Lipitor and zocor

I am a 62 yr. old female and in good health. In January 2007, my doctor ordered a cholesterol test and the results indicated a number of 237..."bad" cholesterol was not horrible, "good" cholesterol was very good. The doctor put me on 20mg of Lipitor without any hesitation... After a week or so, I started having horrible leg and muscle pain, so when I went back in 3 months (cholesterol 181), I told him I couldn't take this med, so he put me on Zocor. Really bad joint pain with this one, so I went back again in 3 months(cholesterol about the same) and told him again that this one had similar side effects and diarrhea. He then put me on Crestor...took this med, but was so lethargic and in a fog, my family told me to get off of that one. Went BACK to the Dr. in 3 mos., told him I couldn't take this one...he put me on prescription strength fish oil (6 per day) saying that this one should not have side effects. Other than some gastric/intestinal rumblings and some diarrhea, it was ok, but when I had my cholesterol checked it had gone up HIGHER than when I started this whole ordeal, so he put me on Welchol...saying that this one was not absorbed in the blood...blah,blah, blah... Still had the gastic/intestinal issues, SO when I went back 3 mos. later in March 2008 (cholesterol 200)and having already stopped this one myself, I told him I was NOT going to take any more meds for this "issue," and I would manage it with diet and exercise. I told him that this was supposed to be the best time in my life, and I was tired of feeling so poorly. He blatantly told me that if I did stop taking the cholesterol "you'll probably have 10 good years and 10 "crappy" years, and he was visibly angry about MY personal health decision. I had at one point during that the 1 year + mentioned to him about the information that I had been reading online...he pooh-poohed the whole "internet" thing, indicating that he had better information (I"M THE DOCTOR" syndrome!). Needless to say, I don't trust him, BIG PHARMA, or anyone else who says that these statin drugs are NOT harmful...My husband has since stopped taking Lipitor, due to our children and me noticing lapses in his memory. These drug companies and doctors are totally ignoring the side effects and health issues of the unsuspecting public. Hopefully, the truth will emerge, but how long it takes...who knows??????? I am glad I'm not on them anymore...I feel GOOD, and I know that whatever aches and pains I have ARE from aging and not drugs!!

I have extreme thumb spasms, often both thumbs at the same time. i had an episode a few weeks ago of a severe pain in my hip running down my leg. I was in bed all weekend as a result and needed a cortisone shot to help relieve the pain. I forgot a name right after they tell me and I am only 50 years old. I lose my balance and sometimes almost fall and have vertigo every now and then. I wonder if all these symptoms are from lipitor. I have been on it for at least 3 years.

Three years ago, my Doctor said he wanted my cholesterol lowered. He prescribed Lipitor 10 m every other day.. Last year Cat Scan revealed a clogged minor artery so doctor increased to 20m PER day.. Test results proved Cholesterol down to " perfect" said the doctors BUT the rest of me was falling apart.. Severe muscle cramps in both legs, fatigue, muscles all over had no strength, weakness, nausea, headaches etc.. My cousin who is a doctor had been taking Lipitor herself but stopped because of the above symptoms.. Both my Cardiologist and internist have told me to stop taking Lipitor for a period of time to see if these symptoms dissipate.. After three days I already feel better. I have begun to eat 100% healthy: taking vitamins: vitamin C, Omega 3,6,9. lecithin & exercise, etc. And praying a lot..

I was a competitive runner with a number of sub 3 hour marathons under my belt before I was prescribed statins for elevated cholesterol 2 years ago. The first go round was 40mg zocor but muscle soreness and loss of strength started within 2 months. Switched to NIASPAN but couldn't tolerate it. The last 7 months have been on 10mg of Lipitor and now have intense pain in my legs, soreness in my wrist and thumb and swollen feet. I can still run but much less than before and much slower. I regularly go to the gym but have seen a steady decrease in the amount of weight I am able to lift. I have a blood test in a couple of days and will be looking for myalgia again. I have discontinued the statin and don't plan to start again. I was healthier before the DR decided to "help" me with my cholesterol problem.

I am a 51 y/o white female that has been on Lipitor for 2 years. I am 5' 1" and when I had to go on it my cholesterol was 267 I weighed 112 lbs. I was shocked.... my doctor told me weight had nothing to do with cholesterol. She kept a close watch on me and my cholesterol came down...... and then my ex-husband of 17 years and I re-connected and got back together and I moved so I had to get another primary care physician. I took all my meds to her, she also kept a close watch on everything. At this time my cholesterol is down to 109 and I asked if I could stop taking it, as I take quite a lot of meds, due to different things and if I could stop anything it would be great, but she said it I stopped it, my cholesterol would go right back up. So since I am not experiencing any side effects I'm okay with continuing it.

I surely hate to hear what you all are experiencing with your Lipitor..... could your doc try another cholesterol medication?

The only one of my meds that is giving me any problem is TOPAMAX........ that we are using as a Migraine preventative! HORRORS!!! Today is pretty good day. But my cognitive abilities are in the trash... I say the wrong word when I mean something else...... I search my mind looking for a memory...... I am also on disability since 2002 because of the Migraines....... I have has them since 1978, but they got progressively worse over the years until I was sick more days per week, sometimes more than 7-10 days at the time, having to be in the hospital being rehydrated and on IV pain meds.......... and as awful as the TOPAMAX is.....it has been reduced the migraines to approx 2 per month and they do not last nearly as long.

So sorry, I got waaay off topic, but I know that it is not the Lipitor that is giving me the side effects as it the last med I had to go on and I had no new side effects....... but that TOPAMAX is kicking my behind.

I'm a 38 y/o woman. For 7 yrs I knew my cholesterol has been high. I refused to take cholesterol medication and decided to diet and exercise but that didn't work. I've had 2 children in the past 3 yrs. In May of this year I started having chest pains and palpitations. I had blood tests done. I was given Inderal and also prescribed Zocor 20mg for my cholesterol. It was 243 with and LDL of 178. I took Zocor for a week. I felt so awful. I was weak, I lost my appetite. I was constantly tired. I couldn't even carry my 10 month old son, yet alone care for him. I informed my physician and she changed it to Lipitor 20mg. I thought I was doing fine. I checked my levels again after a month. My cholesterol was 113 and LDL 58. I trusted the doctor knew what she was doing. At the same time I also was taking Omega 3's. I asked my doc to lower the dosage to 10mg. From the time I was taking Zocor and the start of Lipitor. I was feeling tingling and numbness in my arms, hands, fingers, toes, feet and legs. I also was having muscle pain. I asked my doctor about that. She mentioned because of my heart palpitations, it could be symptoms of anxiety and panic. I had feeling of pins and needles throughout my body, not knowing when it would occur. I had muscle pain in my arms and legs and neck pain. I went online to see the side effects of Lipitor and came across this website. I decided to do an experiment. I stopped taking Lipitor 9 days ago. I was on statins for almost 4 months. I don't have the feeling of tingling and numbness, but I still have pins and needles and muscle pain. I have to say, I feel so much better. I hope to get better. I 'd really like to know, how long does the medication stay in your system? What are the effects of getting off it so suddenly. I'd love to feel myself again.

