Welchol symptoms and conditions

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.

I have been on various cholesterol drugs (statins) including Lipitor with severe muscle weakness of the lower extremities. My doctor ordered Welchol and said since it contains no statins there would be no side effects. Within three days I experienced severe weakness and pain of the hands and wrists. It became worse as I continued taking this drug. I was unable to even hold a cup of coffee or golf. I discontinued it and it gradually subsided. I watch what I eat, go to aerobic classes six days a week and walk several miles four times a week. I am going to continue with this regime and Welchol is now my last experience with cholesterol drugs.

Have been on Welchol for IBS for many years. It stopped my IBS symptoms but does cause constipation. I try to eat healthier in order to help with that. About 3 months ago, I began having pain in my fingers. I thought it was probably due to carpal tunnel syndrome. In the last two weeks, the pain intensified and spread to all the knuckles on my hand; I also had swelling and redness. The pain then spread to my toes, the rest of the bones in my feet, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, and ankles. Next came stinging and burning and then sporadic numbness. By late afternoon, the fatigue was incredible, and I would become dizzy. I went to the doctor, and he ran every blood test available. Everything came back normal, which was great, but my doctor couldn't pinpoint what was causing my problems. He said none of my medicines would cause such symptoms.

My boss asked me if I was taking any cholesterol medication, and I told her I took Welchol for IBS. She said she had read article upon article connecting cholesterol medication to joint paint and encouraged me to check online to see if I could find any answers. This site was one of the many I found where other people mentioned symptoms very similar to my own. My boss suggested I mention this to my doctor. I was thrilled at the prospect of finding such an "easy" solution since my other medications are not easily replaced.

My doctor instantly said that there was "no way" that Welchol could cause these symptoms since -- as so many of your doctors have told you -- that it is not absorbed into the bloodstream. However, he approved my stopping Welchol as an "experiment". I noticed that many of you mentioned it took a few weeks or more for the symptoms to reduce. My doctor warned me again that this was not the solution and that in a couple days, he wants me to consider taking Neurontin or going on a sedative for stress. He thinks, since all the tests have come back negative, that stress is the real culprit.

I know that stress can cause many health problems, but it just seems too coincidental that so many of you have experienced the same symptoms I'm facing. Do you think I'm making the right decision? My symptoms are difficult to cope with at times, but they are not incapacitating. I would really like to try staying off of Welchol and see if it helps in the weeks to come instead of adding yet another medication to my list.

I would appreciate your advice and thoughts. Thank you for your posts -- they have given me real hope for a solution.

Been reading everyone's postings and now I'm scared. I currently am on Vytorin 10/80 and today the doctor added Welchol. I just had and ACL replacement surgery 4 weeks ago and my leg aches anyhow. I can't remember a time I have not had back pain, and I have arthritis in my joints and neuropathy in my feet. Any yeahs or nahs out there for you experienced ones? Is it worth taking, do you assume all my current pains will only get worse?????

I had been on simvastatin a couple months when the debilitating fatigue started. Since I have hypothyroidism I blamed it on that. The fatigue got worse along with severe depression, brain fog. Numbness in my hands and feet and kidney pain kept me up at night. And then the shoulder pain started. It was excruciating. While pulling a dress over my head, my shoulder literally blew up. Turns out my biceps tendon rupture and filled my shoulder joint with chunks of cartilage. After looking at my MRI the orthopedic surgeon said if I didn't have surgery, the excruciating pain would only get worse and I'd lose the use of my arm.
Now, after stopping simvastatin my LDL has gone up to 300. Dr. wants me to start Welchol. After reading the side effects on this site....um...I don't know.

I am a 62 yr. old female and in good health. In January 2007, my doctor ordered a cholesterol test and the results indicated a number of 237..."bad" cholesterol was not horrible, "good" cholesterol was very good. The doctor put me on 20mg of Lipitor without any hesitation... After a week or so, I started having horrible leg and muscle pain, so when I went back in 3 months (cholesterol 181), I told him I couldn't take this med, so he put me on Zocor. Really bad joint pain with this one, so I went back again in 3 months(cholesterol about the same) and told him again that this one had similar side effects and diarrhea. He then put me on Crestor...took this med, but was so lethargic and in a fog, my family told me to get off of that one. Went BACK to the Dr. in 3 mos., told him I couldn't take this one...he put me on prescription strength fish oil (6 per day) saying that this one should not have side effects. Other than some gastric/intestinal rumblings and some diarrhea, it was ok, but when I had my cholesterol checked it had gone up HIGHER than when I started this whole ordeal, so he put me on Welchol...saying that this one was not absorbed in the blood...blah,blah, blah... Still had the gastic/intestinal issues, SO when I went back 3 mos. later in March 2008 (cholesterol 200)and having already stopped this one myself, I told him I was NOT going to take any more meds for this "issue," and I would manage it with diet and exercise. I told him that this was supposed to be the best time in my life, and I was tired of feeling so poorly. He blatantly told me that if I did stop taking the cholesterol "you'll probably have 10 good years and 10 "crappy" years, and he was visibly angry about MY personal health decision. I had at one point during that the 1 year + mentioned to him about the information that I had been reading online...he pooh-poohed the whole "internet" thing, indicating that he had better information (I"M THE DOCTOR" syndrome!). Needless to say, I don't trust him, BIG PHARMA, or anyone else who says that these statin drugs are NOT harmful...My husband has since stopped taking Lipitor, due to our children and me noticing lapses in his memory. These drug companies and doctors are totally ignoring the side effects and health issues of the unsuspecting public. Hopefully, the truth will emerge, but how long it takes...who knows??????? I am glad I'm not on them anymore...I feel GOOD, and I know that whatever aches and pains I have ARE from aging and not drugs!!

