Lipitor and shoulders

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

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

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.

After bypass surgery 10 years ago my doctor put me on lipitor and I've been on it ever since,numerous times I told my doctor that I was tired all the time acheing in my shoulders,he never once took me off lipitor,I found out just a week ago that statens are very dangerous,that if you are on them you should be taking coq10 to replace the cell damage statens have caused.
Ask your doctor why he hasn't told you about coq10.
I quit lipitor on my own,and feel so much better.Believe me take coq10 gel caps,this 65 year old is a believer in this.

I am a 51 y/o white female that has been on Lipitor for 2 years. I am 5' 1" and when I had to go on it my cholesterol was 267 I weighed 112 lbs. I was shocked.... my doctor told me weight had nothing to do with cholesterol. She kept a close watch on me and my cholesterol came down...... and then my ex-husband of 17 years and I re-connected and got back together and I moved so I had to get another primary care physician. I took all my meds to her, she also kept a close watch on everything. At this time my cholesterol is down to 109 and I asked if I could stop taking it, as I take quite a lot of meds, due to different things and if I could stop anything it would be great, but she said it I stopped it, my cholesterol would go right back up. So since I am not experiencing any side effects I'm okay with continuing it.

I surely hate to hear what you all are experiencing with your Lipitor..... could your doc try another cholesterol medication?

The only one of my meds that is giving me any problem is TOPAMAX........ that we are using as a Migraine preventative! HORRORS!!! Today is pretty good day. But my cognitive abilities are in the trash... I say the wrong word when I mean something else...... I search my mind looking for a memory...... I am also on disability since 2002 because of the Migraines....... I have has them since 1978, but they got progressively worse over the years until I was sick more days per week, sometimes more than 7-10 days at the time, having to be in the hospital being rehydrated and on IV pain meds.......... and as awful as the TOPAMAX is.....it has been reduced the migraines to approx 2 per month and they do not last nearly as long.

So sorry, I got waaay off topic, but I know that it is not the Lipitor that is giving me the side effects as it the last med I had to go on and I had no new side effects....... but that TOPAMAX is kicking my behind.

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

I have been on Lipitor for about 4 years. Now I have an arthritic right knee and the left knee has a little bit of arthritis. My arthritis started getting really bad in both legs my left leg was just as bad as my right leg. Muscle pain was tremendous and getting up and down stairs. furniture, and the car. Then the day before Memorial Day I could hardly move, I thought I was losing both my legs. I could only walk a little bit. No energy. I too had blurred vision with this drug but the doctor said that it probably was just my diabetes. I hurt from the shoulders all the way down to the ankles..It felt like every muscle group was involved. Earlier this year the doctor put my Lipitor up to 40 mg from 20 mg even through my ldl was only 93. My last ldl was 67. The doctors say your cholesterol cannot go to low but I am wondering with all the side affedts I had. I took myself off Lipitor on Memorial Day this year and I feel better. The pain is gone except for the arithritic pain but it is not as bad as what it was on Lipitor. Soo I am done with statins I will lose weight and exercise.

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?

On lipitor for 1 1/2 years.... starting taking yoga a month ago. Had ache in knee and leg which then went to toe on other leg. Thought it was overstretching from yoga. Pain moved to hips and lower back. All very painful but worst was yet to come. Pain moved to neck and shoulders. Could not move head. Excruciating SOBBING pain. I was in so much pain for weekend. Everyone wanted me to go to emergency room but I wanted to stick it out til Monday.

PS... went on web. Saw this is lipitor side effect. never would have expected that after 1 1/2 yrs on a 10 mg dose.

Went to pain management doctor ... got Soma (muscle relaxant), an oral steroid and Percoset. Relief was almost instant.

Called my cardiologist. He says it is the Lipitor.

No more statins for me.
And back to yoga.

