Lipitor and stiffness

I took it for one month only. In the first week I was extremely fatigued but ignored it. Then I got stiffness in my fingers. I started getting cramps in my feet and legs. I stopped the medication after exactly one month. It has been one month since I stooped taking it. But my symptoms have not gone away. My arms and legs are still stiff. I develop severe pain in my left arms. There is a terrible tingling sensation in my body when I sleep. I am going to see a neurologist next week. I hope there is no permanent nerve damage. I have started taking Lyrica 50 mg in the mean time to get rid of this tingling sensation.

I am 60years and a stroke survivor of ten years.
About 9 years ago started on Lipitor 20mg until about 18months ago prescribed 80mg.
Looking back I have symptoms for quite some time, and thought it must have been from tthe strokes.3 weeks ago had a CPK blood test showed my level was about 300 over recommended ratio. Have been nauseas, light headed as though I am going to fall (even when I turn my head in bed) bloated, very hungry, put on weight,stiffness, sore or aching muscles. Have been on Luvox for depression since the strokes chest pain, back pain, shoulder pain foggy vision again, aching under armpit and groin areas, irritable,and always seem tired and the list goes on, even my speech seems to be worse at times
Have had two weeks of Lipitor and started to feel better, but had to try them again for this week. See doctor Friday and I wish to say never again do I want to take another lipitor. I live in Australia and would like to find more info. Any advice would be appreciated.

After being on Lipitor for over 3 years, I decided to stop taking it in OCT 07 and start seriously working out to try to control my cholesterol. I started feeling much better within a month. I was not near as stiff and my plantar fasciitis was much better. I attributed this to loosing about 12 pounds and the physical exercise. At my physical in JAN 08, my doctor said I should get back on Lipitor. Within a few days of starting to take Lipitor again I was very stiff and sore and my plantar fasciitis was getting worse. If I sat for a while it was very painful to get up and start walking. I stopped taking Lipitor again and saw an improvement in my stiffness and soreness.

I reported what I thought might be side effects on 25 Dec related to Lipitor. They included many of the aches and stiffness that have been reported here. I stopped that day and now have been going clean for just over three weeks and all the pain has gone. I tested low for cholesterol three weeks ago also but it was also due to exercise and diet that I think that I can keep it low with this drug. I cannot believe how I struggled with this for so long feeling old and sore when it was Lipitor. My liver test also showed elevated enzymes from the drug which is another side effect which can cause liver damage. I feel like a new person. My recommendation is if you experience these pains, get off this drug and find other ways to handle the cholesterol.

This drug should be removed from the market.

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 44 year old male and have been on Lipitor for about 2 years the last dose of which was increased to 40mg. I am active, go to gym regularly but I have found especially over the last 6 months that I get stiffness all over my body if I am immobile in a single position for a while - in any part of my body - that verges on painful. I cannot sit with my legs folded, or on my haunches without getting very stiff. Even getting out of a chair will leave me with stiff ankles or even sore feet and a lower back that need to be walked out to be better. At night my hands hurt from being still. I also have tinnitus which comes and goes. Because of my doing so much weight training and exercise I cannot understand why I feel like how I imagine a much older person might feel in terms of stiffness and body aches. I am going to get a blood test for liver and cholesterol tomorrow as a result of reading these reports because they may explain my aches and then I am going to stop at once and advise my doctor of what I have done and see if this makes a difference. I also feel that I have a lower libido. This cannot be arthritis either because that pain does not come and go, it tends to stay in one place. There might also be other symptoms that I have not realized - if this is related to Lipitor. I will report back to this forum.

I have read and heard, first hand, dozens of stories about Lipitor. It is clear why, too. When you cut off lipoproteins (commonly called "cholesterol"), you cut off the supply of essential fatty acids (EFAs) to the cell membranes of nerve cells, which use these EFAs for neurotransmission. Eventually the nerve cells degenerate and die, causing pain, stiffness, and loss of muscle control.

