Lipitor and high cholesterol

I am a 70 year old woman, I have been on 20mg Lipitor for high cholesterol, 200 total and 25mg of Spironolactone for a not so high blood pressure, for 3 1/2 yrs. Oh, my God, the Spironolactone is a potassium sparing diueretic that is very dangerous and has many uses I didn't know about or the terrible side effects, it causes breast cancer. It's also used to treat women who have an over growth of hairiness, or on a higher dose to treat hair loss and I've gone bald on the top of my head! Plus all of the good foods we're supposed to eat for high cholesterol, fruit & veggies one isn't to eat on this drug, because of lot's of potassium, what a huge contradiction. And muscle pains, and rashes, (eczema, atopic dermititis) that I've suffered from both.
Anyway, Lipitor, had know idea about the side effects until I looked it up on the internet and read these posts on here.
I stopped taking Lipitor last week and Spironolactone 2 days ago.
I had cholesteral test last week too and saw my dr. Wednesday. He said it was okay that I stopped the Lipitor, but not the other one, why not the other one worse then Lipitor and why am I on this strong drug, geez.
The pain and burning started in my hip for no reason, then my ankles with eczema which started soon after Liptior, then my fingers, numbness, can't pick things up, tingling, burning. Then my feet, yes, just like all of you I have these same problems. This is not just coincidental, this is from the drug Lipitor. I get severe joint cramps in my legs, feet and fingers.
For now on before I take any drug I've prescribed I will thoroughly check for side effects and not take it if they're seriously impairing like Lipitor. I feel like a cripple and older then I should feel, I almost just felt like why live anymore if this is how it's going to be.
Since I've stopped Lipitor I feel a little better, I read that it causes permanent muscle and nerve damage though, oh I hope not, I can barely walk anymore or get up out of my chair. This is all drug induced toxicity of my system. Thanks so much everyone who posted for sharing and enlightening all of us who are suffering from this drug and others.
It should be banned along with Baycol, (a statin) which was banned a few months ago because of these same side effects. With the studies that it only helps maybe to prevent heart attack, well I'd rather be able to walk again and hopefully all this will go away, the rash, etc.

Just had to comment on these side effects I'm reading about Lipitor and other Statin drugs. I don't take anything and I never will after finding this site. Guess what, I have had high cholesterol since I was in my early 20's. When I say high... it ranged from 240 - 260...remember when 250 was OK? Well folks, it's 30 years later, my cholesterol is just about the same range, and Oh My GOD...I'm still here without any drugs.!!! They lowered the range so they could pass out the pills!!! Greed, greed, greed. Do you wonder why our Healthcare system is out of control? Well, when you keep feeding people medications that are presenting the side effects they do, making them sicker, they just keep testing and testing and testing for other things. Let's do blood work, MRI's, CAT Scans, Spect Scans, Pet Scans...Scan away...and guess what...all comes back OK...hmmmm why not look at the drugs you're prescribing. We need to see "all the side effects" listed. Not just some. They're misdiagnosing, Alzheimers, Fibromyalgia, MS, Lupus, Dementia, Arthritis, and on and on when it's been the drugs causing the diseases!
Ween off everything and anything you can...take your chances...when God wants you, he's going to come and get you no matter what you're doing...right or wrong!

I am a 52 year old female and my bad cholesterol is fine but my good cholesterol is low. I have been taking Lipitor now for a few years and have numb hands and feet to the elbows and knees. My feet are extremely sensitive, worse at night and now I'm getting sharp pains that feel like a bug just bit me. My tongue is also always numb and I do get migraines.I have insane stomach issues and food intolerance. I also take medication for high blood pressure, acid reflux, & thyroid. I have now been diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes but control that with diet so far. Until four years ago I had nothing wrong with me. I am slim and healthy. I had a lump in my thyroid which was removed and there was a trace of cancer. Then like dominos all the other conditions lined up. I have had MRIs and all the tests and doctors insist that I am not a severe enough diabetic to have neuropathy. I can hardly wear shoes now and it hurts when I wear runners while I walk and exercise. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? I hate that my health has become so much a part of my daily life. Does anyone have neuropathy as a result of Lipitor and am I even taking the the right medication since I don't have high cholesterol?

I started feeling much better very quickly after being off Lipitor now 7 months. However, the symptoms I had using the RX has cause significant problems. I fell so many times with my weak joints and muscles, that I had severe problems. I now need to have knee replacement surgery after falling so many times injuring my knees and weakened muscles to support myself. I am getting cortisone shots in that knee, as well as physical therapy. My MRI shows a torn meniscus, stretch PCL very thin, cartlidge loss and debris, still swollen with csyt after all these months. With no meds, and lack of being able to exercise, I now have hig-chol back. On and on it goes.... a real catch 22. Take care of yourself, watch out for symptoms. I ignored sx's thinking it was stress but after reading adverse reactions, it fit me to the T.
My original posting re: Lipitor is Forestseaski on Jan. 2, 2009

C.

I have been on Lipitor for almost 5 years. I started with a low dose of 10mg for 3 years but my cholesterol did not come down significantly enough so the dose was increased to 20mgs two years ago. I have noticed my hair thinning almost immediately after being put on Lipitor but when the dose was increased the hair started falling out where now it is noticeable, at the front along the hairline, on top and at temples. It has become another problem, at this point, like having high cholesterol. It seems to be happening now at an accelerated rate and my scalp is visible from my hairline 3 inches back. Styling is now impossible without coming the hair all the way forward from the crown, what's left of it. I had no idea hair loss was a symptom of Lipitor until I thought about when it started and the fact I take no other medications. There is no history of this type of hair loss in my family. The Lipitor brought my cholesterol level down to preferred levels but if I stay on it much longer I will be bald on the top and sides of my head. I'm worried it won't grow back.