I am a 54 year old male who started taking Lipitor about 4 years ago. It seemed OK at first, but over the next several years I began to have increasing amounts of joint pain after exercise. Nor muscle pain, joint pain. And it seemed to be a result of exercise. By the time I stopped it, I was hurting after everything, not just exercise. I felt better within the first two weeks, but it took about 4 months for me to be able to exercise vigorously again. Over the years I seemed to have forgotten how much vitality I used to have. I am a physician, and because of the long lag time until I felt better, I wondered whether improvement might have related to other factors, so after about 5 months I decided to restart Lipitor. It surprised me that after just one dose, I got back all of the joint pain and fatigue when I was at my worst on Lipitor. I was really hurting. Needless to say, I didn't take any more.

Coincidentally, a physician friend of mine who had statin induced polyneuropathy had a similar experience. After his symptoms went away he found that after only one dose the entire polyneuropathy came back.

Stopping and restarting the drug is a way to test the correlation between the drug and the side effect. For such a large spectrum of side effects to recur after only a single dose, it argues that the problems that my friend and I had was due to some sort of immune memory response. I have not seen this in the medical literature.

I am off it now for about 8 months and am able to comfortably play singles tennis and jog - much more energy (and I took 200 mg of CoQ10 a day with the Lipitor).

I am a 51 year old male. November 2007 jaw pain sent me to the hospital where they found a 99% block in my right coronary artery, yep 4 stent's. Three month late the same this time 2 stent's and two weeks later 2 more. I now have 8 stent's. My DR. put me on several meds including Zocor. The zocor made me very tired and headaches. He change it to Lipitor 10mg. I have been on it for 7 months and a few day's ago I have notice pain in both knee's and hip. I once again find it hard to concentrate, feel sluggish and have headache's. I NEVER have headache's. Stopped taken the Lipitor, hope the pain goes away. It a shame that the medical field is so quick to put us ALL on drug's, how about herb's instead. I'm going to look into a natural way to lower my cholesterol.

I have been on Zocor 40mg for many years and doing fine with it, until my doctor thought it was not working that well, hence, switched me to Lipitor 10mg. After a few months I developed severe chest pain along with neck pain. It felt like it might have been a heart attack, but it lasted more than 24 hours. I was admitted to ER for 1 night in the hospital and released the following day. They checked my heart and found it was fine. They ran my blood work, chest x-rays, cat scan and checked my lungs. All O.K.!!! The next morning they told me I had Slight Diabetes and an Under Active Thyroid and thought Esophagus Spasms were the cause of my pain. OH yeah, I also told them it hurt more with each breath of air I took in rather than out. It did not matter to them. They gave me Protonix 40mg because they thought it would reduce acid reflux to the esophagus, thus reducing my pain. Furthermore, they gave me Synthroid 25MCG for my Under Active Thyroid. After about 10 days of these medication plus LIPITOR, I had a recurrence of the same pain. I decided to research and came across this Website. I stopped the Lipitor and the next day my pain was subsiding. By this evening, my pain is almost completely gone. I am scheduled to have an Endoscopy in about a week from now and I am hesitant. Are the pharmaceuticals and physicians in cahoot with each other. I can't believe I was required to take all these tests and even more tests before the pain started (EKG, Heart Monitor, Nuclear Stress Test, Heart Scan and Angiography). Did I forget to mention I was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure and put on X-Forge a few months before all this started, but I was taken off it because of side effects (dizziness, lethargic, and so on). I did research on X-Forge and it said to NEVER use it as a first method of treatment for high blood pressure. I also was having pain under my right armpit. WHY DO WE HAVE TO SUFFER LIKE THIS BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE. Well, I guess it's just the price we have to pay before we decide to do things OUR WAY!! GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU! THANKS FOR THE POST! PS. Can't wait to see what my Endocrinologist has to say about me next month $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

I have been on Zocor 40mg for many years and doing fine with it, until my doctor thought it was not working that well, hence, switched me to Lipitor 10mg. After a few months I developed severe chest pain along with neck pain. It felt like it might have been a heart attack, but it lasted more than 24 hours. I was admitted to ER for 1 night in the hospital and released the following day. They checked my heart and found it was fine. They ran my blood work, chest x-rays, cat scan and checked my lungs. All O.K.!!! The next morning they told me I had Slight Diabetes and an Under Active Thyroid and thought Esophagus Spasms were the cause of my pain. OH yeah, I also told them it hurt more with each breath of air I took in rather than out. It did not matter to them. They gave me Protonix 40mg because they thought it would reduce acid reflux to the esophagus, thus reducing my pain. Furthermore, they gave me Synthroid 25MCG for my Under Active Thyroid. After about 10 days of these medication plus LIPITOR, I had a recurrence of the same pain. I decided to research and came across this Website. I stopped the Lipitor and the next day my pain was subsiding. By this evening, my pain is almost completely gone. I am scheduled to have an Endoscopy in about a week from now and I am hesitant. Are the pharmaceuticals and physicians in cahoot with each other. I can't believe I was required to take all these tests and even more tests before the pain started (EKG, Heart Monitor, Nuclear Stress Test, Heart Scan and Angiography). Did I forget to mention I was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure and put on X-Forge a few months before all this started, but I was taken off it because of side effects (dizziness, lethargic, and so on). I did research on X-Forge and it said to NEVER use it as a first method of treatment for high blood pressure. I also was having pain under my right armpit. WHY DO WE HAVE TO SUFFER LIKE THIS BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE. Well, I guess it's just the price we have to pay before we decide to do things OUR WAY!! GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU! THANKS FOR THE POST! PS. Can't wait to see what my Endocrinologist has to say about me next month $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

I had 95% occlusion of the major artery in my heart July 2007 with no symptoms except slight shoulder pain on 3 occasions. They did a cath and inserted 2 stents. Started with Lipitor 10 mg. and my LDL dropped from 75 to 112. The MD wanted to double the dose, but I refused because of intermittent nocturnal nausea. MD switched me to another statin and I had immediate muscle involvement and severe nausea at night. She wanted me to try another statin drug and I refused. After a 2 month period of no statins, she put me back on Lipitor 10 mg. daily. I decided to cut the pill in half and take it twice a week, then move to every other day and gradually go to 10 mg. daily. Immediately, the nocturnal nausea started again. Last night I awoke at 2 a.m. with nausea, sweating, sore muscles around my rib cage. Still no sleep at 4:30 a.m., so I got up and tried to eat something. This has been the pattern every night since I went on Lipitor.

