Re: My experience with lipitor

[Guest guest]

I was put on lipitor at the beginning of June, for elevated cholesterol. I had never had high cholesterol until just recently, so thankfully my veins showed no plaque build up yet.

I also have fibromyalgia, so it's not unusual for me to experience body aches and pains. This was my downfall.

The first real noticeable thing was a pulled muscle/tendon in my left forearm. I also began feeling weakness, but failed to know that weakness can be a sign of the lipitor effects. Actually, I attributed the injury to my muscles being weak, but didn't connect anything else. I began my 2nd month of lipitor, and had to stop walking. It was causing too much pain, and I felt so out of breath and weak. I also began having concurrent bouts of congestive heart failure. Still, not connecting things to the lipitor. My back hurt horribly, and I hobbled around like I was 80 years old. <I'm 46> The 3rd month rolled around, and I began feeling like I had arthritis everywhere. Soon, I noticed that the muscle in the back of my right arm felt as though I had pulled it, but I didn't remember doing anything to have caused it. I mentioned to my friend, who had read up on the lipitor, and that my muscles felt as though they were breaking down and becoming more weak. She said that muscle weakness could be a side effect from my medicine.

I called my cardiologist, and was told to discontinue the lipitor for 4 weeks.

Since stopping the lipitor, much of the muscle ache has subsided, but the arthritic symptoms have increased. I can barely use my hands at times, and my shoulders and hips feel arthritic also. There is a constant ache in my left arm now, and the injury is getting no better, only worse. I still have recurring bouts with congestive heart failure, and have to take lasix regularly so that I can breathe. My asthma also seems worse. Now that I have started to read some of the accounts on this forum, I can associate some other strange things I experienced, with the effects of the lipitor also. Stabbing pain in my bladder. Blurred vision. HORRIBLE memory, confusion and mood problems. Loss of coordination. It's a nightmare. I'm thankful I only took the lipitor for 2 months, but still......when will these symptoms leave??? They seem to be getting worse, instead of better. I have been taking darvocet for the pain, and even that doesn't end it. I don't know whether it would do any good to go to my GP or not. I'll appreciate anything anybody has to share with me. I'm looking for hope as well as possible help with this. It's miserable, isn't it?

Dyanne

Hi, Dyanne,

Your experience sounds a lot like mine! I started Crestor earlier in the year, developed peripheral neuropathy, and quit it right away. The symptoms left ... if only I would have quit then, but the cardiologist wanted me on Provachal next (my cholesterol is 368) this time, the symptoms returned, even after I quit the drug. My GP sent me to a neurologist, who confirmed the DX of peripheral neuropathy. My pain has increased, too, and I'm in pain almost every day, desperately looking for a cure, or at least relief.My feet and hands are numb , my feet burn and have throbbing pain all the time , I ache all over . Please keep me posted, I understand the terrible suffering! You can email me personally if you want, also . Les .Lesinaz@...

Les.

[Guest guest]

I'm nine months on and the pain has 98% gone but I feel I'm still having to concentrate every day on getting enough energy into my muscles. I keep upping the Coenzyme Q10 and it really is helping now I'm on bigger doses (up to 300mg now). I could lift my left arm up quite a bit today.

Does anyone else find they are better late on in the evening then terrible again in the morning? I'm going to try a midnight dose of Q10 for a while.

Sorry you guys are still going through it - it's the worse pain anyone could ever imagine.

Pam

[Guest guest]

Les, you are still on statins???????

I found an ad in a magazine and bought the stuff...it is called advocate......it has polycosanol in it, plus niacin......and some other stuff.

My cholesterol was 312.......this product included 2 blood tests for Chol. and I took the first one and it said I was 240.........I wait a month and do it again..to see what the pills did. I found it funny that there was already a discrepancy between that test and the lab test.............but then, my son was diagnosed with Hepatitis B and told he was gonna die....and after I got involved, joined a great hep B list...and found everything I could, I sent him to another doc and had more tests taken and it was found he never has even been exposed to the B virus, (or any other), so go figure.......

Hi,

No, never ever again will I take the statins ! I am supposed to be on Lopid , but never took one pill out of the bottle .As far as I know the cholesterol is still as high as it was . I've just recently learned of policosanal myself ,and it sounds like it's really bringing down the lipids ! Where did you get this with the test also, I haven't seen that advertised . And what a difference from that test and the lab test ! And then your son's hepatitis test being way off too , wow , makes you wonder what kind of cut the labs get from the drug companies, whew ! My lipids have always been way too high, no matter what lab I've been to , however , so no hope there . Anyway, I'll try the policosanal , thanks for responding !

