Lipitor and muscles

I am a generally active and fairly healthy 77 yr old who had been taking 10 mg of Lipitor for over 12 years with no obvious adverse effects. Recently I started having pain in my right leg, severe enough to wake me at night. This was followed by a significant weakness in both legs, and for a while, accompanied by a lightheartedness. The doctor had me take a series of lumbar and leg x-rays which didn't show much of significance. He wrote a prescription for physical therapy, which I did not follow.
I did internet research on my own which made me aware that Lipitor could be the cause, in spite of the fact that I had tolerating the drug for so many years. I told the Doctor of my suspicions and we agree to stop the Lipitor for at least 6 weeks to see. A few days later, all my symptoms were gone. So be cautious, adverse effects from Lipitor can occur anytime.

I was taking Lipitor about 15 years ago, and it worked great...My cholesterol went from total: 240, HCL 65 to total 60, HCL 6, yes 6. It has been 15 years and I can not get my HCL past about 25. This stuff is poison!
If that was the only problem I ever had, then no big deal...right...My muscles were destroyed! My CPK reading was almost 2000 and I ached constantly. Nobody should take this garbage, it is pure poison.

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.

I have been taking 40mg lipitor for over 9 years now.

I have had back issues since an injury to one disc (L4?), and had microdiscectomy in 2001? Took about two years to actually get close to normal.

The last few years, I have had multiple issues with shoulder pain, wrist pain, elbow pain, lower back pain, Upper rump muscle pain , and now both hips are killing me (the shoulder, upper rump muscles and hips are by far the worst). And I am now so weak in my lower back muscles, that it feels like I will (and do) pull out my back.

I have seen NO many doctors I can't even name them all. I have had operations, multiple injections (cortisone) taken pain meds, etc. Nothing has helped and in the last year and a half, I have gotten steadily worse. To the point where I can't really do much of any activity. Sleeping at night is painful. Can't lie on left shoulder, and can't lie on either hip for more than a few minutes. If I fall asleep on my side, the pain wakes me up. When I try to walk, 80% of the time, I end up with a pain in my upper right rump (sacroiliac area), that I MUST sit down to get the intense pain to go away, which it does. But comes right back when I walk again.

I have had x-rays, MRIs etc, and never reveals all that much. Disc issues, yes. NOt much else.

Recently, I have begun to get a nasty clicking (catching) on my left jaw (joint?). Not really painful, but something definitely wrong. My dentist sent me to his Chiro. I went and liked him right away. I had gone to another chiro for years and I believe in them. But this one is the best I have seen.

Anyway, one of the FIRST things he suggested, was that it was POSSIBLE that the Lipitor is causing all of my problems. Put me on COQ10, and doing multiple adjustments and treatments. I will be seeing my regular doctor 5/26, and my chiro wants me to see if he will take me off lipitor and put me on Niaspan instead.

I guess my question is: Can Lipitor be fine with me for so long, and then in such a short period of time, turn me into a compete wreck from the pain and wasting away of my body/muscles? I've told doctors for over a year now that there is SOME connection as to all these issues and pain. One Doctor, of course, gave me the "you are getting old" bull. Yes, I am 56 yrs old. But I understand the process of getting old, vs the complete failing of ones body.

Also, IF it is the Lipitor, can it possible all go away? Or should I expect some damage forever?

One more thing, the last ortho I went to the other day for a second opinion, wants me to do a EMG, to see if there is muscle damage. I was not planning on doing it, but wonder now, should I? He was not doing it because of lipitor, as he never even talked about that to me. I had shoulder operation and have not had the results I feel I should have had.

Can anyone tell me if you can just stop Lipitor cold turkey or do you have to stop it slowly? I have been taking Lipitor for 5 years now and I have been trying to find out what is causing my leg weakness. I mentioned it to my doctor who said it si just a fact of getting older. The problem is getting worse and I noticed it started about 3 months after taking the Lipitor and has steadily gotten worse. I am 49 years old a little over weight {which I am working on}. I also noticed my asthma which I haven't delt with since a small child has come back. This may or may not have to do with the Lipitor but the pain in my knees and legs I believe do. It really hurts in the joints of my legs and sometimes in my shoulder area.