Thanks to all the people who have taken time to post their experience with Lipitor side affects. I am 78 years old and have had both knees replaced within the past two years. My recovery has been great from that surgery. I have taken 10 mg zocor for years as an assist in cholesterol control with no known side affects. However, my doctor thought my 115 LDL level was too high so he put me on 40 mg Lipitor. My cholesterol level LDL went down alright to 72; however, almost immediately after starting with this medication, I started getting stinging, burning, tingling sensations in my feet and soreness in my shoulders. Although my doctor insists that the Lipitor cannot be the problem. After a couple of weeks of those symptoms I have stopped taking Lipitor. The comments on this web site were critical in my decision. After two weeks off the stuff, I periodically feel better but then the sensations return in spades. I hope time will improve things. Does anyone have experience with improvements over time?

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?

42 Year old male; Active, have been on Lipitor 9 months. Started back on the drug last spring, Ride wave runners every weekend, thought I've had whiplash for months, extremely sore/stiff neck, severe muscle pain in shoulders and neck I am convinced its Lipitor not whiplash. Only advice my doctor can give is "see a Chiropractor", no help! I am stopping Lipitor right now and will await changes, Cannot believe after multiple visits to my doctor concerning my shoulder/neck issue he never once considered Lipitor. After doing an internet search for muscle pain, I stumbled across Lipitor's relationship to muscle pain. If my pain stops I will be very grateful.

I AM SOOOO RELIEVED THAT I' M NOT ALONE!!!

I thought I was going crazy or something. I started taking Lipitor 10mg in Oct '06, then in January 2007 my "a.r.n.p" not an MD, increased my dosage to 40mg.....(the lab tests indicated that my cholesterol had not gone down any), which she didn't bother to check up on after prescribing such a huge dose. You know, like within 2-3 mos. Now comes my appointment with her Dec 4 2007, they do labs and low and behold I have inflammation of my liver!!! She called me in a panic and told me to immediately stop taking the Lipitor. Now my body feels like it's going to break. (a couple of weeks before I went to the doctor I started feeling like crap.....lethargic, can't raise my arms above my head without crying, knees aching to the point of not being able to walk,etc) It's even worse now.....now I can't hardly go to sleep at night, my arms just below my shoulders ache to the point of agony, I had arthritis in my knees - but now I can hardly walk without holding onto something - which is very hard to do when your arms won't function properly. I HATE THIS !!!

There was absolutely nothing wrong with my liver prior to this medicine. Now I'm worried that I'll have irreparable damage to my liver, not to mention all this pain in my arms, wrists, thumbs, knees and hips. (Last night I just couldn't take it anymore and I took some Tylenol - I was instructed by my physician not to take anything at all for pain.....RIGHT) I've been wishing this misery on her since it started - just for her prescribing this mess to me!!!!

I am 50 yrs old and feeling older as time goes by.
Thanks so much for listening and letting me share with you all; someone who really understands my pain!! I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in this. I have contacted an attorney - this is ridiculous that humans could do this to other humans. I'll look for another means to get my cholesterol down (right now it's only 129!! - But I feel like I just crawled out of my grave. I'd rather have high cholesterol....

I dread the night coming (pain is almost intolerable then)

Good luck you guys - I'll include you all in my prayers!! B. Carpenter

I too was taking LIPITOR. After 3 months I became short of breath. At first I put it down to the weight that I had regained.I had lost 18kg.the year before. I had muscle pain, nausea, headaches.The Lipitor reduced the LDL alright,but the shortness of breath became worse and worse. If I was sitting on a chair and dropped a piece of paper on the floor I would be completely out of breath from bending over and picking it up! If I was walking for more than a few minutes I would be out of breath and had to stop. I quickly regained my breath; but the moment I started to walk again I would become breathless again!! My heart specialist decide to do an angiogram, that was o.k. He told me it was my weight that made me short of breath, I disagreed with him. My G.P. did not know what caused it either. I had had problems with Pravachol, severe muscles stiffness and pain. I could not straighten a bend leg or bend a straight leg.It was only after I studied the enclosed leaflet in the box of Lipitor that I noticed the RARE BUT SERIOUS SIDE EFFECT: Shortness of breath, if you suffer from this stop straight away and see your Dr. it said. It turned out that the ALVEOLI are affected. I had a lung function test done which showed my lung capacity was down by 20%.After cortisone treatment it has improved a bit but it is still 10% down and it effects me every day. I tire quickly and get out of breath walking uphill or against the wind.If there is a class action going let me know please! I am so fed up . I am only 63 but feel like an old woman.I will not take anymore cholesterol lowering medication; I rather live 5 years less, if that is the consequence.

