Lipitor and chest pains

I have been taking LIPITOR for about 1.5 years and have been feeling the cotton head but thought it was allergies. for about 8 months or so I have been feeling pain on the left side of my chest and upper back by the shoulder plates. I've told my doctor and had several tests done incl. MRI, C-scan, etc. Once I even had to go to the emergency room thinking I was having a heart attack. But the doc. said the EKG was normal and that it might be muscular. I have not read that anyone else is having the chest symptoms. This is very scary to me. Lately I feel my neck getting stiff and I am also constantly tired and keep waking up at night and have a hard time going back to sleep. I don't seem to have the arm or leg pains that most people here seem to be suffering from but am now convinced it's LIPITOR since it is the only prescription medicine I am taking. I would appreciate hearing from someone who has had the same symptoms I've described above. I stopped taking Lipitor about 4 days ago and do feel already less tired but the upper body pain is still present.

I have been taking 10 mg.lipitor for 3 years or more....I seem to loose track of time because my memory is so bad....I ache and hurt all the time...I have severe back pain...Sometimes my back hurts so bad I cannot do any of my housework....All of my muscles just ache and hurt...I am 47 and I am steadily going downhill with my health....I feel nauseas for no reason...I have headaches...I told my doctor all of these symptoms and she has run all kinds of tests...They all come back normal...She has no idea why I have no energy and why I feel the way I do....She set me up for a stress test because I was complaining with chest pains...That test was normal...She set me up a sleep study...I am now sleeping with a cpap machine with the pressure set at 11.4...After going through all of these tests, I still feel like crap...I was sure after the sleep study things were going to get better...Then I started having such bad pains in the bottom of my feet...I could just be laying in bed and my feet would be throbbing with pain....and when I would try to get out of bed I could hardly walk...After about 5 or 10 minutes I could walk okay but the pain was still there....This is when I started looking around on the internet to see if I could find out what my problem was...I found this site and begin reading all of the side effects of lipitor...I knew right away that this was most likely my problem...I stopped taking lipitor 3 days ago....The only difference I can tell so far is that the pain in my feet is not as bad...I can hardly wait for the next morning because I am so anxious to see how I am going to feel...I am just wondering how long will it take for me to get back to my old self....oh I forgot about my stomach pain...The bottom of stomach hurts so bad at times...I told my doctor and she examined me and ran more tests but found nothing....My doctor does not know I have stopped taking lipitor...I have read that taking vitamin c or fish oil will help with lowering cholesterol..Does anyone know if this really works???

I have been on Lipitor for 5-years. I've been on 40mg of Lipitor, and just today my Endocrinologist (I am a Type 2 Diabetic) just increased the Lipitor to 80mg. I am not filling the prescription until I speak with my Cardiologist who is the original prescriber of the Lipitor for me. But after reading posts here, I have determined that most of my symptoms are all related to this Drug, including I think, my chest pains. I had a heart attack in 1995 and double-bypass surgery, and am on a plethora of drugs, and would like to talk to more of you about this and your experiences - So please email me and I hope we can talk about this together.

my husband had never been one to go to G.P.s or have reason to take prescription medication( not even an aspirin ) . Finally had a medical test- Cholesterol was high- was not given a chance to change his eating habits- and was placed on LIPITOR ( this was 18 months ago ) and since- everything has gone downhill from there. He has suffered nausea, blacked out, had headaches/tingling sensation,chest pains, aching/fatigue to legs/feet and arms. - shoulder pain- has problems getting up from bed or from sitting position- has generally lost power in his arms and legs. His doctor was advised over the past several months of his pains- but had no idea what caused them and changed the script to Crestor. ( still a Statin drug ). Have ( on good avice from chemist assistant ) now got him on daily dose of Q10- and he ( 2 weeks ago ) decided to stop taking the Lipitor or any other cholesterol lowering statin drug- of his own choosing. He has had several visits to podiatrist to help alleviate the pain to his feet - which are sore and swollen. His liver levels were also high at on stage. All this has happened to him sine he started the Lipitor statin. Prior to this- He has never had previous medical conditions or medication. Seems to point the finger at one reason- LIPITOR !!!!!- THEY CANT BLAME IT ON ANYTHING ELSE. Just want him to get back some energy. He is 56. One more story to add to the thousands of complaints, Why isn't anyone in the medical field / lawyers commenced a full investigation to all these complaints? thousands of people cant be wrong. Bring on Erin B.

