Lipitor and crestor

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 Lipitor for five weeks. I can't believe how awful I feel. I ache all over. I my arms and elbows are sore; I have had pins and needles in my hands; charley horse like spasms in my calves (mostly at night); sharp knife like pains in my upper thighs; even my teeth hurt. I am a 46 year old female – I can’t believe this. I have made an appointment with my doctor as I have to get off this drug. I have experienced some blurred vision and hearing impairment too. If I hadn’t of found this website – I truly would have thought I was a bit crazy….
I have never had any symptoms like this before and never thought of myself as an old lady - but that is what I feel like. It is unbelievable.
.

Do cholesterol lowering drugs do any good? Thats a good question considering the debilitating side effects everyone here is complaining about.
Advertisements in the USA claim "30% reduction" in heart attack and strokes, but does that mean that everyone that takes the drug reduces their individual risk by 30%. Not exactly. The advertisements boast what is called relative risk reduction. The absolute risk reduction is what counts and is less than 1% on most statins. So how did lipitor do on prevention of events? Here is the bottom line: If you are a middle aged male, 100 MEN will have to take lipitor for 3.3 years to prevent one MAN from a heart attack or stroke. WOW! You have to treat 100 guys for over 3 years in order for one guy to benefit.

I to was put on Lipitor 20mg. took it about 1 month and had such pain in my leg muscles I couldn't hardly walk . I went to my doctor he said go off it and I should start Zocor in . A month the pain was worse I couldn't even walk around the mall . I couldn't sleep at night the pain was terrible. Once again I told the doctor he said stop it and we will wait 6 weeks and start Crestor. In six weeks the pain should be gone. It didn't go away I could hardly walk at my job teaching at a Pre School. The pain unreal.I have type 2 diabetes under control for years. Still is.I was told I had arthritis. But now they tell me I have spinal stenosis. I'm on paxil for the depression they said I had and. I feel as bad now as I did 4 years ago when I was on statins. I can hardly walk, my life is pain in my muscles that never leaves and now my back. I was active and watched my weight and walked 3 miles a day. Since taking these meds. I can no longer work, go shopping or go anyplace I have to walk . I have gained a lot of weight . I have something wrong with my knee .I have tried to explain this to 3 doctors and no one listens to me. My health turned for the worse when I started taking Lipitor in 2005. I don't think I'll ever get my life back I am only 58 years old and can't work to support myself.I can't even hold my 1 month old grandson and walk or lift him from his bed. Reading all your messages . I know my health going down like this is from the statin drugs I took . When I sit , I can't walk when I stand Then .I gotta sit in 5 to 10 minutes.And the pain in my knee has progressed. No doctor wants to hear my story and believe me. Thank God I found this web site and read this for my self now I know I'm not crazy. How can I get myself better ? Will I live the rest of my life in pain, and not able to function.Every time I see a doctor they give me another pill to take. I want to just throw them all away .There must to be an answer to this.

My cholesterol was 360 combined when my doctor put me on lipitor and I am only 25 years old. I had all sorts of side effects but dizziness was the worst. I went to ER because of it and doctor in the ER told me how lipitor does not cause dizziness. We all sure don't agree with that right?! The worst is that my cholesterol did not reduce much at all. After researching more about cholesterol I started taking red yeast rice and took that for 6 months and my cholesterol dropped down to 230. It is very important to take good red yeast rice because if you get cheap brand it won't do you any good. I got the brand called "NOW" ( u can get it online) and I wanted to share my experience with everyone else because I was able to reduce my cholesterol down to normal levels so fast without any side effects ! Now I am 30 and my cholesterol is 213 and just to mention it did not go back up once it reduced when I was 25 and i stopped taking red yeast rice after only 8 months. I also did not change my eating habits. I am thinking I should take it again for few months to get my cholesterol down to 170 range but I am not worried about it too much since It already so much lower than when I was 25 and it's not going back up. Another thing I thought was so great... When I went back to my primary doctor to have my cholesterol checked out after taking red yeast rice, when she saw how much my cholesterol dropped down in only 8 months she asked me to write down the name of the stuff I used so she can have her father use it too because Lipitor didn't reduce his cholesterol down significantly either !! I hope you guys will give it a chance for at least 6 months. My father is taking it now and he can't believe how much his cholesterol is reducing.

I'm a 47 male and took Crestor for a year. I experienced muscle tremors, constant fatigue and muscle soreness. Not just a little sore but as if someone had hit me so hard as to leave a muscle bruise in both arms. One night my left arm and leg began to tremor and it was as if they were too heavy to move.

What I noticed was that all of my little aches and pains became severe aches.

I experienced blistering on my hands, a common side-effect of your liver rejecting the medication but my doctor didn't pickup on the symptom. Instead, he gave me a steroid-based topical cream that actually eliminated the blisters but they would return within weeks.

I experienced lapses in my memory and I started to forget words. I would forget the names of things and I found myself substituting the word 'thingy' when I could remember what something was called (like a phone).

I visited the hospital 4 times and my doctor countless time. Each time my doctor treated the current symptom and not the person as a whole.

It became too much to bare when I started having chest pains that felt like something was crushing my chest. At this point I started to do some research and found forums like this one.

During my time of the worse pain, I felt like I was actually dying. I started to get my effects in order and finalized my estate.

I stopped my Crestor about a year ago, after about 3-6 months my muscles began to feel better. After a year, I am finally starting to feel like my old self again (not that I was all that well before).

Statin affect people differently, but there is NO DOUBT that these drugs can have adverse effects on people. Listen to the commercial for Lipitor, "contact your doctor if you have muscle fatigue or weakness"......