I decided to read about side effects of Welchol. I just got back from the doctor's and she gave me some free samples of this. In the past, I had been on Lipitor and Zetia but had terrible back, hip and leg pain. I went off of those and I was fine. Started on Crestor- same pain in back, hips and legs. Now my doctor says that Welchol is not absorbed in the blood stream so there should be no side effects- only possible heartburn. After reading all of these side effects that everyone is having on Welchol, I am not going to even try it.
I am going to record everything I eat and try to control my cholesterol with a good ,healthy diet. I also have heard that Red Yeast Rice- available at GNC or Health food stores can lower your cholesterol. I might try that but for now I'm doing the healthy diet and exercise.

I've been taking Welchol for three weeks and have developed gastritis which I think is the result of taking this med. One of the side effects is heartburn which I do not have but I do have burning sensation in my stomach. Please respond if you have experienced this side effect. I hurt! Thanks! M.A.

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?

Going into my second week and experiencing irratic sleeping, lower back pain, occasional nausea and a lot of gas. I'm taking it for IBS and to lower cholesterol. I have also been taking a probiotic and something called chlorella, which is supposed to be one of the healthiest, natural supplement on the planet. So I was thinking the combination of all of the above was causing this. After reading all of the side effects, I'm thinking strongly of quiting the Welchol. Will give it one more week.

I have been on Welchol since April & have been experiencing several unexplained problems. I have been having "sweats" which I just chalked up to being menopause symptoms.........but now not so sure. I can't sleep & suffer from muscle pain as well as muscle spasms in my face. Is anyone else having any of these issues!

I had been on other statin drugs and experienced severe muscle pain in my arms. After going off the RX's the pain went away. Now my MD prescribed Welchol 4 months ago. I didn't focus on any side effects until I read all of these logs. I've been having severe pain in my knees, but it seemed to have subsided since I started using moist heat on them. The gas pain that I also have been experiencing I just chulked it up to getting older and taking fish oil. I wish I would have read these logs before I filled a 3 month supply of the drug. Now I don't know what to do. The Welchol seems to be working, but now I'm on the fence about the drug.

Just started Welchol after trying Lipitor & others. Have now developed severe vertigo & my right upper arm is killing me. I can't drink ANY alcohol because it makes me violently ill, almost to the point of throwing up, My doc says this drug is non-systemic & says I should have a brain scan...I stopped taking it 3 days ago-arm pain is gone but not the vertigo yet...I'll have to weigh my options of going back on it again.
Has anyone else had dizziness & lightheadedness from this?

All this talk of HAIR LOSS, POSSIBLE GALL STONES, ANEMIA etc. is really scaring me as my doctor (gastro-i) has prescribed it for extreme IBS. Am interested to know if anyone else has experienced hair loss. I HAVE been experiencing gas and feeling tired. Don't know if the tiredness is due to the Walchol. Am very uncomfortable about taking this drug after reading all these comments.

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!!

Been taking Welchol for 1 month,started two weeks after starting Welchol, pain in my right shoulder,constipation, muscle aches,indigestion,nausea accidental injury,weakness,flu-like symptoms,went to doctor yesterday,he brought out a book showing only one side effect-indigestion,send me for blood work.I quit taking Welchol or any other cholesterol med.My mother is 86,and she told me not to do it.LOL

I just started using a prescription of Welchol. After two days, I am seriously thinking of discontinuing taking it. I am not prone to anxiety at all, and since I started using this, I have some anxiety and I am generally uncomfortable. Some gas and constipation. My heart rate is up a little. I really don't like this feeling of anxiety at all. I am taking Synthroid and Benicar.

I have read all of the symptoms on this page and have many of them. I too was on all of the statins but had to stop due to terrible muscle aches, pain and fatigue. This is my second attempt at Welchol and the same as before lower back and hip pain, foot pain, lethargy and trouble sleeping. Dr said not absorbed by the body so no side effects, B.S. I also had a strange bout of anemia before, I'll bet it was the Wechol then too. I'll take my chances with the Cholesterol I can't live like this. There must be something else we can take?

I have been on Vytorin for about 2 years. Before the drug, I had not aches or pains. My cholesterol levels are good now but the quality of my life is not. I feel as if my joints have aged 30 years over the past two. Lower back pain has caused me to see chiropractors, physical therapists, and surgeons. Now, my feet are hurting so badly that I can hardly walk. I don't know if it's related, but since I've been taking vytorin, my 2nd toe on both of my feet has become crooked and it almost on top of my big toe. I've spoken to my doctor today once again with all these concerns and will be discontinuing the drug for a week to see if these horrible symptoms disappear.

This is my second try with Welchol. I have stopped this med because of headaches. Is anyone else having headache problems? Do they subside with continued use?

i started taking welchol a week ago, and now i am having muscle aches, weakness and black, tarry stools. according to my doc, this med has no side effects-- i just think it is a coincidence that i am now feeling this way after taking this, and i was fine before. what a damper on my day!

I have been taking Welchol for a week and a half. I have noticed a little dizziness and some muscle pain. I don't seem to have much energy either. Sleeping is what I want to do most these days. Not good. Just wanted to share my side effects with you..

Pain in knee and foot. Pain during walking so I had to limp. I am taking Welchol 625 mg. 3 tablets two times a day after meal, total 6 tablets a day.

I have been on Zuccor and Lipitor, had severe leg cramps and also in the hand. I have not noticed any side effects with Welchol, I have been taking it for at least 8 months now. But my sleeping is not that good, 2 hours a night does not seem enough. Zuccor gave me sex problems.
Etienne

Has anybody every heard of memory loss while taking Welchol.