Lipitor and rn

4 months ago started on preastatin 20mg increased within 1 month to 40mg; could not stand up without help; stopped statins at that time. CPK done 157, this was done to show me I wasn't in danger of rhabdomylysis, I continue to suffer with swelling R leg and severe pain. Leg is still swollen 4 months later.....I am professional RN in ICU ,,can't really do my job as necessary...Should I file for disability; or does someone have an answer to provide relief for this malady???

I was given 40mg Lipitor for elevated cholesterol. I took it until I started having muscle weakness .I am a retired nurse of twenty five years, and knew this symptom was not correct. So I stopped taking the medication and told my doctor of this.He did not protest in any way.My symptoms now include;two torn ligaments, sob,mental deficits, muscle wasting, night sweats, weakness,h/a's, and more. I have not taken Lipitor for two years now. Damage is done.My doctor said it should be out of my system by now. Is this a cover up?

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 have been taking Lipitor for several years now, 40 mil. About a month ago I started having terrible shooting pains in my left hip. Within a day or so the pain had also started in the calf of my leg, like a cramp that wouldn't go away. My left calf all the way to the tip of my toes felt numb and tingly like it was asleep and it feels as though I don't have control of my leg or foot. The pain got so bad I couldn't walk. It would get better for a day or so and then come back again. It got so bad I couldn't walk, stand or sit. The only way I could get any relief was to stay in bed in one certain position. I stopped taking Lipitor on my own. It has been over a month now and I still have pain but isn't as bad most of the time. This pain is so terrible I hope writing this note will help others. I'm wondering if I will ever be normal again. I was a very active 58 year old but now I feel like a crippled 100 year old. They should take this drug off the market or at least warn people of what it will do to them.

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 have been taking Lipitor !0 mg since Aug. of 06.Recently I have experienced progressively increased back,& hip pain & stiffness. Sometimes when I get up from chair or bed it is becomung harder . I thought that It was osteoarthiritis but my recent bone scan was unchanged from 3 yrs ago. (I recently stopped the Fosomax due to Gerd) I had hip & hips xrayed last week and will get results soon. In the meantime it occured to me that the problem may be S/E'S from the Lipitor.even I take COQ_10 a few X's a week. Have been off the drug for4 days now and the severe pain is subsiding anf I actually went for a short walk today as test. What do you think? Iam a retired RN and knew to watch for muscle problems but have had back pain (not severe)for years so I thought it was joint problema when hips started to occur. I am done with Statins.

I want people to know my story. I am an RN of 23 years currently 44 years old. I was on Lipitor for 5 years started at 39. It did it job with lowering the blood levels etc.

Ten months ago I developed numbness, tingling and burning pain in my entire lower legs. I could not stand in one place it made the pain worse. I work ten hour shifts and I am on my feet the whole shift. I remember coming home and I could not stand the pain in both legs. Feet both would go numb. No back or disc problems. They ruled out diabetes. I had developed a perpheral neuropathy. Neuroton does help take the pain away folks. I would take 300mg at night at needed. I had the restless leg at night. My MD did not think much of all this ran the blood tests and that was about it. I kept mentioning it. Mind you my 47 year old MD also takes Lipitor.

Next fatigue exhausting I can't get out of bed fatigue. I have missed more days at my job in the 20 years I have been employed there. I knew something was wrong as I was so exahusted. I could hardly finish me shift. I got short of breath at the end of me shift.

I took MYSELF off the lipitor. Things got better a little. Four weeks later I still have the severe calf pain, fatigue still missing work, . Now more lab tests are orderd.

Ask your MD to do CPK levels on you this tells you if you have muscle injury or damage.Ok I have been off Lipitor for 4 weeks and my CPK level that I asked to be drawn is 1,225 normal high is 190. I have muscle injury and damage. I hope it is reversible. No wonder why I could not get out of bed.

Ask for those CPK levels. I think any prudent MD should check CPK levels along with the liver enzymes periodically.

I still have more lab test pending. I am on steroids prednisone for 10 days. I hope I can make it to work soon -they are shooting up all my vacation time with this.

This drug caused me a lot of pain , emotional distress, time lost from work.......... stress period. With my RN knowledge I have thought of possibly looking more legally into a Pfizer lawsuit. However; I live in Kalamazoo a lawyer my take my case but I would bet not many MD's in this town who their drug reps bankroll in free lunches and lavish gifts may not back me.

Educate yourself from my story and don't have to suffer atleast 10 months maybe 12 by now. I missed social and family events........... I was always in bed and could not get up just to shower and get ready for work.

Any questions email me. Vicky RN

I'm a 53 year old male,I've been a RN.on cardiac floors for almost 18 years. Prior to starting on lipitor I had been taking Tricor,at that time I started to have frequent chest pains,mid-sternal with pressure. I went for a CT of the heart,stress test,EKG and various blood test all came back negative however I continue to experience the chest pains.Finally I stopped the Tricor and the chest pains also stopped,just to be sure I started to take the Tricor about a month later at half the dose I was on originally, after only two doses the chest pains came back. Now I've started taking Lipitor(at this point I've only taken 7, 10 mg. doses) and the exact same type of chest pains have started again,I was on the verge of going to the ER yesterday. I stopped the Lipitor and the chest pain were almost completely gone today hopefully by tomarrow I'll be back to normal but it seems like the Lipitor symptoms are longer lasting plus I've been very sleepy and kinda foggy mentally.

After taking Lipitor for approx. 6 months I began having pain across my shoulders and neck and after a few weeks started to feel very tired and weak. It became an effort to get out of bed - all I wanted to do was sleep. I saw my doctor who took four vials of blood and did all sorts of tests with the results that everything was normal. He never brought up the subject of Lipitor or that it might be the problem. I then heard about this web site from my sister who is an RN and very much against the statin drugs. She encouraged me to give up the Lipitor and increase the vitamin C that I already take. I have only been taking 5 mg as a starter but wonder what would have happened if I was taking more.