I started taking Lipitor in 2004 and by 2008 was taking 40mg daily. I'm not sure exactly when certain symptoms manifested themselves, as looking back they now seem insidious, but I do know they became bad enough in 2008 I went off the drug myself, especially after reading postings like those at this website. After being off the drug for a month, it was clear to me the most of the symptoms dissipated, but it did have a residual affect. I realized I had suffered a loss of range of motion (ROM) in my left arm (frozen shoulder) and have been in physical therapy for over a month to restored 80% of it. I could not have done this while staying on Lipitor as I was experiencing “deep” muscle pain and weakness. I still have some weakness and pain in my left arm and shoulder and don’t know if it is permanent.

I am Hypothyroid and take Synthroid and am currently going through menopause and am on partial HRT. I took no other meds other than the Lipitor. At one point, I thought my symptoms were stress related, but realized my symptoms were causing the stress. Aside from the muscle pain, spasms, tingling and numbness experienced in my left extremities, I experienced gastro intestinal disturbances, occasional vertigo, some lower back problems and other aching in other extremities (like that of flu symptoms). I also suffered recurrent mental fogs, which I initially attributed to some lack of regular exercise (although I lead a relatively an active life), but that was not the case, as even after aerobic activity the tingling and pain would resume.

When I told my physician I had stopped taking the Lipitor (at that time for nearly a month), he didn't blink an eye. I agree with previous blog; the idea of statins are to lengthen your life, but what kind of life is it when you are in misery and nothing short of ceasing the medication brings relief?

I'm not advocating everyone "doctor themselves. Listen to your physician, but most importantly listen to your body and trust your instincts when it comes to these types of medications. Symptoms listed about scripts described as "rare" are usually not that rare at all. You are not crazy.

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.

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!!

Hi, I am a 45 year old male with high cholesterol. prescribed 20mg. of Lipitor to control it. Am having a strange twitching muscle in my right calf since I started the meds. Forearms hurt, trouble sleeping, twitching in my sleep, apparently, tiredness. I'm worried about going off it. My dad died of a heart attack. Would it hurt to try going off it for about 3 months?

I posted several months ago on this string and wanted to update. I had bloodwork done for the 1st time since I quit the 20mg of Lipitor in August. LDL went from 123 to 210. Total Chol went from 191 to 285. HOWEVER all shooting pains I had been experiencing in legs, feet, and chst are GONE! Went back to my Dr. today, told her that same result and my serious objection to taking any kind of statin and she prescribed CRESTOR while telling me it was more potent than Lipitor! WTF!!!

I refuse this course, am drinking 30 - 40 ozs. of water each day now like I should have been, doubled my CoQ10 to 200mg/day, finally getting back into the gym to lose weight and get the HDL up from the level of 36 it is now. also started to drink the new yogurt type "shot" of Promise for cholesterol that provides 2 grams of plant sterols per day.

I will not take statins ever. I WILL find a natural way to keep my Chol under control. I've also been convinced that you don't have to be at or under the 200mlg of total chol to be healthy. Look at your C Reactive Protein and Homosiytes (sp?) If they are in range you should be good.

I know Lipitor was the cause of my rupturing each of my Achiller tendons a year apart while playing tennis in my late 40's Muscle pain soon followed.

Hi I started taking Lipitor when I was about 41 and gradually noticed a big toe becoming numb. Then later another toe became numb. I had just started swimming about this time with fins and thought at first it may have been caused by them. But then I stopped swimming and the numbness continued. I visited a Neurologist a couple of years ago who tested for everything and found some peripheral nerve damage to the feet. I said the only thing I could think of was Lipitor. He said here was no conclusive evidence it causes this but explained how nerves are made of Lipids and lipitor limits the production of lipids. I stopped taking it but later my GP said I need to go on something for my cholesterol. He put me on Crestor. I took a Lipitor the other week and my toes tingled that night. So I am convinced it is Lipitor. I am not sure how to reverse the damage though.

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!!

Being a scientist, I am reluctant to say my symptoms are completely due to the statin (Crestor) that I've been on for 2.5 yrs. Started with a bulging/herniated disk in my lumbar region 4 months ago. Then increasing leg pain and major leg/foot cramping at night. Had my blood checked for electrolytes and CPK. Electrolytes were ok but elevated CPK (muscle breakdown enzyme). Doc took me off Crestor and now a month later, no cramping and much reduced leg pain. Am going in for a cholesterol check next week to see what the levels are. I wonder how much the Crestor played in my herniated disk. Certainly it has played a role in the leg pain and cramping as I no longer have it to the same degree. The FDA and surgeon general talk about putting everyone on statins. BIG MISTAKE!!!! Maybe CoQ helps, but I am done with statins.

Eight years ago I started with 10 mg. Lipitor and took it without problems for about five years. Doctor wanted me to change to Crestor and within four months I could hardly walk, shuffled my feet and had pain in muscles. Switched back to Lipitor two years ago and this week began to experience muscle pain so I stopped taking it three days ago. Any time I am in a prone position, or sitting, the leg pain is incredible. Walking there is minimal discomfort. Tried a massage today to no avail. Any way to alleviate this withdrawal reaction, if not, when might it dissipate?
J. in Pain

Boy, after reading all the negative testimonials on Lipitor, I will throw mine in the garbage. That is what they are meant for. I have severe headache, and muscle pain, and foggy head, and I have only been on the crap for 2 months. I believe a lot of people's health is being ruined, and a lot of deaths are happening as well because of Lipitor and other statins. Mark my word, one day this drug will be withdrawn from the market, and the poor Pharmacutial companies will be in huge trouble.. They have the world convinced that we all need statins to bring cholesterol down.. The era when my parents lived , and lived long lives, and on farms, with butter, bacon, lots of fats, and never heard the word STATIN. I think every one that is writing to this forum and complaining about LIPITOR, should make a phone call to PYzier and tell them your side effects, that is the only way anything positive will come from this forum.. thank you for listening... I have called Pyzier and told them as well.