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 am 51 and very athletic and in admiral shape. 3 months ago, I began on Lipitor for cholesterol control. I just tore a calf muscle. Coincidence? I'm going off Lipitor until I know for sure. At the time of the muscle tear, myself and my muscles were warmed up. I didn't do anything harsh to provoke a tear. That's what scares me. It just went rip.

I am 43yrs old took lipitor for 2 months.I started having weak muscles,felt like i had worked out all the time.I started gaining weight,which i have always been pretty slim, my feet hurt so bad just to get out of bed is very painful. My legs are weak just to pull myself from sitting position i have to have help.My doctor rechecked my blood the lipitor made my protein,cq-10 very low.I have been off of it for 1 month feeling little relief .Taking cq-10 small improvement i would rather have high cholesterol than feel the pain, by the way i am female i also had stomach pains and heartburn which i have never had this medicine needs to be removed i am very upset for what it has done to me.

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.

I am generally classed as an active, happy and positive person, loving life.... but the last 4 months have been a blinking nightmare....
It seems we all pretty much have the same symptoms, horrid shoulder pain, muscle soreness, spasms, feet and generally feeling like "what the??" is where we are all at..horrid thoughts of MS? Motor Neurons, Parkinsons, etc. all sorts of possible sinister problems.
I too have stopped taking Lipitor only a week ago (and I only started back in October 2008 after "arguing with my doctor for many years not wanting to take it...and i didn't even know about the horror side effects, i just thought it was totally unnatural to strip the body of something almost totally,).. within 2 months I started showing signs of chronic neck C5/6/7 and left shoulder. Maybe I had injured myself once before and suffered pinched nerves, but the pain eventually went, but this is not normal or should I say usual...... I have constant buzzing of left thumb/forefinger and hand and my right leg. NEVER NEVER have I suffered from this type of symptom before in my entire 50 years... Even some days when the spasms are at their worst I get an itchy nose and tingling lips. The scariest symptom of a white flash in my left eye convinced me...So fed up with it and after stumbling on all the negative comments and side effects with this drug I made to decision to take control of my own life. It is too uncanny....As I said, it's only a week now free of Lipitor, I have increased my Vitamin C intake and making sure I take a Mega Multivitamin daily too. There is some interesting reading in various websites of Vitamin C vs Statins...

BUT it would really be nice to read any comments of people who have recovered from these rotten symptoms and what sort of time frame it took to get over them. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for us all. Some indication of Recovery period is probably our greatest "want to know"... and also...when will i be able to enjoy cycling again. Thank you to everyone for the input and may our strength be returned, not only physically but spiritually as well. :-)

My husband has been taking Lipitor for a year. Several weeks after he started taking it he had muscle aches and when he went for a follow-up we discussed this concern and the neurologist said that it was ok and would go away. He had a stroke several years before and had some damage and he was tired. He complained about him getting weaker and his muscles hurting, he has left shoulder and arm pain. His chest hurts on the right side and doctors told him that he has inflammation between the muscle and chest wall but it has not cleared up after many months and meds. He is so weak now and is dropping things. He has some muscle twitching. I think it is from the Lipitor because the symptoms started after he was put on this drug. Doctor says that it is very unlikely..Has anyone else had these problems while taking Lipitor???

I have stopped taking Lipitor after 3 yrs. I was told I had a mini-stroke because of my slurred speech 6 mo. ago. Since then I have had a battery of tests and my neurologist told me "I don't think you had a stroke." I saw the words "Motor Neuron Disease" (I looked it on the web because I never heard of it before) on the script for my EMG. I blame it all on Lipitor and the wasting of the nerves and the muscles. I sound as if I am drunk. No one can understand me . I am taking speech therapy but it doesn't seem to help.

