Calling all lipitor user's come in

[Karlynn]

Is this issue just with Lipitor, or do all statins have these side-effects and to what degree?

 

[hensylee]

I speak only for Lipitor because that's the one I took for so long. However, I believe statins, in general, have the same properties. Others may have comments on this, but you can also do a search on google for 'statins' and see what is said about side effects.

 

[Yaps]

Im not sure

Im not sure

as lipitor is the main one Ive taken, took niaspan with lipitor right after ohs..dont recall why it wasnt refilled Ive read of all statins giving problems to some people, but I personally believe lipitor is the worst, isnt baycol a statin? It was removed from the market, as it caused some deaths? Am I remembering wrong?

 

[inlaguna]

I think you are right on the baycol. I have been on lipitor for about 10 years ( since it was introduced) and thankfully have not had the same problems. I did experience some memory issues at the very start ( short term memory loss) , but that stabilized pretty quickly........I think....maybe I don't remember. Anycase, total cholesterol went from 290s to 150 and with my family history I think that's where I need to be.

dan

 

[Phyllis]

I was on 20mg Pravachol, but my doctor was not satisfied with the results, so put me on Lipitor- I couldn't take that- strange headaches and muscle aches. She then put me on 40 mg Pravachol last year and last winter, I could hardly walk the grocery store aisles so I convinced her to put me back on 20mg dose. She wanted to add Zetia to that, but I turned that down unti I get my next blood test in May. I told her I would work more on the "diet", but have not been that successful at that down here in FL. I seem to tolerate the 20mg of Pravachol, but still do have "weary" legs- not sure if my arthritic knees are adding to that or it's the statin. Zochor, Lipitor, Crestor, Pravachol are all statins and all have the same side effects listed. I believe the higher the dose, the more prevalent the side effects.

 

[Old clicker]

I've been on Lipitor for over 2 years now. The only two symptons I have are lower cholesterol, and cramps in my feet. The cramps I hadn't attributed to the Lipitor, until now.

 

[Yaps]

well since the Great Flush

well since the Great Flush

I havent had a headache, honest, not one. Still have the pulsation and dizziness when I turn my head due to carotid.
I can swallow , this quite amazes me as I had posted of my swallowing difficulties a while back, doc buckley said it was my carotid doing this ,and jaw claudication. Well my swallowing has improved ummmm... 80% maybe?
I was afraid to eat.. .
I can walk a little better, claudication still slows me down, but before I was having excruciating pain while doing absolutely nothing .
So overall I am quite pleased with the Great Flush.
Love the pup

 

[hensylee]

could niaspan be co-q10? It was suggested by my cardio's nurse practitioner that I add co-q10 after I told him of my muscle problems. Anybody else been told to take co-q10 with statin?

 

[Yaps]

niaspan data

niaspan data

You probably hear about LDL ("bad") cholesterol most often because it's closely linked to increasing your risk of heart disease. However, by taking away excess cholesterol, HDL ("good") cholesterol can actually decrease your risk of having a heart attack, so the higher your good cholesterol, the better.

Keep in mind that it's important to manage good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, and triglycerides to reduce your risk of having a heart attack.

NIASPAN® is approved to prevent recurrent heart attacks in patients with high cholesterol, but has not been shown to prevent the development of heart disease.

Ask your doctor if NIASPAN is right for you.

NIASPAN is a prescription cholesterol medication, used along with diet and exercise, to significantly increase your HDL ("good") cholesterol while also lowering your LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

Taken once a day at bedtime, NIASPAN has been proven (average effect depends on dose) to:

Increase HDL ("good") cholesterol by 10% to 26%
Reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol by 3% to 17%
Reduce triglycerides (TG) by 5% to 35%

Your doctor may prescribe NIASPAN with lovastatin (a statin) to improve your cholesterol levels even more.

Important Information About NIASPAN
NIASPAN® (niacin extended-release tablets) is a prescription medication, used along with diet and exercise, to improve cholesterol levels. NIASPAN® increases HDL ("good") cholesterol and reduces LDL ("bad") cholesterol and triglycerides. NIASPAN® is not for everyone, including those allergic to its ingredients. Consult your physician if you have a liver problem, stomach ulcers, or a serious bleeding problem.

NIASPAN® is approved to prevent recurrent heart attacks in patients with high cholesterol, but has not been shown to prevent the development of heart disease.