I don't know if I can take this any more.

CK

As a retired Healthcare Professional, like you I almost died from a statin overdose. If you’re a U.S. resident or Canadian resident, I would encourage patients/consumers to send their complaint/statin adverse reaction report to the web sites listed below. Also, if your physician is unresponsive to your negative experience from any statin, inform him/her that you refuse to continue with this drug, and have sent an adverse reaction complaint to the FDA/Canadian equivalent. Provide both your doctor and pharmacy with a copy of the completed FDA Form 3500, if you’re a U.S. resident, so they (medical community) know you're serious (see my recent postings of July 20 and July 25, 2008). In addition, I would bring to the attention of your physician the following clinical experience of Dr Peter H. Langsjoen, MD, FAAC, a Blue Ribbon Cardiologist: “Over the past five years, statins have become more potent, are being prescribed in higher doses, and are being used with reckless abandon in the elderly and in patients with "normal" cholesterol levels. We are in the midst of a CHF (Congestive Heart Failure) epidemic in the US with a dramatic increase over the past decade. Are we causing this epidemic through our zealous use of statins? In large part I think the answer is yes. We are now in a position to witness the unfolding of the greatest medical tragedy of all time - never before in history has the medical establishment knowingly (Merck & Co., Inc. has two 1990 patents combining CoQ10 with statins to prevent CoQ10 depletion and attendant side effects) created a life threatening nutrient deficiency in millions of otherwise healthy people, only to then sit back with arrogance and horrific irresponsibility and watch to see what happens - as I see two to three new statin cardiomyopathies per week in my practice, I cannot help but view my once great profession with a mixture of sorrow and contempt.” Finally, I hope you find, as I did the following newsletters/medical information helpful:
http://www.vitacost.com/newsletter/newsletter.cfm?nl=189

http://www.vitacost.com/newsletter/newsletter.cfm?nl=234

http://www.vitacost.com/newsletter/newsletter.cfm?nl=370
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U.S.A.
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/problem.html
CANADA
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/compli-conform/gui-44_consumer_complaint-plainte_consommateur-eng.pdf
Contact Name: Drug Compliance Verification and Investigation Unit
Tel: (613) 952-9906
Fax: (613) 954-0941
E-Mail: DCVIU_UVCEM@hc-sc.gc.ca

My doctor started me on Lipitor over a year ago. I started having muscle pain in my shoulders but didn't equate it to the meds until I was watching television one day and a Lipitor commercial came on. It said that some people experience muscle pain.....I thought HALLELUEH THAT'S WHAT IT IS.....I stopped talking the meds and went to see my doctor who immediately changed my meds to Zocor.....guess what? The same thing happened. Went to see her again and she switched to Crestor.....same thing happened....so I started doing my own research and was amazed at what I learned and bewildered as to why my doctor was acting like I was some whining baby.

No problem, I say to myself and stopped the meds. That was last November, in January I had my yearly physical and blood tests were ordered for me in December......guess what.....my triglycerides were still high so my doctor orders Antara. It didn't say "cor" anything so I'm thinking it's not the same stuff. No, it wasn't the same stuff it was WORSE!! Within three weeks I was crying I was in so much pain. I called her and got her nurse practitioner who says that my doctor said to stop taking the pills and the pain will go away. I call back and say, "you don't understand, I can't sleep, I can't move, I can't function the pain is so bad." After several calls back and forth, and let me tell you I NEVER call my doctor unless something is incredibly wrong and that is less than rarely. Well, my doctors partner tells the nurse practioner that they will not prescribe narcotics for me. WHAT? Who asked for narcotics? I needed relief from this pain.....I would have gone for amputation!!!

So I change docs...more blood work.....high triglycerides, I refuse to take any statins. She says she has something for me that will not cause muscle pain and hands me samples of Welchol.....this one took less than a week for increased muscle pain...again I wanted to trust, but guess what i learned when I went to the Welchol site? The first side effect listed? Muscle pain.

Called the new doctors office to let them know that I was experiencing pain again and was told to stop the Welchol (which I had already done) and take Red Yeast Rice and have bloodwork done in 3 to 6 months and come back to see her. Oh no! Not without research and guess what? A side effect of Red Yeast Rice? Muscle pain.

It has been 4 months since I stopped taking the Antara and took Welchol for a week in that 4 months. Sometimes my shoulders/neck and arms don't hurt too much. Unfortunately most times they do. Both doctors insist that the pain cannot be from the drugs because the drugs have left my body. The new doctor said I probably have myolgia just because I'm 52 and that it's just a coincidence that it happened while taken the drugs but then goes on to agree that I must be "sensitive" to statins. Both doctors treat me like I'm stupid and nuts all balled up in one. I am frustrated and in pain most of the time. I have been trying to find out how long to expect this pain and am dismayed to learn that it can be years or never go away.

Yes I have high triglycerides (so does my mother and she experiences the same kind of pain so refused to take statins) and I've been warned that not taking statins could cause pancreatitis and/or heart problems. My question to that is - "then my choice is chance the heart stuff or live an incredibly painful life?"

I'll take my chances and pray for the best because right now my quality of life stinks!!

My mother started on Lipator about a year ago, she's been having shakes that last about 30 seconds in her legs and one arm. The shakes come and go and she can go a month without them but they seem to have gotten worst. She also has a hard time walking 4 out of days a week, she feels like her legs aren't under her. She is always tired and has restless leg,sometimes at night. She has respiratory problem that also seems to have gotten worst in the past year.
She is seeing a nuro but a cat scan, eeg and blood have all come back ok. Do you thing these are common problems with Lipator?