I am a 52 year old male.8 years ago I had a heart attack.2 stents were put in.I have been on lipitor for the past 8 years.I was on 80 mg. for years,cholesterol got so low the Doctor reduced it to 40 mg.I lived with minor soreness,thinking it was age,arthritis,and a side effect of my very physical job.3 weeks ago joint pain started getting worse! Knee, hips,and especially the shoulders.It got to the point I could hardly crawl out of bed.Feb.20 called the doctor and he told me to stop the lipitor immediately! Today Feb. 24 pain is way less already.I wonder now about long term damage to muscles and joints! I am supposed to call him at the end of the week,very curious about what the conversation will be like. I do not plan to go back on the lipitor especially after reading this web-site.Thanks

I am a 60 year old male. I have been on high dose Niacin for more than 12 years. 2 years ago I started taking the combination drug, Advicor. (Lipitor and Niacin) Up until this point, there were no side affects with the Niacin other than occasional flushing. Since starting on the Advicor I have noticed a gradual weakening of muscles, and occasional joint pain. I have recently increased my exercise, thinking this was part of the aging process. I have not worked out consistently for 2 years. I have not noticed much improvement in my conditioning in the past 3 weeks, and have in fact noticed my quadriceps feel as though there is a buildup of lactic acid. I also notice my heart rate does not climb very high before my perceived exertion is above 50%. I did a fitness evaluation today at the health club I go to. The trainer mentioned that he hears the same thing from a lot of people who are on Lipitor. He went on to say, there heart rate is usually 20 bpm lower when on the drug. I am going to be talking with my physician to see about getting off Advicor and going back to just the Niacin. I will increase my exercise and more closely watch my diet. I want to thank the folks who have posted.

My dr. put me on Lipitor. I took it for 4 months. At the 4 month mark, I was SO depressed, I couldn't function. Crying constantly, no concentration..almost like I was in a trance most of the time. I had problems finding the correct words to use, was paranoid about everything and everyone. I actually thought I must be in the early stages of Alzheimer. Honestly..I didn't know what was wrong with me. I had an actual "pain" in my heart and pins and needles feelings in my fingers and hand on the right side. My forearm became terribly "achy". I went back to the dr. and she said.."oh, I think you're depressed!" Gave me a prescription for celexa (anti-depressant, and sent me on my way. I went home..decided that I WAS NOT going to take an anti-depressant and began to do a little research on the lipitor. Amazingly..I couldn't believe the info that I found with people who had the same symptoms as me! I stopped taking it immediately and within 2 days..my depression and paranoia went away. However I am left with such weakness and pain in my rt. forearm and bicep as well as both shoulders. I went back to the dr. and explained what I had done (guess I shouldn't have mentioned about what i had read on the internet) Because she wouldn't believe that the lipitor would cause that and also said that I had been off of it long enough now(4 months at that point), that any pain that i was experiencing would be all gone! She wouldn't believe me and made me feel like I was crazy!! So..now not sure what to do. Will the pain go away, I wonder? Is there a way to "detoxify" one's self to rid us of all the bad stuff or is the muscle damage permanent and does it keep on going and just keep destroying the muscles, even though we've stopped taking the stupid stuff?? I wish someone could come up with an answer, because I don't know who to go to ask. I can't believe how weak my arms have become since taking it. Will it ever improve I wonder?

