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Lipitor could make your muscles lame

Date Published: Aug 10 2010

If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe Lipitor that belongs to a class of drugs called statins, which lower cholesterol. However, Pfizer, the makers of the drug, say it may also up your likelihood of developing debilitating muscle problems, known as myopathy.

"There's a gradual development of pain, fatigue and weakness," says Dr. Beatrice A. Golomb, the principal investigator for a study funded by the National Institutes of Health on the side effects of statins. "It compromises physical function and quality of life — sometimes severely."

MacKay Jimeson, a spokesman with Pfizer, says while all statins can cause myopathy, it is rare.

"Lipitor is an established and safe drug," Jimeson says. "This is based on more than 18 years of clinical trials."

Both Jimeson and Golomb say even though myopathy isn't common, having hypothyroidism, renal impairment or being older than 65 may increase your risk. Golomb adds that if you experience any symptoms, it's important to call your doctor immediately.

"It may take two months or longer to recover," she says. "So ask your doctor if the benefits of taking the drug exceed the risks."

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Comments

Submitted by Lorry on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I take 20mg of Pravastatin sodium is that the same as other statins.?

Submitted by Leslie Wile on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
The article doesn't make clear if this rare side effect is reversible once the medication is discontinued.

Submitted by EVELYN FRANKS on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
it made my last 9 years h---!even the mr puts me on the curb writhing in pain.

Submitted by Rubye on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I had myopathy when I was taking Lipitor. Every muscle in my body started to hurt badly. When I stopped taking it, the pain went away.

Submitted by Bill Campbell on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Given all the aches & pains of aging, the article did nothing to help discriminate myopathy from other aspects of aging.

Submitted by Nancy on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Since I have arthritis and sometimes just aches and pains from age, how would I know if this pain is from Lipitor?

Submitted by Gabriele Obkirchner on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I suffered from myopathy while taking Lipitor. I was miserable, felt like having the flu all the time. I took 40 mg, which is crazy. I switched Doctors. The new doc prescribed 5 mg of Crestor, no problems with that and the cholesterol is under control.

Submitted by Diana Ford on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I had this same problem with Crestor. I still have not recovered. I'm not sure it is reversible.

Submitted by MissyS on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Most statins can cause myopathy, not just Lipitor. One way to tell if it's the statin rather than regular aches and pains is to go off the statin for 6 weeks to see if it makes a difference. I get muscle pain after being on a statin for a couple of months. With my doctor's approval, I take statin "holidays" where I don't take the statin for a couple of weeks, then resume it.

Submitted by coy baldridge on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I would like to hear more on statins.

Submitted by JimG on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Most everyone who takes Lipitor, or other statins, already knows about the existence of muscle aches and pains that are a direct result. The article added very little if anything to explaining, understanding, or offsetting those pains. So is ANY pain considered to be myopathy? For me, the pains simply go away within 5-10 minutes of getting out of bed anyway. My dosage went from 10 mg to 20 mg a year or so ago, and the sore muscles seem to be a small price to pay for the cholesterol improvement, which is drastic. But 40 mg????

Submitted by JimG on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Most everyone who takes Lipitor, or other statins, already knows about the existence of muscle aches and pains that are a direct result. The article added very little if anything to explaining, understanding, or offsetting those pains. So is ANY pain considered to be myopathy? For me, the pains simply go away within 5-10 minutes of getting out of bed anyway. My dosage went from 10 mg to 20 mg a year or so ago, and the sore muscles seem to be a small price to pay for the cholesterol improvement, which is drastic. But 40 mg????

Submitted by Anita on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
So, are there any good alternatives to lower cholesterol without using "statins"?

Submitted by Austin RN on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Statin's side effects include more than muscle aches--try liver damage. The 'normal range' for cholesterol is getting lower and lower. Almost impossible for a normal person to get within the range by diet alone. Enter big pharma to save the day. I won't take statins and I'm not afraid of cholesterol. Take charge and have some common sense.

Submitted by Jim P. on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
My muscles not only hurt terribly, they have all but disappeared. I have been on Lipator 40 mg 2X a day for many years and my doctors have never said anything about this all these years. Bet I have lost 80% of my muscle was and complain about it and the pain all the time.

