Lifestyle, Lipitor, and possible side effects?
Well, let me start from the top. I'm 21 years old and a student. A year and a half ago I transferred to a senior college. I decided that I would start eating better. I reduced my fat intake and started eating very few preserved foods (I mainly ate fresh fruits, veggies, low fat home cooked meals). I also started taking frequent walks around campus. Over the course of a year I had lost 20 pounds and I was feeling great. A little over 6 months ago I went to the Doctor to have a full blood work-up done. The results shocked me... The Doctor told me that if I did not drastically alter my lifestyle (which I thought I was doing quite well already), that I would be dead within 10 years. My cholesterol was 357, my triglycerides were 476, I have hypertension, hyperlidemia, and kidney damage (due to high blood pressure).
After this I was put on Lipitor (10mg qd), Avapro (300mg qd), and Niacin supplement (500mg, per doctor’s suggestion). I changed to a nearly vegetarian diet (I eat chicken twice a month, and a lean steak once every 2 or 3 months). I removed caffeine from my diet as well. I started jogging 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week. After 5 months, my cholesterol went down to 132 and my triglycerides went down to 201. I have become virtually addicted to jogging now (I’ve been doing it for nearly seven months and I’m quite well adjusted to it). However, I’ve started getting some really severe joint and muscle pain. Especially in my legs, back, toes, and my right arm (the pain in my toes was bad enough to cause me to limp). They are sore to the very touch. I’ve read that Lipitor may cause muscle problems. I’ve been asking my doctor about a possible connection and he keeps blaming it on the cold weather.
A lot of people, including a family friend who is a Neurologist, suggest that I get off of Lipitor as soon as possible. Also, and this may be totally unrelated, within the past 6 months I’ve developed internal resorption in one of my molars. My Dentist says that it happened very rapidly and is quite rare. I had read that Lipitor can cause loose gums, and loose teeth due to bone degeneration around your teeth. Could these things be related as well? Should I stop taking Lipitor?
I work part-time in the clinic with my Doctor and I get the feeling that he may not be taking my complaints seriously...
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