I was 50 and the doctor prescribed lipitor 10mg since my cholesterol had doubled in the past twelve months to 300. I took it for four months and began to have pain in one leg just below the knee. I had talked to a woman about 65 years old once who was walking on the sides of her feet and I had asked her what medical problem she had. She explained that her Lipitor had caused this terrible pain. You would think that I would have refused to take this drug. You see the doctor had already prescribed a very large dose of fish oil per day and the cholesterol had not fallen. However, I began taking it. About two weeks before my enzyme checkup I began to notice the pain in the leg just below my knee and I stopped taking the Lipitor. I expected the pain to subside, but it did not. My cholesterol level had risen and my doctor asked me if I was still taking the Lipitor. I explained that I had been of it for about two weeks. The doctor insisted that the pain probably wasn't associated with the Lipitor. The reason being my enzyme level was within the range of acceptable. I began taking it again. The doctor wanted to have another test within four weeks to check enzyme levels again. This time the enzyme levels were borderline high. So the doc recommended stopping the Lipitor for a while and then another enzyme level check. You see, my body was telling me something. The only new factor in my medications other than blood pressure was the Lipitor. It has been about three weeks since I stopped the Lipitor, yet I am continuing with even more pain in tops of feet and above one knee a know seems to have appeared. It is sore and feels like it is bruised. I am not a doctor, but I had done some investigating Lipitor on the internet and read that in some patients the Lipitor actually causes small to large fissures in the arteries of the heart. Also, the muscles begin to attack themselves, thus the pain and atrophy. I am going to start taking flax oil. One cardiologist reported that he two cases a week of heart attacks due to Lipitor. He was enraged that Lipitor is still being prescribed and manufactured. I just hope it doesn't take years to regain my original self without pain. I am an active person who likes to work outside, garden, snow-ski, and anything else I want to do. I am trying to search for a detox program for Lipitor overdose, not that I have overdosed. According to my body's signals, I have overdosed on a toxic drug. I pray that returning to normal won't take as long as I have heard some people say it has taken them. Please try some other alternative to Lipitor and the other debilitating statin drugs. I will have to start an exercise program, even though I have put it off for years. I hope my laziness about my physical fitness hasn't crippled me for life. I am 20 lbs overweight and never took it seriously. I hope others will discontinue to take this life-threatening and debilitating drug!!!!!!!!!!1

I must be living in a vacuum without knowing it. I have been on Lipitor for a few years now. I do slur words on occasion... the cramps are occasionally unbearable. I get cramps in my rib cage, legs, feet and have to watch myself making move like reaching for something that requires anything other than a normal move or twist.. or I get a cramp. I also get cramps in my hands, muscles knotting up with horrible pain... I have to watch how grasp things my fingers.... occasional just cutting a steak holding the knife or fork and applying pressure... I had a discussion with a complete stranger today who said he had similar side effects with Lipitor... I thought it was old age (I'm 62).... and not very physically active. I looked it up on the internet and found this very informative site.

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 was put on Lipitor 10 mg. last Spring about 8 mos. ago. I have never taken medications/drugs other than aspirin or Motrin or antihistamines. Since that time I have had a strange combination of unexplained symptoms arise throughout the months. These sx's included: Headaches, stiff neck and severe neck pain, acute shoulder pain, hip pains, joint pains, severe knee pain (tendon or Ligament problems?) and loss of movement, hair loss, jaw pain and some memory confusion. Initially, I had severe HA's for several months, but attributed them to stress, however, I had never experienced HA's as a common occurrence. Then we went away to our Maui house to get away from stress, HA's continued, along with leg and shoulder pains. At the same time, I started noticing several strands of hair falling out if lightly touched my hair to move it out of my face. The pains seemed to move around my body at different times, for no apparent reason. I am used to daily exercise, living in CO in the mountains @ high altitude, not usually having muscle soreness. Now, given my leg and knee pains have gotten so bad, I cannot hike and have difficulty climbing my stairs. Skiing is out. Snorkeling caused leg cramps. No explained reason for having muscle tenderness or soreness without my usual exercise at present time. When the pain leaves one area it tends to arise in a different part of my body. At the present time, my hair loss has subsided, as also my jaw pain and headaches. However, my leg pains and knee pains are so acute (for no apparent reason) it is impossible to exercise and difficult to walk that I looked up adverse reactions to Lipitor, finding all my sx's most probably might be attributed to this drug. Partially my fault for not looking up RX information prior, especially being a medical professional for many years. My husband kept throwing away the info when purchasing the RX. Too many unexplained symptoms, I decided to obtain the drug info. myself. I tended to make excuses for months, such as: I am getting older, under stress, must be an old injury, not exercising properly, need PT therapy etc.... I am dc/ing the drug immediately and have an appt. with my MD on 1/5/09 to discuss.

