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Global Patient Feedback for Lipitor (Atorvastatin) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I am a diabetic on medication and diet. My doc says lipitor is the best for my high cholestoral. Should I be taking lipitor when it can damage my liver? I am concerned. sundyevaw@yahoo.com
43 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-24 17:22:44
Member Answer/Reply:
Lipitor will significantly lower your cholesterol, and yes there is risk for liver damage. But there are also other risks with lipitor. Upon initiating Lipitor, CoQ10 levels will begin to drop since lipitor blocks this metabolic pathway. Risks include statin induced myopathy/neuropathy, memory problems, Cardiomyopathy, and sexual dysfunction. The loss of sexual function is presumed to be from a drop in cholesterol since steroid hormones are manufactured from cholesterol.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-25 10:51:44
Member Answer/Reply:
I posted awhile back asking whether others might be experiencing RLS as a possible side effect of Lipitor. I appreciate what you said with respect to CoQ10 levels. I've been taking CoQ10 (found a pleasant tasting chewable from Whole Foods) now for a month or so. Amazingly my RLS has vastly improved. Have had only a few episodes of RLS since taking the CoQ10.
55 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-11-11 05:14:12
Member Answer/Reply:
That is a double edged sword of sorts. I am on Lipitor and have liver disiese(befor lipitor) w/ Hep-c. Since already having a damaged liver I am at a very high risk. If it is the only thing that works for you, maybe give it a try. But if you are worried of liver disiese then I say it's not worth it. This disiese is nothing nice and has made my life miserable. Think it over,talk with family and do alot of research, please! Good Luck
50 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-10-21 11:59:46
Question/Comment:
My mother is 62 years old. She has been taking the Lipodar for 7 years, she had muscle pain and pain in stomach. She stopped it for the past 2 weeks, she feels a little better. How long it will take her to be back to her normal strength.
64 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-15 01:03:52
Member Answer/Reply:
Recovery time from Lipitor will vary from one individual to another. Some people begin to recover right away, while others take months or even years. A few people have had permanant damage from Statins. It puzzles me why physicians prescribe Lipitor to females when no trial has shown any benefit for females taking statins. Yes, it reduces cholesterol. But it has shown no reduction in mortality, which is the goal of any cholesterol lowering drug.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-15 13:30:51
Question/Comment:
A few years ago I was taking 10mg of Lipator with no side effects. My Doctor switched to Crestor which I took for about 2 years. A month ago my Doctor switched me back to 20mg of Lipator. About a week or so after I started taking it, my hands and feet itch terribly. There is no rash of any kind. They said they thought I was having some type of alergic reaction to somehting else. I have reviewed everything around me and the only change is the switch to lipator and dosage. Has anyone else experienced itching of the hands and feet? Please let me know
48 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-08 16:40:39
Member Answer/Reply:
In seven years of study on cholesterol lowering drug side effects, I personnaly have not heard this complaint of itching hands and feet. The closest I have heard about is tingling hands and feet. However, I would not discount the possibility that the lipitor may somehow be playing a role in this as we are learning new things about these drugs everyday.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-11 09:52:15
Member Answer/Reply:
i am a 52 yr old male with severe claudification - I have been on lipitor for 6 years 80mg, over the last few months i get severe itching all over, plus I am starting to get memory loss and my balance is all out of wack......it is starting to really scare me - i have been in the gym for years and i always thought exercise would counter balance side effects - looks like I am wrong I have started taking CoQ10 - H2 but have not noticed any improvement yet........I also take niacin, plavix, nadol - can anyone suggest any solution?
Source: iGuard
Posted: 2009-01-10 13:30:38
Member Answer/Reply:
There is a possibility that one of the fillers or binders used in the pill may have been changed since you last took it. You could be having a reaction to a different filler/binder being used by the manufacturer. Check with the drug company to see if any changes have been made. If there have been no changes it still could be an allergic reaction to one of the fillers/binders since your dosage has been increased. Or you may be taking another medication now that contains the same filler/binder agent and the combination is proving to be too much for your system. Many generic drugs in particular use different "fillers" that cause adverse reactions. I have found that there are only a few manufacturers of generic drugs whose fillers do not cause any reactions for me and I have to closely monitor which manufacturer is being used to fill my prescriptions. The real culprit for your new symptoms may not be the Lipitor, but a generic drug you've been taking which was recently filled using a different manufacturer than in the past. All drugs are NOT created equal in either strength or contents -- there is an acceptable level of disparity allowed in the industry, so a review of all your medications and the manufacturers supplying them is definitely in order. Hope this helps.