Less than 2 months after taking Lipitor I have been experiencing intense weakness of the legs, especially the hip area. A normally avid walker, last week really woke me up when I was unable to walk over 40 feet without having to stop from sheer leg exhaustion. I'd have to actually lean on my partner until I could manage to shuffle again- a shuffling gait is what I had to resort to just to make it back to the car.
This is bullshit because even though I've had some angina symptoms, right up until I went to the hospital I was able to hike; was still relatively strong.
So today I have spent hours researching side effects and have seen on this site alone many mentions of intense leg weakness and pain with Lipitor.
This, along with simultaneously educating myself on the truth about high cholesterol has convinced me to gradually cease taking this medication.

Instead I will replace with sufficient quantities of VitC, buckwheat combined with gingko, and of course I can never stop with the garlic because it is delicious.

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.
.

I am 20 year old female and have a bad family history of high cholesterol, iv been taking 40mg/day of lipitor for nearly 2 months.

My mother, who is in her early 70's, is diabetic and had high cholesterol. She had been taking Lipitor and the doctor increased her dosage. She was experiencing muscle pain for some time, especially when she woke in the morning. The muscle pain worsened and her muscles became very weak. She had been complaining to her doctor for some time. It took a chiropractor to suggest it was the Lipitor. Her doctor finally ordered blood work and her enzyme levels were at 9500. She was immediately hospitalized, tests run and IV's given to flush the Lipitor from her system. She was expected to slowly recover. After weeks, her levels dropped to 6500 then began to rise. Her doctor now says her muscle damage is permanent and plans to give her prednisone to stop the inflammation. This muscle damage is a terrible "side effect" for a drug that was supposed to help her. She can hardly get up or down from a sitting or lying position, can hardly walk and her lifestyle has been severely curtailed. She is also exhausted all the time.

I was put on Lipitor 10mg 2 weeks ago after my bloodwork from my yearly physical came back that my cholesterol went up again. Levels are HDL 61 LDL 176. After the first week I called my MD to advise that I was having chest pain and muscle pain in my legs and forearm. He said to cut the dose in half which I did last Thursday. Yesterday all of a sudden I had heart flutters the entire day! I am a 43 female who goes to the gym 3 times a week doing 30 minutes of cardio and weights. I eat right and overall I am in great shape except having high cholesterol. My blood pressure is great, had a stress test and echo last year both negative for any problems. I called my doctor today and advise that I was still having fluttering in my chest and that I am stopping the Lipitor. What good is being on a medicine that helps with one problem but then causes others that you may need more medication for???
I have been feeling like crap ever since being put on Lipitor and I believe that it is the medication that is giving me the problems. Last year my MD put me on Zocor and I stopped that after having the muscle pains. I am now hoping that things will get back to normal and I plan on telling my doctor that these "statin' medicines are not for me and there has to be something else.

I get these painful cramps in both legs the back of my legs above my
calf muscles. They always come after midnight when I am asleep. i
get up and I have to walk 30 minutes or more until they stop,and for
two days my legs are sore.

I am a 39 year old female in relatively good health. In the past year since taking Lipitor, I have had SEVERE thinning of my thick hair. I have lost nearly 2/3 of it, and luckily I had a lot, but I am thinning more quickly on the top of my head and you can now see my scalp. After reading this, I am stopping my Lipitor, tonight. I hope that my hair returns ... I have also had chest pain, leg pain, trouble sleeping, trouble with eyesight, trouble focusing, unexplained weight gain and extreme fatigue. I think I would rather take my chances with high cholesterol than be bald at 40. Nice eh? I complained to my doctor when my hairdresser called this to my attention, and she poo-pooed it and referred me to a dermatologist- who after months of waiting rescheduled. I will be BALD!

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.

My brother passed away at 56 of a stroke. So after having my blood tests done, everything was high, cholesterol, CR Protein....doctor put me on 20mg of Lipitor....the very first day, I had severe muscle weakness in my upper thighs, back of my calves, pain in my knees, pain in my wrists, pain in my fingers. What a nightmare. I tried it for two more days, called the doctor told him, he said reduce the dose in half........not a chance, I told him I believe in quality of life, not quantity of life. I'd rather be dead, then live like that.......and yet the doctor didn't tell me to get off of Lipitor!!!

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.

If you take lipitor, you will be interested in this.

I have taken it upon myself to do my own studies into cholesterol and heart disease. I painstakingly studied various countries comparing rates of heart disease to cholesterol levels in each country.

From the Data, I can honestly say that I find no relationship between total serum cholesterol and heart disease. More surprising is the data showing higher cholesterol levels associated with less disease and longevity.

Three years ago, my Doctor said he wanted my cholesterol lowered. He prescribed Lipitor 10 m every other day.. Last year Cat Scan revealed a clogged minor artery so doctor increased to 20m PER day.. Test results proved Cholesterol down to " perfect" said the doctors BUT the rest of me was falling apart.. Severe muscle cramps in both legs, fatigue, muscles all over had no strength, weakness, nausea, headaches etc.. My cousin who is a doctor had been taking Lipitor herself but stopped because of the above symptoms.. Both my Cardiologist and internist have told me to stop taking Lipitor for a period of time to see if these symptoms dissipate.. After three days I already feel better. I have begun to eat 100% healthy: taking vitamins: vitamin C, Omega 3,6,9. lecithin & exercise, etc. And praying a lot..