Seems like I'm in the same boat as a lot of people here. My dr. started me on Lipitor 40mg last year then raised it to 80mg. I started getting slight buring type chest pains with some sharp pains on the upper right side on my chest. The sharp pains increased when he raised me to 80mg. In Feb. 2008, I started to complain. He blew me off at first and then I ended up in the hospital for 2 days taking tests in March 2008. All the tests came back fine and my dr. explained the pains as "spasms" caused by "low flow" and told me to ignore then because it wasn't my heart...WHAT?? He gave me 2 other meds for the spasms. In Nov 2008, the sharp pains were daily and throughout the whole day. I started to research chest pains with lipitor and could believe the stories I read. It was as if I wrote them myself. I stopped taking lipitor on Dec 2, 2008 and within 2 weeks the sharp pains are almost by gone. I'm still having the slight burning feeling sometimes and was wondering how long this will last take to completely go away.

I took Lipitor for about 6 months. Right after I began taking it, my legs, especially my right leg began hurting. I got off the drug at 6 months because my legs hurt so badly I could not sleep at night. I just had X-rays of my right knee done, and I have almost no cartridge left on my right knee cap. I now may have to have knee replacement therapy. My doctor that put me on the lipitor said that it was not the lipitor that caused. I think it is very odd the pain began when I started the drug.

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?

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.

I am a 65 year old female taking 20mlg of lipitor for almost 10 years. All of a sudden I started having severe pain, shaking and weakness in the calf muscle. The pain is unbearable. Doctors after doctors including a cardiologist, rhoumatologist and internist don't know the reason. I have stopped lipitor for 3 days. I cry and pray to god to help me everyday. I cannot exercise which is my passion for many years. I am hoping the lipitor is the reason and not something else. I have to wait and see. But I suspect it is.
SR
I do have nausea, depression and low back pain and arthritis and frequent headaches.

started 10 mg in 1998. was controlling everything ok. In 2004 developed weakness in both legs, started slurring words and eye trouble, went to several doctors then in April 2005 had to quit work as I was just to weak. That was at age 54. Finally a neurologist diagnosed me with Myasthenia gravis, and lambert eatons myasthenic syndrome. Had my thymus gland removed, which is supposed to put disease in remission, also had small cell lung cancer surgery at same time. improvement did not come and the drugs for myasthenia only made me sick. started having chest pains and doctors ,.found several blockages in my heart ,still do as to weak for surgery, cardiologist took me off of lipitor and I seem to have stabilized, still have trouble with short term memory, and vision, and really weak

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.

Moderately high cholesterol and BP 150/90. Was put on Lipitor 20mg and after a week felt more fatigued than usual but nothing much more than this. Had stress test and angiogram which showed 60-70% block in one artery as well as arrhythmia. Cardiologist bumped Lipitor up to 80 mg which I took for 2 weeks. But by then I was suffering most of the effects described in these postings: aches and pains, giddiness, nausea, extreme weakness and fatigue. I took myself off Lipitor and even after one day my head started to clear aches started to diminish, though urine still a reddish color suggesting a lot more flushing out required. And, best of all, the arrhythmia reduced from moderate/severe to mild (which it always used to be before taking Lipitor). This drug is not for me. I'd rather take my chances without it and rely on strict diet, weight loss, etc. It is surprising that the possible side effects are so understated in the manufacturer's descriptions.

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

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 am a 60 yr. old woman and was on simvastatin for several years before I realized that all of my aches, pains, and muscle weakness could be because of it. I stopped taking it in March, and had very little improvement until June when I started taking 100 mg CoQ10 twice a day. I am now pretty much pain free but the muscles in my thighs are still very weak, and I am still very fatigued. Anybody have any suggestions?