I am a 47 year old female and started using Lipitor (10 mg) about 4 weeks ago. In the last two weeks, I have been experiencing numbness, pain and weakness in my extremities. The numbness and pain is excruciating from my neck to the tips of my fingers on my left side. I am also weak and my muscles ache throughout my entire body. My joints hurt and are extremely stiff from my feet to my shoulders and I was so tired yesterday (November 26, 2007) that I could not go to work. I was about ready to go to the emergency room today thinking I have some undiagnosed illness, but since reading the side effects of others, I am calling my Doctor to inform him of my problems and I have am refraining from taking anymore Lipitor. I just want to know if the symptoms will go away after the medication is completely out of my system.

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

I took Lipitor for 4 or 5 years. I lost count. I am a type II diabetic and the Dr. threw tons of prescriptions at me. I was convinced all my problems were not the result of Lipitor because my sister's Dr. told her that if you had the muscle pain you would have it all over. Well I got sick of feeling like I was 85 years old. I am 57. I know I am not young anymore, but I couldn't sit for more than a few minutes without having trouble getting up. The right top of my leg hurt so bad some times that I could hardly walk . I also had really bad pain on the right side of my lower leg. I had pains in my neck and shoulders and attributed it to stress at work.Last, but not least I had terrible gas and bloating. The gas was downright embarrasing. Well I took it upon myself to stop taking it. Within several days I felt like a new woman! The minute I woke up one morning I could feel the difference before I even got out of bed. I felt like I had been given my life back.

When I called my Dr. to let her know she wasn't very happy and wanted me to come in. Well now she put me on Crestor and it's been two weeks and the old pains and gas are coming back. I am NOT going to take these terrible statins anymore. They say that the muscle and joint aches are rare, but that is only because most doctors won't listen to their patients. You know your own body better than anyone else.

I have heard that some of the "older" statins are not as powerful and they don't have as many side effects. Has anyone else heard this or had any experience using them?

All I know is that for now I am off statins.

I am a 58 year old man. I was started on Lipitor due to slightly high cholesterol levels. Within a few days, I was feeling flu-like symptoms: sore skin, achey neck and shoulders, I felt pretty much the same as when flu is just starting up. Tylenol would usually make me feel a little better. I also think it was causing some bloating. My doctor suspected fibromyalgia but did some research and has switched me to Crestor ... so far so good. I am also taking the Crestor in the morning instead of at bedtime. I was taking the Lipitor at bedtime and would start to feel the worst effects by early evening.

I am totally shocked at what I have learned about Lipitor. My physician prescribed 10mg for me over 4 years ago. No major problems until recently. Severe neck/shoulder pain for about 3 months. Dr said it was a pulled muscle. Gave me Skelaxin. No help. Went to Chiropractor--yanked, cracked, beat, etc--no help. In the past 2 weeks or so I have developed pain in my hips, back and legs. Blamed it on being 52 years old. As I read some of the experiences on here I could relate to each one. I also have gained about 30 pounds in the past 4 years, short term memory is terrible. NO ENERGY> 3 years ago-Dr started me on Wellbutrin for depression, then added Zoloft. I am to the point now I want to get off of all this and see how I could really feel. Not sure about withdrawals. Any comments on stopping the meds?

II have been on Statins for many years. Started with Zocor which caused two large muscle knots in my side. I talked to my cardiologist and was told it couldn’t be, as it would be more systemic. I asked him for a CPK check and he telephoned me and said get off of it at once. In the meantime I broke two ribs swinging a golf club. I was switched to at least three other Statins with the same results, muscle pain. I finally ended up on lipitor. My CPK was elevated, but my cardiologist said that the benefits of 10 mg. of Lipitor trumped the slight CPK elevation. All went well for a couple of years. During that time I participated in a Lipitor study and was monitored for approximately six weeks. Results were Ok until the dose was increased from 10 to 20 mg. I was immediately dropped from the study. Three weeks ago my cardiologist increased my Lipitor to 20 mg. and added co Q-10 300mg. It took four weeks until I developed severe muscle pain in my lower back and shoulders and neck. My doctor will not accept that Lipitor is the cause. I took myself off of it a week ago. I am now almost pain free. He appears to be avoiding communication with me. He also was one of the Dr. participating in the Lipitor study. I would hope that many MDs read this entire list of problems attributed to Lipitor.