I was on Lipitor for less than a week 2 years ago and the muscle pains were so bad that moving my head was painful. I called the doctor's office and was instructed to stop taking the medication; which I did and felt 'back to normal' within a few days. I haven't had my cholesterol checked since that time, or if I did before surgery, no one mentioned anything negative about it. However 6 weeks ago I had a heart attack. Apparently my cholesterol was twice what it should it have been, and my potassium was incredibly low. So I'm now on Lipitor (standard procedure after having a heart attack and high cholesterol seen as the cause of it) to ensure that another blockage does not occur.

The only problem is I'm now bloated even though I've changed my diet drastically (no more junk food or soft drinks, no 'white' flour products, no dairy products with more than 5% M.F and lots of veggies and fruits). I've lost 3 or 4 pounds but my pants are too tight around my waist, and now I have a my upper abdomen bulges over the waistline. Besides that, I get muscle 'kinks' in very places and after sitting for more than 10 minutes I limp when I take the first few steps.

People have told me to 'keep taking Lipitor and Plavix' but exercise more. The only problem with that is that I have a brain aneurysm and the neurosurgeons don't think it can be operated on 'without it being a very high risk procedure'. The first one ruptured 10 years ago and since then I've managed to control my blood pressure. However the meds I took for that was what lead to my potassium being so low that my electrolytes were imbalanced. That combination of low potassium and high cholesterol is what lead to the heart attack.

I'm 54 and feel as though I'm losing control of 'how' I feel. Between Lipitor, Plavix and diuretics and medication for hypertension I'm not sure if it's one drug in particular that's making me 'ache, limp and look like a blimp' or if it's because of the interaction of all of them. How do I decide 'what' to stop? What's more important to look after first - my heart or my brain?

I am a 54 year old male who started taking Lipitor about 4 years ago. It seemed OK at first, but over the next several years I began to have increasing amounts of joint pain after exercise. Nor muscle pain, joint pain. And it seemed to be a result of exercise. By the time I stopped it, I was hurting after everything, not just exercise. I felt better within the first two weeks, but it took about 4 months for me to be able to exercise vigorously again. Over the years I seemed to have forgotten how much vitality I used to have. I am a physician, and because of the long lag time until I felt better, I wondered whether improvement might have related to other factors, so after about 5 months I decided to restart Lipitor. It surprised me that after just one dose, I got back all of the joint pain and fatigue when I was at my worst on Lipitor. I was really hurting. Needless to say, I didn't take any more.

Coincidentally, a physician friend of mine who had statin induced polyneuropathy had a similar experience. After his symptoms went away he found that after only one dose the entire polyneuropathy came back.

Stopping and restarting the drug is a way to test the correlation between the drug and the side effect. For such a large spectrum of side effects to recur after only a single dose, it argues that the problems that my friend and I had was due to some sort of immune memory response. I have not seen this in the medical literature.

I am off it now for about 8 months and am able to comfortably play singles tennis and jog - much more energy (and I took 200 mg of CoQ10 a day with the Lipitor).

I HAVE BEEN ON LIPITOR FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW AFTER HAVING 3 STENTS PUT IN I AM A 50 YEAR OLD MALE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ACTIVE IN SPORTS, MY LIPITOR SIDE EFFECT ONLY STARTED A FEW DAYS AGO, I HAD SEVERE PAIN IN MY RIGHT SHOULDER SO BAD I COULD HARDLY USE MY ARM THE PAIN GOT SO BAD LAST NIGHT, WE WENT TO THE ER, NO PROB FOUND JUST INFLAMMATION, SO THE DR PRESCRIBED MOTRIN 800 AND A MUSCLE RELAXER, WHICH DID GIVE ME SOME RELIEF IN ABOUT 25 MINUTES .
TODAY WHILE SHOPPING I NOTICED A PAIN NOW IN MY LEFT SHOULDER AND NOW THROUGH THE DAY IT IS JUST ABOUT AS BAD AS THE RIGHT ONE THEN AFTER DOING THIS RESEARCH I WILL AS OF RIGHT NOW STOP TAKING MY LIPITOR I WILL POST MY UPDATE TAKE CARE

I am a 35 yr old male and have been taking lipitor about 7 yrs. I have a genetically high cholesterol and it has been up to 275. On lipitor its around 175. Over the years I have been on this drug I went from being a normal weight and active to pretty much lethargic and sedentary due to lack of energy and gained ~50 lbs. I couldn't sleep. I got random nausea and fogginess in my brain to the point I could not remember how to perform my job. I usually had minor aches and was bloated. the past year everything has gotten much worse. For a year now, I have been getting large rashes on my body that itch severely and no medications have worked to alleviate them. I found out recently from my doctor that I have a genetic marker in my cholesterol that makes me 3 times as likely to have a heart attack. Its a portion of the cholesterol, i think its called LDL-b or something like that. Anyways, My doctor prescribed zetia to help with my cholesterol since the lipitor wasn't doing it alon. I begin feeling very sick when taking the zetia and after a week or two stopped it. The problems didn't end. As long as I remained on the lipitor, the problems seemed to continue. Its like the zetia released a dam of problems. I stopped the lipitor 4 days ago and have noticed that I feel energy coming back to me and the rash is starting to go away, but I ache severely all over. My shoulders, forearms, and legs are so sore and painful that I can't do anything about this except sleep so I don't feel the pain. I am also very weak feeling and I notice stiffness in my fingers and my grip is very weak compared to how it normally is. I have nausea and stomach cramps and constipation. I feel miserable. I notice its worse in the morning and gets a little better towards the afternoon. I typically took my lipitor in the morning. I do not know if there is a relationship here. Please advise on any help you can provide.

