Welchol and cholesterol

I have been on Welchol to help lower my cholesterol along with the lipitor and I have such muscle aches and pain especially in my feet, knees, arms are sore along with my right shoulder, headache everyday and very tired. Not sure if I am going to fill my prescription today..I ache all over.

I have been on various cholesterol drugs (statins) including Lipitor with severe muscle weakness of the lower extremities. My doctor ordered Welchol and said since it contains no statins there would be no side effects. Within three days I experienced severe weakness and pain of the hands and wrists. It became worse as I continued taking this drug. I was unable to even hold a cup of coffee or golf. I discontinued it and it gradually subsided. I watch what I eat, go to aerobic classes six days a week and walk several miles four times a week. I am going to continue with this regime and Welchol is now my last experience with cholesterol drugs.

Have been on Welchol for IBS for many years. It stopped my IBS symptoms but does cause constipation. I try to eat healthier in order to help with that. About 3 months ago, I began having pain in my fingers. I thought it was probably due to carpal tunnel syndrome. In the last two weeks, the pain intensified and spread to all the knuckles on my hand; I also had swelling and redness. The pain then spread to my toes, the rest of the bones in my feet, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, and ankles. Next came stinging and burning and then sporadic numbness. By late afternoon, the fatigue was incredible, and I would become dizzy. I went to the doctor, and he ran every blood test available. Everything came back normal, which was great, but my doctor couldn't pinpoint what was causing my problems. He said none of my medicines would cause such symptoms.

My boss asked me if I was taking any cholesterol medication, and I told her I took Welchol for IBS. She said she had read article upon article connecting cholesterol medication to joint paint and encouraged me to check online to see if I could find any answers. This site was one of the many I found where other people mentioned symptoms very similar to my own. My boss suggested I mention this to my doctor. I was thrilled at the prospect of finding such an "easy" solution since my other medications are not easily replaced.

My doctor instantly said that there was "no way" that Welchol could cause these symptoms since -- as so many of your doctors have told you -- that it is not absorbed into the bloodstream. However, he approved my stopping Welchol as an "experiment". I noticed that many of you mentioned it took a few weeks or more for the symptoms to reduce. My doctor warned me again that this was not the solution and that in a couple days, he wants me to consider taking Neurontin or going on a sedative for stress. He thinks, since all the tests have come back negative, that stress is the real culprit.

I know that stress can cause many health problems, but it just seems too coincidental that so many of you have experienced the same symptoms I'm facing. Do you think I'm making the right decision? My symptoms are difficult to cope with at times, but they are not incapacitating. I would really like to try staying off of Welchol and see if it helps in the weeks to come instead of adding yet another medication to my list.

I would appreciate your advice and thoughts. Thank you for your posts -- they have given me real hope for a solution.

Been reading everyone's postings and now I'm scared. I currently am on Vytorin 10/80 and today the doctor added Welchol. I just had and ACL replacement surgery 4 weeks ago and my leg aches anyhow. I can't remember a time I have not had back pain, and I have arthritis in my joints and neuropathy in my feet. Any yeahs or nahs out there for you experienced ones? Is it worth taking, do you assume all my current pains will only get worse?????

After just two days on three WelChol a day, I have flu symptom. I'm going to stop the pills and see if it clears up just as quickly. If it was the WelChol, I'll just live with high cholesterol (273). WelChol will be the third strike after trying Vytorin and Lovastatin and having issues with all of them.

I have been taking welchol for approx 5 months and welchol has lowered by cholesterol by 100 pts and I am so pleased with the results. I have diarrhea in the mornings but combat that with a banana which immediately takes these symptoms away. Side effects in general have been very minimal and since I can't take statins, this has really been a life saver for me as my cholesterol is very high not due to diet etc. but instead, heredity

I decided to read about side effects of Welchol. I just got back from the doctor's and she gave me some free samples of this. In the past, I had been on Lipitor and Zetia but had terrible back, hip and leg pain. I went off of those and I was fine. Started on Crestor- same pain in back, hips and legs. Now my doctor says that Welchol is not absorbed in the blood stream so there should be no side effects- only possible heartburn. After reading all of these side effects that everyone is having on Welchol, I am not going to even try it.
I am going to record everything I eat and try to control my cholesterol with a good ,healthy diet. I also have heard that Red Yeast Rice- available at GNC or Health food stores can lower your cholesterol. I might try that but for now I'm doing the healthy diet and exercise.

