Lipitor Statin Drugs, High Cholesteral, Calf Muscles, Muscle Twitches, Cramps

I'm a 44 year old male. I was on Lipitor for four years and recently started having severe cramps in my thighs and calf muscles, severe dirrhea, severe fatigue and bloody urine. I asked my doctor if it was the Lipitor, and he said it wasn't. Probably a virus he said because the Liver tests came back okay even though had some jaundice.

Like a fool, I continued with the prescription and the cramps got worse in my legs and feet. I ended up stopping the Lipitor on my own in February 2005, nearly a year later, as the symptoms had not gone away, and I developed muscle twitches and tremors. My doctor then sent me for more blood work that showed my muscle enzyme levels were over 350% above my normal range, and a subsequent EMG/NC&VT showed the muscles had been weakend on my left side! He then had me discontinue the Lipitor and all statins indefinitely.

As it turns out I am not the only one in my family with adverse reactions to statin drugs. My cousin and his father, both on my dad's side both have the same total cholesteral level I have at 268, and both are statin sensitve. My grandmother (same side) and her sister had very high cholesteral and both died from congestive heart failure at 87 and 92 respectively.

I went from a fairly active person to someone who became really old fast. I now have to push myself out of a chair like my 93 year old uncle did.

I am no longer taking any statin drugs and will control my cholesteral through diet and exercise. If I live to 92 like my great aunt did with no problems until she became that age, I should be so lucky.

John