Vytorin and statins

* Completely sunburned after 30 minutes in the sun
* Have to get up at least once a night to urinate (never had before)
* Extreme pain in my feet when I first get up in the morning. (Goes away in 30 seconds) If I feel it when I get up to urinate, I won't feel it later when I normally get up
* Decreased sex drive
* Cholesterol decrease from 310 to 147

Afraid these side effects are just the beginning

To all of you here I would suggest that you also read messages for the others statins such as for instance Lipitor, Zocor and Simvastatin as all statins have similar side effects.

I have written several messages there (Swedish). I have nothing to do with the health or pharmaceutical industry.

Just an ordinary lady in her sixties who have experienced side effects in people close to me.

That made me look for information. It started in 2003 and continues to this day because I think it`s necessary.

I hope you will be able to read some of the books that I mention in my messages to enlighten yourself.

Unfortunately the names of the webb-sites have been replaced with ***' but if you google for the names of the writers I am sure you will find them.

Good luck!

As MANY of you have posted, "I thought I was just getting 'old." Now I know it's the statins. I thought I was doing the right thing because I have family history of cholesterol problems. I was first on pravachol, then lipitor for a few years, now Vytorin - which dropped my numbers to the lowest ever - 190.

HOWEVER - I have never felt worse. I have all the 'symptoms' described in this blog. Reclusive, depressed, extreme shoulder/neck stiffness and pain. Low back, and hip joint pain (severe). I can't even workout because I don't have the stamina to go through my routine. LOSS OF MEMORY!! This is severe. I use to be able to memorize hundreds of numbers or addresses and now can't remember a number that I looked at 2 seconds ago! This is insane! They need to remove this drug from the market. I'm done with statins.

I started getting very exhausted with lower back pain and had felt like I had to urinate constantly. I went to my doctor and found out my gall bladder and pancreas was inflammed. I am now waiting on more lab results and 5 days after stopping my sypmtoms are still the same. I am at the point were I have missed 2 days of work because I have been so miserable. My boss is pissed at me, like its my fault. Thanks vytorin and your unsafe ways. Just say No to statins!

My doctor has put me on four different statins - with reactions from all of them. The one I just went off of - Vytorin - had me suicidal. I had pains so bad through my upper back that it felt like two kitchens knives were stuck in my muscles. My feet and hands were swollen. I had battled a cold for over six weeks - even going through a Z-pack. I was exhausted - taking naps in the middle of the day - NOT LIKE ME - I was sure I had lung cancer or something. Then, I had an "AH HA" moment - What took me so long. I went to Vytorin side effects and instantly went off of it. I feel wonderful. East statin affected me differently but, all had severe stomach and muscle pain. Please don't wait for that Ah Ha moment - Always read the side effects first. I won't even go into what Plavix did to me...

A nightmare drug. Very good at bringing my cholesterol down to 145, which for me was a record low since my first test BUT.........

From right shoulder pain to major tennis elbow pain, to cramped feet to tingling knees, to swelling ankles and cramped two fingers on my right hand it was a virtual nightmare. And, when I think back to the 1980's and my 'fun' with Zocor, it now becomes apparent that it was my reaction to statins that created all the problems.

1. DON'T DO WHAT I DID!!!! I didn't call my general practioner, who prescribed the Vytorin to me, and let her now. I went through neurologists, orthopedic surgeons and lots of physical therapy, $10,000s worth of special tests and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. My GP said she should always be contacted first no matter what the problem is. Mistake #1.

2. I didn't read any of the prescription printouts that comes with medication. I was lazy, I guess. It screams about the muscular side affects.

3. All the specialists/doctors I went to knew what medications I was on. Yet none of them 'got it.' Scary.

Getting up in the morning was the most difficult time. The more exercise I did, the better. Walk eight miles, great. Bike 27 miles, great. But fly five hours, bad. Obviously not sports injury types of muscle pain.

After three weeks off Vytorin about 92.67% fixed. Been tested for the enzyme side effects; no problems.

Good luck!

After having taken various statins for over 8 yrs., my Doc decided my bad cholesterol wasn't coming down fast enough to suit him. A yr. ago, he put me on Vytorin, not the advised dosage, 10/40, but 10/80. I have been suffering from severe panic attacks for over 30 yrs., but they had been bought under control with meds..With the Vytorin, the panic attacks have started again, I am horribly depressed, afraid to go anywhere and panic at the thought of anyone coming to visit. I also have night sweats and muscle pain in my arms so badly it is agony to stretch. Muddled thinking, outbursts against those I love, inability to concentrate, etc. finally caused me to seek my own remedy. After reading of others' experiences with Vytorin, I put 2 and 2 together and stopped taking it on my own, My doc's gonna have a fit when he finds out. But 2 wks. after stopping, my energy levewl has returned the depression is not as bad and the panic attacks are easing. The bad pain is still there; don't know if that will ever go away.....

Used to take Lipitor but my immune system went down and I blamed the statins.
Dr. at Lipids clinic changed medication from statins to ezetimibe and since using that I wake in the morning with stiff hands and arms up to the elbow. Difficulty making a fist, also have extreme lower back pain, difficult to walk or bend first thing in the morning. Also noticed bad calf muscle pain. Symptoms usually resolve after I have been up and about for about an hour. Not sure if it's the new drug but I am stopping it to see if these symptoms go away.