65 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-25 14:21:58
Question/Comment:
A few years ago I was taking 10mg of Lipator with no side effects. My Doctor switched to Crestor which I took for about 2 years. A month ago my Doctor switched me back to 20mg of Lipator. About a week or so after I started taking it, my hands and feet itch terribly. There is no rash of any kind. They said they thought I was having some type of alergic reaction to somehting else. I have reviewed everything around me and the only change is the switch to lipator and dosage. Has anyone else experienced itching of the hands and feet? Please let me know.
48 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-08 16:31:45
Question/Comment:
I am 65 yo and taking Lipitor for about 5 years. I have some professional sample bottles with a date of March 2007. Is it safe to take these? I have heard many perspectives about outdated meds & was told these are safe as long as the bottles are sealed.
66 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-08-08 22:16:41
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Expiration dates are put on medications to ensure that the contents of the tablet are the proper strength. When taking medications after the expiration date, there is no guarantee that the medication will have the potency that is written on the label.
Posted: 2008-08-11 09:57:48
Member Answer/Reply:
yes
68 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-12-19 22:12:30
Question/Comment:
What is "coq10"?
54 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-07-17 17:22:08
Member Answer/Reply:
Coq10 is another name for Coenzyme Q10, a dietary supplement that, amngst other things, is supposed to help reduce muscle pain/weakness associated with drugs like lipitor.
38 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-07-29 04:40:55
Member Answer/Reply:
CoQ10 is co enzyme Q10 which shares the same metabolic pathway as Cholesterol. This is why statins deplete coQ10. CoQ10 is needed for cellular energy of muscles. The highest concentrations of CoQ10 is in the heart. Hence cardiomyopathy ( weak heart musle) is one of the risks of statins. Merke got a patent to combine CoQ10 with statins, but the combination pill never made it to market. So if you take a statin, its probably a good idea to take CoQ10 with it.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-08-28 14:21:15
Question/Comment:
Are there any other cholesterol medications that can replace Lipitor, less expensive but just as effective?
54 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-07-17 17:07:24
Member Answer/Reply:
There has to be something better than this poison...
Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-07-28 00:07:56
Member Answer/Reply:
Yes. Red yeast rice is lovastatin and is available over the counter at the grocery store. Its about $8.00 at my grocery store. Most people are not aware that statins have been available over the counter for as long as there have been counters. BUT... I don't recommend it because it can have all the same side effects as lipitor because it is a statin. It will inhibit cholesterol production and deplete coQ10 levels.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-08-28 14:43:09
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Red Yeast Rice does contains lovastatin, a drug that works the same way as atorvastatin (Lipitor). However, this supplement has varying amounts of lovastatin and the safety and efficacy of Red Yeast Rice as a cholesterol lowering agent has not been proven.
Posted: 2008-09-08 10:47:06
Member Answer/Reply:
RED RICE use to contain lovastatin it was ordered removed by the FDA
Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-08 18:23:12
Question/Comment:
I'm doing this for my Aunt. I'd like to know if anyone knows about side effects of lipitor in the elderly.
My Aunt was put on lipitor 2 years ago. She was 83 then and healthy as a horse, walked an hour every morning and was very active. Slowly things began to happen from backaches to leg pains, restless sleep. Then flu like symptons and shingles for 3 monthes. It was like something hit her immune system. She just wasn't herself. Then 3 months ago she couldn't breath and went to the Doctor who treated her for pnuemonia. It didn't go away and she was then diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. I honestly believe the lipitor brought all this on. I noticed her decline a couple months after she started taking it. She ask her Doctor to take her off lipitor but he swore by it. She wouldn't stop without his approval. Her total cholesterol before starting lipitor was 213. I still cannot understand why any Doctor would put an 83 year old healthy women on a drug that was not needed. My Aunt will not be with us much longer. I hope people read this and keep their elderly loved ones off these drugs.
There is not much evidence that these drugs help people over 70 who have no previous heart problems. And there is a 25% increase of cancer in the elderly who take these drugs. Please warn your loved ones.
87 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-07-04 08:10:48
Member Answer/Reply:
I am sorry to hear about what happened to your Aunt. Once a person passes age 65, higher cholesterol is associated with longevity. There is a solid medical reason for this. Cholesterol is vital to repair cells, maintain steroid hormone levels, protect nerves, and produce vitamin D. The best way I can relate it is this: Suppose you had an old victorian house, and you stopped all maintenence. No repairs at all. Didn't even cut the grass. It wouldn't take long for that old house to fall into poor condition. Thats what can happen with cholesterol inhibition in the elderly. Normal cholestrerol in the 1950's was 250 to 300. A healthy cholesterol in the 1970's was 240. I see nothing wrong with your Aunt's 213. But some people would disagree.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-08-28 16:35:23
Question/Comment:
I was taking Lipitor for over 15 years and it did lower my cholesterol. But the severe muscle pain was so overwhelming that I could barely move at times. I also noticed a significant decrease in mental acuity. I would forget things, seem to be in a mental fog.