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 am a 46 y/o male whom took lipitor 20mg for about 10 days. It was the first medication taken for me aside from occasional antibiotics. Within a week I began to develop severe nausea, weakness, postural dizziness and worst of all, chest pain at rest! I took my last dose last Saturday 8/9/08. Because of the chest pain, I went to the ER on 8/10/08 and discharged the next day after I ruled out for an MI and a negative exercise stress test. My chest pain recurred on 8/12. This AM awoke with nausea, dizziness and chest pain again. I'm going to have an adenosine stress test this PM. I consulted a pharmacologist yesterday about the metabolism of Lipitor and she told me indeed these side effects are not uncommon and in my case, Lipitor will not be eliminated from my body until probably this Sunday or early next week. Anyone experience what I'm feeling?

I am a male of 67 years old. I took Lipitor for a year, and after a few months of taking it, I felt muscle pains in my arms and shoulders, as well as my back. I felt weak and could hardly put my socks on by myself. I told my family doctor that I thought the problem was caused by LIpitor. He said it couldn't be possible, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong, so he sent me to a rheumatologist, who gave me an initial diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica. I went back for a checkup, and although the sed rate was normal, the C-reactive protein was elevated. He felt his diagnosis was an accurate one. He prescribed prednisone for me. I had some doubts about it, since I am diabetic, and was concerned about the elevated blood sugar it might cause. Well, it did elevate my blood sugar, and I weaned myself off it within three months. My blood sugar went back to normal, and while the prednisone helped the symptoms of muscle pain and aches, after I stopped it, the pain returned with a vengeance.

About a year passed after discontinuing the prednisone, and I felt worse and worse. Any time I engaged in physical activity, such as yard work, I was almost incapacitated for two or three days. I felt weaker and weaker, and by now, my activity is about ten per cent of what it was three or four years ago. I am unable to do anything physical without paying a heavy price.

I would tell the doctor that I felt the problem was caused by the Lipitor. He would dismiss my comments, saying that the pain should have gone away after discontinuing Lipitor. He sent me back to the rheumatologist with results of recent blood tests. Both the sed rate and C-reactive protein were normal. The rheumatologist touched my back and other areas, which caused me to jump. He said it might be fibromyalgia. I told him again that I thought it was caused by the Lipitor. He said the same thing my GP had said: if it had been the Lipitor, the pain would have gone away when I stopped taking it. I know the Lipitor caused the pain, because I tried red yeast rice for a couple months. The pain increased to almost unbearable, so I discontinued the red yeast rice. If I were not susceptible to the pain from the Lipitor, would the red yeast rice have increased the pain?

So here I am with a fuzzy diagnosis from the rheumatologist, and no clue from my family doctor (that he will verbalize, at any rate). My life has gone steadily downhill. I used to be a strong, active person, but now I can do very little, and my strength is a shadow of what it formerly was. What can I do?

Since taking (November 2006) and quitting (Febuary 2008) Lipitor I have had a series of muscle/joint problems. This is an update and recap.
Summer 2007 I had left knee problems which surprised the physical therapists because it did not respond well to ultra sound, nor did the pain increase with mobility. I was surprised when I developed similar but lesser problems in my right knee. Autumn 2007 I was diagnosed with tennis elbow on the left arm. Late 2007 my left shoulder becomes a problem. Within days of quitting Lipitor in early 2008 I had extreme pain in my right thumb along the bone, then the middle of my hand then between my first and second fingers. Pain has also been across my wrist and up both sides of my right arm. I am wondering if I will be diagnosed with carpal tunnel - but surely this does not start with extreme pain along the bone in the right thumb!
I am feeling much better than when I was taking Lipitor, but wonder if I dodged the bullet.

he cortisone worked!). My left knee feels "normal" again, not perfect but nearly like it used to be. Within a couple of days of quitting I had severe pain in my right thumb along the bone, then in the middle of my right hand, then between the first and second fingers in my right hand. I currently have minor pain in my right wrist (this is new) on the pinkie side and minor pain in my left shoulder where the arm joins (this has been intermittent for a couple of months). I am feeling much better - but would not be at all surprised if pain appears in another part of my body before this is all history!

