LIPITOR Reviews (ATORVASTATIN CALCIUM)Average Rating: 1.9 (1269 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare LIPITOR with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken longest to shortest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 |
More on LIPITOR: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR LIPITOR | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 3 | 3 | Rough anxiety and paranoia. | To be fair, I must note that I was also taking Norvasc - a blood pressure pill and when the above symptoms persisted I stopped Norvasc at once (replaced with Diovan). However, at that time - over a month ago - I was only aware of Norvasc's side effects and, indeed, when I stopped taking it most of the anxiety and paranoia symptoms disappeared - most, but not all. That is when I started looking for the other culprit. Sure discovered it soon: Lipitor. Spoke to a psychiatrist and she confirmed that the entire family of Norvasc (called amlodiphine) is known to have psychiatric side effects. A month ago my family physician confirmed that Lipitor is "guilty" of similar symptoms and agreed to let me off it for three months, until I take my next blood test. Meanwhile I'm now on health food as well as Q10, Omega III, Nosterol and Vitamin E (200IU). I now hope that LDL is low enough to say to Lipitor goodbye. Time will tell. | M | 66 | 6 years 40mg 1X day | 4/4/2012 | 2 | High Cholesterol | After taking Lipitor for a number of years my muscles and joints in my legs and shoulders gradually became very painful. My arms are so weak I can hardly lift them. I stopped taking the drug for about a month. Symptoms have decreased but I am worried I have caused permanent damage to my shoulder joints. I also cannot concentrate like I used to I get tired vry easily. | Lipitor reduced my cholesterol, but the side effects are too great. | M | 53 | 6 years | 8/29/2004 | 2 | hi chol | insommnia | M | 61 | 6 years | 6/3/2003 | 2 | High Cholestorol | Very slowly, over many years, I've developed debilitating muscle pains, horrible fatigue, tingling in my arms, legs and fingers; I've gone to the doctor for 5 years, at least, trying to find out what is wrong with me. I JUST turned 40 years old and should not feel like this. Out of nowhere, I heard about CoQ10 depletion and just started the supplement today. I was never told ANY of these symptoms could relate to the Lipitor - in fact, I specifically asked if any of my medications could be causing these problems. | F | 40 | 6 years | 6/23/2008 | 2 | high cholesterol and post bypass | Severe pain in both calfs and thighs. I became unable to lift my legs to put on my pants or even get in the car. This developed after being on the Lipitor for about 5 years. I was on 10 mg and complained about discomfort in my legs but my cardiologist just said it was old age and even upped my dose to 20 mg. That really made things a lot worst and now I just stopped it and within 24 hours could see an improvement. Incidently I am a physician and was aware of the myalgia with Lipitor but I suspect it is much worst than the drug company would have you believe. This is really a very toxic drug and should be used with caution. | This is a drug which is very effective in lowering cholesterol but also affects many metabolic pathways in the body and is potentially dangerous. | M | 68 | 6 years | 3/1/2007 | 1 | high cholesterol | after taking the drug for several years, I developed one of the supposedly rare side effects ... muscle disintegration/degeneration ... fortuntately when I experienced fatigue and muscle/joint pain, I remembered some of the warnings I had read when I first started taking the drug ... My doctor ordered a blood test when I told him of my symptoms and concerns and it revealed a grossly excessive amount of muscle tissue in my blood ... I haven't taken it since ... after I stopped taking Lipitor, I felt normal about three weeks later ... | M | 6 years | 4/30/2007 | 1 | High cholesterol | Sudden knee pain 2 week into it, horriable crippeling pain hit both knees at same moment, progressed to odd painful, lumpy swelling on both feet in same place on each and a sudden horriable grabbing pain in one ankle, gas, indigestion, acid reflux, no energy, confusion, stumbeling, vertigo, memory loss, frequent sudden urges to go pee that came out with a force that sprayed everywhere.