Let me begin by telling you that I am a nurse with 28 years experience. My father is 76 years old with a history of cardiac problems. He has been on Lipitor for 8 years. In the past two months he has developed muscle pain that had gotten to the point he could hardly walk. His doctor diagnosed him with "arthritis." His joints did not hurt and I questioned his diagnosis. What he has is fibromyalgia. Muscle dysfunction caused by Lipitor. We have taken him off of the drug and he is improving. In place of Lipitor he now takes 2000 milligrams of vitamin C daily. Vitamin C is a natural way to control cholesterol. In my opinion I suggest anyone taking symvistatin in any form should stop immediately. It is a very dangerous drug. If you think this is what you have please request your physician order the following two tests.....CPK and serum myogluten levels. Cholesterol is very important to muscle function and that is why it is produced by the body. Zocor, Lipitor, ( symvistatin) inhibits the production thus lowering the level. Let me add that prior to this condition onset my dad was riding his bike 3 plus miles a day and could out walk me any day of the week. This drug has disabled him. We are hoping for a full recovery but that is yet to be seen.
Thank you ******

I took Lipitor for about 2 years- 5 mg.
Leg cramps-soreness throughout my muscles- very sore buttocks-
my legs are shaky- if I use them too much; (as in walking 3 miles)
I am (was ) an avid body builder that could squat with 100 lbs- and now ( I am a health conscious -non drinking- NO other medication 104 lb slim female) have quivering legs if I stand for too long. I even had a muscle biopsy- and it cam back negative- I have not had a statin for 6 months- but I still have cramps- and abnormal liver values- and I have NO other conditions-I have been scanned from head to toe - open MRI- closed MRI -but the muscle stiffness- soreness- especially legs- continues-
does anyone know how long it lasts? I have also been tested for liver cancer- thank God-negative.
I really feel that Lipitor did this- has anyone else gone from fit as a fiddle to a quivering -achy person- I have gone through 5 doctors- internal - gastrointestinal - neurologist- hematologist and all is negative- just high liver values and muscle pain. Thank you so much.Maxine

I am a 55 year old male. I have been on 40mg of Lipitor for 2 years after having a stent put into my heart. About 6 years ago I was on 20mg ov Lescol for a year but I stopped taking it because my knees became very weak and I could not walk up stairs without holding on. I am now experiencing severe lower back pain down into my left buttock, leg muscle and knee weakness, and I also have mild depression or a lack of motivation may be a better term. I am going to stop taking the statins and see if I have any improvement. Several years ago, when I stopped taking Lescol, my knee weakness and pain did not improve. Through research on the internet I discovered that some symptoms do not improve by stopping the medication. My goal now is to ensure it does not get any worse.

Thanks to all the people who have taken time to post their experience with Lipitor side affects. I am 78 years old and have had both knees replaced within the past two years. My recovery has been great from that surgery. I have taken 10 mg zocor for years as an assist in cholesterol control with no known side affects. However, my doctor thought my 115 LDL level was too high so he put me on 40 mg Lipitor. My cholesterol level LDL went down alright to 72; however, almost immediately after starting with this medication, I started getting stinging, burning, tingling sensations in my feet and soreness in my shoulders. Although my doctor insists that the Lipitor cannot be the problem. After a couple of weeks of those symptoms I have stopped taking Lipitor. The comments on this web site were critical in my decision. After two weeks off the stuff, I periodically feel better but then the sensations return in spades. I hope time will improve things. Does anyone have experience with improvements over time?

Apparently, I don't have any new. I will tell you that I have been taking Lipitor for about 2 years (40 Mg). At first, I had no problems. Later (about 6 months) I started experiencing "tingling" at the tpsof my fingers in one hand almost constantly (now constantly) and occasionally in the other. A month or so later, I started having pain in my left shoulder which kept me awake at night, because it was worse when I was horizontal than vertical, therefore hard to explain. It didn't feel muscular, it felt as if the bone itself was giving pain. I finally went to an Orthepedic Doctor who diagnosed me with arthritis and prescribed therapy, which is essentially exercises to built the muscles of the shoulder. Since I understood if you build on side of your body, you should build the other, I did the same exercises for the right shoulder, which I had NO problem with. Well, after about 3 weeks of this "therapy" my situation got worse in the left and showed up in the right to the same extent as in the left. So, of course, I quit the therapy. Did quitting the therapy help .... no!, not at all.
I now have an appointment with my family doctor and am going to demand that I be taken off Lipitor and prescribed a non statin solution. You see, I have 2 small blockages and since I now cannot exercise without pain, I need something. I also have had hip pain for years, and this too was diagnosed as arthritis. I was on20 mg of Zocor for about 5 years prior to my Lipitor. I wonder if this hip pain will dissipate if I change eds. I will keep this site informed.

Hope this helps someone:

Male 53, 5' 10", 180 lbs, slim
Occupation: Engineer/small biz owner and operator
Total cholesterol now is 4.53 (175), LDL 2.30 (89), HDL 1.43 (55), TriG 1.73 (66)

Presently on 20 mG Lipitor for last 2 months.
40 mG Lipitor for previous 8 months because lipid levels deemed too high.
20 mG Lipitor for 3 years before that.
20 mG Pravachol for 2 years before that.

SIDE EFFECTS I BELIEVE ARE DUE TO STATINS:

1) Difficulty learning/performing new tasks. I can read a technical article and forget most content almost immediately. I can read a book and forget what it is mostly about...difficulty forming new memory.
2) Difficulty communicating. I often stop a conversation in mid-sentence because I have completely lost my train of thought. I often cannot form difficult technical words properly.
3) Several times over the last year I have suddenly forgotten where I was going or where the location was...this was in normally familiar territory.
4) For the past year, I have often felt like I have a low grade flu.
5) I have decreased statin dose and improved my diet and recently significantly increased exercise. I am noticing some exercise intolerance and muscle stiffness that cannot be only due to exercise.
6) Extremely vivid dreams a few times a month (embarrassingly, howling in my sleep according to family members). This was the main reason for reducing dose back to 20 mG.

Most side effects were worst at higher doses of 40 mG. There has been some improvement since dropping back to 20 mG Lipitor. Symptoms first noticed to some degree at 20 mG Pravachol...got worse when switched to more potent Lipitor at 20 mG. Initially, I thought it was age. Both my doctor and specialist do not believe statins are related to any problems I've experienced and are convinced that any risks are outweighed by the benefits. I would like to see them competently run their practice under the conditions I've had to try and operate my biz.

I started taking fish body oil two weeks ago and have noticed a significant cognitive improvement. This may be partly due to reduced statin dose, however, there is lots of evidence online as to why fish oil will help some statin users. I started 50 mG CoQ10 a couple of days ago. My goal is to absolutely minimize statin dose or to eliminate it all together.

I am educated, intelligent and analytical. I am not a doctor. That said, no one can, and ever will again, tell me that the degradation in mental function I've experienced is not related to the statin drugs I've been prescribed.

If you look online, you can find a growing and disturbing number of statin induced side effects reported. This is especially true considering what was considered acceptable LDL a couple of years ago is now too high...doctors are prescribing statins in higher and higher doses.

THESE ARE DANGEROUS DRUGS.

I hope this helps someone. Recognize the symptoms and make your physician take appropriate action.

