Lipitor and memory problems

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.

777
I've been noticing that you as well as bobby are continuously replying to many of the posting. I stopped taking lipitor in December after having chest pains for 10 months which included being hospitalized for 2 days of testing. I'm still having the chest pain although I believe it's getting better. There was a week in the beginning of this month that I had no pain at all but now it's back. My question to you and bobby is you keep saying you still have some side affects for months but fail to list them. What are they and with your experience, why does Lipitor cause chest pain? What have you found out in your research? Is this drug causing damage to the interior lining of the arteries? Is this why many people are getting the pains from?

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 mother is 74 and has been on Lipitor 5 mg for about 6 weeks now and has experienced her 1st TGA. She called me today to tell me that someone had come into her house and cooked a platter of bacon and moved a basket around. She couldn't find her purse and went outside and sure enough it was in her car, but the door was standing wide open and the purse was sitting on the seat. She remembers nothing! This evening she swore that our second child was born in a different house. This from a woman who can remember the tiniest minutia. This Lipitor is terrible stuff! She is now officially off of it. R.

No hearing loss in family history. Doctor put my father on 80 mg Lipitor, 1-1/2 years latter he started having trouble hearing. I was taking 40 mg Lipitor after 2 years my left ear went bad, 9 months latter my right ear went bad the same exact way. The ears went bad with a tinny sound to all when the hearing came back the 3 kHz area was very low. I have just put this together the recently. This is not a coincidence, I am sure Lipitor caused this. I also think this caused me to go through Hell from hard bump break outs on my body, had me spend thousands hunting for a parasite that was not there. It was not a rash, small bumps with a hard center.

I am wondering if the plantar foot pain that my husband is suffering for 6 months could be from lipitor that he is taking for several years now. Has anyone have this problem?

I WORK WITH AN ARCHITECTURAL SOFTWARE DESIGN AND BILLING SOFTWARE. 1 MONTH AFTER I STARTED LIPITOR I STARTED TO FORGET THINGS LIKE CODES THAT I WORK WITH EVERY DAY AND BY THE SECOND MONTH I ALMOST LOST MY JOB WITH AN EVER INCREASING NUMBER OF MENTAL BLUNDERS AND VERY SERIOUS AND YET SILLY MISTAKES. ON MY WIFE'S (NOT MY DOCTOR WHO STILL DOESN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM) ADVICE I QUIT TAKING IT. 6 MONTHS LATER I AM FINE AND THANKS TO THE PATIENCE OF MY BOSS I KEPT MY JOB. BUT I DEFINITELY HAD A MEMORY LOSS THAT WAS ALMOST DEBILITATING. IT IS ONLY AN OPINION, BUT I THINK BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF USERS ARE OLDER THE MEMORY PROBLEMS ARE CHALKED UP TO OLD AGE AND NOT THE DRUG. IF I WERE NOT IN A DEMANDING MENTAL JOB I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE NOTICED IT.

This is an update from my first posting earlier this year. I still have localized pain in my neck and shoulder area sometimes extending down my arms to my fingertips. I am 58 years old and stopped taking Lipitor 5 months ago. I am always in discomfort but the very severe pain comes in waves at least 3-4 times a month and lasts for about 1-2 days. I have noticed an improvement since stopping Lipitor but my cholesterol count is on its way up so I am trying to control that. Not an easy task but at least I am not totally debilitated as I was in January and February. I am totally off all meds and vitamins as of this writing. I am trying to cleanse myself and start over with diet and exercise. Hang tough ... this is definitely the battle of your life!!! KooKoo

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

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!!

I've only been on lipitor for about 4 1/2 weeks now, but noticed almost immediately that I feel jittery all day until evening, when the dosage would likely be wearing off. I've also noticed some slight memory problems and had a couple of dizzy spells today. Does anyone or has anyone had this racing heart feeling on lipitor?? I feel like I drank 2 pots of caffinated coffee...

in addition to memory problems (sudden onset-coincident with
lipitor) and major fatigue and body pains i developed loud
RINGING IN THE EARS (tinitus). sleep is difficult and infrequent.
i stopped lipitor (80mg once a day) about two weeks ago and
tinitus and some memory problems continue.
i consider that i was very foolish for not researching this drug before taking it (i didn't want to know side effects so that i wouldn't
develop them by suggestion).
If the tinitus continues much longer...

I was put on Lipitor over a year ago. I began having memory problems last Sept. and even asked for an Alzheimer's test. Thing got worse, I now have constant pins and needles in my middle and ring finger of my right hand. My hands ache all the time, and I am constantly on pain killers for the severe pain in my shoulders, thighs and lower legs and my feet.