Typical: muscle pain, muscle weakness, swallowing problems, muscle cramps, numbness, spasms, muscle atrophy.

very bad back pain,especially when getting up in the morning or trying to stoop. A strange sensation in my elbowsand knees-like a pulling feeling and a feeling that I need to stretch my arms, legs,neck and back. The inside of elbow,on the bone, very tender to touch, stiffness in neck. Soreness on bottom of feet,just below toes. Had been taking Boniva, but I stopped because I thought that was causing my pain. Didn't connect my symptoms to Lipitor until someone told me their husband had been on Lipitor and had stopped because he was experiencing same symptoms as me.

This is a great site for learning more on this subject where we can get the real facts from real experiences.( Vs. the deception from drug companies who are in the business for profit.)

Lipitor is pure poison, and Dr.'s hand it out like candy. All cholesterol reducing drugs that contain statins can trigger dangerous side effects. Not many of us are informed about the real danger of statins when we are handed the perscription. Inappropriate prescribing of medications will continue to be one of the leading causes of death. And we, the patients,do not always receive enough info. from our Dr.'s about the dangers and side effects from prescription drugs.

I'm 48 yrs. young. Female, small build, (was) healthy and active, happy, and an empty nester! My husband and I had moved to another province and hence had to find a new Dr.

I was prescribed lipitor 10 mg. daily after a routine check up by my Dr. because my cholesterol was a little high.

I started taking it in the winter 2005. I stopped taking it in mid June 2007... My side effects were progressive , drug induced, and it escalated to near disabling.

I knew something was terribly wrong. Was it A.L.S., M.S., West Nile, Lupis, Alzhiemers Disease, or a new designer disease? I did not suspect that the drug lipitor was the cause until much later.

At first, my Dr. said it was menopause. I should mention; since I've quit taking the drug 3 months ago, I have no symptoms of menopause !
At least my Dr. has acknowledged and diagnosed the cause of these profound symptoms." Myopathy as a result of statins."

Signs & symptoms I experienced are as follows;

Severe stomach pain.
Muscle pain, aching , weakness, stiffness, tenderness esp.to the lower extremities. Eventually, I could only shuffle to walk.
Pain in the palms of hands.
Stiff neck, shoulders, arms and lower back.
Trouble getting up from a seated position, and climbing stairs.
Extreme fatigue.
Hot and cold sweats
Night sweats
Fevers. High and low grade fevers.
Ringing in the ears.
Difficulty swallowing, and fear of choking.
Pain in the esophagus.
Memory loss, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness.
NO appetite, yet a lot of weight gained around the abdomen area.Bloated.
NO taste buds.
Speech affected, slurring words and mispronouncing. Tongue felt swollen.
Trouble breathing at night, would wake up coughing ( and I was not smoking then).
Trouble sleeping.
Loss of balance and coordination.
Blurred vision esp. in the morning.
Sharp shooting pains in the Rt. thigh.

Most of the symptoms have now subsided. I still have some foot pain and leg cramps and muscle stiffness... and poor concentration. Putting this together has been done with great difficulty, as I seem to pause a great deal and forget what I was trying to say. The recovery process is slow but at least it's progress. My Dr. has not prescribed any more medication. I've done my own research, after the fact, and started taking coQ10. and I've noticed a big difference!

Quality of life? Well, I'd rather have high cholesterol and die from that, than be poisoned again by statins. What quality is there, to live an extremely painful, useless and unfulfilling life? We were all guinea pigs, and we paid a terrible price for this! I hope we all can recover from this with no long term side effects.
If you are considering taking cholesterol lowering drugs do some careful research on statin drugs before you take them, and read the testimonies from those effected by them.
sj.

I have same back pain and stiffness. Can not do the yoga pose I used to do any more.

If I stop taking Lipitor for several days, the pain is gone. So I'm sure it is the Lipitor.

Now, I take lipitor(10mg) for one month, and skip for another month. Not sure if this would cause any issue, but somewhat midway solution for me to remove back pain and lowering cholesterol.

Daily episodes of pulmonary arrest, congestive heart failure leading to heart surgery, loss of motor control, curling of the right foot into a club foot that could not be uncurled, nerve damage, numbness in toes, loss of memory, depression, anxiety, dry eyes, elbow pain, intense neck pain and stiffness, backaches, leg spasms, loss of balance, hair loss, permanent "hissing" in the ears, inability to concentrate, inability to walk, nausea, elbow pain, jaw pain, debilitating exhaustion, impotence, flaking skin.