I'm a 53 year old male,I've been a RN.on cardiac floors for almost 18 years. Prior to starting on lipitor I had been taking Tricor,at that time I started to have frequent chest pains,mid-sternal with pressure. I went for a CT of the heart,stress test,EKG and various blood test all came back negative however I continue to experience the chest pains.Finally I stopped the Tricor and the chest pains also stopped,just to be sure I started to take the Tricor about a month later at half the dose I was on originally, after only two doses the chest pains came back. Now I've started taking Lipitor(at this point I've only taken 7, 10 mg. doses) and the exact same type of chest pains have started again,I was on the verge of going to the ER yesterday. I stopped the Lipitor and the chest pain were almost completely gone today hopefully by tomarrow I'll be back to normal but it seems like the Lipitor symptoms are longer lasting plus I've been very sleepy and kinda foggy mentally.

I would like to worn anybody who is about to start to use Lipitor to please read the side effects first. I have been using Lipitor 40 mg for the past four years, and durning that time landed 3 times in hospital (taken by ambulace) with misterious chest pains, plus several visit do the doctor with the same complain. After the check-up , they told me I had muscle inflammation and was given strong pain-killers. The pain in my chest muscles was so severe, that I couldn't move, or take a breath... I also experienced progressing lack of concentration, hair-loss, numbness in my both feet, memory loss, and bad itching on my legs. Just recently I had a severe pain in my chest again and started to ask myself what is causing it. I read the information leaflet (for the first time...!!!) from my Lipitor tablet box and decided to stop taking it. It's been mow 4 days, and no pain. However, I still wonder if there is some permament damage done to my system, as it is too early to tell.

I have been on Lipitor 10 mg for three months. Have been experiencing chest pains, muscle aches...more recently increased urination...atleast 4 times at night, and too many times to count a day. Definetley lose of sex drive, and have been experiencing anxiety.

Have been on Lipitor 10mg for about 4 weeks. Am being treated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as counselling for major life changes required as a result of the trauma.

Since taking Lipitor, sleeping is in increments of one to one & a half hours (sleep deprivation is getting worse), nightmares, headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light, frequent fever & fever like symptoms (especially when it is warm outside), violent shaking of the entire body, loss of apetite, urinary incontinence, urinary urgency, depression (severe), chest pains, racing heart, malaise, dry mouth, diarrhea, nauseated, eye hemorrage, change in taste (most things taste like sawdust), confusion and disorientation, loss of balance, feeling of deep fatigue, stomach pains, CTS flare ups (very bad), acne, problems with memory such as loss for words when speaking, anxiety.

I have always had extreme sensitivity to medications. At first, I thought the foregoing were 'anxiety attacks' somehow related to the PTSD. However, these symptoms only started to manifest, and have intensified, since taking this medication. Today I stop taking it ... the side effects are not worth it, it is enough to deal with trauma and life changes without having all of these side effects exacerbate the condition.

Sorry, this medication is causing too many issues ... just not worth it.

I am a 45, male and I recently experienced a severly torn bicep muscle and a friend mentioned to me that it could be related to degenerative muscle loss from Lipitor. After reading all the articles posted here I realized I have been suffering for 6-7 years.

I have had, ringing in my ears, muscle cramps, disabling lower back pain, skin lesions, swollen neck to the point I can't look up any more, anxiety, depression, racing heart beat, weight gain and high appetite and chest pains. Over the years I have had several of the episodes you all have described and I attributed them all, AND SO DID MY DR. to something else.

The muscle tear in my bicep seemed wierd since I have been to the gym regularly for 2 years. My wife thinks I'm a hypochondriac for complaing about every little pain, but in retrospect it must have been the Lipitor.

At a recent check up all my numbers were great, and I remember my Dr. telling me that the benefits of this drug out weighed the side effects, but I would like to see the proof.

Would anyone recommend a less side effect laden drug?