I have also developed the shuffling walk, and sometimes I cannot decide which foot to put forward first, which is as I understand it a sign of Parkinson's. Today I saw a Neuropath specialist he used a machine which gave me little electric shocks, I will not learn the results of this test until I go back and see the specialist who has diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. I am also severely depressed mostly because I stopped taking the Lipitor several weeks ago and I am getting worse not better. I feel about 30 years older than my age of 65.

I printed out some of the material I found on the net about the dangers of Statins and gave it to one of my doctors, but so far none of them acknowledge that Statins are responsible. Oh yes and my memory is still as bad. I am seriously thinking of making arrangements for my funeral.

When I refused to take Lipitor the doctor tried to prescribe a different drug but the pharmacist told me that it has the same effects as Statins, so refused to take the prescription.

I have already started taking CoQ10 and Vitamin C.

I was taking Lipitor (can't remember how long and what mg) and started feeling like I was continously in a fog and having memory problems. These were so bad that my GP sent me to a Neurologist for MRI and CT scans with results showing nothing wrong. I decided that this started after I went on the Lipitor and took myself off of it. The "fog has lifted" but I still have some memory problems. I am now taking Zetia and have started having muscle pains and cramps. I'm going to give up on cholesterol lowering medications. If I can't lower it with diet and exercise I'll just take my chances with the high cholesterol!

My mother has been taking Lipitor for four or five years. We moved and the new doctor increased her to 80 mg. He also put her on Zetia. Mother is 86 and weighs barely 100 pounds. This past year her short term memory started getting worse,more so than normal for her age, according to doctors. I was also noticing cognitive problems. She went through a battery of tests. She did not have alzeimers and nothing could be pinpointed other than she was worse than normal for her age as I already stated. Then this last week of the year, her muscles all over her body started hurted and feeling very sore. Then she started have lots of trouble walking, getting in her car, etc. It was so bad so quickly that I became extremely alarmed. My sister mentioned Lipitor and I started the research. I talked to two pharmacists, since we could not reach the doctor. They were both alarmed at the symtoms I described. We stopped both medications three days ago and she is already improving. I now believe that even the memory problems and other things that were gradual were because of the Lipitor. (the pharmacists did tell us it would be okay to stop both for the time being.) I was ready to take mother to the emergency room. That is how bad she had gotten is such a short time. I watched her and talked with her. She was very discouraged at the rate of decline in her walking. It was as if paralysis was setting in. I believe she would have been in a wheelchair soon had we not stopped the Lipitor. We are going to try some natural things to keep her cholesterol down. The quality of life is important too. This has been very scary for us but we are hopeful as she is already experiencing some improvement. We do understand that it can take time to get back and at her age that is expected. Being an elderly person though does not justify that all of these symtoms were 'just' her age. She has always been very active and alert and could outdo me (and my sisters) on most days! I will check this site often for comments and stories of others on this drug. Thank you for the help to those of you that I read your stories and good luck to you that are having difficulties.

Lawsuits Filed Over Lipitor Side Effects

By DAVID B. CARUSO

The Associated Press

Thursday, June 8, 2006; 9:33 PM

NEW YORK -- Two men who believe they suffered lasting muscle damage
from taking the popular anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor are suing
medication's maker, Pfizer Inc., claiming the company didn't issue
loud enough warnings about potential side effects.

Charles M. Wilson, a former insurance executive from Atlanta, and
Michael Mazzariello, an attorney from New York City, said in separate
lawsuits that they began experiencing debilitating pain, weakness and
memory problems after taking the drug.

"It ruined my life," said Mazzariello, 47. He said that within weeks
of going on the medication, he couldn't walk without a cane, tend his
garden or lift his 1-year-old child.

The symptoms subsided once Mazzariello stopped taking the medication _
he stood under his own power at a news conference Thursday at a
Manhattan hotel _ but he said he still suffers from pain, fatigue and
a tingling sensation in his hands and feet.

Pfizer called the two suits "baseless" and vowed to fight them in
court. A spokesman for the company, Bryant Haskins, said all potential
side effects of the drug are included on its labeling and often
mentioned in advertising.

Haskins said the number of Lipitor users experiencing those symptoms
is "very, very small ... well under 1 percent," and that they are far
outnumbered by the millions of people who have taken it safely.

Mark Krum, the lawyer handling the suits filed by Wilson and
Mazzariello, acknowledged that the medication may be safe for most
people, but he said that didn't absolve the company of its duty to
market it responsibly and adequately disclose side effects.

I have dizziness that is more like a spatial disorientation causing a loss of balance and sick feeling. I am very weak and I can barely get through a day at work. I have many more headaches and some are very severe. I have memory problems, especially with dates, time, months... "Okay. It is May so what's May in relationship to November?" The dizziness and weakness bother me most. I just quit the statin last night. I hope the symptoms go away.