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.

Muscle ache and stiffness, especially in the morning. General fatigue. I am 50 and have been on Lipitor for four years. I'm wondering if it may be causing these problems. I feel like I'm 80 when I get up in the morning.

Sholuder and elbow pain, lethagic neck and pain stiffness

After taking Lipitor 10mg for 14 months with no effects till Sept 2005- i now have knee swelling and thigh muscular aches when standing for any length of time, and since mid- Nov, have had very sore hips and muscle aches in that area, plus general stiffness after sitting for a while. Am now having sleeping problems as i have lower back pain which has come on in the last 2 weeks. I went to a liver specialist as the count was up, but apart from asking about my reaction to Lipitor,didn't suggest this as a posibility. I am to see an arthritis specialist on feb 6 th. I was in Europe for 3 months from Jun to Aug and walked everwhere and did lots of stairs! Now I get a lot of pain if I walk only minor distances. I;ve been told it could be a virus or polyarthritis or polymyalgia-but noone is sure. Should i go off the statins? It seems from your letters that it is impossible to tell if it is Lipitor causing these symptoms as the recovery period varies so greatly with each person. I have a family history of heart disease- do i try something else to lower the cholesterol? Meryl- Sydney

My doctor took me off Lipitor a month ago after I described my pain symptoms and extreme fatigue to him. It seems that he had some severe pain after he started taking it, so he was very "in tune" to what I was saying. I am feeling somewhat better, but I'm still having some muscle weakness in left arm and joint pain and stiffness continues in my right thumb. I have some milder pain here and there but it isn't debilitating like it was when I was taking Lipitor. I also have not had any fatigue. I feel like I am getting better, but I am concerned about my cholesterol levels going up. I go back to him in 6 weeks for a check up so we will see what they are then. Meanwhile, he has referred me to a rheumatologist. My arthritis panel came back normal but he feels like I should see the specialist to make sure I am ok... I agree with everyone else - don't start taking Lipitor but if you do - watch for symptoms and then get off of it immediately!

Been taking lipitor for 3 or 4 years. Symptoms I have been having in the last 6 mos or so include Light headedness, Joint pain, muscle weekness , soreness and stiffness , itching skinn and eyes

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.

I have been taking Lipitor for 4 years. About 2 years ago most of these side effects started. muscle cramps in legs, muscle pain and weakness , fatigue, stiff neck, hip joint pain and knee joint pain and stiffness. Been off for 3 days and will never take it again.

My father is 70 yrs old and was on Lipitor for over 4 yrs. He started developing muscle pain and stiffness after being on this statin drug for about 3 and a half years. However being on this medication for such a long time the damage done was quite severe. He will never be "normal" again and he will propably be on the steroid prednisone for the rest of his life. He came off of Lipitor a year ago. He started noticing that he had tremors in his hands, twitches in his face, a stiff neck and these symptoms are only getting worse. It looks like he has developed Parkinson's Disease since coming off the Lipitor. Is it possible that the Lipitor induced the Parkinsons Disease? I am his daughter and I am trying to find some answers for him as it is really bothering him. Besides the tremors he has a very poor memory, he gets confused very easily and he will not go anyplace by himself. We first thought that it might be the start of Alzhiemers but after reading the symptoms of Parkinson's disease he symptoms sure do fit much better than with Alzhiemers. Any information you may have for me would be greatly appreciated. What medications or natural supplements would help these symptoms that he is experiencing.

Have been taking statins for 10+ years with side effects of dizziness, flu like symtoms and fatigue and attributed all to aging. Started Lipitor 3+ yrs. ago and symtoms got worse, now including knee pain, stiffness,loss of balance, difficulty walking and slurred speech. Have seen numerous doctors who act as though I'm just an hysterical female. They are right. These symtoms are enough to scare anyone. Have stopped Lipitor for two mos. and knee pain and most of stiffness is gone but not other symtoms. I'm 70 yrs. old and have been active despite side effects until last 3 yrs. Now find it difficult to walk and have fallen too many times. No more statins for me but feel they have done irreparable damage.