For the last 2 yrs I had a horrendous cough that plagued me night & day. My Dr. didn't know what was causing the cough, couldn't give me any cough medicine to alleviate the condition. In addition to coughing, I would lose my voice. I went to an ENT specialist. She found me to have pre-polyps on my vocal chords, diagnosed me with 'vocal chord dysfunction' & told me surgery would be useless as the pre-polyps would reappear. This last June, I had a bout with bronchitis, severe enough to seek medical aid from the Emergency room Dr.'s. While there, the Dr. treating me asked about my cough. After listening to my list of aggravations, he asked if my Primary Dr. had told me that 'coughing' is a side effect of Lipitor. NO! I hadn't been told that!! --But, I QUIT taking Lipitor that day, haven't taken it since & though I still cough, somewhat, it's NOTHING compared to what I'd been suffering--for two years!!..

I started using lipitor from my doctor, it lowered my cholesterol all around but I started to have lower back pains. At first I thought it might be prostate cancer, but after having to MRI's done they found no cancer, thank god. But I went to an orthopedic surgeon to see what the problem was. He looked at the mri's and saw lower dics hitting my nerve endings. He also thought that it might be muscle problems so he gave me 3 epidurals and that helped for a while took away about 50% of my pain, but I still have the pain, It is hard for me to get comfortable when I sit or even when I am sleeping. I don't want to think that it is the lipitor that is doing it to me but after talking with others I feel it is time to talk to my doctor about it. My doctor said that lipitor is the safest one that will do very little harm to my liver. I am not a doctor so I would not know.. My cholesterol level was 246 at one time now it is 175. I am now facing possible spine fusion to help correct my disc problem. But will also ask doctor to prescribe something else.

Alan

Glad I took the time to read the noncommercial posts! During my thyroid check last year bloodwork showed high cholesterol. I was put on Crestor in addition to having my Synthroid dose adjusted. A few weeks later I was absolutely miserable. Couldn't get out of bed. Everything hurt. My doctor thought I was "depressed" and asked if I wanted anti-depressants. Not needing to add another pill to my daily repertoire - I declined. Six weeks later I am feeling worse and just want to lay down and cry. The doctor had no idea why I would be feeling that way and was convinced it was either depression or thyroid issue. I was getting ready to leave for a trip to Mexico that had been planned a year in advance and was non-refundable - and I didn't have the strength to even pack the stupid suitcase. The trip was a bust - I laid in a pool chair just feeling crappy. What a waste!

Funny thing - nobody stopped to consider I've had a thyroid problem for 20 years and this horrid nightmare just started after I started taking Crestor! A few weeks later I stopped the Crestor entirely and after a couple of months I felt back to normal. Now, three years later - I've been talked into taking Lipitor. In my naivety (because I explained to the doctor that Crestor made me ill) I trusted that it would be different. It's taken three weeks for me to put two and two together - but here I am again - muscle aches - can't get out of bed. Everything just hurts. My knees, arms, mostly shoulders and in between. With all that is an overall lethargic feeling. Lipitor stops today -and if the pattern continues and I feel better in a few weeks - it's no statins for me ever again. I'll just have to eat like I'm supposed to and hope for the best!

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!!

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 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've been on Lipitor for 1 year and have all the side affects that you all are describing.
I've also developed an inflamed liver.
Any one else?
if I get more response, I'm seriously considering a lawsuit against the pharmacy company.

Tom

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'm a 46 years old male normally good shape,I was put on Lipitor due to high cholesterol and family history of heart problems.I've been on lipitor for four years , 2years on 10mg, 1 years on 40mg and 1 year on 80 mg.
The last 6 months I have been experiencing severe archiles tendonitis to the point where I can hardly walk. I am extremely disatisfied with this drug and have read a lot of complaints regarding this drug.

Has anyone else experienced this side effect?

Please reply to this post.

Thank You

Hi
I started taking 10 mg. daily ofLipitor 8 yrs. ago and about a year later I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. There's no test for Fibro, just blood tests to elimate everything else ex: Lupus, RA etc. I've been suffering so much from muscle pain, all the tender points as in Fibro and also diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. Three doctors diagnosed me with Fibro. and chronic fatigue. I had most of the symptoms everyone else is complaining about also. The pain in my stomach muscles are just about gone too.

It reached a point three weeks ago when I was having sharp pains all over my body and muscle cramps and charlie horses at night and I could just about walk up the stairs my hips hurt so much that decided to stop Lipitor. I was so tired all the time and in constant pain.

My doctors said it couldn't be the Lipitor. The pain in most of the tender points are just about gone but I know it will take a while to get out of my system. I lost muscle strength over the years and hope to get that back. I'm 64 years old and know it will take awhile .

I went to my doctor Tuesday and told him I took myself off the Lipitor and that I now remember being diagnosed with Fibro shortly after going on Lipitor. He got so mad at me and said that Lipitor doesn't cause a disease. As I said there's no test for Fibro and it's not a disease it's a syndrome or condition where the brain sends pain signals to the tender point muscles but there's nothing actually wrong with the muscles. I told him that 6 years ago when I tried going off Lipitor for 3 months and joined a gym, Curves, I felt fine and thought I was in remission. Then when I started taking Lipitor again I couldn't do the exercise in Curves and had to stop going. It never dawned on me it was the Lipitor.

