PRAVACHOL Reviews (PRAVASTATIN SODIUM)Average Rating: 2.2 (228 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare PRAVACHOL with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on PRAVACHOL: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR PRAVACHOL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | Cholesterol 236, LDL 154, trig 186 | Extreme fatigue, insomnia, flu like symptoms, and lack of energy which is increasing daily. Not sure if related to Pravachol may be related to high Sed rate and High CRP. I will stop med and call MD on Monday. | I am a RN and work 12 hour shifts. Not looking foward to my shift tomm. | F | 43 | 15 days | 10/3/2008 | 1 | High Cholesterol | Muscle pain to the point of getting to know my Chiropractor way too well. Extreme tiredness. The absolute worst part was that I began to bleed rectally for no reason. Transfused twicde while in hospital for ten days. They could find no reason for the bleeding. I stopped Pravachol on the day I went into the hospital and after ten days my bleeding miraculously stopped and I was released. I never went back on Pravachol, and never bled again. That was 8 years ago. I do take Lipitor now and do have muscle fatique and big trouble with stairs. As of Sept 1st...today, I am off Lipitor as well. I have had enough of the Statins. | M | 62 | 5 years | 9/1/2008 | 1 | Preventative | Right shoulder pain, severe bicep pain in both arms which evolved into bilateral frozen shoulder. Enlarged neck lymph nodes, sudden 5 pound weight loss(I was ONLY 105 to begin with!) Beaus lines in all nails also developed within weeks of beginning this medication. I am now into my 8th month after statin therapy began. I stopped the meds in February (almost 7 months ago) and still have frozen shoulder and severe muscle pain. Range of motion is 30% left arm, 50% right arm and no end in sight. There was no reason to be on this or any other statin (I tried 10 days of Lescol first but developed leg pains). Although diabetic, my cholesterol was phenomenal! However, both my cardiologist and endocrinologist thought I should be on a statin since I have mild carotid artery blockage - thus, this was a preventative measure for which I am paying a high price! | I have found support and wonderful information on the statin side effects forum: www.spacedoc.net and consequently, added CO Enzyme Q10 to my supplement regime in hopes of getting relief someday. Ironically, although my cardiologist "cannot take statins" he DOES take COEnzyme Q10 but never suggested that I do so. Carnitine is also recommended although I've not yet begun taking that. This has been and continues to be a nightmare from which I can't wake up. | F | 50 | 6 weeks | 8/25/2008 | 2 | to lower chlosteral,inc hdl | minor headaches and pain in back of head | I was on lipitor 40mg for 2 years and chl. levels were improved and periodic blood work was very good.Recently experienced muscle pain in AM and stopped lipitor for 1month and chl. readings including hdl and ldl went very bad.Dr. switched me to pravastatin 80 mg and am now getting head pain(never had headaches).I am now cutting the pills in 1/2 and will see what happens and will go for bloodwork in 2 weeks.I do not have muscle aches but the head pain is the substitute. | M | 64 | 1 days | 7/29/2008 | 4 | Inherited High Cholesterol | Occasional muscle aches, occasional ringing in ears. Overall benefits outweigh the side effects. | F | 35 | 30 days | 6/30/2008 | 1 | high cholesterol | Insomnia, mental confusion, forgetfulness, loud ringing in ears, on only 2.5 mg. I've had similar reactions to other statins at very low doses. This cure is worse than the disease. | Statins may be good medicines, but not for millions of us American who experience intolerable side effects. | M | 64 | 10 days | 4/5/2008 | 1 | Borderline High Cholesterol | Severe back and rib cage pain, insomnia, painful abdominal bloating, appetite loss,depression, severe foot pain with swelling numbness, stumbling and falling. 