KMJ
07-30-08

Because of a “Global economy” - I suspect ingredients (even for Brand names) are coming from China or being manufactured in India with poor to non-existent quality control standards, and is the primary reason for the majority of Adverse Reactions to the Statins in general. Please take time to submit your complaint directly to the FDA, and hope they investigate and take action (see bottom of page for web sites to submit complaint).

My own recent experience with statins: After 3-weeks of being on generic Simvastatin 80mg for elevated LDL, I experienced significant fatigue, shortness of breath with tightness around my chest and a bout of Gout in my left foot. I would encourage patients/consumers to directly send their complaint to the web sites listed at the very bottom, if you are either a U.S. (FDA Form 3500) or Canadian resident. Also, if your physician is unresponsive to your negative experience with Statins (generic or Brand Name), inform him/her that you refuse to continue with this drug, and that you have sent an adverse reaction complaint to the FDA/Canadian equivalent. Provide both your doctor and pharmacy with a copy of the FDA Form 3500 if you’re a U.S. resident, so they know you're serious. Lastly, I'm back to feeling normal, after I "demanded" my physician switch me to generic Pravastatin 40mg (2 tabs a day - 80mg), manufactured by Teva Pharmaceutical - corporate HQ Israel with manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania. By the way, a 90-day supply of this quality-controlled drug is available at Walmart Pharmacy for $10. I hope this helps, especially seniors on a fixed income.

U.S.A.
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/problem.html

CANADA
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/compli-conform/gui-44_consumer_complaint-plainte_consommateur-eng.pdf
Contact Name: Drug Compliance Verification and Investigation Unit Tel: (613) 952-9906 Fax: (613) 954-0941 E-Mail: DCVIU_UVCEM@hc-sc.gc.ca

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!

I wrote the message below on March 9th, 2008, but I think it might be useful if I repeat it.

Please educate yourself.

Are you really sure that it`s high cholesterol that is causing heart disease?

All statins have similar side effects!!
_________________________

It`s very disturbing to read all these stories. I really feel for you.

My experience comes from seeing what happened to people close to me.

They all took statins.

I started to look for information on statins, and other medications in 2004 and it continues to this day although two of my relatives are dead.

I have nothing to do with the health or pharmaceutical industry.

I saw the suffering and it made me very angry.

I am an ordinary lady in her sixties who live in Sweden.

The situation is almost the same here as in the U.S.

There is very little discussion about risks/benefits with this kind of medicatications - or others.

I think it`s a good idea to turn to the Internet and books to get other views about the cholesterol issue.

Is it really true that it`s the cholesterol that is causing heart disease?

Are you sure?

Please visit:

*******

******

*****

Also search articles etc on "Stopped our statins" and on the names of the different authors below.

Also read:

The Cholesterol Myths (Uffe Ravnskov)

The Great Cholesterol Con (Antony Colpo)

Book with the same title (Malcolm Kendrick)

Overdosed America (John Abramson)

The Truth about the Drug Companies (Marcia Agnell)

Malignant Medical Myths (Joel M. Kauffman)

There are many more.

Please look on the Internet for more information about each book.

It´s good to have some other information than the one given by doctors because most of them have been "educated" by the pharmaceutical companies themselves - and why should they talk about risks, side effects etc. They are interested in profits.

Finally - here are some side effects that I have seen:

pains in legs, hands, elbows, shoulders, knees, hips, cracking noise in ribs, muscle weakness, loss of hair, head ache, burning, tingling sensations in hands and feet, numbness, difficulties to swallow, loss of taste, ringing noise in ears, cramps, insomnia, irritation, depression, difficulty with short-term memory and then advancing into more serious problems.

These side effects - for 3 different people - all over 65 - did not come at once.

All of them had taken statins for years (Zocor)

It doesn´t matter which product -all statins have similar side effects.

Search for "Stopped our statins" on Google. It´s a very informative site and under "print articles" there are som articles that you can take along to your doctor for discussion.

I particularly like the one from Weston Price Foundation
and explains the different statin studies and side effects. .

My relatives also had some other medications which makes it even easier for doctors (and patients) to say that it`s just old age.

I am happy for those who get problems right away because then there maybe a chance for the patient and the doctor to see that there is a connection.

You really have to look out for yourself and the people around you!

Good Luck.

In Feb 2007 my primary doctor took blood tests and put me on a diet because I was 100 pounds overweight with fatigue symptoms. Blood Tests indicated I had diabetes (126 mg/dl) based on an FPG, and high cholesterol. The FGS was repeated and it dropped to 115 mg/dl. I have been on a low sugar low fat diet since Feb 2007.

In June 2007, I was put on Vytorin (Statin Drug) for Cholesterol. I also saw an Endocrinolist who determined I was a Predibetic and had also Reactive Hypoglycemia based on an OGTT, and determined my fatigue and neuropathy problem was not due to diabetes. She recommended a Rheumatoligist to me in September of 2007.

In late September of 2007. I saw a Rhematolgist for my sleep problems and fatique problems. I had severe muscle fatique (firing pains and numbness), chronic sleep disorder. breathing difficulty during day and when sleeping, difficulty swallowing, vision problems, fluctuations in FBS between hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia symptoms.