I am a 63 year old female who has taken Lipitor for 3 years. Since I have arthritis in my right knee, I dismissed symptoms starting last summer in my thumb. I had pain and gripping problems, very difficult to lift anything. By first of October my left knee became involved. Had minor popping in my ankle and left knee until I turned over in bed one night and felt big pop in my knee. Knee was sore and within about two weeks stiffness started in both knees - so stiff after sitting that I have to stand for a few minutes before walking. The stiffness in my knees became painful and then my left hip developed sharp pain and some discomfort in my back. Walked very slowly and stiffly, difficult to get out of car, put on panty hose, step in and out of shower , or lie on left side. Started taking more ibuprofen and aleve, using a tensunit, and applying heat to both knees. Had some improvement but on December 9, notice my left leg was quite swollen from knee down to ankle. Called doc who said to quit taking Lipitor to see if that was problem. Will be 3 weeks this Friday since I quit taking Lipitor and I am experiencing a lot less stiffness in my knees, less pain in my hip, but my left leg is still somewhat swollen. I will see doc January 26 and get his verdict.

Well, let's hope it is the Zocor, left leg, left arm weakness, no pain, neck aches and stiffness and tingling in neck, funny twitching in calves, burning and just different neurological symptoms. First, they thought stroke, previous heart surgery 8 months ago. Been on Zocor for 8 months. Now, MS or tumor or differential diagonosis, no answers. Have stopped Zocor for 2 weeks, strength has came back neck is still stiff. We will see, pray for us. 42 years old.

I have been on lipitor for five weeks and I've been trying to figure out during this time why I feel achey,sore mucles,stiffness in my joints(feet and hands especially)back ache, just a general overall achey condition. I've had every blood test run to see if I have any signs of arthritis and I don't. People including doctors have told me I probably have Fibromyalgia, so I've been looking for how to treat that, then I read all the side effects of liptor. I am stopping the lipitor today and hope this pain will all go away. I've been extremely healthy all my life (57)until this. STOP TAKING

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 ***

I have had severe pain in my right hip-joint area and difficulty sleeping on that side for several weeks now, and it is increasing in intensity. I have experienced the "fog" that many have discussed as well, leg and foot cramps are all too familiar as well as the dizziness periodically! I had noticed increased stiffness upon arising in the morning but attributed that to possible arthritus, hmmm, now makes me wonder. I also thought the increased hair loss (nothing creating baldness) that I found inconvenient, I feel like a shedding dog, was from aging! After reading so many comments about Lipitor, I am wondering if there is a link with this medication.

I do have one symptom I would like to inquire with others about...I had a bout with Hemoptysis (bleeding lungs) and recently nose bleeds, for no apparent reason other than minor activity. Also I have a feeling of being "Anxious" for no reason and it is not a normal feeling for me to experience even during duress circumstances. Are others experiencing similar reactions that may be related to taking Lipitor? Thanks. Tomball, Texas

Lipitor - poison in disguise?
I have been taking 10mg of Lipitor daily for the past three months - but not anymore. It is an insidious drug with side effects that crept up on me and left me in an emotionally turbulent state. Blinding headaches, nausea, vertigo, disorientation, memory loss, extremely dry eyes, pain and stiffness in my neck and calf muscles, abominal pain and flatulence, and a urinary tract infection. The local GP.(not the one who initially prescribed the Lipitor ) described my symptoms as "too vague to diagnose".
It was this site that proved my turning point. It was great to relate to so many similar case histories. I am usually fit and healthy woman in my 50s who is keen to stop anyone else going through what I have recently experienced.

39 year old male on Lipitor for four weeks and have experienced over the last week excruciating, stabbing back pain between the shoulder blades that subsides during the day but returns at night. Also increasing overall fatigue and general muscle weakness and stiffness in morning. Taking myself off it immediately, particularly after reading the other posts.

I'm currently experiencing severe left leg and knee pain and stiffness. I was a dedicated runner, but stopped thinkning I'd strain my hamstring but pain has lasted about 1 month with no improvement. No pain when sitting, but when I begin to walk I have extrememe stiffness and pain, gets better after I take several steps. Severe back/sholder pain with intermitten numbness in the region. I've take Zocor for 2 years.

extreme fatigue, annoying low-back pain, neck pain and stiffness, dry eyes, falling hair, sore tongue and nocturia