If you take NIASPAN® in combination with a statin, tell your doctor about any unusual muscle pain or weakness, as this could be a sign of a serious but rare side effect. Also tell your doctor about any other medications and vitamin supplements you are taking to avoid possible drug interactions. NIASPAN® should be used with caution if you consume large amounts of alcohol. Your doctor will do simple blood tests before and during treatment with NIASPAN® to check for liver problems.

NIASPAN® is the only prescription extended-release form of niacin. Do not switch to another form of niacin, as it may cause damage to your liver.

Flushing (warmth, redness, itching, and/or tingling of the skin) is the most common side effect. This sensation usually occurs when you start taking NIASPAN® or when your NIASPAN® dose is increased, and becomes less frequent over time. In most patients, flushing is mild to moderate. Some people may experience more severe and intense flushing. Additional symptoms may include rapid or pronounced heartbeat, shortness of breath, swelling, sweating, chills, dizziness, and in rare cases, fainting. Other common side effects may include headache, pain, diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, itching, and rash. These are usually mild and tend to go away.

NIASPAN® may cause an increase in blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, you should carefully check your blood sugar levels and report any changes to your doctor.

 

[Raverlaw]

I've been on a low dose (10mg) of Lipitor daily for 13 months now. In combination with a low fat diet and exercise, my cholesterol is rock bottom (I can hear the chant now: How low can you go? How low can you go?)

I have experienced muscle cramping in my legs and especially in my feet, usually in the evening about 1-2 hours after taking the Lipitor. Between the cramping and the cost (my health plan charges me a huge deductible for this one), I've been considering going off of it, but I'm going to wait for my next cholesterol test and see how I'm doing.

 

[JimChicago]

Hensylee -
Here's alink to Dr Whiaker's petition to the FDA concerning CoQ10 and statins -

From:
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2002/aug2002_legalnotes_01.html
>>>>
DR. JULIAN M. WHITAKER PETITIONS FDA
TO INCLUDE COENZYME Q10 USE RECOMMENDATION IN ALL STATIN DRUG LABELING

On May 23, 2002, Dr. Julian M. Whitaker filed two citizens petitions with the Food and Drug Administration. The petitions call on the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to change the labeling of all HMG CoA reductase inhibitor drugs (the so-called statin drugs), and to issue a Medication Guide, warning consumers of the need to take coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) whenever they take a statin drug, as follows:

Warning: HMG CoA reductase inhibitors block the endogenous biosynthesis of an essential cofactor, coenzyme Q10, required for energy production. A deficiency of coenzyme Q10 is associated with impairment of myocardial function, with liver dysfunction and with myopathies (including cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure). All patients taking HMG CoA reductase inhibitors should therefore be advised to take 100 to 200 mg per day of supplemental coenzyme Q10.


Pictured: Dr. Julian M. Whitaker

The petitions explain that statins deplete coenzyme Q10 stores in the body and increase congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy risk. They call on the FDA Commissioner to take immediate action to safeguard the millions of statin drug users.
>>>>
[full article at above link]

 

[SHerrin Hutt]

I was on Zocar for yrs and never had all theses problems I have with Liptor. I can't sleep and my memory is the pits and the leg cramps are horrible. Over the yrs. I've been on Zetia and Creator and creator cause the most problems with my PT. I had to take double the warfine. Then went they stopped it my pt went off the charts and fell and it was a good thing I landed on my foot and nothing else or I wouldn't be writing this right now. The whole experience was a nightmare. I hope none of you have to go through what I did. So be careful with some theses new stain drugs.

 

[geebee]

I have high cholesterol and triglycerides but also very high HDL. Since I have fibromyalgia and restless leg syndrome both which contribute to sometimes excruciating muscle cramps, my doctor has decided against statin drugs. Right now we are simply working on diet & exercise. I have to be careful of diets as well to make sure I get enough potassium, etc. to avoid more muscle cramps.

Luckily I have great HDL and regular tests have indicated no sign of arterial buildup. I am comfortable with staying off cholesteral medication.

Of course, only time will tell if I made the wrong choice .

I am also one of those people who are very sensitive to meds and try to avoid adding any new ones.