No serious side effects. I want to add my experience as I see everyone
here has a side effect. I am always wary about medication, and I have taken
statins mainly Zocor and Lipitor off and on for 10 years or so. I have familial
hypercholesterolemia, so diet hasn't helped much, and I have tried all kinds
of food supplements etc. I do take CoQ10 based on reports I have read, not from any side effect. If there are any side effects its not significant that I can
notice it. Sometimes I am forgetful, hard to say if its caused by the drug, as
the times I have been off it, has been much different.

I wonder if high cholesterol is a real problem, I wonder if high triglycerides are worse? Lately I found what seems like an improvement by eliminating high glycemic foods like rice and replacing with barley and oats. Barley also has some fiber and other things that are apparently helpful. Grapefruit is also helpful, but there is a warning not to take it, if you are already taking statins. Based on all this side effects reported here, I feel I might need to try once again, to try an alternative. I am maintaining my 10mg Lipitor, though I had been planning to move back to Zocor as its cheaper for me. I will take a test
in 2 months to test my current barley diet, and recent exercise routine to see
what improvements can happen. Then if successful, I might get off statins,
maintain the non-glycemic diet, exercise and in addition take a lot of grapefruit and a reasonable dose of niacin.

In the past I have tried ginger, garlic, Chinese herbs, and more then I can list here without much help. Occasionally I had been surprised by low readings,
once when I had come back from a 10 day meditation retreat. I have read that cholesterol can change due to stress, and this is a very variable thing. I have
taken lab tests within 2 days from the same lab and seen almost 20% difference (with fasting). I think each body is different and one needs to take a very long term, positive attitude of experimenting and not feeling discouraged too much, but always reading and trying different things and being careful of how you interpret the results.

I would rather ignore the high cholesterol, except my brother died at 65 from cardiac issues, but he also had diabetes. I am now 51.

openlotus

I have been on 40mg/day of Lipitor for 5-6 months and this is how I feel: totally drained - no energy at all - horrible lower back pain - I've been in physical therapy for the past 6 weeks. My neck muscles, back muscles and hip muscles were in constant spasms. Right after beginning Lipitor I woke up with vertigo and still have the dizziness. I was convinced that I must have some horrible disease and was dying at age 47. I stopped taking Lipitor 3 weeks ago and starting taking fish oil, vitamin c, coq10, b vitamin, daily vitamin - the muscle spasms are a little better - still have lower back pain, brain fog, some dizziness. I am so tired all the time - it's so difficult to work a full time job right now. Has anyone else had these same symptoms? Does anyone know how soon I should start to feel better?

I am a 49 year old women, who has been taking Lipitor 10mg for about 2 years at first I was told by my Pharmacist to take before going to bed because this is when the cholesterol is released in our body's. I also took synthroid for a thyroid condition,& Blood pressure medicine, but always took these in the morning, so at first I would forget to take the Lipitor on a regular bases. I am being helped with my prescriptions by a program that sends me my medications directly from the Pharmaceutical companies at no charge to me. I was receiving 3months worth at a time and the were piling up so I thought I really should take these regularly since heart disease runs in our family. In these past 2 years I have been experiencing progressive muscle weakness ,restless legs and feet at night so much that I can't sleep I toss a urn so much I most of the time cannot sleep in the same bed as my husband. in this last 8 months things have gotten so bad I know something is not right I have been going to Dr. having x-ray MRI, P.T, I have told my Doctor my pain is gotten to the point that I needed something strong for pain because I have to work to survive and it was getting to the point the every movement I made was very Painful almost like a deep burning pain. I am now getting spasms in almost every major muscle in my body.At night I gett cramps in my legs and feet that seem to move all over my leg muscle with the painful "cramps " I have ever experienced and they are brought on by just the muscle strength it takes to turn in your bed, they always last for 20min. or more. I work as a nursing assistant for an 84 year old women who has Parkinson's Disease I take her to all of her P.T appointment and exercises along side of her she is 84 and I can only lift 10lbs more than her we joke about it to the effect that she is doing great, but in reality I am the one who isn"t doing so well.The past 4months I have been looking for answers myself because I am in pain 24/7and I know that just because I'm turning 50 next month doesn't mean I should have less strength the the 84 year old I care for daily, These past 2 weeks I have started experiencing extreme nausea and stomach and back muscles going into spasms. drinking fluids are what always are coming back up and since I sweat a lot when showering my patients, I have been starting to see signs of dehydration and being very thirsty if I don't sip it it has been coming right back up my appetite is also decreasing because of the nausea. I am so thankful I found this website. Because I do not need any more proof to know that I have a least 90% of the symptoms other have explained I am quiting Lipitor immediately. Good Luck to everyone taking this medication.

I am absolutely amazed at all the side effects that may be a result of Lipitor.I have been on Lipitor for approx.4 weeks. Accdg to my blood work, my cholesterol was extremely high...possible genetic factor.(father had hight cholesterol).My diet is fairly low in fat, exercised regularly, etc. I have had muscle, joint, breast, and all over body pain, nausea, headaches,decreased energy. I actually think I am having heart attack or stroke pain....I have become very anxious due to these symptoms. Having lipid profile done tomorrow, see the doctor next week. I am going to go off the Lipitor and see about an alternative from a health food store.(I am also a registered nurse)

I am a haelthy 50 year old that used to walk three miles three times a week and elliptical trainer another two days a week. I started taking Zocor about three years ago after Lipitor caused my hands to cramp. After a year of Zocor my doctor switched me to Vytorin. I have been on it for about two years. About a year ago I started having pain in my neck to the point that it would wake me up at night and I had trouble picking my head up off the pillow. I thought it was from sitting in front of the computer too long or just getting older. Then I started having tingling in my feet and weakness in my legs and some balance issues. Some problems concentrating and with memory. I told my doctor and he told me to stop taking the Vytorin. I stopped about 2 weeks ago and have had a little improvement. After reading all of these posts I am very worried about my own health and for the thousands (millions?) of others that are taking this poison. My prayer is that we will all get our "pre-statin" lives back.

I took Lipitor for 4 or 5 years. I lost count. I am a type II diabetic and the Dr. threw tons of prescriptions at me. I was convinced all my problems were not the result of Lipitor because my sister's Dr. told her that if you had the muscle pain you would have it all over. Well I got sick of feeling like I was 85 years old. I am 57. I know I am not young anymore, but I couldn't sit for more than a few minutes without having trouble getting up. The right top of my leg hurt so bad some times that I could hardly walk . I also had really bad pain on the right side of my lower leg. I had pains in my neck and shoulders and attributed it to stress at work.Last, but not least I had terrible gas and bloating. The gas was downright embarrasing. Well I took it upon myself to stop taking it. Within several days I felt like a new woman! The minute I woke up one morning I could feel the difference before I even got out of bed. I felt like I had been given my life back.