Les .

[Guest guest]

Les, you are still on statins???????

I found an ad in a magazine and bought the stuff...it is called advocate......it has polycosanol in it, plus niacin......and some other stuff.

My cholesterol was 312.......this product included 2 blood tests for Chol. and I took the first one and it said I was 240.........I wait a month and do it again..to see what the pills did. I found it funny that there was already a discrepancy between that test and the lab test.............but then, my son was diagnosed with Hepatitis B and told he was gonna die....and after I got involved, joined a great hep B list...and found everything I could, I sent him to another doc and had more tests taken and it was found he never has even been exposed to the B virus, (or any other), so go figure.......

For every minute you are angry, you loose sixty seconds of happiness.-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Re: My experience with lipitor

I was put on lipitor at the beginning of June, for elevated cholesterol. I had never had high cholesterol until just recently, so thankfully my veins showed no plaque build up yet.

I also have fibromyalgia, so it's not unusual for me to experience body aches and pains. This was my downfall.

The first real noticeable thing was a pulled muscle/tendon in my left forearm. I also began feeling weakness, but

[Guest guest]

Les, I see from the ad that this pill is available at Longs drugs, and also Walgreens.

It is called Advocate........I liked it cuz it had the right niacin in it also....

Re: My experience with lipitor

Les, you are still on statins???????

I found an ad in a magazine and bought the stuff...it is called advocate......it has polycosanol in it, plus niacin......and some other stuff.

My cholesterol was 312.......this product included 2 blood tests for Chol. and I took the first one and it said I was 240.........I wait a month and do it again..to see what the pills did. I found it funny that there was already a discrepancy between that test and the lab test.............but then, my son was diagnosed with Hepatitis B and told he was gonna die....and after I got involved, joined a great hep B list...and found everything I could, I sent him to another doc and had more tests taken and it was found he never has even been exposed to the B virus, (or any other), so go figure.......

Hi,

No, never ever again will I take the statins ! I am supposed to be on Lopid , but never took one pill out of the bottle .As far as I know the cholesterol is still as high as it was . I've just recently learned of policosanal myself ,and it sounds like it's really bringing down the lipids ! Where did you get this with the test also, I haven't seen that advertised . And what a difference from that test and the lab test ! And then your son's hepatitis test being way off too , wow , makes you wonder what kind of cut the labs get from the drug companies, whew ! My lipids have always been way too high, no matter what lab I've been to , however , so no hope there . Anyway, I'll try the policosanal , thanks for responding !

Les .

[Guest guest]

Yes Les, it is wonderful. I posted my appreciation for the folks on this group with my very first post today, and then all heck broke loose. Just goes to show, it only takes one jerk to rock the boat. I just hope he gets bored and makes like a hockey player......gets the puck outa here, ya know?

Thanks for being you Les.

Dy

Laughing here , Dy, that last part was pretty funny ! Les

[Guest guest]

Ahem! You can sure say THAT again! Hope your therapy is successful Matt.Matt wrote:

.. Many in the field need serious therapy themselves.

LOL, you said what I wanted too !!!

[Guest guest]

Try Serrapeptase as a natural anti inflammatory.

--- trice12358 wrote:

>

> I took Lipitor for 5-7 Years until this past spring

> (2005). About 4

> Years ago I started to experience pain in my right

> hip. Regular

> exercise on machines like the elliptical cross

> trainer helped a great

> deal. When I asked my doctor about it he said I was

> just getting

> older. I'm now 51. Last spring it got so bad I had

> to stop the EFX

> training. At that time I googled hip and joint pain

> etc. and what

> popped up was a site on Lipitor. By that time I was

> experiencing

> muscle aches in my legs, back pain, and symptoms

> that could all be

> related to Osteoarthritis but also sounded similar

> to things people

> that had used Lipitor for a long time were

> experiencing. I had quit

> smoking and was getting more exercise than when I

> first started

> taking Lipitor so I decided to stop taking it. About

> a Month after

> that I discussed going off the Lipitor with my

> doctor and he said he

> didn't think going off for a few months would hurt

> anything. I also

> finally convinced him I needed to see someone about

> my hip. X-rays of

> my hip showed I had little deterioration in the

> cartilage but did

> show some bone spurs. The doctor was not pleased

> with the range of

> motion I had. He put me on an anti-inflammatory

> which help a whole

> lot.