 

[Harmony]

Last year a Neurolgist I was seeing form my Migraines said i should take Pravachol 10 mg as my LDL was 133 and HDL was 81. He thought this might help me with my Migraines(of course it did not) MY PCP never thought this was necessary as my HDL was very high. Then in May when I found out my MVP had progressed to moderately severe and a TEE showed a patent fora patent foramen ovale my new Cardio said I should keep taking Pravachol. Blood taken 2 weeks ago show HDL 98 and LDL 96. I started to get leg pains about 1 month ago usually on the lower part of my left leg several inches above the ankle on the front of my leg. My PCP thought it was nothing but as the pain was really bad he sent me for a arterial doppler which is a vascular ultrasonography on Thursday. I dont have the results yet. When i read this topic today I am wondering if this problem is caused by the Pravachol as it is also a statin drug. Till last year MVP was the reason I took antibotics before seeing a dentist. My former Cardio that I saw for 6 years always told me my MVP was nothing to worry about and then I found out it went from trace regurg to +3. Do you think this leg pain is something for me to worry about

 

[Blanche]

Al has been taking Lipitor (20 mg) for three years and has enjoyed lower cholesterol levels with no other concerns. I have been taking Zocor. At first, it gave me some very troublesome muscle spasms. Our doctor monitored me closely...very closely. He also takes Zocor and advised that he had some muscle problems at first. The spasms lasted about two weeks, off and on. Scared the beegebers out of me, but I continued because of my confidence in the doctor. Have had no further problems, but do maintain a significantly lower cholesterol level...from 265 to l75.

With the Baycol scare, it is so hard to know what to do. When I first got a muscle cramp, I was so very worried. I'm glad that I have access to my doc. Without that, I would have stopped at once. I don't mean to make light of anyone's concerns because we do know that there have been serious side-effects of statin drugs. I merely share my experiences, for what they are worth. As always, one size does not fit all.

Regards,

Blanche

 

[bvdr]

I have never had any problems with high cholesterol. The reason I was put on the Lipitor is that there are some studies that seem to indicate that statins may retard the progress of valve calcification. I hate taking any medication that isn't clearly necessary and especially one that, in my opinion(and that is the one that matters to me here ), was really reducing the quality of my life. My cardio will understand.

 

[Yaps]

Well

Well

I see dr today, and will inform him of The Great Flush, same as some in here, my cholestorol has never been questioned, homocysteins were and still are, which is why I take folate and vitamin b-12 & b-6.... I thank all who have responded, and am pleased to know I am not alone. Love Yaps

 

[charlie b]

On Lipitor for about 3 months

On Lipitor for about 3 months

I just had my aortic valve replaced last week. About 3 months ago my Primary Care (a very good Doctor, and trusted friend) put me on Lipitor. After taking the med. for 1 month my numbers were good. On his suggestion I continued taking it until my surgery. During all of my presurgery testing they found no artery problems whatsoever. I mentioned the Lipitor to the cardiologist on my release day and he said go on taking it. I will be having follow-ups with surgeon and cardiolgist in the near future. I had already planned to pursue the matter with both of them. At this point (3 months of taking the med.) I have had little or no side effects that I am aware of. All of that to ask this, for about the last 3 weeks I have had a ringing in my ears, sort of like a cricket chirping. Has anyone ever experienced this, I was hoping to come out of surgery with the ringing gone, as I thought it might be caused by my valve/circulation problem. Thanks charlie b

 

[Yaps]

Ive had no

Ive had no

chirping, but I do tend to get dizzy, sometimes blackout when I turn my head sharply to the left, had a by-pass last month on left carotid so its not as severe.
Still hear pulse though.
The chirping almost sounds like Meneieres disease?
love Yaps

 

[DuchessBear]

Another side effect of statins to look out for is peripheral neuropathy. Here are the symptoms from a WebMD page:

? A tingling sensation in the toes or in the balls of the feet that eventually spreads up the legs toward the trunk. Less commonly, the sensation may begin in the hands and spread up the arms.
? Numbness in the hands and feet that spreads up the arms and legs.
? Weakness or heaviness in muscles throughout the body. This may be accompanied by cramping, especially in the feet, legs, and hands.
? Sensitive skin that may be painful to the touch. Prickling, burning, tingling, or sharp stabbing sensations may occur spontaneously and usually worsen at night.
? A foot-drop walking gait and/or problems with balance or coordination