200% increase in severity of chronic pain conditions ( fibromyalgia and disk disease in neck). All symptoms subside while taking the drugs yet return within days of starting them. Have made GREAT strides with diet, weight loss and excercise. But doc insists I take them due to mother having heart disease. | I've experienced the same side effects on Crestor, Lipitor, Zocor and Zetia- all at VERY low doses over the past 3 1/3 years. Now before you think "another person who read the symptoms on line".. I have a doctorate in a medical field (DVM). So I know a bit about pharmacology and interpreting legit medical information. The Doc doesn't believe the drugs are responsible and insists I'll die without them. But I cannot deal with the pain and misery anymore. Not even strong pain medications will control the effects. Also the side effects are rapidly ending my career. So I'm going to pursue alternative options. I know how drug companies can influence the outcome of studies so there is no mistake that the medical community is in denial about these medications causing trouble in a good number of folks. Yes for a lot of people these drugs can be lifesavers. But for a lot of people, taking these drugs cause more misery then they are worth. | F | 49 | 6 months | 4/2/2008 | 1 | High Cholesterol (226) | On 40mg. Incredible muscle aches and pains in legs as well as shortness of breath. I work out/play tennis several days per week and the pain made working out/playing sports almost impossible. I quit taking this 3 days ago and already feel much better! | M | 43 | 14 days | 3/31/2008 | 1 | High cholesterol | After 8 days felt very tired, went to bed and woke up 6 hours later with extreame muscle pain like the worst flu ever, all over except stomach muscles. Felt like I was hit by a truck. Had to roll on to floor to get out of bed. Because I had had lesser muscle pain in legs after 2 other statins, assumed it would go away in a week or so after stopping. Stopped Pravastatin but effects subsided only slowly and were still severe and disabling. Doctor refused to admit it was caused by the drug. I had pain and fatigue that leveled out but did not go away. It was hard to hold down a job and take care of my home but I had no choice, so have had little life for 2 years. Saw several doctors before getting confirmed idagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica, an autoimmune condition. It has taken 2 years and a long course of prednesone to get over it, but I am starting to feel normal. The prednisone helped but had its own problems. | This definitely did more harm than any good it could have done. I will never be a healthy as I was. I have gained 15 pounds and lost a lot of muscle tone. I used to be in much better condition, but now I am overwieght and very flabby and tire easily. I do not know if I can ever get back to the person i was. My new doctor wants me to take Zetia, but I am afraid. I am taking Rx Omega 3 now. I am just starting to get my life back. If I have to go throught that again I dont know what I would do. I still don't understand why the doctor insisted I take this drug after I had had problems with 2 other statins. I have also gone off the Avapro that doctor had me on for BP, and my BP is fine. | F | 60 | 8 days | 1/25/2008 | 1 | Elevated cholesterol (252) | After one day, my co-workers were asking me what was wrong. My eyes were bleary, and I had no energy. I feel completely "blah," as if I can't get up enough energy to do anything. I've already brought my cholesterol down from 300 to 250 through diet and exercise, but I have a feeling that the weight gain and cholesterol are from the Zoloft I take for panic disorder (I've had it since I was 18, and the SSRIs have been a lifesaver, despite their problems). | M | 47 | 3 days | 12/11/2007 | 2 | Reduce prostate cancer risk | Weight Gain. Gained 16 lbs. in two months. | M | 65 | 60 days | 11/20/2007 | 5 | Elevated cholesterol (272) | None so far | I would suggest anyone taking/considering taking a statin to do research on the relationship between dosage and side effects. I have been taking 1/4 of a 10mg tablet of Pracachol once daily for 10 days now, with no side effects yet. My research indicates that, for many, this is all it takes, in conjunction with diet, exercise and fish oil. I will report back