He determined after physical examination I had Fibremalagia since all test points on my body were sensitive to touch. He also had his lab do repeat and other blood tests (CPK, Aldolase, etc..), and prescribed a sleep study done by a specialist in my area. He took me off all Caffeine and Vytorin immediately (As I have been off it since that date). He prescibed Diclofenac for Inflamation, Citalopram 40mg for stress and anxiety attacks, Zolpidem 10 mg for Sleeping, and he requested I continue monitoring my blood gluecose twice a day.

After Leaving his office I made an Appointment with the Sleep Study Hospital to have the test done the following week. The study indicated I had Chronic Sleep Disorder where my breathing would stop anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes during the night. The Sleep Order doctor also indicated that there was something else wrong with me out of his expertise.

In early October 2007, my Rheumatologist contacted me by phone and requested me to leave work and come to his office that afternoon to discuss my blood work. I was scared since they would not discuss it over the phone. The doctor dislosed my blood results and was concerned with a CPK of 2600 (should be less than 155) and my Alolase was six times higher than normal. He suspected I either had Polymyositis (not cureable, but treatable) or Inter-myositis (not cureable or treatable). He said he did not want to start treating me with a medication for it until he knew exactly which one I had. He said the only way to find out was to do a muscle biopsy (about the size of a pencil) on one of my large muscles preferribly a Thigh muscle.

In mid October 2007, I was scheduled to see a general surgeon and a week later I had a minor operation to remove a pencil size piece of my left thigh muscle. It was analyzed by the Childrens Hospital in New Orleans who were experts in the muscular diseases.

In Late October 2007, I was diagnosed with severe myopathy caused by the Statin in the drug Vytorin.

I remain on the same medications, have my blood tested every three months, and the CPK last indicated a reading of 900 (still very high, but it dropped all most 2/3 of what it was six months ago. It can usually take a year or so for most folks my age to fully recover, some do not. I still have the same symptoms, but the firing pains have subsided. My vision had also drastically changed, so I saw an Opthomoligist after providing her all my past records. She indicated I did not have any Renal disfunction which is good.

All the doctors agreed I should continue the stress, sleep, and inflamation medication and none of them have any reported inter-related problems. I am also on an AUTO CPAP machine when I sleep because I have two kinds of Atnea that affects my breathing (muscular and brain related). My breathing patterns seem to change quite a bit and my pressures vary from 7 to 20 and more so on the high side.

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

About 3 years ago my doctor precribed Libitor for mr to help reduce my high cholesterol. After about 3 months I started having these sharp pains in my legs. So another trip to the doctor and he prescribed a pain medicine. The pain medicine didn't help. So, I read about the side affects of Lipitor and there it was. I stopped talking the Lipitor, the sharp pains are gone but my legs muscles are weak and ache. I've tried pain medicine, theropy, walking and riding bicycles trying to build up my muscle tissue. Nothing works. Now I'm getting to the point of not wanting to do anything because weak and painful leg muscles. Has anyone found something that workd?

I Take loads of medications & have always tolerated all side effects but Lipitor has floored me. I have only been on it for a month but have ceased last night after waking up vomiting. I spent a day where I had so little energy I hardly moved & was almost suicidally depressed. I have no sex drive, such an itchy scalp that my colleagues were worried I had fleas !. No appetite, flu like symptoms & muscular aches that were unbearable. I still feel woozy headed but can feel some normality returning, my doctor will not be happy as I have scarily high cholesterol that needed urgent treatment, but I am afraid that I have to find an alternative as my reactions to this drug actually made my life unlivable.

I am a 55 year old male. I have been on 40mg of Lipitor for 2 years after having a stent put into my heart. About 6 years ago I was on 20mg ov Lescol for a year but I stopped taking it because my knees became very weak and I could not walk up stairs without holding on. I am now experiencing severe lower back pain down into my left buttock, leg muscle and knee weakness, and I also have mild depression or a lack of motivation may be a better term. I am going to stop taking the statins and see if I have any improvement. Several years ago, when I stopped taking Lescol, my knee weakness and pain did not improve. Through research on the internet I discovered that some symptoms do not improve by stopping the medication. My goal now is to ensure it does not get any worse.

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

One Jan. 2 of 2008 I had a stroke where the whole left side of my body was completely paralized. My speech was slurred and my son called the ambulance to take me to the hospital. I am 52 years old and am a Pastor. When the ambulance arrived and the paramedics began working on me to take me to the hospital I began to pray. I asked the Lord to heal my body. I asked him to take all my symptoms away and clear out my arteries if there was any blockage. By the time I arrived at the hospital I was completely back to normal. I give God all the glory. After the MRI the doctor acknowledged that I indeed did have a stroke and there shows damage on the right side of my brain but they just couldn't get over the fact that I had no residual disability. Now to the statin. Even though after all the tests they found out all my arteries were indeed clear with no blockages anywhere and all the tests on my heart were good I do have high cholesterol of about 260 of the bad stuff (this runs in my family). Before I left the hospital the doctor prescribed me to take 1 baby asprin a day and the generic version of Lipitor.

I know this sounds weird but that night I took only one capsule of that statin drug and by the next afternoon I began having pain in my legs and they got all wobbly and hard to walk. I had asked the doctor if there were any side effects of these statins and she told me that they were safer than asprin and that they should be sold over the counter without having to even obtain a prescription. She did mention that there were some very rare side effects (that only happen to 1 in 10,000 people) of it attacking peoples muscles but told me that if that happened I could just stop taking the medicine and the muscle pain would go away.

