglycerides and bad cholesterol, my doctor put me on Lipitor for a limited time just before Christmas of '07, promising me that when my numbers got back down within normal ranges, he would wean me off the drug. I developed chronic constipation, severe pains in my knees and calves and sleeplessness for the 5 weeks I took the drug. I took myself off the drug and I'm back to normal. I haven't had any blood work yet, but I feel I can get the numbers down with diet and exercise, which is what I wanted to do to begin with.

I've had a heart attack at age 46 (2000) and had two stents put in. I have been on various cholesterol medicines. If my cholesterol went down my triglycerides went up, leg pains were horrible. In 2004 the Dr did another angioplasty my arteries looked clear. In 2007 I started having chest pains and went in for another angioplasty, I had two 90% blocked arteries and One 70%. I have been taking Vytorin for over two years, I started with 10/20, I had moderate cholesterol and a little high in triglycerides, and a little high in my liver enzymes. My doctor increased me to 10/40 since the angioplasty, yes everything dropped in to normal ranges except my liver enzymes which have now doubled.I have had very strange eye attacks, it is like my eyes go numb, anxiety attacks, depression, horrible lower back ache by my hips, shoulder pain coming on lately. The good thing is that this comes and goes, it is not constant, but when it hits it is bad. One thing I think I have been an example for, is Vytorin doesn't work any better than anything else, because if it did I wouldn't have had 2 more blocked arteries,
Now I am concerned about the 3rd one he did not put a stent in it and upped my dosage hoping it would keep it from clogging. I fear I am doomed...

I was on Lipitor for either two or three years, maybe more, can't remember, it was around 2003. About a year after starting the meds I started losing my balance, like my feet were heavy and wanting to not lift themselves up when stepping off a curb. I was in fear of falling. After being a professional dancer for many years and still having excellent muscle tone I was shocked by this muscle problem. Then I developed shooting pains in my thighs, and eventually I had an incident where my one leg just gave out and I couldn't walk. It was something in the hip/leg joint. Went to an orthopedic doctor, got x rays and m.r.i., he found nothing. I stopped taking Lipitor because I had spoken with other friends who were having leg pains. My regular doctor would not admit to anything wrong, just kept telling me I needed to stay on the drug, which infuriated me. He also kept blaming the muscle weakness and pain on my weight; which I have never had a problem with before.
The shooting pains in my thighs was all the time, including at night and woke me up at night. This was unreal. Even after walking miles I had these shooting pains, so it wasn't an exercise issue at all, but it certainly did deter me from exercising more often.
Now the pain and swelling is mainly in my knees. I can hardly walk, feel like I am crippled, and have lost my job over not being able to walk around and show apartments! I can't walk steps anymore at all, I am only 55 years old! No matter what I do, the pain and muscle weakness is progressing, I've seen a Chiropractor, a nutritionist, and now I'm going to see a Rheumatologist. I believe I have permanent muscle damage from this drug, no one can tell me otherwise.
Also, I have experienced the gradual increase of brain fog over the last two years. I am scared to death this damage is irreversible.

I am male 37 years old. In June 2007, my blood test shows 249 total cholesterol. After that, I was taking super B-complex, fish and flax seeds pills. It went down to 213 total cholesterol (40 HDL, 136 LDL and TRI 176). And I asked my family doctor to give prescription for Zocor(I asked particular drug because I will get good discount rate at my employer's place). he gave me Zocor 20 mg. After taking 1-month medication I felt some inconvenience during sex . You don’t feel it normal. I can’t do much exercise and some times feel depressed. I usually do 1-hour exercise or any form of exercise (Yoga). After Two months I tested my blood cholesterol level. It shows now total cholesterol 181(LDL 93, HDL 42 and TRI 223). And also showed ALT and urine protein little elevated. Now I stopped medication for past two days, feeling better at day time but night I am having weird dreams and indigestion problem. I guess these are withdrawal symptoms. I would go for natural medication like regular exercise, diet (oat meal, high fiber content, less sugar, less white rice). No more Statin drugs. Any one have same problem?

Has anyone had severe headaches, loss of TASTE for food? My husband is taking 20mgs of Zocor and he has a terrible pain in his back in the center of his shoulders, knees crackle when getting up from a sitting position or bending to pick up something. His vision is getting very blurry, to a point he finds it hard to read, bouts of depression, cannot sleep, but, always tired, no ambition, thumbs lock-up like a Charlie horse, cannot lift anything heavy anymore. He started taking Zocor 40 days ago, and never been on any other cholesterol medication before this. 40 days ago he did not have any of these symptoms! I have a question for the people that have stopped taking Zocor and all other statins, what are you taking to keep your cholesterol and triglycerides down? Has anyone tried flaxseed; fish oil; cholesterol off and/or omega 3? I too, have many of these side effects, especially my left knee (my doctor says I will need a hip operation!!!!) sometimes I need a cane to walk, my eyes are also very blurry at times. We need help or suggestions, cannot get from doctors, they believe medication can do no harm. Would like to hear from those who stopped Zocor and all statins, thanks for reading, Helene

In Sept, I was given a script for Vytorin as my triglycerides were high while rest of cholesterol was in the good zone. I have taken Zocor for years with no problems at all. I am also hypertensive and type 2 diabetic. I take a lot of medications. I was told that there might be a possible problem and to stop the medication if it did come about, by my primary care dr. The chief pharmasist also talked to me about drug interaction that could take place due to one of my BP drugs. I had trouble from day 1, starting with severe HA. It got worse as the days went on and by day 5 I was a wreck, pains from top of head to bottom of feet and depression issues as well. I was unable to reach my PCP as he was in the Arctic Circle on training exercise. I stopped the medication and it took about 10 days for me to come back to what for me is normal. I then called in a request to go back to the zocor as it had not bothered me in the past. Happy to say that I have only the old problems that I have been living with for years and doing fairly well. I have since been tested for any possible damage and thank heavens there was nothing new. It will be a long time before I accept a change or addition in my medications. I guess if it sounds too good to be true it must be so.

I originally went on 10mg of lipitor a day in January,2007, experienced leg pain,muscle ache and weakness,so after 3 weeks went off the drug on my own.In June 2007 after talking to different Dr's I went back on Lipitor,10mg, figuring that I had not really given the drug a chance as sometimes side effects do subside after a while.I saw my Dr on July 3rd & my cholesterol had gone down to 170 in about 3 weeks.I told him about my symptoms, which were the same as before & he told me to let him know if they got worse.By August 30th 2007 I just could not tolerate the pain and achiness all over my body,I was not sleeping well as every time I turned in my bed I woke up from the pain ( We even got a new mattress fguring maybe that was contributing to the joint pain) My joints became swollen & red,I could not lift up my arms,they were so sore and weak,my neck was so stiff that it was hard to drive and have to turn my head,I had a constant headache and what seemed to me like a"fuzzy brain"I am 63 years old and have never experienced anything like this,I am an active woman with a great deal of energy and people who know me could not believe what was happening, instead of scooting ahead of everyone I was barely keeping up.I found myself not wanting to eat as my stomach was constantly bloated & in pain & I was gaining weight too.
I went off Lipitor on September 1st and the withdrawal sypmtoms have been horrendous, I went to see my Dr yesterday & he put me on an anti inflamatory drug ,I have taken 2 dosages & am already feeling an improvement.This web site really helped as I felt I was not alone suffering from the side effects of Lipitor.Many people I have talked to have experienced the same symptoms but were attributing them to aging.