One day while refilling my medicine case for the week I forgot to add Lipitor and went without for over 3 weeks. The pain disappeared, I remember things now! I can read, study and learn without forgetting.
When I spoke to my doctor about the pain (before I went off it myself) she didn't listen. Just told me to take ibuprofen when needed, despite telling her it didn't work.
Currently not on Lipitor and I'm pretty concerned about my cholesterol levels, but there's no way I'll go back to living in that kind of pain.
52 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-06-23 22:12:41
Member Answer/Reply:
I hear you!
40 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-06-25 14:09:22
Member Answer/Reply:
Lipitor makes me very forgetful and sometimes confused. My doctor still insists that I take it and hopes I will build up an immunity. It's not working. I quit taking it.
54 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-07-13 10:03:52
Member Answer/Reply:
My question is for the 50 yr old female posted on June 23, 08. Did the muscle pain and weakness go away and not return, was it complete recovery? Did you take vitamins or potassium????
Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-07-10 10:05:44
Member Answer/Reply:
Im 58 year old female and was put on lipitor. It definitely works bringing your cholesterol down, but the side effects are not worth it. I just stopped taking it, because of muscle pain and cramps I was having. I stopped exercising because of muscle weakness I started having. I think a good diet and exercise is really the best for your body. Dr's do not know what this drug might do to people that stay on it for a long period of time. It is still too new.
Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-07-15 15:54:40
Member Answer/Reply:
Thank you for publishing your problems. I am 36 years old and have been having severe muscle pain that keeps me for doing a lot of things, especially sleeping, since I started Lipitor 3months ago. And the forgetfulness, I thought I was "Getting Older REAL FAST". Now I have some answers that my doctor would not explain. Thank you so much!
37 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-08-06 15:39:35
Member Answer/Reply:
Wow, while I was reading your comment I wondered, I was diagnosed with MS about four years ago, and I have been taking Lipitor for almost two years now, since I have been really weak and my muscles just hurt so bad, especially the upper part of me. Maybe its not the MS working so fast and its the pills instead? Just want to say I read all the comments posted and I would like to thank everyone!
57 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-08-08 22:06:32
Member Answer/Reply:
I am so sorry you had to endure those side effects. But you are not alone. Lipitor has been on the market long enough that it has developed quite a reputation for muscle pain and weakness along with memory problems.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-08-28 14:34:30
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Lipitor for a number of years now and have successfully lowred my overall count from around 260 to 159. Do I need to continue taking it forever. (I could call my doctor)
56 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-06-19 11:19:30
Member Answer/Reply:
yes..what are your lipids??
68 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-12-19 22:16:19
Question/Comment:
Can Lipitor cause a pain at the outside top part of the arm just near the shoulder?
79 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-06-03 12:19:26
Member Answer/Reply:
It did for me. I had what I would describe as "severe" muscle pain in the area between my neck and shoulder (left side). I could barely turn my head to the left. It coincided with an increase in my Lipitor dosage. I stopped the Lipitor and the pain finally went away, but it took about three weeks. I'm thinking of trying the Lipitor again, at only 10 mg this time.
45 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-06-11 11:20:55
Member Answer/Reply:
no
68 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-12-19 22:17:01
Question/Comment:
Get blood checked for correct liver function
74 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
try to adjust your diet first
71 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Try your best to control your cholestorol with diet and exercise.
64 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
read all you can about it
61 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Chol levels came right down in 3 mnths from 7.5 to 3.5 alongside diet this was a great result
44 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Be prepared to pay a lot of money for it.
67 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Patient should also be instructed to eat healthly and exerise. No matter what age the patient is.
76 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Lipitor lowered my cholesterol, but I still feel unsure about what it may be doing to my liver. Is it really safe?
58 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Member Answer/Reply:
There are risks as with any drug.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-02 12:30:52
Question/Comment:
need to take coq10 while on lipitor
Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
It works rather effectively. Reported to stabilize plaque. Advertising indicates significant reduction of heart attack risk.
62 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Member Answer/Reply:
Advertising of anything cast an enhanced image of the products they are selling. Prescription drugs are no exception. REALITY: There is about a 1% benefit for middle aged males with high risk factors. Of course, if they said that in the TV commercial, sales would slump.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-02 12:29:43
Question/Comment:
Be sure you are aware of all possible side effects.
65 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
expensive
61 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Member Answer/Reply:
Yes, it is expensive. Somebody has to pay for all that prime time TV advertising. And the cost to entertain your doctor is figured in as well.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-02 12:24:23
Question/Comment:
Read everything and hope you are like me on the side effects.
73 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
My doctor does a great job with regular blood work to ensure that there are no side effects caused by LIPITOR. This makes me feel much better.
47 year old Female – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Member Answer/Reply:
All the blood work in the world will not ensure that you will not have side effects from any drug.
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard
Posted: 2008-09-02 12:22:03
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