I am 68 year old female. Been on 20mg of Lipitor for about 2 months. My scalp itches so bad i can't stand it. My knees and shoulders ache. I had been on 10mg prior to this for over a year with no problems. I am also tired. I am convinced it is the 20mg of Lipitor.

29 Year Old Female on 10mg: I have been on Lipitor for 3 months now and for the past month I have been having pains in my shoulders, back, neck, radiating down my arms, stomach aches and muscle weakness/soreness in both legs. A few days ago I suffered such a sever anxiety attack where I thought I was having a heart attack. Something like this has never happened before but I contributed most of these things to being a little out of shape and worrying about my life. However when I mentioned these symptoms to my husband he mentioned the commercial for Lipitor where it states, "...if you experience muscle weakness this could be a sign of a rare but serious side effect and you should consult your Dr." This weakness is a breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. This condition can lead to kidney failure.

Just recently (last 3 weeks) I have been experiencing some memory loss which I contributed to stress but after reading of the other individuals who take Lipitor I wonder if it isn’t the Lipitor as well.

Since it was the weekend and my Dr's office was closed I called my local pharmacy where the pharmacist told me that I should stop taking the Lipitor and contact my Dr. on Monday. I will be doing just that.

If you want to know more about Lipitor you can read the PPI here http://www.lipitor.com/content/Lipitor_PPI.pdf

72 year old male,been on 10mg lipitor over 5 years,last month developed pain in both shoulders that spread down my armsalmost to my elbows,then pain started traveling from shoulders across the top of my back to the top of my spine.started insomnia over a year ago ,but never connected it to lipitor.Have stopped taking liptor last week ,the pain has lessened slightly,will stay off lipitor for a month to evaluate any improvement.
Lou3161

Have been on Lipitor for almost a year and muscle aches and pains have increased in the past two months to a debilitating stage. The muscles in my arms, shoulders and back hurt constantly. My hands are aching and I've also experienced cramps in the feet and toes. Last week cramps started in the leg calves. I can barely climb any stairs. There has also been some weight gain since I began taking lipitor.

I went to the doctor yesterday afternoon and when I finished describing the symptons he immediately said it was most likely the Lipitor.
He also shared that he had two friends who are doctors, one a runner, who had these same symptons as a result of Lipitor. He told me to stop taking it for two weeks and see if it is better. I will stop taking this permanently and try to lower the cholesterol with exercise and Vitamin C.

I have beenon lipitor for more than five years. I now have unbearable pains in my shoulders which are only relieved with antiinflammatories. I also have pains in my right foot which is sometimes very difficult to walk on. My Dr says ok go off lipitor but risk heart attack/stroke. I am getting to the point that the pain is so debilitating that Idon't care.

I have terrible ringing in my ears which never stops. The pain in both of my feet is excruciating to the point of tears every day every moment. My joints in my hands are crippling. There is pain in my shoulders and arm muscles. I have not been able to sleep through a night without waking up in severe pain. If this is how one feels with lower cholesterol, then what is the point? I am mad at myself for never questioning or doing any homework prior to beginning this or any drug but trust me, I am a quick learner and this will never happen again. I just pray I haven't ignored the symptoms too long.

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 have been taking Lipitor for about two years. Just recently I have experienced muscle pain on the sides of my arms from the shoulders down and muscle pain in my legs. This is so uncomfortable that it wakes me up during the night. I can barely get out of bed in the morning and feel as if I've been run over by a bread truck. My doctor prescribed the drug as a preventative for high cholesteral because I have diabetes. However, my cholesteral has never been above 200.

I saw my physician several days ago because the muscle pain was increasing and I was feeling almost septic. He mentioned Lipitor might be causing this and wrote me prescriptions for a muscle relaxant and an anti-inflammatory. I also had a blood test to determine whether Lipitor was adversely affecting my body. The test came back negative. He told me to stay on the Lipitor and the other two medications for two weeks. After being on the new meds for a couple of days, I still felt terrible. I have stopped taking the Lipitor and the other prescriptions. I will see in a week or so if I'm feeling better. I couldn't feel worse, and, I don't think my cholesterol is out of control.