I am a 60 yr old woman, and have been on statins for several years, most recently 40 mg. I have been getting more and more side affects over the years that I kept attributing to age, overweight, lack of exercise. After reading so many of these postings, I stopped the statin in March. Some of the side affects i.e. the aches in my arms, hands went away fairly quickly. But my legs still ache so much and the muscles in them seem to be weak, I have a hard time standing up from a sitting position. Do any of you know if it sometimes takes this long for symptoms to go away or is it possible that they won't???

I am 55 years old. I had open Heart surgery when I was 41. In the last five years, my triglycerides where high. I was on, Lipitor, Tricor, Mobic.
I droped thr Tricor, because I went on line and learned you are not supposed to take tricor and Lipitor together. Lately I have had tingling just below my neck. I am feeling flu like symptoms the last couple of days for no apparent reason. I am weak, all my joints amd muscles ache. My Cholesterol is about 146. Well after reading all this I am going off this stuff today. Are these some of the symptoms?
Also in the last 2 years I have gone from a 8 and half size shoe to a 9 and half...like my feet have swollen.

Lipitor an all Statins deplete the natural enzymes from your muscles.
Your Heart is a muscle. I haved been on Lipitor for a number of years
with many of the side effects posted here. I have had Heart Failure fo
a year now and the best doctors could not help me. My son recently
researched an found a possible solution the indicated Statins deplete
th heart muscled of COQ10 a natural enzyme in the Heart Muscle.
This depletion over time can caused Heart failure due to weak walls.
Since my doctors could offer no solution, I decided to try it for 90 days.
I am off Lipitor an taking 400mg of COQ10 per day.
I am now in day seven an have slept in my own bed with my wife for the first time in a year. I am less restless, an have ha no recurrence of Heart Failure. The drug companies know the problems but thy have
deep pockets an the best lobby to get laws passed and FDA approvals.

They have now received approval to get kids on Statins so they can
make even more money before the patient run out. Thy should be ashamed but they are not!!

Here are some more side effects that I encountered during my ordeal with Lipitor. A week after I started the medication, I started experiencing blurry and decreased vision, this used to go away and come back sometimes, I could swear I always had 20/20 although I never went to eye doctor, but I never needed glasses all my life, if fact any type of glasses will blurry my vision and make me dizzy. I had my first eyes exam a couple days after I discontinued Lipitor, guess what? I have 20/20 vision.
More details about the back and right arm pain, not only the pain was unbearable, I felt my muscles sagging and they did not have any strength, this thing sucked the life out of my muscles, it made me very tired and easily irritable. My fist victim was my little baby ( my beautiful 4 year old), her daddy couldn’t hold her anymore, I even avoided staying close to her, because anyone who touches that right arm will make it feel like another deep stab to the arm deep into the bone. I have never experienced pain like this. I knew about toothache when I had a cavity at 23, but it was fixed and went away, I even experienced the pain of a broken arm at 16, but this thing was something else. The other victim is my wife, I stopped doing stuff, I used to be a very active dude, I do stuff on weekends with family and even every day after work ( you name it, park, boating, swimming pool, malls etc..). It felt like I was dying one piece at a time, going down the tubes fast with no clue of what was wrong with me.

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

Folks, Lipitor is the most widely prescribed drug. People are blaming their various problems on lipitor. They should see the appropriate specialist to address their specific symptoms vs self-diagnosing and blaming it on lipitor.

My mother started on Lipator about a year ago, she's been having shakes that last about 30 seconds in her legs and one arm. The shakes come and go and she can go a month without them but they seem to have gotten worst. She also has a hard time walking 4 out of days a week, she feels like her legs aren't under her. She is always tired and has restless leg,sometimes at night. She has respiratory problem that also seems to have gotten worst in the past year.
She is seeing a nuro but a cat scan, eeg and blood have all come back ok. Do you thing these are common problems with Lipator?