I now have a problem with my heart, one condition I might have been born with but the Arrthymia I don't know about. My heart beats too many beats and it beats 4 beats and the 5th beat is backwards. Now I'm on 25mg of Topricin (the generic) beta blocker to slow down the heart beats. I don't know if this is caused by the Lipitor or not. My cardiologist said that Lipitor can affect every muscle in your body and she suggested that I get a RX for a blood test to tell whether I have muscle damage. I went for the test Tuesday but haven't received the results yet.

I'm going to change doctors, I don't like my doctor's attitude with me over the Lipitor. These doctors think they're God. When I told him on Tuesday about the 3 months that I felt fine 6 years ago he said that there are other drugs besides statins to lower cholesterol. I don't want to go on any drugs and the non statin drugs can cause intestinal blockage, he got upset when I told him that too. I'm going to try to lower it with flaxseed and fiber and see if that works. I go to Weight Watchers and kept 17 lbs. off for 6 years now, I do try and eat healthy.

I can't believe it cost me almost 8 years of my life in pain. It's even hard for me to get down on the floor with my granchildren, I have to crawl to the couch or chair to lift myself up and I get tired so easily. I just hope I get back to normal.

I'm so glad I found this website and figured out what was wrong with me. I hope my writing helps someone else dignosed with Fibromyalgia and taking a statin.

Thanks for listening.
Marie

Hope this helps someone:

Male 53, 5' 10", 180 lbs, slim
Occupation: Engineer/small biz owner and operator
Total cholesterol now is 4.53 (175), LDL 2.30 (89), HDL 1.43 (55), TriG 1.73 (66)

Presently on 20 mG Lipitor for last 2 months.
40 mG Lipitor for previous 8 months because lipid levels deemed too high.
20 mG Lipitor for 3 years before that.
20 mG Pravachol for 2 years before that.

SIDE EFFECTS I BELIEVE ARE DUE TO STATINS:

1) Difficulty learning/performing new tasks. I can read a technical article and forget most content almost immediately. I can read a book and forget what it is mostly about...difficulty forming new memory.
2) Difficulty communicating. I often stop a conversation in mid-sentence because I have completely lost my train of thought. I often cannot form difficult technical words properly.
3) Several times over the last year I have suddenly forgotten where I was going or where the location was...this was in normally familiar territory.
4) For the past year, I have often felt like I have a low grade flu.
5) I have decreased statin dose and improved my diet and recently significantly increased exercise. I am noticing some exercise intolerance and muscle stiffness that cannot be only due to exercise.
6) Extremely vivid dreams a few times a month (embarrassingly, howling in my sleep according to family members). This was the main reason for reducing dose back to 20 mG.

Most side effects were worst at higher doses of 40 mG. There has been some improvement since dropping back to 20 mG Lipitor. Symptoms first noticed to some degree at 20 mG Pravachol...got worse when switched to more potent Lipitor at 20 mG. Initially, I thought it was age. Both my doctor and specialist do not believe statins are related to any problems I've experienced and are convinced that any risks are outweighed by the benefits. I would like to see them competently run their practice under the conditions I've had to try and operate my biz.

I started taking fish body oil two weeks ago and have noticed a significant cognitive improvement. This may be partly due to reduced statin dose, however, there is lots of evidence online as to why fish oil will help some statin users. I started 50 mG CoQ10 a couple of days ago. My goal is to absolutely minimize statin dose or to eliminate it all together.

I am educated, intelligent and analytical. I am not a doctor. That said, no one can, and ever will again, tell me that the degradation in mental function I've experienced is not related to the statin drugs I've been prescribed.

If you look online, you can find a growing and disturbing number of statin induced side effects reported. This is especially true considering what was considered acceptable LDL a couple of years ago is now too high...doctors are prescribing statins in higher and higher doses.

THESE ARE DANGEROUS DRUGS.

I hope this helps someone. Recognize the symptoms and make your physician take appropriate action.

My father has been taking Lipitor for 5-6 years. It wasn't until my mother passed away in Dec. '07 that I started looking into his health. He used to be a hard working and vibrant man, but sometime in the summer of '06 he started doing less and less around the house. His hands would ache and so would his joints, he could not grip things like he used to, he would wake up at night in pain. He is 77 years old and had a stroke about 8-10 years ago. After looking into Lipitor I saw all the possible side effects and it warns not to take if you are over 70, have had a stroke , etc., etc., BUT the doctor kept him on it. Feb 4th, I talked him into getting off of it. We will let the doctor know after a month or so. Hopefully he still has a chance to get somewhat back to the man and workaholic father I know him as.