This incident makes one pause and take note that physicians are not omnipotent, and also to remember to take responsibility for our health care.

At night when I go to bed parts of my body jerks. Sometimes both shoulders, sometimes a foot or a muscle and other parts of the body. Also, my fingers lock. Plus, my hands aren't steady and my legs feel weak. I'm 72 and have been on Lipitor for about five years. I don;t if I should stop taking it and what I should try. I take 500 mg of Vit. C and omega 3.

Extreme muscle pain in legs, upper arms, shoulders, and lower bacK. I thought I was just working too hard in my garden but nuscles never ached while I was at work, only after I sat or lay down afterwards. Lately it has become very difficult to get up once I'm lying down. My neck and shoulders stab when I move them, and my lower back has a kinfe-like pain when I try to get up from a lying position. My neurologist has just ordered a blood test to check for the possibility of what he called an extremely dangerous side. For several years, I've had trouble with imbalance and tingling in hands and feet. I am looking forward to hearing the test results. Problem is, he says, just getting off he drug might not cause the symptoms to disappear. I feel frightened. I've been taking lipitor andfive years or more.

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.

I just found this site when I was looking up side effects from Lipitor. I've been on 40mg for about 8 years or so - Zocor and Mevacor before that. Had by-pass surgery 18 months ago (I'm a 53 year old male). Lately my shoulders and sometimes my elbow ache although it's more annoying than anything. I work out every other day and have no problems with that and actually I'm in better shape then I've been in 25 years. In addition to the joint pain, I do seem to be more tired than I should be. My wife's on 20mg and has been experiencing slight balance problems, a writer's cramp sort of thing, as well as being tired. Since this is all relatively new to me it'll be a topic when I visit my doctor in a few weeks. Thank you all for your posts. I've learned alot today.

I have been taking the max dose 80 of lipitor for years now and everyhing was fine un til recently. Now, I can hardly type this note today as my arms, shoulders and legs are really painful especially my arms. I cannot raise them to pick up anytthing or put my socks on in the morning. It is much worse in the am. My doctor thinks it has to be the lipitor as all the other blood work was negative. I have been off Lipitor now for over a week but there are no signs I am improving. My doctor says it could be up to 6 weeks for me to feel somewhat better. I walk in the am like iI am 95. It is hard to believe Lipitor has caused these pains since I have been on it for so long.
I have never been in this much pain and discomfort in my life and I am 66.
Please help if you can.
John

ive been on lipitor since 2002 i had to have my right lung removed after a yr the drs. let me go back to work i ended up getting fired i cant breathe anymore my legs back and about 2 wks ago my liver started hurting now my wife and i think it is from lipitor i drink a couple times a wk it really hurts a numb feeling and my legs and back shoulders neck im only 47 i feel 87 is there anyone else feeling this way?

Trying to diagnose my problem with muscle problems has been dismal and I stopped taking lipitor 5 days ago when I felt I had to do something drastic. Initially discomfort, then pain, was in my neck. Over the last year it moved into my shoulders, then through my back muscles, into my buttocks, then into legs and recently also into my arms. I am a 64 year old female and I just can't continue to function properly with this complaint. My doctor has not even suggested that it might be lipitor but nothing else has worked out. I'm still really miserable. How long before some improvement and how much COQ10 should I take? (I was on 10mg lipitor for about 2 years)

I took Lipitor 20 mg for 2 weeks. After day 5, I felt like I was getting the flu. By day 7 I could hardly get off the floor. No amount of stretching would relieve the aches and pain. Weak arms, legs and my whole body ached. I operate heavy equipment and could barely climb up on it. Could no longer work out on weights or walk any distance at all. Doc says RA or Fibromyalgia or bad shoulders or it's all in my head. I'm just glad he gave me lots Hydrocodone. Still depleted, looking for energy, trying to find what I lost to Lipitor.

