My Complicated Story...

[Guest guest]

Hello Everyone,

Over two years ago I was prescribed Pravacol. I had taken this script

for about six months. Thinking back the only side effect that I had

from this med was memory issue's, although I never connected the two.

One day I had gotten lost in a heat wave for two hours and finally

made in home in tears. My mind was a mess and I had absolutely know

idea of what I was doing and on top of that I had an asthma attack.

My doctor had changed that med to Lipitor as that medication was not

bringing down my cholesterol. I then took Lipitor for about 19

months. Now here is where my story gets complicated. I have both

lumbar & cervical problems. I had a lumbar fusion in June 2003. My

neuro surgeon said that my surgery was successful. During my recovery

I developed so much back and leg pain. I had extensive testing done

and was sent to many specialists. I was then diagnosed with

Fibromyalgia. Some days I have great difficulty walking. My neuro

surgeon said that my leg problems are not from surgery and they are

muscle problems and it is the Fibromyalgia. I was also recently

diagnosed with Bursitis in both hips and got one cortisone shot in my

right hip. It only gave temporary pain relief for one week and I was

told it should help for three months, no such luck. About three

months ago I started with pain first in my right bicep and the next

month my left bicep. I can't move both my arms in certain position's.

This causes a problem for me as I use a cane to walk. This could very

well be do to my cervical injury, but could also be muscle problems.

I also have archilles tendon's that burn and pins & needles in both

feet at least three times a day. Not to mention the twisting feeling

that I get in my right foot in the toes when they go into spasms.

Okay now the memory problems. I write myself notes every day. I

forget movie's that I watched the week before. I also forget

conversation's the day before. I can know longer concentrate on two

things at once. For instance, if I were to be on the phone their has

to be absolute silence in the room for me to have a conversation. And

for me to type their can be no noise in the room. I do take an herbal

supplement to help me along called Gingko Biloba. I only learned a

couple of weeks ago that some of my symptoms could be from my use of

Lipitor. I do realize that many of them could just be from some of my

lumbar and cervical injury's but I don't think they all are. What

finally woke me up and made me aware that Lipitor could be

contributing to some of my pain was when my pain management doctor

had ordered a blood test called a CPK. She had ordered this test

because I had severe cramps in calves of both my legs and could

barely walk. She told me since I was taking Lipitor she needed me to

have this test. The test came back normal but it made me wonder and

the research began. Once I began to research and found so much

information that I nearly fell off my chair, I threw my Lipitor in

the garbage. I am only 39 years old. I do not have any heart

conditions. I don't remember what my cholesterol was when I was put

on this med and I don't care. I have seen my primary doctor once

since I discontinued the use of Lipitor but haven't told him because

I am ill and don't have the energy to argue. I was so ill that he put

me on a nebulizer for my asthma and gave me four scripts. I do see

him again next week and maybe then I will tell him. Well, that's my

story. Hope someone feels better than I.

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

> Jeanne

If you don't mind my asking what are they giving you for the pain?

[Guest guest]

>

> > Jeanne

>

> If you don't mind my asking what are they giving you for the pain?

For the Fibromyalgia my Rheumatologist has prescribed an anti-

inflammatory called Bextra, and an antidepressant called Effexor. My

pain management doctor has prescribed the following:

Topamax

Flexeril-(muscle-relaxant)

MS Contin

I was using the Lidoderm Patches but my insurance has stopped

covering them. They are to expensive for me to cover myself so I know

longer use them.

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeanne,

Your story is alot like mine. I started on Baycol (10 days) and

then it was recalled and I was switched to Pravachol and was on it

for over 2.5 years. About 2-3 months after being on Pravachol, I

began to have swelling in my legs, trouble walking, shortness of

breath, memory loss and developed severe sleep apnea. This just

happened to all start at the very time I started on insulin, so I

always blamed the insulin. Finally after some heart and leg tests a

cardio took me off Pravachol about 2 months ago, but I am no better.

My CK test came back normal. I also have Fibromyalgia (18 yrs.) and

lower back troubles from an injury (17 years). It can be difficult

to sort out all the aches and pains and weaknessess. But I lived

with all those things before and managed to keep going even with

diabetes added into the mix. But now, after Pravachol, I need a

wheelchair for any outtings, and can barely get around the house. I

have to sit to do a few dishes, and that wears me completely out. I

need help with everything, even taking a shower. I was managing to

keep a part-time job for the past 16 years (in spite of my ailments)

but had to quit a year ago due to my not being able to walk and

extreme fatigue.

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeanne,

My prayers are with you, also. I was tested last fall for heart

failure, due to the swelling in my legs, shortness of breath, ect.

Thank God, I came out OK. I am kind of a " walking " miracle in some

ways, as my whole family on my mothers' side is full of heart

disease. My mother had her first major heart attact at 43, and she

didn't have near the risk factors that I do. So everyone fully

expected my to flunk my heart tests, being diabetic, overweight, and

am a heavy smoker. Here I am at 46, and came out so good, even the

cardiologist put in my medical records how surprised he was.

Then this spring I was sent for test to see if maybe my legs were

clogging up (PAD). As luck would have it, the cardiologist I saw

last fall was not available, so I saw another one, and he picked up

on the statin problem. That led me to the internet to do further

research, and sure enough, I found others with stories alot like

mine.

I haven't seen sleep apnea associated with statins yet, but I think

it will be eventually. (I think the fatigue may stem from sleep

apnea, at least in part.) Just my theory, but I think statins can

cause muscle weakness in the throat area also. When I was first

affected, I felt like I couldn't breath when I layed down, and I

felt like I was suffocating even taking a drink of water. Then I

began, due to lack of sleep, to fall asleep any ole time. I have

fallen out of chairs, off the pot, have literally fallen asleep

standing up and fell to the floor. Once, I fell out of my chair into

a patio door, thank God the glass didn't break! So my diabetes doc

sent me to the neurologist for a sleep study. The results were

really scary, I quit breathing 90 times an hour, and never got past

stage 2 of sleep, even though they had given me Ambien and I

thought I was sleeping great. The neurologist said he rarely had

seen a case that severe, and he specializes in sleep apnea. Well, I

know I didn't have it before the statin use. I had to quit my job

because of all this, and I am NOT happy, I can tell ya.

I have also gained alot of weight, due to inability to exercise, so

of course that is what I hear from my diabetes doc (the one who put

me on the statins) is it's the weight is causing all my

problems...just can't get it through his head that my problems are

causing the weight gain. Well, enough for now. Bless you Jeanne and

all, take care.