I am absolutely amazed at all the side effects that may be a result of Lipitor.I have been on Lipitor for approx.4 weeks. Accdg to my blood work, my cholesterol was extremely high...possible genetic factor.(father had hight cholesterol).My diet is fairly low in fat, exercised regularly, etc. I have had muscle, joint, breast, and all over body pain, nausea, headaches,decreased energy. I actually think I am having heart attack or stroke pain....I have become very anxious due to these symptoms. Having lipid profile done tomorrow, see the doctor next week. I am going to go off the Lipitor and see about an alternative from a health food store.(I am also a registered nurse)

My Saga began years ago when I had high cholesterol at 25 years old.
At 39 my doctor started me on Lipitor and I didn't stay on it.(no reason)
Now at 45(200 LDL) and at the urging of my father I have been on Lipitor for 24 days. He is on crestor. My father had open heart surgery at 41 and a second bypass at 55. He takes about 30 nitros a day at age 74. His brother died at 55 and father at 56, both heart attacks. So you see his concern for me, though being a female does help me.
Anyway at the time of my physical a swollen lymph node was found
on my neck. It has been there for over a month now and we have done
CT scans, mammograms & blood work . I will have a biopsy in 2 weeks on my neck. Everything has come back normal, however the pain in my
stomach started two weeks into the Lipitor. Also difficulty swallowing
like a chest infection. I lost five pounds not being able to eat much and constantly would get so bloated eating just soup. I went back to my doctor she sent me for a CT scan because lymph node issue too. Scary.
I had a biopsy on one breast as well because we are doing all these test for the lymph node swelling.
Well I have been popping Ibuprofen 600mg at a time to stop what feels like liver pain. I had hepatitis A so I know what that feels like. The pain was all over my top abdomen. I am starting to worry even more thinking I may have lymphoma. I start getting pain running down the inside of my right leg and the calf also. I spent 10 years in the Army reserve and was always fairly in shape so this was so out of the blue. I decided to go to and internal doctor because I was getting nothing from the family doctor and we still have the lymph node issue (swollen) He immediately said
stop taking the Lipitor after hearing my symptons. I still have to have a
biopsy on my neck but I am convinced Lipitor caused all the pain in my
stomach and fatigue. My doctor seems to think so too. Don't stay with a doctor that isn't aware of a drugs side effects. Definitely shop around. I hope to post again when my symptons disappear and my lymph node comes back negative.!

I took Lipitor for 4 or 5 years. I lost count. I am a type II diabetic and the Dr. threw tons of prescriptions at me. I was convinced all my problems were not the result of Lipitor because my sister's Dr. told her that if you had the muscle pain you would have it all over. Well I got sick of feeling like I was 85 years old. I am 57. I know I am not young anymore, but I couldn't sit for more than a few minutes without having trouble getting up. The right top of my leg hurt so bad some times that I could hardly walk . I also had really bad pain on the right side of my lower leg. I had pains in my neck and shoulders and attributed it to stress at work.Last, but not least I had terrible gas and bloating. The gas was downright embarrasing. Well I took it upon myself to stop taking it. Within several days I felt like a new woman! The minute I woke up one morning I could feel the difference before I even got out of bed. I felt like I had been given my life back.

When I called my Dr. to let her know she wasn't very happy and wanted me to come in. Well now she put me on Crestor and it's been two weeks and the old pains and gas are coming back. I am NOT going to take these terrible statins anymore. They say that the muscle and joint aches are rare, but that is only because most doctors won't listen to their patients. You know your own body better than anyone else.

I have heard that some of the "older" statins are not as powerful and they don't have as many side effects. Has anyone else heard this or had any experience using them?

All I know is that for now I am off statins.

I AM A 53 YEAR OLD WOMAN, I STARTED LIPITOR IN JUNE 2007, AS OF NOW I HAVE AS FOLLOWS.
HORRIBLE WRIST PAIN,
LOWER THUMB PAIN,
KNEE PAIN,
FOOT AND ANKLE PAIN,
SHOULDER AND NECK PAIN,
SCIATIC PAIN,
HEADACHES,
BLURRED VISION,
MEMORY LOSS,
PALM OF HAND PAIN,
TINGLY FEELING IN HEAD, SOMETIMES GOES INTO MY EYE.
I AM ON 20MG OF LIPITOR AND I AM NOT TAKING THEM AFTER THIS DAY, I HAD TRIED THEM IN THE PAST BUT AT THE SAME TIME I WAS ON ZETIA SO WAS NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED WHAT, NOW I KNOW, IS THERE ANY BAD WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS IF YOU QUIT COLD TURKEY?

This is a great site for learning more on this subject where we can get the real facts from real experiences.( Vs. the deception from drug companies who are in the business for profit.)

Lipitor is pure poison, and Dr.'s hand it out like candy. All cholesterol reducing drugs that contain statins can trigger dangerous side effects. Not many of us are informed about the real danger of statins when we are handed the perscription. Inappropriate prescribing of medications will continue to be one of the leading causes of death. And we, the patients,do not always receive enough info. from our Dr.'s about the dangers and side effects from prescription drugs.

I'm 48 yrs. young. Female, small build, (was) healthy and active, happy, and an empty nester! My husband and I had moved to another province and hence had to find a new Dr.

I was prescribed lipitor 10 mg. daily after a routine check up by my Dr. because my cholesterol was a little high.

I started taking it in the winter 2005. I stopped taking it in mid June 2007... My side effects were progressive , drug induced, and it escalated to near disabling.

I knew something was terribly wrong. Was it A.L.S., M.S., West Nile, Lupis, Alzhiemers Disease, or a new designer disease? I did not suspect that the drug lipitor was the cause until much later.

At first, my Dr. said it was menopause. I should mention; since I've quit taking the drug 3 months ago, I have no symptoms of menopause !
At least my Dr. has acknowledged and diagnosed the cause of these profound symptoms." Myopathy as a result of statins."