I have been on Lipitor for 2 months now (10mg) and I am having upper chest pain (like a knife going thru my rib cage) and pain shooting down my left arm. I also have pain in my shoulders when I sleep on my side so I have been having to sleep on my back all nite long. Could this be from the lipitor? These pains have all come on since I started this medication.

Problem with seeing the doctor is that they have to see some Xray or do a blood test before they believe anything. My shoulder pains are almost completely gone and flexible again. I too had so much pain that when I slept on my side, it hurt alot..and I mean alot. Now I can sleep on the shoulders and I don't wake up in pain. My leg rash is still gone and healing up nicely and believe me when I say that I had it for years and it never went away like this. It is too coincidental for me to ignore that the Lipitor was the culprit. Just get off the Lipitor for a week and see if the symptons subside, that is the only proof you need. I am not a doctor nor do I suggest that you don't need some form of statin to control cholesterol but the side efforts from it was not worth it for me. Better and easier to watch the intake of fatty foods and excerise. Good luck.

I did not suspect Lipitor as the cause for my shoulder pain and rash on my leg. I've been taking Lipitor for couple of years and over time both my shoulders were so painful that the doctors (2) said I had inflammation and possible muscle tears. Put me on antiinflammatory pills and eventually gave me cortisone shots in both shoulders. During this time I continued to take Lipitor. I went on a 2 week vacation to Mexico and forgot to take the Lipitor with me and I didn't have a prescription to get more in Mexico (legally) so I did without. Magically during my second week without Lipitor, my pain started to subside in both shoulders and the rash eased up. I have been off Lipitor for 1 month now and my shoulders are almost back to normal and rash has stayed away. I am convinced it is the side effects from Lipitor. I encourage all to see their doctors regarding going on another form of Statin. I myself have started taking some liquid glucosamine (with condroitin, MSM, and Colegen) that I got at Costco, Vitamin E, and Fish Oil capsules. Not sure about my cholesterol but the pain is almost all gone and improving daily. Good luck to all who are dealing with the side effects of Lipitor. This is my theory and I'm sticking to it.

After taking 10mg 3x week (no problems) my doctor asked me to take it daily. I did from 11/1/05 through 12/05/05 and began having neck stiffness/shoulder/arm/elbow/wrists/hand/hip pain so severe that I could not sleep in my bed - could not use my arms. The pain was the worst I have ever had. My primary sent me to a Rheumatologist who said (after 6 vials blood/11 x-rays of hands/shoulders) that I had polymyalgiarheumatica. I had taken Prednisone before (years ago) and it caused me to become greatly agitated. She asked me to try 1-5mg pill for 5 days and then go to 2-5mg pills. Tomorrow is my third dose of 2 pills and thus far I am doing fine. Pain has alleviated somewhat but nothing to write home about. COULD LIPITOR HAVE BROUGHT ON THIS PROBLEM? My gut tells me yes - primary said: "Maybe." What do you say?
Thank you.
MJG

Continous aches and pains in shoulder and knee joints, both sides. Shoulders ache while sleeping, and during physical activity. Taking 10 mg for about a year now.

My husband has been on Crestor since early 2004 then switched to Lipitor this year. He started having low back ache about three days ago and continual tremors (painless muscle spasms) in his neck, face, shoulders, arms, and hands that have increased in intensity. He was told to go the Emergency Room today. They ran a full spectrum of blood tests including CPK, which all returned normal results and sent him home. After clearing it with the Dr. he decided to stop taking Lipitor and see if that makes a difference.

Has anyone else had tremors, muscle twitching, or small muscle spasms with statin drugs?

HAS ANYONE BROKEN OUT IN A RASH WHILE TAKING LIPITOR?

I started Lipidor last fall; since then I've had repeated tendonitis in my elbows, stiffness in shoulders and legs. The first couple months were off and on but since Jan it had been continuing on a regular basis. Some days I can hardly lift my mug to drink. I've taken anti-inflammatories both prescription and otc for months. More recently I've been plagued with aching in all limbs and joint areas and greater fatigue. It sounds familiar to many of these entrys. After reading these enterys, I believe it's time for me to stop this medication and feel better.