When I called my Dr. to let her know she wasn't very happy and wanted me to come in. Well now she put me on Crestor and it's been two weeks and the old pains and gas are coming back. I am NOT going to take these terrible statins anymore. They say that the muscle and joint aches are rare, but that is only because most doctors won't listen to their patients. You know your own body better than anyone else.

I have heard that some of the "older" statins are not as powerful and they don't have as many side effects. Has anyone else heard this or had any experience using them?

All I know is that for now I am off statins.

I took lipitor for almost two years (42). Started having a pain in my upper thigh as if someone was turning a screw driver into my leg. The pain progressed into my right hip that felt like someone was trying to "unscrew" my hip out of the socket. The pain progressed down my leg - i.e. sciatica pain. The pain got so bad that I could not sleep at night and if I did fall asleep the pain would be so bad I would wake up crying.
I went to my regular doctor and an orthopedic doctor. Had xrays, ct, and mri's. Blood work for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, etc. No bad results. I asked my physician if the Lipitor could cause it - "no" was the answer. My prescription for lipitor ran out and I was off of it for three months. I noticed significant relief in the above mentioned symptoms but still did not relate it back to the lipitor until I had a new prescription refilled and within a week I was "crying" in pain again. I immediately stopped the lipitor and within a few more months all the pains were gone. It still took me a while to get "comfortable" in bed to sleep - the pain had obviously affected me psychologically as well and I was still afraid that I would wake up in pain.
I do sometimes feel the pain in my right hip if I sit for extended periods of time but nothing like the above. I am an RN. I have told the above story to several physicians at the hospital and they always react like they don't believe it.

I am a 54 year old male who has a chronic a-fib. My cholesterol was a wee bit high so my now retired MD put me on Zetia, which just about killed me- constant stomach pains and associated GI problems-we all can guess. So I went to see my cardiologist- he took me off Zetia and put me on Lipitor. It dropped my cholesterol levels significantly but the side effects are horrendous. My new MD was gooing to look into it because I was on 80 mg a day- but never did and never lowered the dose-229 is not all that high to warrant 80 mg a day.
I am now experiencing severe pain in my right rib-cage area, making sleep an event every night. Also have severe leg cramps the size of golf balls constanlty at night while sleeping. Pain in both elbows, and in the right foot, which when I can sleep wakes me up with a severe pounding pain. I am also experiencing severe neck and shoulder pain and am generally fatigued all the time- So I quit taking the stuff as of today on my own, I am seeing my MD in two week and I want to see what the difference is pain wise being off of the med for two weeks. I have always been a strong physical guy, played football all the way through college and am in pretty good shape for my age, but this stuff is killing me!! Hope this helps someone else also-Thanks for listening-John in Napa, CA.

I have been on lipitor for a little over two years now. I experience extreme joint and muscle discomfort. I am also picking up weight at an alarming rate. No matter what I do to lose the weight, it's not working. I've had several blood tests, but all come back fine..but I know I don't feel well and I'm having trouble remembering things....

I

I am currently taking a 40mg lipotor. I have devloped chronic hives mosttly on my arms and thighs. The itchng is so bad that I scratch these welts in my sleep. I have been on Plavix 75 mg since my first cardio-chatherization which has made my blood so thin that I actually bleed when I scratch. I'm now in a itch and scratch cycle that keeps me from sleeping. My doctor originally started me on 10 mg. This was before I started having clogged coronary arteries'. I am 74 years old. I have just had my second bypass operation. I started on lipitor 10 mg about eight years ago. I developed a hive like welt in my groin area. This welt or hive itched so bad that I damaged the skin. I went to a dermatoligist and the only answer he had after a biopsy was that it was probably Lichon Planus. I had a triple pass July 18 2007. That is when my doctor increased my lipitor dosage to 40 mg. He had increased it to 20 mg several years. I finally realized that it may be the 40 mg dose that causes me to wake about three hours later with Hives and itching that is so bad that even scratching doesen't relieve the itch.
I have seen two dermotoligsts. They can find nothing that I am allergic to. This condition has gotten progressivly worse over the last three years. I am taking Zanix and Benedryl I have eliminated all of my other medicines as the cause.
The only thing I could see as a possible cause is acute anxiety. After seeing my family doctor he prescribed the Zanix.

My last hope for relief is to get off Lipitor. I stopped taking it two days ago
and I already see a change in this chronic hive condition; I am assuming that it may take a while to see if I have solved my problem.
Incidently I started takng Zocor about three years ago instead of the Lipitor and I had such severe neck and shoulder pain that it was obvious Zocor was the cause.

zocor was the cause

II have been on Statins for many years. Started with Zocor which caused two large muscle knots in my side. I talked to my cardiologist and was told it couldn’t be, as it would be more systemic. I asked him for a CPK check and he telephoned me and said get off of it at once. In the meantime I broke two ribs swinging a golf club. I was switched to at least three other Statins with the same results, muscle pain. I finally ended up on lipitor. My CPK was elevated, but my cardiologist said that the benefits of 10 mg. of Lipitor trumped the slight CPK elevation. All went well for a couple of years. During that time I participated in a Lipitor study and was monitored for approximately six weeks. Results were Ok until the dose was increased from 10 to 20 mg. I was immediately dropped from the study. Three weeks ago my cardiologist increased my Lipitor to 20 mg. and added co Q-10 300mg. It took four weeks until I developed severe muscle pain in my lower back and shoulders and neck. My doctor will not accept that Lipitor is the cause. I took myself off of it a week ago. I am now almost pain free. He appears to be avoiding communication with me. He also was one of the Dr. participating in the Lipitor study. I would hope that many MDs read this entire list of problems attributed to Lipitor.

I have beenon lipitor for more than five years. I now have unbearable pains in my shoulders which are only relieved with antiinflammatories. I also have pains in my right foot which is sometimes very difficult to walk on. My Dr says ok go off lipitor but risk heart attack/stroke. I am getting to the point that the pain is so debilitating that Idon't care.

My husband had quadruple by-pass surgery in 2001 specialist said it was 'genetic' narrowings. Had never had a cholesterol problem and Zocor then changed to Lipitor 40mg as a prcaution to ensure he doesn't. He is an Insulin dependant diabetic and last week he did not take the Liptior for four nights his BSL readings were immediately halved and I wonder if there is a connection. Has anyone else noticed this, I would appreciate any responses....Jan

Have been on Lipitor for 3 months and before that, zocor. I have been having such bad muscle cramps in my legs, feet, abdomen and back. I have numbing in my face as well. When I went off zocor, I felt better then doc put me on Lipitor. It took longer for the symptoms but they are back. I take CoQ10 and do all I can. I can't stand it anymore. Doc says the cramping is NOT from Lipitor.