I have been experiencing pain in my feet, right shoulder, and main in my arms, where they bend. Now I have worked out for almost 30 years and have had various sports injuries - and have not even considered Welchol as a possible cause for this. Tonight for whatever reason, I decided to look up the drug that my Dr. told me would have no side effects, just out of curiosity.

My history with Welchol is around a year and a half, and it works rather nicely. My cholesterol was 205 last month after about a year of not making the best choices diet wise. I have brought my number down to 188 through what I coin "food reform" - a lifestyle of very mindful eating. I think I need to get back into doing that if I want to get rid of some of this pain.

I read hair loss among some of the posts. How true is this? I have noticed my receding hairline receding faster this year and again, didn't connect Welchol with it at all.

I also started taking Welchol, two in the morning and two in the evening. I started noticing that I can not get an erection, and I know it's the medication. Can someone out there tell me if i am the only one or is someone else having this problem due to Welchol?

Going into my second week and experiencing irratic sleeping, lower back pain, occasional nausea and a lot of gas. I'm taking it for IBS and to lower cholesterol. I have also been taking a probiotic and something called chlorella, which is supposed to be one of the healthiest, natural supplement on the planet. So I was thinking the combination of all of the above was causing this. After reading all of the side effects, I'm thinking strongly of quiting the Welchol. Will give it one more week.

Just started Welchol after trying Lipitor & others. Have now developed severe vertigo & my right upper arm is killing me. I can't drink ANY alcohol because it makes me violently ill, almost to the point of throwing up, My doc says this drug is non-systemic & says I should have a brain scan...I stopped taking it 3 days ago-arm pain is gone but not the vertigo yet...I'll have to weigh my options of going back on it again.
Has anyone else had dizziness & lightheadedness from this?

Been taking Welchol for 1 month,started two weeks after starting Welchol, pain in my right shoulder,constipation, muscle aches,indigestion,nausea accidental injury,weakness,flu-like symptoms,went to doctor yesterday,he brought out a book showing only one side effect-indigestion,send me for blood work.I quit taking Welchol or any other cholesterol med.My mother is 86,and she told me not to do it.LOL

I have read all of the symptoms on this page and have many of them. I too was on all of the statins but had to stop due to terrible muscle aches, pain and fatigue. This is my second attempt at Welchol and the same as before lower back and hip pain, foot pain, lethargy and trouble sleeping. Dr said not absorbed by the body so no side effects, B.S. I also had a strange bout of anemia before, I'll bet it was the Wechol then too. I'll take my chances with the Cholesterol I can't live like this. There must be something else we can take?

gas, flatulence, bloating, all are a part of taking Welchol. I have to take it because it is the only relief I have found for IBS. My cholesterol is fine. Dr. put me on Welchol and I have (with help from stool softeners occasionally) been keeping in under control for the most part.

I have been taking Welchol for about two years, I have not
attributed some of these side effects to Welchol untill I now
but I have irregular heart beats, severe gas, pain in my left
hip, trouble sleeping and recently hyperthyodism with a
goiter. I believe I will stop taking Welchol, my cholesterol is
not that bad it was only about 230 when my doctor put me
on Welchol because of a stroke in my optial nerve in my eye.

I took Welchol to lower my cholesterol and expereinced severe loss.

I have stomach cramps. The stomach cramps are uncomfortable, but not unbearable. However, I have been taking this prescription for just 2 months. What to do? Because my cholesterol is not going down very fast, and my triglycerides are so high, my dr. has also prescribed Zetia to take with the Welchol. Shoot, I hope the doc knows what he is doing, because I don't want the effects I have been reading about here.

I am having problems with my fingernails and tips of my fingers since I started Welchol 2 months ago. The white of my nail is very deep and irregular and the tips of my fingers are sore with raised bumps that split and itch. Dr. dx. Onycolysis. Strange that it all started to the day I began Welchol. I am still on it but I may stop. Cholesterol did drop 21%.

I started welchol 1 yr ago.I got lower back aches, muscle crampping,constapation,backaches came back with alot of other pains muscle cramping,insomnia and the inablity to relax or stay in the sun too long. I am now being diagnosed with pernicious animia (B12 Deficiency). Has anyone out there been tested for B12 Deficiency in there blood work? This is not a factor in my family history. before I started with welchol I had normal levels in everthing but Cholesterol area. I found a new doctor that is going to take me off it and see if there are any changes in the B12 factor.If anyone has these symtoms and can get tested for B12 def. Please post!