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

You mentioned something that makes me so angry as I get older and see Doctors. No mater what you say is wrong they start to blame it on age. Why do they think only age causes the problems? I think it is just an excuse so they can stop looking for other reasons. And.....never....ever blame the drugs.

The strange thing is you mention the same types of problems my husband started having at age 70 when he started statin use. He has since lost all the muscle in his arms and legs. Of course, they blame it on age too. But, the funny thing is, why did it happen all of a sudden and not gradually. Why did it happen at 70 and not at 65....when he wasn't using any statins. And why can't he at least regain some muscle? He is on testosterone now, but the muscle is not improving. He is off all statins or any other cholesterol lowering drugs.

Anyone else have thought about this blaming everything on our age?

[Guest guest]

Hi to all,

I am 38 and was put on Lipitor 10 mg back in August. I took it for 21 days and

never felt worse. I am just starting to get rid of the muscle pains and my heart

feels like it beats harder than it ever did. I starting dieting and lost weight.

I am 5' 7. I was about 170 at my peak . Now about 150. I always have lifted

weights and never did much cardio exercise. I was worried about my heart so I

had the radioactive stress test. Just got the results. My heart is healthy , no

clogged arteries, the only problem was my ejection rate was 70% and should be

between 50-60% basically I was told to do more cardio exercise. My cholesterol

is now about 250 total. Triglycerides went way down with diet but bad

cholesterol is 190 when it is supposed to be under 130. He wanted to try another

statin I told him no. Any advice??

Thanks,

>

>

> Date: 2006/01/12 Thu AM 09:50:16 EST

> To: <TakingLipitorAndHateIt >

> Subject: Re: my experience with lipitor

>

> You mentioned something that makes me so angry as I get older and see

> Doctors. No mater what you say is wrong they start to blame it on age.

> Why do they think only age causes the problems? I think it is just an

> excuse so they can stop looking for other reasons. And.....never....ever

> blame the drugs.

>

>

>

> The strange thing is you mention the same types of problems my husband

> started having at age 70 when he started statin use. He has since lost all

> the muscle in his arms and legs. Of course, they blame it on age too. But,

> the funny thing is, why did it happen all of a sudden and not gradually.

> Why did it happen at 70 and not at 65....when he wasn't using any statins.

> And why can't he at least regain some muscle? He is on testosterone now,

> but the muscle is not improving. He is off all statins or any other

> cholesterol lowering drugs.

>

>

>

> Anyone else have thought about this blaming everything on our age?

>

[Guest guest]

Try taking Policosanol to lower Cholesterol. Cinnamon to

reduce Triglycerides.

Do not take another statin.

Ed - Moderator

>

> Hi to all,

> I am 38 and was put on Lipitor 10 mg back in August. I took it for

21 days and never felt worse. I am just starting to get rid of the

muscle pains and my heart feels like it beats harder than it ever did.

I starting dieting and lost weight. I am 5' 7. I was about 170 at my

peak . Now about 150. I always have lifted weights and never did much

cardio exercise. I was worried about my heart so I had the radioactive

stress test. Just got the results. My heart is healthy , no clogged

arteries, the only problem was my ejection rate was 70% and should be

between 50-60% basically I was told to do more cardio exercise. My

cholesterol is now about 250 total. Triglycerides went way down with

diet but bad cholesterol is 190 when it is supposed to be under 130.

He wanted to try another statin I told him no. Any advice??

> Thanks,

>

> >

> > From: " secapps " <moqui51@n...>

> > Date: 2006/01/12 Thu AM 09:50:16 EST

> > To: <TakingLipitorAndHateIt >

> > Subject: Re: my experience with lipitor

> >

> > You mentioned something that makes me so angry as I get older and see

> > Doctors. No mater what you say is wrong they start to blame it

on age.

> > Why do they think only age causes the problems? I think it is just an

> > excuse so they can stop looking for other reasons.

And.....never....ever

> > blame the drugs.

> >

> >

> >

> > The strange thing is you mention the same types of problems my husband

> > started having at age 70 when he started statin use. He has since

lost all

> > the muscle in his arms and legs. Of course, they blame it on age

too. But,

> > the funny thing is, why did it happen all of a sudden and not

gradually.

> > Why did it happen at 70 and not at 65....when he wasn't using any

statins.

> > And why can't he at least regain some muscle? He is on

testosterone now,

> > but the muscle is not improving. He is off all statins or any other

> > cholesterol lowering drugs.

> >

> >

> >

> > Anyone else have thought about this blaming everything on our age?

> >

>