Been on 20 mg. Lipitor for 4 years. It brought my total cholesterol down from 290 to 190. Tolerated it well for awhile, then I started dragging. Last year, started having ringing in ears, dizziness and fatigue. Had MRI, MRA, heart CT scan, blood work, etc. and they could find nothing wrong. I have suspected Liptitor for awhile, but doctor was so proud that my cholesterol was going down, he wanted to increase dosage to 40 mg., I tried it for a week and felt worse. He told me to reduce it back to 20 mg. But now, I feel so bad with extreme debilitating fatigue and nausea. The ringing in my ears is driving me crazy. I have talked to several people who told me they felt the same way on Lipitor and when they got off, the felt so much better. I hate to give up the progress of getting my cholesterol down, but at what price? I just hope it gets out of my system real quick. Will try to keep cholesterol down by eating more healthy foods (I love red meat and fried chicken).

I was on Lipitor for several years with no side effects. After time it didn't seem as effective as it did at first but maybe I wasn't watching my diet as well. I know I wasn't exercising as much. I've been on 4 pills to lower cholesterol. Zocor gave me stomach pain, as though someone's fist was pushing into my stomach for a moment several times a day. I went on Provachol with no side effects. My doctor switched me to Lipitor because she thought it was more effective. I had no problems on Lipitor. I'm now on Crestor - 40 mg with no side effects. My brother has had problems taking statins. Some have no affect on his cholesterol and the ones that do help his cholesterol were effecting his liver. He's had a heart attack, bypass surgery and has changed his diet and exercises regularly and is doing fine and has found a statin that helps.

I'm 57 years old and have been on Lipitor for probably 5-7 years (was initially on ZOCOR). I have neuropathy in both feet and have recently begun to have muscle aches in my legs and lower back - have the "lipitor shuffle" and have to take a few minutes to get my balance and fluid movement when I begin to walk after sitting for any length of time. I think it is strange that they reference a "seldom but dangerous" side effect concerning the muscles "which should be reported to your Doctor immediately" As others, my GP who is an internist is very much a statins guy - even went so far as to reference that Lipitor could possibly reduce the chances of Stroke.... After reading the stories on this website, I'm setriously considering dropping my Lipitor and reverting to Viatmins and Diet to moderate my Cholesterol.....Any suggestions?

Been on Lipitor for 3-4 years plus Zetia. Periods of leg and hand muscle cramping have become more frequent and more severe. Got so bad yesterday I couldn't take any more. Left Lipitor and reverted to Zocor. Still plan on taking Zetia. Don't know if this is a good idea or not. Please, SOMEONE, let me know! Thanks!

I am almost 50 and have had high cholesterol for at least 19 years. I have taken various statins as prescribed by my doctors, including Zocor, Lipitor, and Crestor with mixed results. Although my numbers came down, my left arm muscles withered, coordination through out my body deteriorated, pain and numbness in hands and feet became constant, my liver began to fail, and I became aphasic. The entire time I was on statins of any kind I felt like I was poisoned. I have refused statins for 2 years and have made remarkable progress back to good health. I find it interesting that the man who invented the artificial heart peddles Lipitor so vigorously, especially since Lipitor is so effective at damaging muscle tissue.

I have been through all the statins Pravocal, Lipitor, Zocor, and even Niacin...they all made me very tired, my achilles tendon is torn, joints and muscles hurt, rode bike & x-country skiied all my life, but after that stuff now I am injured. Face & feet swelled up, urine brown, walked around complaining I did not feel good every day...will never take that stuff again... drug co.'s wont get my money they can shove it! Beware... live life with out those drugs and enjoy the time you have.. what is the since of being miserable for a few more yrs. (if it even does keep you from a heart attack) they can't even say for sure!

Heart attack 15 years ago, bypass 5 years ago. Have been taking 40 to 80 mg lipitor per day for about a year after being switched from zocor due to high triglicerides (400+), high LDL & diabetes. Also taking zetia & niacin since March. Results, over last 5 months fatigue and short term memory impairment have become debilitating, affecting home & work. For awhile I thought it was all in my mind.
Stopped lipitor about a week ago and have noticed less fatigue & way better short term memory.
Lesson: Pay attention to what your body is telling you.

I just found this site when I was looking up side effects from Lipitor. I've been on 40mg for about 8 years or so - Zocor and Mevacor before that. Had by-pass surgery 18 months ago (I'm a 53 year old male). Lately my shoulders and sometimes my elbow ache although it's more annoying than anything. I work out every other day and have no problems with that and actually I'm in better shape then I've been in 25 years. In addition to the joint pain, I do seem to be more tired than I should be. My wife's on 20mg and has been experiencing slight balance problems, a writer's cramp sort of thing, as well as being tired. Since this is all relatively new to me it'll be a topic when I visit my doctor in a few weeks. Thank you all for your posts. I've learned alot today.

I was taking 10 mg of Zocor for years and my doctor increased the dosage to 20 mg. Some time after the increase, my legs hurt so badly that I really was like a cripple. My doctor took me off of it and a few month later put me on Lipitor 10mg....I had been on it for about a year but about 4 months ago I got some sores, sort of like Chicken pox but in a small area, on my face. It itched like mad and took a long time (month or more) to heal, then I started getting itching on my legs and each tiny itchy pimple would turn into a really itchy sore about 1/2 inch in size. The sores would scab over and get white pustules in the middle and after they healed a scar would remain for a quite a while.

Along with this problem, my knees ached at night and my calves were always tired so it was an effort to lift my feet to walk. I went off of the Lipitor two weeks ago and so far have not had another sore and my legs are starting to feel better, I am more sure footed when walking. Along with these symptons, I couldn't go to sleep at night...so I think Lipitor is the culprit.

I had a heart attack july 4th 2002, one stent was put in , i took zocor for sbout a year I became unable to work in june 2003, my insurance expired, I go to the free clinic, they give me lipitor, I been taking it for a little over a year, it keeps my chol. level in check, I have been to the emergency room 3 times for violent muscle spasms under my ribs,,,,,,very scary
the doctor told me today it may be the lipitor, anybody else had these symptoms? please reply?

I had the Zocor death story... I cannot report to the FDA since I live in Europe, I did reported it to our national equivalent but havent heard any follow-up. Dont forget this is all about money. This is a legal maffia, they are not even willing to issue a worldwide warning... not to mention withdrawing...