Signs & symptoms I experienced are as follows;

Severe stomach pain.
Muscle pain, aching , weakness, stiffness, tenderness esp.to the lower extremities. Eventually, I could only shuffle to walk.
Pain in the palms of hands.
Stiff neck, shoulders, arms and lower back.
Trouble getting up from a seated position, and climbing stairs.
Extreme fatigue.
Hot and cold sweats
Night sweats
Fevers. High and low grade fevers.
Ringing in the ears.
Difficulty swallowing, and fear of choking.
Pain in the esophagus.
Memory loss, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness.
NO appetite, yet a lot of weight gained around the abdomen area.Bloated.
NO taste buds.
Speech affected, slurring words and mispronouncing. Tongue felt swollen.
Trouble breathing at night, would wake up coughing ( and I was not smoking then).
Trouble sleeping.
Loss of balance and coordination.
Blurred vision esp. in the morning.
Sharp shooting pains in the Rt. thigh.

Most of the symptoms have now subsided. I still have some foot pain and leg cramps and muscle stiffness... and poor concentration. Putting this together has been done with great difficulty, as I seem to pause a great deal and forget what I was trying to say. The recovery process is slow but at least it's progress. My Dr. has not prescribed any more medication. I've done my own research, after the fact, and started taking coQ10. and I've noticed a big difference!

Quality of life? Well, I'd rather have high cholesterol and die from that, than be poisoned again by statins. What quality is there, to live an extremely painful, useless and unfulfilling life? We were all guinea pigs, and we paid a terrible price for this! I hope we all can recover from this with no long term side effects.
If you are considering taking cholesterol lowering drugs do some careful research on statin drugs before you take them, and read the testimonies from those effected by them.
sj.

I am a 58 year old man. I was started on Lipitor due to slightly high cholesterol levels. Within a few days, I was feeling flu-like symptoms: sore skin, achey neck and shoulders, I felt pretty much the same as when flu is just starting up. Tylenol would usually make me feel a little better. I also think it was causing some bloating. My doctor suspected fibromyalgia but did some research and has switched me to Crestor ... so far so good. I am also taking the Crestor in the morning instead of at bedtime. I was taking the Lipitor at bedtime and would start to feel the worst effects by early evening.

I have had extreme charlie horselike pain in my calves and behind my knee. I have stopped taking lipitor about a week ago, so far no improvement. I was told by my doctor I could go off of statins for a month and see how I do. I am hoping I can get rid of the leg pain soon, it is chronic right now.

I am 53 years old and have been on 10 mg of Lipitor for at least 5 years. For the past 3 years I have been experiencing tight muscles in my back and muscle spasms on my right side. I have had the following tests done - all of which came back negative: CT scan, Ultrasound, MRI, gall bladder scan, kidney scan, pelvic exam, even had a colonoscopy (that sucked), and went for physical therapy which the therapist said I had weakness on my right side. The doctor never even suggested to stop taking Lipitor but after reading these posts, I'm stopping myself.

I was on Lipitor for several years with no side effects. After time it didn't seem as effective as it did at first but maybe I wasn't watching my diet as well. I know I wasn't exercising as much. I've been on 4 pills to lower cholesterol. Zocor gave me stomach pain, as though someone's fist was pushing into my stomach for a moment several times a day. I went on Provachol with no side effects. My doctor switched me to Lipitor because she thought it was more effective. I had no problems on Lipitor. I'm now on Crestor - 40 mg with no side effects. My brother has had problems taking statins. Some have no affect on his cholesterol and the ones that do help his cholesterol were effecting his liver. He's had a heart attack, bypass surgery and has changed his diet and exercises regularly and is doing fine and has found a statin that helps.

I am almost 50 and have had high cholesterol for at least 19 years. I have taken various statins as prescribed by my doctors, including Zocor, Lipitor, and Crestor with mixed results. Although my numbers came down, my left arm muscles withered, coordination through out my body deteriorated, pain and numbness in hands and feet became constant, my liver began to fail, and I became aphasic. The entire time I was on statins of any kind I felt like I was poisoned. I have refused statins for 2 years and have made remarkable progress back to good health. I find it interesting that the man who invented the artificial heart peddles Lipitor so vigorously, especially since Lipitor is so effective at damaging muscle tissue.

Female, 53. I had been taking Lipitor for about 4 years, starting at 10 mg/day, then increasing to 20mg/day (at my insistence) to get maximal benefit and protection. At first and when increasing the dose, I noticed muscle pains in my legs and hips which subsided, and "restless legs" type symptoms that persisted. I belonged to a Curves gym and continued to work out regularly. About one year ago I developed tingling in my left forearm down into my thumb. I had nerve conduction and muscle tests which were normal. The neurologist told me it must be a cervical disc problem. The symptoms improved on their own, but then I developed tingling in my left leg down to my 4th & 5th toes. About 5 months ago, my leg muscles started to weaken and ache making walking and even standing difficult. I continued to work out when I could, thinking that it was due to the onset of menopause (which was also happening), but I ended up injuring my knees (chondromalacia patella) because of the weak quad muscles.
I logged on to this website and read some stories similar to mine, so I decided to stop the Lipitor. It has been almost 2 months now, and I think that there is some improvement in muscle strength and less muscle pain, but the patella problem and tingling in the left leg remain. My cholesterol shot up to 277 one month after quitting Lipitor, higher than it ever was before treatment. The doctor wants me to try Crestor, but until my knees are better, I'm afraid to do this.

left leg hip, knee and foot pain, Left knee swollen, unable to put weight on it. To date all tests by orthopedic, and rhumetologists are negative. totally unable to get a diagnosis attempting to get into the Mayo Clinic. Took lipitor 20 mg for 2 years recently switched to Crestor. Stopped taking all types of these drugs 4 days ago..still no relief.

female age 71-I took 10mgs of Lipitor for 4 mos. and then was switched to 20mgs. After one month I began to have nausea night and day. After many tests and no reason found, my husband suggested to stop the Lipitor. Within 2 days I was back to my old healthy self again. I'm now on Crestor and so far so good

I took lipitor, crestor, and a couple of other statins (same stuff) and each time I had good results for my cholestral. However, after a couple of months I became lethargic and depressed. I did not feel like getting up and I was like lead when I did. My memory became extremely bad and now I have a muscle twitch in my left eye( don't know if it was the med. though). I have been off the Lipitor now for about a week and I am starting to regain energy as well as concentration. I have taken this medication enough to be an expert on knowing what it was doing to me. This needs to be banned. Lots of elderly people are not going to know what this is doing to them. It could render them helpless and they want know what's wrong.