Submitted by Leivy Sandoval on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
The french and people in other countries do not have the cholesterol and heart problems we have here. They drink red wine daily and the resveratrol keeps the arteries clean. The highest antioxidant you can get is in Viva made from whole foods the Pulitzer prize winning food matrix system. It also helps with Blood sugar and joint and brain function. Though it has been around about 18 years it is just now getting known in the U.S. You can read about it at LS.sportron .com

Submitted by Gail on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
When I took Lipitor, I would jump out of the bed in the morning and fall flat on my face. My legs just wouldn't work. Crestor did the same thing. Pravastatin is MUCH better!

Submitted by Donna on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Someone I know took Lipitor and experienced pain & fatigue far above that of the normal aging process. The pain was so bad his sleep was interrupted by it and the fatigue made it challenging to do the physical labor his job requires. He stopped taking Lipitor months ago and still suffers from the symptoms. He tells everyone who will listen to stay away from Lipitor. He regrets he ever took it. The drug companies try to minimize the side effects but they are not truthful, some people suffer more from their drugs than the cholesterol.

Submitted by bonnie on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I took lipitor and also had the fatigue and sore muscles..quit taking it and now feel fine..I would rather live a short productive life then a long painful life..and my cholesterol is 310. I think It's a natural part of our body functions..It's in god's hands

Submitted by Frank on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
There are alternatives. Try 2000 mg of Salmon Oil (best is the Wild Salmon) and slow release Niacin. You may have to get your Dr. to prescribe the Niacin but you should see a drop of 50pts or more in your cholesterol. Only side effect you might have is burping with the Salmon Oil ... keep it in freezer and take NO hot drinks/foods with it! The Niacin might turn your ears red for a while but sure beats sore muscles/fatigue!

Submitted by Hatty, RPH on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Pravastatin is a less potent "statin" compared to lipitor and crestor, meaning that the degree of cholesterol-lowering is less. The risk of developing myopathy is also smaller.

Submitted by Sue on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I got so sick while taking Lipitor. Had to be wheeled in to doctor's office on may occasions while he was trying to find out what the problem was. Definite kidney involvement and was in hospital for 24 hours with a heart problem. It was all down to Lipitor and I would never want to experience anything like that again. Very easy to know it was not the usual aches and pains of aging. Mine seemed very extreme and lasted for 3 months. Am taking Pravastatin now and all seems okay.

Submitted by Jo Ann Milligan on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Having had extreme muscle pain in my calves for months, I ended being sent to the emergency room by my cardiologist when I called to report the pain. I was told by the nurse that the cardiologist had no facilities to deal with the problem. going to the emergency room, I was given the sonar test for blood clots in my leg veins. The test was negative, so I was sent home. Since nothing was done for the pain, I soon called a cardiologist who called himself a vein specialist. He ordered a sonar test of my arteries and the result was negative.

Submitted by Becka on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I suffered from horrible leg cramps from taking Lipitor as many others have detailed in this message board. Pravastatin is better but I also take an OTC of ToCoQ10 of 100 mg. My husband takes Lipitor and also the OTC of ToCoQ10 -- 100 mg and suffers no muscle pain. You can get ToCoQ10 from most drug stores.

Submitted by Gino Tosi on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I have a very significant cholesterol problem. Without medication my total cholesterol is over 400! I take Lipitor and my dosage is an 80 mg pill per day. That's right -- 80 mg per day. The pill looks like a horse pill! I've been taking Lipitor for several years. Lipitor is the only cholesterol med that has help to bring my cholesterol back into what doctors say is a healthy range. My cholesterol now ranges from about 160 to nearly 200. I have never experienced any muscle pain or side effects from Lipitor. I am careful with my diet and I exercise regularly. I had been prescribed Crestor and Mevacor. They both helped some, but it was Lipitor that worked for me. Hope you all find a way to live as healthy a life as possible and that you find what works for you.

Submitted by Linda on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
ANY statin can destroy you. And read right on the box "This medication is NOT proved to prevent or reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke." It is on EVERY STATIN. These are evil meds and should be used ONLY for inflammation, which is NOT told in the basic cholestrol numbers, which are just that. Numbers. Please do go to drsinatra.com and read up on the subject. Subscribe to his news letter. It's not cheap, but it just might save your live. @Lorry: That's a statin and it's double the usual dosage. Find a new doctor.