(Off of it I now have to force it out). Getting off cleared most up but woke up every morning with horriable pain in a different joint making it useless until it passed days later and suddenly landed in right shoulder. MRI shows arthritis, tendonitis and burscitis when there was never any problems in that shoulder before. Been suffering with that for almost a year. Sudden grabbing pain in ankle comes and goes..HORRIABLE pain that almost throws me down. Have days where confusion comes back also. Also my last colonscopy turned up 5 precancerous polyups. Before statin drugs, I never had a one of them, 5 year | This medicine is posion! We do not know if the damage it does to us is permenant or not. I feel like I have been cheated out of growing old naturally and will question every ailmant I have from now on as natural or statin induced. In my whole life, I didn't see a doctor as much as I have since I started Lipitor drugs and since I have been off of it. The doctor always brushed off my complaints or would write me a RX for another dangerous drug! WHEN are doctors going to listen to the people are paying him to treat them and quit believing those who PROFIT from the sale of their drugs they push on unsuspecting people. (What happened to "DO NO HARM?").They have killed my faith in drugs, doctors and the FDA. DOCTORS! WAKE UP!! THEY ARE MAKING YOU LOOK LIKE FOOLS AND IDIOTS that can be bought for a free lunch or a plate of cookies! I also say, get those darn drug ads OFF of TV! | F | 61 | 6 years | 3/1/2008 | 1 | cholesterol | muscle pain/inability to walk with left foot pain. Memory loss. overall loss of muscle tone. Unable to control weight. | Try to get a cardiologist to listen to you regarding symptoms. Called Pfizer and talked with nurse there and she recommended I let my doctor know about symptoms. She explained that drug was mfg in USA. My concern was that maybe some of the drug was mfg outside of USA, like maybe China and that a portion of the formula was causing problems. But in general the whole formula is poison so far as I am concerned. Thank God for this website. Am seeing new GP this week, and if he doesn't take me off Lipitor, am going to do it myself. Will take my chances rather than live this "hell" any longer.Have been on Lipitor for 6 years too long. | F | 66 | 6 years | 3/9/2008 | 1 | Diabetes Diagnosis | Muscle/joint pains, gastric upsets, insomnia, memory loss, anxiety, frozen shoulder ..... to name but a few. | The medical profession should be made to advise patients more about the side-effects. Spotting them early can mean the difference between swift resolution or a lifetime of misery. | M | 53 | 6 years | 11/3/2009 | 1 | High Cholesterol | Stated with joint and pain and muscle weakness, depression, fatigue and cramps. At each annual visit to the Dr. I would tell him my symptoms and mention I thought it was the Lipitor, He waould always say no way and I need to continue the statin drug. My symptoms gradualy got worse over the next 5-6 years, currently I have muscle twitching in both arms, loss of muscle mass in arms, hands and face with slurred speech. Took myself off the lipitor a year ago. Joint pain is completly gone. Was told my Dr. I may have ALS. Saw an ALS Specialist Feb, 2002, she said she could not diagnosis ALS at this time as you have to have 3 extermities effected and I have 1 1/2. She said she has seen over 100 patients with symptoms the same as mine that had been on statin drugs. I can't begin to tell you what a scary year this has been. But am holding out hope I will improve in time. Have read that some people it taks 1-2 years to improve at all. | I trusted my Doctor!!!!!!!! Now I trust that what I was felling 6 years ago was not all in my head. Anyone with simular symptoms or coments please e-mail | M | 56 | 6 years | 5/31/2002 | 1 | elevated ttriglycerides,low HDL | Jaundice,right upper quadrant abdominal pain,very elevated liver function tests,itching of the skin,weakness,loss of appetite.Gall bladder sonogram,CT scan,MRI of liver ducts all negative for gall bladder disease.Hospitalized 4 days.six weeks after stopping Lipitor all liver tests returned to normal. | I am a retired physician and had an excellent therepeutic result while on the medication.I did have occcasional muscle aches and flu like symptoms which subsided when a stopped lipitor for short periods of time.But the overall good effect of the drug on my lipid profile caused me to return to using it.Not any more!I could have wound up with permanent liver damage or dying.The drug isert for lipitor does mention cholestatic Jaundice in the post market studies.no numbers as to the number of cases reported.How many go unreported? | M | 70 | 6 years | 2/21/2005 | 1 | Preventive, then high cholesterol | 10mg/day for 6 years, no side effects. Recemt increase to 20mg/day caused severe pain in back, hips, legs, and feet. Unable to walk or stand for more than 10 minutes. | To lower cholesterol, excercise is necessary. With Lipitor, it's impossible for me to even walk slowly, so what point is there in taking Lipitor? I stopped, MD wants me to try other statins. I have my doubts about all of them. | F | 61 | 6 years | 4/15/2007 | 1 | HIGH CHOLESTEROL | DIZZY, BALANCE, HIGHER BLOOD SUGARS, CARPAL TUNNAL, CRAMPS, JOINT PAIN, MEMORY LOSS, KIDNEY PROBLEMS | I STARTED ON ZOCOR AND CHANGED TO LIPITOR AFTER 1 YEAR BECAUSE OF BALANCE PROBLEMS. AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE BALANCE PROBLEMS AND JOINT PAIN, BUT THE DOCTOR DID NOT THINK THAT LIPITOR WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. BECAUSE OF HEART DISEASE THE DOCTOR WANTED MY CHOLESTEROL DOWN TO 150 IT WAS AROUND 200. HE PRESCRIBED 40 MG OF LIPITOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND EVENTUALLY ADDED GEMFIBROSIL, AND NIACIN BECAUSE OF HIGH TRIGLYCERIDES. AFTER A YEAR OF TAKING THESE DRUGS, MY TYPE II DIABETES BECAME UNCONTROLLED AND MY KIDNEY READINGS BECAME BAD. I WAS THEN PUT ON INSULIN. I BEGAN TO DEVELOP JOINT PAIN AND NEUROPATHY. THE PAIN IN MY HANDS BECAME SO BAD THAT I HAD TO HAVE CARPAL TUNNAL SURGERY. I COULD NOT WALK WITHOUT FALLING. I FINALLY BECAME SO DEBILITATED THAT I HAD TO RETIRE EARLY. THE DOCTORS TOOK ME OFF THE LIPITOR AFTER THE KIDNEY READINGS BECAME SO HIGH. HOWEVER THEY DID TRY TO PUT ME BACK ON THEM SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE BEEN OFF STATIN DRUGS FOR FOUR YEARS AND I HAV | M | 66 | 6 years | 5/3/2006 | 1 | high cholesterol | Soon after starting Lipitor I developed extreme pain in both inner arms at the elbows, over the next years I developed inflammed ligaments and bursae in my shoulders and ankles. Also Nerve pain in shoulders, ankles and feet. Finally extreme burning of shoulders and ankles. I was started on Liptor 20 mg 7 years ago. It was increased to 40 mg. 3 years ago. The pain increased proportionately to the time I was on the drug and the dose increase. Neither my doctors nor I ever related these pains to Lipitor. I stopped Lipitor six months ago as an experiment. Within 3 weeks I had recovered about 50%. I hve not recovered past this point. I still can't walk without extreme pain. I have to wear ankle supports, night splints, ice compresses frequently, gel pads, elevated heels. My shoulders are doing better than my ankles and feet, but they still hurt. My GP and the surgeon who says I now need surgery on both ankles for the inflammed bursae are reluctant to connect my pain and disability | My GP still wants me on statins. She is annoyed that I will not take any. I am taking Red Yeast Rice with COQ10 now instead of a statin along with 2000 mg of Vitamin C daily. Basically Lipitor has ruined my formerly active life. No more dancing, golf, hiking, even standing too long sets my ankles on fire. I will have my cholesterol rechecked in September to see if the Red Yeast Rice helps my elevated cholesterol. I was never warned that any of the symptoms I have experienced were in any way related to Lipitor. | F | 62 | 6 years 1X day | 8/4/2010 | 1 | High Cholesterol | Mental fog, depression, joint and muscle pains, earaches, shortness of breath, mood changes, sleep disorders, neuropathy | I was on several years with few adverse effects, which is why it took me so long to deduce that statins were causing my problems. I was all happy that despite my deteriorating mental and physical health, my cholesterol was low. Once I realized the cause and after years of fighting with my PCP (who always told me "statins don't cause that") I put my foot down and got off them. Since then, the adverse effects have all subsided (some took longer than others). | M | 54 | 6 years 20 1X day | 4/8/2024 | 5 | High cholesterol | None | Quick reduction in LDL. No side effects. | M | 55 | 5 years 80 1X day | 2/23/2011 | 5 | High cholesterol (260) | No side effects | My doctor (conservative and top-rate) says that taking Lipitor is a "no brainer". All advantages, no disadvantages. And for me that's true. My cholesterol fell to 160 and I've had no side effects. My husband and I buy 20 mg tablets and use pill-splitter to cut in half. Costs much less! | F | 69 | 5 years 10 mg 1X day | 8/18/2012 | 5 | High cholesterol | None. | M | 53 | 5 years | 8/22/2005 | 5 | elevated cholesterol | After taking Lipitor for 5 years: pain in the knees and feet, neck and shoulders, abdominal pain and elbow pain. | I recently completed 12 physical therapy sessions for severe and chronic tendonitis in my elbows and was released with no improvement. After searching the internet and reading comments from others who've taken Lipitor, I believe this drug has caused the severe pain I've experienced over the past 3 years. Countless MRIs and other tests have revealed no cause for the pain. | M | 5 years | 10/10/2004 | 5 | high cholestrol levels | muscles aches specially in back of legs , memory weakened , fatigue , lack of sexual drive ,and more recently muscle inflamation in my shoulder and upper arm, taking medication for it . | M | 44 | 5 years | 11/11/2004 |