My husband has been on Crestor since early 2004 then switched to Lipitor this year. He started having low back ache about three days ago and continual tremors (painless muscle spasms) in his neck, face, shoulders, arms, and hands that have increased in intensity. He was told to go the Emergency Room today. They ran a full spectrum of blood tests including CPK, which all returned normal results and sent him home. After clearing it with the Dr. he decided to stop taking Lipitor and see if that makes a difference.

Has anyone else had tremors, muscle twitching, or small muscle spasms with statin drugs?

I have written several times on this page. The latest, I told you my cardiologist was unhappy when I took myself off of Lipitor and he is trialing me on another statin, Crestor. I immediately had similar signs plus nausea. I have again taken myself off of statins. I do not have a family history of heart disease but do strokes. My husband takes statins so far with no problems. I am going to try and take over the counter fish oil and Niacin and not tell my doctor. Then, I will take a cholesterol test and see what happens. I am going to watch the diet sooooo close and really stick to exercise. If it does not work, I do not know where to turn. I just don't think everyone can take statins and doctors won't admit it and think the affects without it are worse than with. I will keep everyone posted on my over the counter stuff.....nelll

w/o taking Statins by total C level is 300-320
I first tried Niacin, but the side effect had me with "burning" for many hours and I look like a cooked Lobster, so this was dropped.
I first tried Zocor several years ago in several doses, but total C did not fall below 240.
I then moved to Lipitor 10mg than 20mg and then 40mg . My total C dropped to 250 then 200 then 195. My doctor a couple of months ago advised a move to 80mg. I protested because was concerned that over the last couple of years I had developed Arthritis in my hands and major muscle pain in both my upper arms. he was skeptical of the linkage so we devised the following empirical experiment.

4 weeks off Lipitor and the Arthritis and Muscle pains had subsided 75/90+% rerspectively.
4 weeks back on 40mg I was back to the previous high levels of Arthritis and upper arm pains.
5 days off Lipitor again and both side effects have been reduced by 50%.

The good news is that I have seemingly found the cause of my Arthritis and Muscle pains. The very bad news is, to what medicine do I turn next. I am NOT over weight. I exercise 6 days a week min averaging 5-6,000 Calories a week. B4 I turned to Statins I was on an almost Vegetarian diet + fish, no fried foods, no butter, margarine, cake, biscuits little meat, no potato chips. In fact my diet was excellent so it seems the Cholestrol is a natural state for my body. Well natural in its production, but I need to keep it at 200 or lower to be happy.
My HDL is aroung 66-70 of that 200 while taking 40mg of Lipitor. But Lipitor seems bad for my body. I hear Crestor is coming under scrutiny as well.
No idea which direction to take next.

Lipitor, Crestor Age 57
Cholesterol 250 Doctor tried me on Lipitor 10 mg first. After one week I experienced the "can't get up out of a chair" that the doc warned me about. I also felt very weak in my legs going up the stairs. I stopped the Lipitor. My husband had the same problem with Zoclor and was angry that his doc did not warn him. My doc also said upset stomach or intestines was a side effect. When Crestor came out, my doc said it was a designer drug that should not cause muscle problems. I took Crestor 10 mg for 6 weeks and had the lab tests. My liver functions were fine and my cholesterol was down to 150.
Just one or two weeks later I experienced severe flu-like aches and pains, especially in my upper back and shoulders and arms. It was an achey, almost burning pain. It got so bad I just stayed in bed. My legs didn't bother me very much, so I did not think of the muscle wasting side effect called rhabdomyolisis. After two weeks in bed, my spouse told me that USA Today reported a death in someone using Crestor. The penny dropped and I stopped using the Crestor. Each day of the next week the pain improved. To me that was proof. I am back to doing my normal activities, but I continue to have intermittent pain in my upper back and shoulders. I sometimes have burning and strange nerve sensations in the back and shoulders. These feel like itching or when the novacaine wears off at the dentist. Several spots on my back have no feeling. After 9 months off Crestor, my back still gets sore or feels numb or gets burning sensations from pressure including lying in bed. A spine x-ray showed nothing. I think it was Crestor. Now I have some numbness that comes and goes in my face, but I don't know if it is related. I will never take another Statin drug again.

the following concerns another statin drug, crestor. since almost all statins work by blocking the pathway to make cholesterol....
By Lisa Richwine

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Twenty-nine patients who took AstraZeneca Plc's cholesterol drug Crestor have developed kidney damage, a U.S. consumer group said on Friday as it called again for a ban on the medicine.

The rate of reported kidney problems is about 75 times higher with Crestor than with all other drugs in the same cl-------- combined, consumer group Public Citizen said. According to its analysis, there have been 6.4 reports of acute kidney failure or kidney damage for every 1 million Crestor prescriptions filled.

"It becomes clearer by the day that this drug is uniquely toxic without offering any unique benefit, and that it must be removed from the market," Dr. Sidney Wolfe, head of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, wrote in a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites).