I first reported the effects Lipitor had on my dad, white male age 77 in February 2008. He had been on Lipitor for about 7 years. Side effects of pain in hands, joints, muscles, tingling at wrist area, nightmares, tossing and turning. After much convincing, I took him off Lipitor Feb. 4th. It has only been 3 months, but he has done so well, not all the way free of hurt, but getting there. When arthritis doctor tested him, his tests showed no arthritis (possible cause for pain). Finally got his cholesterol checked last week and it is normal, we did put him on CoQ10 to help restore some things Lipitor takes out of your system. I am begging you all to find an alternative means to treat your cholesterol ( Fish oil tablets - with a total daily allowance of 1000 EPA and DHA combined) is a start. It took dad about 6 years of Lipitor before it really starting showing up, and luckily we got him off of it or he would be sitting in a chair in so much pain that he couldn't do anything.

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

I took Lipitor for about 2 years- 5 mg.
Leg cramps-soreness throughout my muscles- very sore buttocks-
my legs are shaky- if I use them too much; (as in walking 3 miles)
I am (was ) an avid body builder that could squat with 100 lbs- and now ( I am a health conscious -non drinking- NO other medication 104 lb slim female) have quivering legs if I stand for too long. I even had a muscle biopsy- and it cam back negative- I have not had a statin for 6 months- but I still have cramps- and abnormal liver values- and I have NO other conditions-I have been scanned from head to toe - open MRI- closed MRI -but the muscle stiffness- soreness- especially legs- continues-
does anyone know how long it lasts? I have also been tested for liver cancer- thank God-negative.
I really feel that Lipitor did this- has anyone else gone from fit as a fiddle to a quivering -achy person- I have gone through 5 doctors- internal - gastrointestinal - neurologist- hematologist and all is negative- just high liver values and muscle pain. Thank you so much.Maxine

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.

Hello,
I am following up with my father's case that I wrote about in January,(jb4boys). He is 77 and I took him off of Lipitor on my own on Feb. 4,2008. We have yet to tell his primary physician, but have told the arthritis specialist I took him to 3 weeks ago. The tingling going up his arms has stopped and he is sleeping better, hands still hurt, but are getting better. I have started him on fish oils- omega 3. Am told that the Omega 3 DHA and EPA totals need to be over 1000, and actual fish (sardine, anchovy, etc.). Bloodwork from arthritis doctor showed no arthritis, but x-rays did show swelling in hands and feet. He was on Lipitor for 7 years, so it will take a while for him to get rid of this drug in his system. Have heard that Lipitor attacks the muscles, joints and then the heart. I can honestly say that I have not heard of 1 person with a positive comment about this drug. Find another way to control your cholesterol, there are many natural supplements that have been proven to help - with no side effects. Have also heard that wellness doctors and acupuncture is another natural way to lower your diabetes, cholesterol, hbp - all natural.
Good luck and keep in touch with how you are progressing.

I never had a cholesterol problem, however I am a type 2 diabetic. My doctor prescribed me 10mg of Lipitor based on studies. I have been buying and taking that expensive drug for at least 4 years. I noticed last august my muscles ached all over. Then I started having trouble with my "sciatic nerve". Since October, I have not walked properly or without pain. That is until this past week. The doctor laughed and told me that it wasn't the side effect of Lipitor. I believed it was, after all I know my body! I went back to the doctor in Feb and told her I am not going to take the med. I feel 100 percent better, I am eating oatmeal or a fiber breakfast every morning and I feel good. I will see how the numbers do in may when I go for my blood work!

I was on Lipitor 6 yrs. ago for approximately 6 months. The pain and weakness in my arms and shoulders was unbearable. Deep pain that felt like it went right to the bone. On occasion since then I seem to have flair ups. This past week I have been in pain. The strength in my arms is diminished. Has anyone else had this experience?

I too am taking Lipitor and have been for a couple of years now.
On Nov.19th I was given the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia.
Now I read the side effects and they are they same!