Guest from sept 1: please go to your doctor ASAP, thats the exact symptoms my mother had, she died in 10 days. Ive recently spoken to a professor who told me that serious rhabdomyolisys is irreversible after 2-3 days. Hopefully we will hear about you!!!

please read the story of my mother's death in the Zocor (simvastatin) forums

After taking statins (Provacol, Lovastatin, Lipitor, and Zocor) for over 4 years and having strong muscle pains throught out my body, I stopped taking statins.

During this time the doctor tested me for everything else. I started taking Celebrex to stop the pain. It greatly reduced it.

However, i stopped Celebrex after how it might affect heart patients was made known.

Now 2 months after I stopped Lipitor, 95% plus of my pains are gone. I did not realize how severe they were until i stopped. one can get used to pain, but it does negatively affect you without you being consciously aware of it.

I now aggressively use diet and exercise to control my cholesterol. a better solution in all aspects.

when I started statins, i had no apparent side affects like muscle pain for about 10-12 months. however over time the pain started kept building and spreading. Eventually my legs muscles, back muscles, chest muscles, hip joints, elbow joints, and knee joints all ached.

A friend of mine who had been taking Lipitor (20mg) for a little over a year, recently started having muscle pains.

What I do not understand is why this side affect is not better know and published.

I'm a 48 yr male. I've been on lipitor since march 2005. My total cholesterol last month was 110, LDL 56, HDL 39. I had previously been on zocor for since june of 2004. my total before starting on statins was 250 with a high LDL of 185.

For the past couple of weeks i am starting to have right shoulder and arm pain. I am wonder if this is due to Lipitor. I am going to make an appt with another doctor. The doctor I'm seeing now will not take me off the statin due to the fact high cholesterol runs in my family. I feel that I am taking a more aggressive approach to this problem by eating a low fat high fiber diet with walking exercise 4-5 times a week.

I have been taking 10 mg of Lipitor for several years now. I was on Zocor before that and had aching muscles in my thighs and couldn't even walk around the park like I used to. Doctor took me off that although I don't think he was convinced that was the problem. One year ago I was in therapy for pain in my shoulder which the doctor said was the muscle that goes into the rotator cup. About a month ago, my right calf started hurting when I walked and it felt as though the muscle was tight and when I got up to answer the phone in the middle of the night it felt like it popped or tore or something. I iced it, elevated it, etc. and when it didn't get much better (I was walking stiff-legged not to contract the muscle), I went to the doctor. They send me for a doppler just to make sure it wasn't a blood clot which it wasn't. I am on Coumadin for occasional Atrial Fibrillation and they did find a hematoma (bruising) probably caused by an injury while on Coumadin. Anyway, the doctor gave me some muscle relaxers and this helped for a couple of days. Then, last week the leg started hurting again and I started to have the same pain in my left leg. Now I have pain in both calves and it is painful to walk or contract the calf muscles. I also feel a tiredness or achiness in my top, front thighs and my arms.

After my experience with Zocor I decided to look on the web for anything about Lipitor and muscle pains. I was shocked by all the posts and information I found that makes me believe the problems I have been having are from the Lipitor. I didn't even think about the problem with my shoulder until I read these sites and put two and two together (especially since I didn't do anything to injure it). I have now missed two doses and I have an appointment at the docs in a week. I am hoping by that time I will feel some improvement in my legs.

My brother is on 20 mg Lipitor and he experiences light headedness, swollen lips, tongue and genitals. My other brother takes 80 mg and his wife has complained of his moodiness and I wonder now if that has something to do with it. This drug is not for everyone.

I stopped taking Zocor 6 weeks ago on advice of a metabolic specialist. I started to feel the best I have for four and a half years. I was going about my daily routine last week when it dawned on me I had no muscle aches or pains at all. I was feeling so well, not depressed or tired. I have been sleeping well at night time and now I only have pleasant dreams. I wake up refreshed and full of hope and the stiffness in my body had gone completely. I take the dog for a walk daily and the other night I found I went for a short jog with him, I couldn't believe I could actually jog. I had been finding it impossible over the past four years to gain any level of fitness,although I exercise daily, and have always eaten only the healthiest food. I never lost weight during the last four and a half years, and gained a lot of flab on my stomach. The metabolic specialist stated that the Zocor had destroyed muscle and replaced it with fat. Now that I am not taking Zocor I have started some light weight training, and I have found this to be beneficial. I will see my GP in 2 days time to report my good health. I will never take Zocor or anything like it eg.Lipitor or any statin drug. I believe these drugs are not beneficial to a person's health. I feel sure I will lead a normal healthy life from now on with sensible exercise, continue with good common sense cholesterol lowering foods to compliment my optimistic outlook. Even although I have a family history of heart disease, I believe I will have a better lifestyle looking after myself the natural way. I prefer to believe what I have read on this website from the people who really know what it feels like to be suffering continually from aches and pains, and feeling as though I was a constant pain in the neck for my family. I have had so many of the side effects described I felt like I was a hypochondriac and so I gave up complaining about all of my symptoms to my doctor; exteme fatigue, feeling unwell and depressed, swelling in my legs, trouble walking up 2 flights of stairs, stiffness, particularly in my legs, feet, more so on the right side, sometimes stiff neck(which the Dr said was a wry neck), burning sore feet continual, waking at night with my lower body just aching like a toothache, feeling freezing cold; sometimes I would wake and the joints on my lower trunk where my legs start felt like they had ridges of built up swelling or calcium. I have had bleeding gums at times, and sometimes mouth ulcers. 2 years ago I had unexplained vaginal bleeding, my stomach had blown up and I looked like I was 6 months pregnant although I was post menopausal (early menopause). I had to have a curette because they thought I must have cancer, but there was no explanation for the bleeding. 2 months ago I had tests for diabetes, my blood glucose tolerance test came back with a concave reading, which the GP could not make sense of, so this is why I was referred to a metabolic specialist. The specialist could not fault my dietary intake. It was found that I also had a severe depletion of iodine, although I had been tested for hyposthyroidism 2 years earlier and nothing showed up. From time to time I have had abnormal liver function tests, put down to overuse of paracetemol or anti inflammatory drugs.....so I stopped taking these completely and managed the pain with some help from a psychologist friend with self hypnosis. I believe that all of my symptoms were due to taking drugs, and prior to taking Zocor I had no need to ever take anything. It was only because the GP recommended Zocor after a High Cholesterol reading and I was considered to be in a High Risk Category because my Mum died of a sudden heart attack and my dad had Angina. Mum died at 61 y.o. and dad at 78 y.o. I am 54 y.o. and started taking Zocor at 49 y.o. I stopped taking Zocor 6 weeks ago, now feel great and would not recommend it to anyone.