Submitted by Janelle on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Lipitor is by far the worst med I've ever taken! I developed myopathy but my family MD never heard of this side-effect. I had to bring in research from the web showing him how Lipitor could cause severe pain and muscle damage. It has been 5 years now and I regret ever having taken this drug. If you take it - watch out for pain.

Submitted by mj letterman on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
i am on lipitor 10 mg and also have severe muscle pain. I stopped it and am now taking red yeast rice a supplement that lowers the levels naturally. I will also take my chances. I could hardly get out of bed in the am. i was told to take a muscle relaxer, which I refuse to do.

Submitted by murray bitterman on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
you can use natural products such as Red Yeast rice, also "oyster mushrooms", but keep in mind that these are actually "statins", as well,albeit Natural statins. While far better than the Big Pharma poisons,these also can over time have negative impacts on liver and muscle condition. Also if you take statins --Natural or otherwise,please remember to take CoQ10 with them to protect your Heart Muscle.

Submitted by Chuck on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
When you first start Lipitor they warn you about the muscle aches and loss of weight, and the doctors check your liver enzymes frequently. But when there are no ill effects over time the warnings and the testing is reduced. I was on LIpitor for more than a year before any ill effects occurred. Over a period of about two and a half months I lost approximately 30 pounds of muscle and was wheelchair bound. The myopathy may be rare, but not as rare as Pfizer would like you to believe. The other thing they don't tell you is that the drug can cause an auto-immune response that continues the myopathy even after you stop taking the Lipitor. If you have to take a statin, the reports I've seen suggest that a water-soluble statin is safer.

Submitted by Jan on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I, too, was on Lipitor, and suffered debilitating muscle pain and misery. My skin hurt to touch, and I was exhausted. My pain doc said they were "fibromyalgia-like" symptoms. I went away, forgot to bring the med with me, and felt 100% better. My PCP suggested taking red rice yeast instead of the Lipitor, and my pain went away plus my cholesterol (esp. the LDL) plunged! It has worked well for me.

Submitted by tom on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Yes one hears of 1. Muscle Pain 2. Liver Damage But the alternative is heart attack or athersclerois due to blood clots in the Coronary artery. How to prevent this: reduce the amount of cholesterol in the arterial walls. The only way to do this is with a statin (I take 40 mg of Simvalastatin). Had a heart attack in 2009, my cholestol went from 160 to 120.

Submitted by Luella on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
I have been on Lipitor 10 mg for about 8 years; I have no symptoms that others claim, and my doctor checks my liver at least every 6 months. Until someone says Lipitor will kill you, I'm staying on it.

Submitted by rjmurray on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
lipitor will make your muscle ace (20mg)

Submitted by Lynn on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Has anyone had this problem with Zocor, especially in the shoulders and upper arms?

Submitted by Terry on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
My husband's cholesterol would not go below 265 on other statins until he switched to Lipitor. Even jumped to 311 when he had a rapid weight loss of 40 pounds. Shortly after starting on Lipitor I read in the "People's Pharmacy" about the need for CoEnzyme Q10 when taking statins. The article said Lipitor, in particular, robs the body of CoEnzymeQ10, which causes severe muscle pains and can leave permanent damage. My husband has been taking 200mg of the CoEnzyme Q10 along with his Lipitor for over 10 years with no side effects unless he forgets the Q10. After a week off his Q10 he will start to have the muscle aches throughout his body. He says it feels like the flu and it reminds him to tell me to pick up a new bottle of the Q10. It's expensive but we've found that the big box clubs, (Sam's, Costco, etc.) seem to be the best prices.

Submitted by Mark on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
Niaspan is prescription-strength niacin that won't kill your liver. The only side-effects are flushing of the face and ears for a few minutes. Way better for cholesterol control than statins. Also the suggestion to use fish oil is great. My dr. has me take liquid purified fish oil (about $15 a month), one tablespoon a day, and that, along with the niaspan, has knocked my cholesterol into the "normal" range. Niaspan is pricey, though.

Submitted by maureen on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10
i have been on lipitor for approx 1 week...my arms legs and neck hurt so bad. i feel as ive been in a car wreck! i know its the lipitor, that is the only dr prescribed med i take, i was not feeling this way the week before..im calling the dr tomorrow morning and asking about red yeast rice supplement..heard good things about that supplement on dr oz show.

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