Lipitor and immobility

I suffered a large MI 22/11/2003 and as well as three stents, was placed on a drug therapy that included 40mg lipitor. My life expectancy is not long and I have already exceeded expectations. on 8/12/2003 I had a left side stroke and during the next six months, the pain and immobility in my left side increased which I considered to be my fate after my stroke. I collapsed two weeks ago and was hospitalized while tests were carried out to find out the reason. I am still under review but I took this as an opportunity on discharge to stop the lipitor and see what happens. After ten days the pain in my left foot and ankle, left hip and pain in the chest almost vanished. The left shoulder pain was reduced to being almost non-existant and the lower back pain also. I could almost run upstairs now and no longer feel like a cripple. However I re-introduced a 10mg dose of Lipitor and within 24 hours the pain, discomfort and immobility were back to as bad as before. I do not intend to suffer the last few months of my life in agony and will consider other options. I am having another Liver function and cholesterol test in 10 days time. I will see what my values will show then.

Thanks to this website, I've learned that my mother is not alone. She has been on Lipitor for 5+ years. She is suffering from rhabdomyolysis and myotosis. Her sympthoms are severe muscle pain, every daily task is 10 tens as difficult. She can not raise her arms over her head to brush her hair. She has difficulty walking, or picking up a kitchen pan. Her doctors have prescribed Prednisone and Azathiprine because she has horrible bruise like blotches all over her body. The doctors seem to think she has arthritis, so they've prescribed- Methotrexate. Sadly, her muscles are severely damaged to the point that she has IV infusions at least twice a month to help get rid of muscle tissue in her bloodstream. You see, the disease (rhabdomyolyis and myotosis) has caused her muscles to disintegrate... and are bodies are made up of muscle- skeletal muscle, heart, lungs, kidneys, esphogus, etc.
She has also experienced hair loss, loss of taste, and like mentioned earlier severe muscle pain, and immobility. I agree with all of you, the pharmaceutical companies need to be held accountable. Thank you for your support.
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