I never took another one of those pills but for about 3 or 4 weeks having muscle pains and cramps in different parts of my body. It was like something was moving around and attacking different muscle groups. I noticed one day that the muscle in my left arm was sore and very weak and it was like I didn't have as much muscle as before. Then the next day it was doing the same thing in my other arm.

Fortunately after those weeks all the symptoms have went away and I feel fine. The funny thing is I had felt great before taking that statin pill and only took that one. It was like poison.

Now since that happened to me I have been talking to many family and friends that are either currently taking or were taking statin drugs and every single one of them have had terrible muscle, memory, emotional problems since beginning the drug.

My uncle had surgery (not heart or artery related) about 8 months ago. I noticed that he was in very bad shape not being able to get around because of severe muscle pain and weakness. He was crippled. I was driving him one day and he was talking about all his pain and weakness in back and legs and shortness of breath then it hit me, statins? So I asked him if he was taking statins. He set and thought for a few seconds and said he had started taking them right after his surgery 8 months before and his muscle pains and weakness started right about that time.

I encouraged him to stop taking them for a few weeks and see what happens. Within 2 weeks he was much better and not about 8 weeks he is pretty much totally back to normal. He thanks me all the time. He said it must have been the Lord that prompted me to warn him about the statins.

I still have a cousin my age that has severe back pain and muscle spasms in his back that started about the same time he started taking statin drugs. He is no longer able to golf like he used to. I'm trying to get him to stop but the doctor has him convinced that the statins aren't causing the problems and that he must keep taking them.

I'm on a quest now to warn as many people as I can about these dangerous drugs. The truth is we are ultimately responsible for what we put in our mouth and if it hurts us we need to not swollow it whether it is the wrong kinds of food or bad drugs.

No serious side effects. I want to add my experience as I see everyone
here has a side effect. I am always wary about medication, and I have taken
statins mainly Zocor and Lipitor off and on for 10 years or so. I have familial
hypercholesterolemia, so diet hasn't helped much, and I have tried all kinds
of food supplements etc. I do take CoQ10 based on reports I have read, not from any side effect. If there are any side effects its not significant that I can
notice it. Sometimes I am forgetful, hard to say if its caused by the drug, as
the times I have been off it, has been much different.

I wonder if high cholesterol is a real problem, I wonder if high triglycerides are worse? Lately I found what seems like an improvement by eliminating high glycemic foods like rice and replacing with barley and oats. Barley also has some fiber and other things that are apparently helpful. Grapefruit is also helpful, but there is a warning not to take it, if you are already taking statins. Based on all this side effects reported here, I feel I might need to try once again, to try an alternative. I am maintaining my 10mg Lipitor, though I had been planning to move back to Zocor as its cheaper for me. I will take a test
in 2 months to test my current barley diet, and recent exercise routine to see
what improvements can happen. Then if successful, I might get off statins,
maintain the non-glycemic diet, exercise and in addition take a lot of grapefruit and a reasonable dose of niacin.

In the past I have tried ginger, garlic, Chinese herbs, and more then I can list here without much help. Occasionally I had been surprised by low readings,
once when I had come back from a 10 day meditation retreat. I have read that cholesterol can change due to stress, and this is a very variable thing. I have
taken lab tests within 2 days from the same lab and seen almost 20% difference (with fasting). I think each body is different and one needs to take a very long term, positive attitude of experimenting and not feeling discouraged too much, but always reading and trying different things and being careful of how you interpret the results.

I would rather ignore the high cholesterol, except my brother died at 65 from cardiac issues, but he also had diabetes. I am now 51.

openlotus

I am currently 44. I have been on Lipitor since December 2005. I was going through breast cancer at the time. I have a family hx of heart disease and high cholesterol. I have been experience many annoying joint aches, muscle pains, and so many other others described. I had to have a bone scan done to make sure I didn't have bone cancer. I am now convinced that after reading all your entries (and my in-laws telling me of these things), that Lipitor has been my problem. My family Dr. had me stop it for 3 weeks and then go back to see what difference it made. Some muscle pain subsided. Came back when I started it again. I am now going to stop taking this and see what other alternatives I have. Your stories have been incredible and helpful. I'm sorry so many have had to endure so many problems but am grateful you have shared your experience. God Bless you all.

I am a 43 year-old female, and have been on Lipitor for quite sometime now, at least 6 years. My doctor told me to watch for muscle pain as a side effect. After being on it for a year with no muscle pain, I was told my chances of developing a side effect at that point was very slim. About 2 years ago I developed severe foot pain which was diagnosed as plantar fasciitis, I went through PT and was put in a brace. Eventually I stopped the PT, not that the pain was gone, but I didn't feel that it was doing any good. I have not been without pain for the past 2 years. Since I am 15 pounds over what "they" consider my ideal weight, the foot pain has been blamed on that. I now have pain in the sides of both my feet and in the past 2 month its progressed to the the inside of my foot just below my ankle. I get pains which I can only describe as what feels like nerves snapping when I'm standing or walking. It is so much worse when I rest for awhile and then stand up. I feel like my walking days are limited. In addition to the foot pain, about 7 months ago I developed pain in my left hip. The first time I noticed it I thought I had bruised it in some way, but that also has gotten progressively worse. And about a month ago I've developed pain in my left elbow. Libido? What Libido???? I never considered any of these symptoms to be related to Lipitor until my husband recently mentioned that one of his co-workers was taken off Lipitor by his doctor after being on it for years because of joint pain that he developed.
As luck would have it, I only have one pill left--my prescription needs to be refilled, but I'm going to make an appointment with my doctor instead. I hesitate doing so, for the same reason that I've haven't gone to the Doctor about any of it after having had gone through PT---I don't think I'm going to be told anything other than I should lose the extra 15 pounds I'm carrying. But after reading all these postings, I can't help but think my problems are very likely related to the 6 years or so that I have been on Lipitor and I don't want to be on it any longer.