in a few months, when my cholesterol is re-tested. After reading several scientific articles about dosage-related effects, I am convinced that many people are overdosed on their statin. See aticles by Jay Cohen of University of California- San Diego. Good Luck! | F | 53 | 10 days | 9/20/2007 | 1 | High Cholesterol | rectal bleeding with clots , vertigo , swelling of face and body especially the stomach,frequent urination, bad dreams,tired, fatigue, | Do not take it ! | F | 40 | 1 months | 8/29/2007 | 1 | high LDL | I suffered nausea, fatigue,vertigo | I suffered vertigo while on Crestor also. Doctor put me on 20mg Pravachol and after 2 months suffered vertigo again. I have to drive to work 5 days a week but that does not matter to him if I kill myself or someone as long as I don't have a heart attack. Doctors seem to have a blind spot when it comes to statin! | F | 59 | 2.5 months | 7/17/2007 | 2 | Cholesterol 311 | Flu like symptoms, muscle weakness, headache and blurred vision. | Took Lipitor for years and Doctors told me the muscle/joint pain was arthritis. Left my pills at home during our vacation and in just a week felt like my old self. New Physician ordered Pravachol 40mg. Began on Tuesday morning and on Friday, thought I had the flu July. The body aches were bad around my shoulders and neck, and the headache was terrrible, but the worst was the mental fog. I am an RN and had to work in a fog and every little thing made me cry. I stopped them and in 36 hours feel much better. I may try them again for anther week, but it won't be when I have to work. Very dangerous!! | F | 60 | 5 days | 7/8/2007 | 1 | LOWER CHOLESTEROL | NUMBNESS IN BOTH FEET, HARD TIME BREATHING, WEIGHT GAIN, ENERGY LOSS,BLOATED, CAN'T SLEEP. PRAVASTATIN 40MG PER DAY | I THREW IT ALL IN THE TRASH! NO MORE STATIN POISONS FOR ME EVER AGAIN. I'LL JUST WATCH MY CHOLESTEROL INTAKE AND LET NATURE TAKE IT'S COURSE. THESE DRUGS ARE POISONS FOR SURE:( | M | 58 | 2 weeks | 6/14/2007 | 4 | High Cholesterol / Triglycerides | None, except for the pains that appear out of no where when I read all of the horrible side effects on the internet. Today my back itches..... must be the Statin. I do agree there are side effects, however, I have noticed a correlation to age. The younger have less side effects. | Dropped Cholesterol from 270 to 130. Have never felt better in my life. While taking this med, I have also changed the way I eat and I exercise everyday. The pill itself is not the cure all. | M | 36 | 1 years | 5/10/2007 | 2 | high cholesterol | weight gain, lethargy, pain, depression? and memory loss | has anyone noticed a weight loss after going off Pravachol? | F | 54 | 4 days | 5/6/2007 | 3 | High Cholesterol | Before taking Pravachol I was taking Lovastatin. Within the first six months of taking it I had gained 20 pounds. Since I've been on Pravachol I've gained another 15-20 pounds all in the abdonimal area. Lowered cholesterol but it is slowly going up again. My stomach is bloated all the time. I have muscle ache, lack of energy, shortness of breath & depression. I've also noticed that my hands and arms "fall asleep" a lot now but I don't know if Pravachol is the cause and it can happen at any time in any position: standing, sitting or lying down. I also feel sleepy all the time and if I allowed myself I could sleep for hours at a time, perhaps part of the depression... | Took Lovastatin for 1.5 years before taking Pravachol and I had experienced 20 pound weight gain in the abdominal area which only continued to get worse with Pravachol. I have upset stomach all the time, certain foods I just can't eat anymore: wheat products & all sorts of vegetables. | M | 48 | 1.5 years | 4/10/2007 | 2 | high cholesterol | Painful stomach cramps and diarrhea | Jury is still out on this. I took one 40 mg pill for 3 consecutive nights. Late in day 3 I had awful cramps & diarrhea - now I'm worried about taking more pills. I am going to wait a week and try again to see if something else caused this. I admit I am very suspicious of the pravachol, but since my cholesterol is on the high side I will give it another chance. | F | 56 | 3 days | 3/19/2007 |