AstraZeneca insists Crestor, known generically as rosuvastatin, is as safe as other drugs in the family known as statins. The FDA (news - web sites) has agreed but promised to closely monitor reports of safety problems.

"Our data shows, with regard to that particular adverse event, it remains in line with other statins," company spokeswoman Emily Denney said. She added that AstraZeneca updates Crestor's reported health problems every week on its Web site www.rosuvastatininformation.com.

According to the site, "serious" kidney problems are "very rare" and occur at a rate of less than 1 in 10,000. Of all statin-related kidney problems reported to the FDA, 3.5 percent were related to Crestor as of early October, the site said.

Writing in this week's edition of The Lancet medical journal, AstraZeneca said Crestor's "safety profile is similar to those of the marketed statins. This view of the benefit-risk profile ... is shared by regulatory authorities in the 64 countries where rosuvastatin is approved."

The company's letter was written in response to earlier criticism from Wolfe.

Public Citizen said its latest analysis was based on reports to the FDA since Crestor's approval in September 2003 through Aug. 26, 2004. The reports of "adverse events" from doctors, patients, manufacturers and others do not prove if a drug caused a particular problem, but the FDA uses them to look for signals of possible drug-induced hazards.

Millions of people worldwide take statins, such as Pfizer Inc.'s Lipitor (news - web sites) and Merck & Co Inc.'s Zocor, to lower their cholesterol. High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease.

Bayer AG's statin Baycol was pulled from the market in 2001 after it was linked to more than 100 deaths, many of them from a severe muscle-damaging condition called rhabdomyolysis.

The FDA has received 65 reports of rhabdomyolysis in Crestor patients, which is similar to the rate --------ociated with Baycol, Public Citizen said. AstraZeneca says the problem, also linked to other statins, is rare with Crestor.

I RELUCTANTLY BEGAN 10 MG OF LIPITOR ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I WAS EXPERIENCING FATIGUE AND UNUSUAL MUSCULAR ACHES AND PAINS SOMETIMES WITH HEADACHE. MY DR. WOULD TELL ME TO STAY OFF THE LIPITOR UNTIL MY SYMPTOMS WENT AWAY. IWAS DIAG
NOSED WITH MILD SUB ACUTE HYPERTHYROIDISM AROUND THE SAME TIME . I BELIEVED THAT THE MUSCLE ACHES AND WEAKNESS WAS FROM THAT. SINCE MY LIVER TESTS WERE NORMAL I NEVER GAVE MUCH THOUGHT UNTIL NOW THAT IT WAS THE LIPITOR CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN TO
A ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALIST AND HAVE HAD TO HAVE MRI'S
X-RAYS ETC. THE TEST SHOW MOSTLY DEGENERATIVE CHANGES AND ARTHRITIS. I AM 52 AND WAS WATER SKIING ON 1 SKI A YEAR AGO,CLIMBING THE WHITE MOUNTAIN APPALACHIAN RANGE, AND MOUNTAIN BIKING AND SKIING SUGAR LOAF USA IN MAINE ON BLACK DIAMOND TRAILS. I FIND IT STANGE THAT I HAVE BECOME A DEBILITATED OLD WOMEN FEELING LIKE 90 IN A SHORT TIME AFTER TAKING LIPITOR. MY DR. CHANGED ME TO CRESTOR. I STILL WAKE UP ACHING AND LIMPING. I CANNOT GET 15 MINUTES INTO THE MORNING PAPER WITH OUT INTENSE PAIN AND STIFFNESS ALONG MY WHOLE SPINE FROM COCCYX TO NECK. WHEN I READ THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED ON THIS WEBSITE I WAS SO SURPRISED TO HEAR OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING WHAT I HAVE. IF ANY ONE KNOWS OF ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES I WISH THEY COULD SHARE WHAT THEY KNOW.

My Cardio perscribed Lipator four years ago. It did lower my cholesterol 30 points but I noticed some of the classic Lipator side effects. Intermittant dizziness, headaches and memory loss that could have been due to high bp, bp meds, internal chemical unbalance, anxiety, etc. No conclusion.

After six months or so I started having muscle spasms and then loss of strength. After about year I couldn't raise my arms level or sleep in a bed. Anti-inflamatories and analgesics helped but not enough. After several months of sleeping in a high backed chair, I was desperate. My research found the cause could have been the statin Lipator, so I went off of them. The symtoms were relieved and within two weeks they were mostly gone, except for weakened muscles which have never fully recovered.

So far that's classified as anecdotal.

After a few weeks of relief, I went back on Lipator as a test. The symptoms returned immediately. When I stopped, they were relieved again. Now that's close to proof.

Doc perscribed another statin, Pravocol. It worked and I thought we might have the answer. Several months later I developed tight muscles in my neck which I did not relate to the statins. It was a totally different muscle group. After a month or two of barely controllable headaches and neck muscle pain, I tried going off the Pravocol. Relief!

Another on/off test gave me all the proof I needed. I wrote my two doctors and told them I was off stains - permanently. After the government issued the new overly agressive guidelines of "cholesterol under 100", they wanted me to try low dose Crestor every other day. After a while I started getting similar symptoms and stopped statins forever.

What is most worrisome about all of this is the way the medical community is not recognizing the seriousness of the statin problem. When I canllenged my cardio to report it to the FDA, he refused. "It's not clinically proven." Otherwise he's a good doctor, although I've had to lecture him on the trade off between living longer at any cost and the quality of that life.

I turned 70 two months ago and lead an active life.