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)

I am 60 years old female & have been taking Lipitor for about 4 years. I recently went off the drug for 3 months, & in that time much of the muscle pain I was experiencing began to lesson. I have pain in both arms from the below up to my shoulder. Hip pain & leg cramps. I have trouble sleeping & absolutely no sex drive. Of course, my Cholesterol went sky high, over 300. I have only been back on 80 mgs for a month and a half, & all of the aches and pains are back ten fold. I feel a hundred years old.I have to make a big decision...die of high Cholesterol, or live a life of constant pain and sleep deprivation. This is really bad. I f I had to run or crawl to save my life, I'd never make it.

FOLLOW-UP to Nov. 23rd posting. Great news! My father has been pain-free for one week now. After he stopped taking Lipitor (but still on Plavix), he was still having some pain in his body. We decided to stop taking Plavix in case this was interfering with trying to "flush out" the remnants of Lipitor. Within one week of stopping Plavix, the pain became less and less, until finally there was no more pain. My father is now back to normal and has not felt a pain in his body for over a week.

On another note, I just finished reading "People's Pharmacy" advice column in today's Los Angeles Times newspaper. Someone mentioned taking Cholestyramine (comes in powder form) for high cholesterol and having NO muscle pain. The advice columnist, Joe Graedon, a pharmacologist, wrote that Cholestyramine was prescribed long before statins were invented. The side effects may include constipation, flatulence and digestive upset.

I am a 67 year old male. Very healthy other than high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I've been on BP drugs for 12 years or more and on Lipitor for aper 4 years or so. My cholesterol improved dramatically, but every joint in my body aches pretty badly until I start to move in the morning. (I am very active but do not engage in organized exercise...) As I think of it, these ache symptoms have increased steadily over the "Lipitor period".
I know most older folks endure some increase in aches and pains, but mine seem most extreme and are starting to affect my lifestyle.
Not much is written concerning my particular "Lipitor problem"......?????

I am a 34 year old female who was accidentally given Lipitor by my pharmacist instead of my regular Rx. I unknowingly took Lipitor for almost a month and had terrible side effects. I experienced dizziness, nausea, lower back pain, forgetfulness, clumsiness, hot flashes, and night sweats. Thought I was prematurely going through menopause. All I can say is Lipitor is a horrible drug and I have no idea what long term effects it will have on my health since I did not have high cholesterol. I stopped taking Lipitor 4 days ago when I realized I was taking the wrong drug. I'm still having some dizziness and bad lower back pain.

I began taking statins about 10 years ago because of a high cholesterol blood test, beginning with Lipex and then Lipitor about two years later. Until recently, I was taking 40 mg daily. I developed multiple migraines with auras after about two years of statins, then I had a 13 hour episode of transient global amnesia. For the next two years I had constant nausea and tinnitus, foot and leg cramps, with the migraines occurring frequently. At the beginning of this year, I had my first episode of paroxysmal hypertension. In June, July and August this year, my blood pressure was labile and it was accompanied by nausea, tinnitus, feelings of great weakness, painful tightening in left arm, shakiness, enervation. The general physician I saw in hospital thought my migraines could be triggering the paroxysmal blood pressure. (Later when I read the weight of anecdotal evidence on the internet, I asked myself whether both were triggered by Lipitor.) It was then discovered that I had acute gastritis. When I was told that the cause might be one of the drugs I was taking, I looked up Lipitor on the internet. I could see so many of my own symptoms but the standout side effect for me was transient global amnesia. After reading the many websites on Lipitor side effects, I asked myself whether both were triggered by the Lipitor. I stopped the Lipitor immediately and the doctor I was seeing at that time agreed that my decision was the right one. However, my general practitioner only accepts the peripheral neuropathies and tinnitus as Lipitor side effects because TGA is not listed in Pfizer's patient notes. When I contacted Pfizer, they said TGAs were not listed in their research material, but when I pressed the point, admitted that TGAs are a form of amnesia, which is listed but only in the material given out to doctors on request.

My husband is also on Lipitor for CAD. Although his cholesterol readings were low, his doctor doubled his dose of Lipitor. Since that time he developed appalling short term memory problems and could not think through relatively simple problems without a great effort. He cut the dose by half without reference to his doctor, and his short term memory had definitely improved. He is considering his next step.

I am 36 years old and have been on Lipitor 40 for about 5 years. Over time, I have noticed it very difficult to concentrate and focus. I am always dragging, and my shoulders, neck and legs always ache. I guess I chalked most of it up to getting old. But recently, I started to get burining, shooting pains in my left elbow area (doctor says tennis elbow). After doing a little research - I was shocked to find that almost every symptom that I have- can be related back to Lipitor. I stopped taking it for a few weeks, and I started to feel a little better. I stopped because I couldn't afford it. Once I was able to refill my prescription- the same issues started again. I think that I am going to stop it for good, and document changes in my body. Hopefully for the better

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 am 55 years old, and was put on Lipitor 1 month ago for over the top, sky HIGH cholesterol. Having a high risk background of heart disease in my genes, the Dr. recommended it to bring down Cholesterol #'s to a manageable, SAFE level.Diet alone over the past 2 years has not done it.