have been taking Atorvastatin for 5 months, prescribed by the hospital after I was hospitalised for 3 days following a minor stroke. I was prescribed 20mg which I took for about three and a half months. I felt dizzy a bit and believed this was side affects from my stroke. My cholesterol was 6.2 which is considered quite high. I decided to cut down the dose to 10 mg as I hate taking drugs of any kind and a friend of mine who has low thyroid like me ( we are both on thyroxine) told me that she had been told that one should not take statins with an under active thyroid. This is why I reduced the dose. Having found this website I am beggining to realise that the shoulder and neck pain that has developed over the last months and also an increase in the dryness to my eyes and a swollen finger joint - could all possibly be due to Atorvastatin. I have now stopped taking the drug -- my shoulders are just beginning to feel easier now , I await relief from my swollen painful finger-- will let you know results.

I took Zocor for 60 days and stopped because of pain in both my shoulders, not being totally sure this was the cause but being normally very free of such pains. It took about 3 months for the pain to subside, following stopping the Zocor. One year later I resumed statin therapy and took Pravachol for 60 days. My shoulder pain returned and I developed knee and ankle pain also. I therefore stopped the statins and I still have some shoulder pain after 7 months - the other pains have lessened.

I know that people will post here mostly when they have problems, but from similar experiences of at least five of my friends who have been on these drugs, I am beginning to think that it is a silent minority who are, in general, not posting here!

I note that statins are prescribed universally for high LDL (cholesterol) and also for the majority of diabetics, regardless of LDL levels. Seeing the cost of these pills at about $3 each, there is a huge vested interest in maintaining the position that muscular and joint problems are only occurring in a tiny minority of those being treated.

Lipitor, Crestor Age 57
Cholesterol 250 Doctor tried me on Lipitor 10 mg first. After one week I experienced the "can't get up out of a chair" that the doc warned me about. I also felt very weak in my legs going up the stairs. I stopped the Lipitor. My husband had the same problem with Zoclor and was angry that his doc did not warn him. My doc also said upset stomach or intestines was a side effect. When Crestor came out, my doc said it was a designer drug that should not cause muscle problems. I took Crestor 10 mg for 6 weeks and had the lab tests. My liver functions were fine and my cholesterol was down to 150.
Just one or two weeks later I experienced severe flu-like aches and pains, especially in my upper back and shoulders and arms. It was an achey, almost burning pain. It got so bad I just stayed in bed. My legs didn't bother me very much, so I did not think of the muscle wasting side effect called rhabdomyolisis. After two weeks in bed, my spouse told me that USA Today reported a death in someone using Crestor. The penny dropped and I stopped using the Crestor. Each day of the next week the pain improved. To me that was proof. I am back to doing my normal activities, but I continue to have intermittent pain in my upper back and shoulders. I sometimes have burning and strange nerve sensations in the back and shoulders. These feel like itching or when the novacaine wears off at the dentist. Several spots on my back have no feeling. After 9 months off Crestor, my back still gets sore or feels numb or gets burning sensations from pressure including lying in bed. A spine x-ray showed nothing. I think it was Crestor. Now I have some numbness that comes and goes in my face, but I don't know if it is related. I will never take another Statin drug again.

my 66 year old diabetic husband took Atorvastatin-10mg for 4 weeks - 3 months later he cannot sleep at night for the pain in his shoulders and neck. he has been back to the doctors 3 times and now they have just done a blood test and given him a steroid injection. He cannot work nothing seems to ease the pain. some days he can't even walk a few steps. the stiffness in his joints is so great. Has anyone found a cure. Our doctor hasn't. she wants him to start taking it again !! NEVER.

I don't take Lipitor but I do take Pravacol and Zetia together. They are statin drugs. I take 20mg. of Pravacol and 10mgs. of Zetia. I am so glad I was sent this info from other people. I just know that since taking these drugs that I have experiened extreme pain and stiffness in both shoulders. Went to orthopedic dr. and was told I had forzen shoulders. Since reading all of the complaints from other people, I am inclined to believe that it is coming from these drugs. I can't sleep at nite due to the pain and soreness. Been thru physical therapy and cortizone shot with no relief. I am 50 yrs old and feel like 80 sometimes. I was always very active and I just don't want to do anything anymore. I just make myself do it. Thank you all for this info. I hope I can reverse this whole ordeal. Debbie ***