After ONLY 2 weeks of daily taking 10 mg daily, I was awakened from a sound sleep in the middle of the night with legs cramps so severe that I could NOT work them out, lie still, or get comfortable.When I did finally fall asleep again, I woke up with muscles so tender and sore in my calves, that I had difficulty walking around !

Week # 4 ~ tightening in left shoulder, back of neck, and left upper arm. It feels like I am bruised, and hurts to turn my neck.

I am beginning to wonder if this medication is safe ? I read that its side effects were much less than others to lower the cholesterol.

I am at a loss and do not what to do, neither does the Dr !

I took lipitor for almost two years (42). Started having a pain in my upper thigh as if someone was turning a screw driver into my leg. The pain progressed into my right hip that felt like someone was trying to "unscrew" my hip out of the socket. The pain progressed down my leg - i.e. sciatica pain. The pain got so bad that I could not sleep at night and if I did fall asleep the pain would be so bad I would wake up crying.
I went to my regular doctor and an orthopedic doctor. Had xrays, ct, and mri's. Blood work for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, etc. No bad results. I asked my physician if the Lipitor could cause it - "no" was the answer. My prescription for lipitor ran out and I was off of it for three months. I noticed significant relief in the above mentioned symptoms but still did not relate it back to the lipitor until I had a new prescription refilled and within a week I was "crying" in pain again. I immediately stopped the lipitor and within a few more months all the pains were gone. It still took me a while to get "comfortable" in bed to sleep - the pain had obviously affected me psychologically as well and I was still afraid that I would wake up in pain.
I do sometimes feel the pain in my right hip if I sit for extended periods of time but nothing like the above. I am an RN. I have told the above story to several physicians at the hospital and they always react like they don't believe it.

I was put on Lipitor for borderline high cholesterol. I don't remember the dose. I have Type II diabetes. My A1c was controlled at between 6.5% and 6.9%. Except for the first three months of being diagnosed with DM II, my A1c was always under 7%. 3 months after starting lipitor (6 years after being diagnosed)my after meal glucose level was over 300 and sometimes over 400 whether I ate carbs or not. My A1c went over 8%. My diabetes meds were changed because my doctor had not heard of such an effect and didn't believe that it was the lipitor. So I took it for three more months. A1c still over 8%. I found a few studies on medline that say that a small population of people lose glycemic control when on atorvastatin. I told this to my doctor and told them that I refused to take it any more. They put in my chart that I stopped taking it against medical advice. My A1C was 7.2% within three months. Please make sure that if you are taking lipitor, have your blood sugar checked once in a while.

I'm aged 51 and have had high blood cholesterol for years, diagnosed in my mid thirties. Over the years I have tried changing diet but it didn't reduce tha bad cholesterol. Three years ago I decided maybe I better reduce the cholesterol as they say it clogs up you arteries etc. I went to the doctor and he put me on Lipitor and within a few months my levels were down to normal. I got joint pains in my hands, back, neck , legs and had sore heels after long walks. The doc then decided I'd go off the Lipitor to see if my levels stayed normal but they went back up. After a week the new pains had gone away. I came up with a plan to take 3 x 10mG a week rather than one each day and this worked with a lot less joint pain. The last test I had my levels are back up again so he put me back on 10mG a day and now three weeks later the pains have built back up and I don't like them. Desperate for a different solution I was listening to one of the Juice Plus promotions and something they said set me thinking. They said that having a high level of bad cholesterol doesn't always mean it will badly affect your arteries as it has to react with free radicals in your body to cause the damage. Their theory is that a diet rich in antioxidants will combat the free radicals and generally reduce the risk of disease which also includes any bad effects from high bad cholesterol. Now I'm wondering two things, how do I know if my high cholesterol is causing me any harm? is there a test I can get done to measure how it is or is not affecting me? Can anyone throw any more light on this?

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

I am a 46 year old male prescribed Lipitor by my doctor for cholesterol above 300 and high triglycerides. 10 mgs for approx 5 months. During this time have developed muscle pain and weakness. Thought I was just getting older. Left shoulder pain started, I have never had shoulder pain in my life (avid weight lifter). Strength and muscle deteriorated rapidly, wasting of shoulder and upper arm. Got extremely tired and confused. Started having short term memory problems, could hardly get out of bed in the morning to come to work...became depressed and despondant. Took myself off two days ago, no improvement yet. Right hip has been aching badly, have been walking with a limp. Just a miserable experience, wish i had known about all this ahead of time, never would have agreed to take it. This has been a humbling and dibilitating experience, feel the life just being sucked out of you. Look forward to relief at some point. If anyone is thinking about taking it....dont!

62 yo female. I have been on 20mg Lipitor for a few years and the doctor ignored my complaints of thigh pain when I wake up in the mornings. When last tested my cholesteral level was still higher than she thought acceptable so the dose was increased to 40mg. I lasted on that for about 3 weeks. Unbearable pain all day rather than just in the mornings. I am back on 20mg but only taking one every second day. I am feeling so much better - less pain and much more energy (which I never associated with the meds). I am wondering if anyone else has experienced a problem with urine output. I have had this problem for a few years and after reading doing some internet research last night I am now wondering if that is also a result of taking Lipitor. I am very close to ceasing the Lipitor altogether as I think the cure may be worse than the disease!!