muscle aches associated with Lipitor

[libloom]

Hi....

I posted on another board with the same question and it was suggested that I post here.

Has anyone experienced muscle pain along with some weakness as a side affect of Lipitor?

I was on Lipitor approximately 2 years ago and
never associated the pain I was having then with the drug. I hurt from the shoulder girdle, into both arms and legs. Headed to a rheumatologist...went thru tons of tests....my ANA (anti-nuclear antigen) level was abnormal. He thought it could be an early manifestation of an auto-immune disorder of some sort.

I asked to try a small dose, short term course of prednisone. He started with a "booster" shot and I went on 15 mg. for a week...down to 10 mg for a week, then to 5 mg. Within 24 hours, all of my pain was
gone! Sooooooo, I never associated the pain with Lipitor - thought whatever I had going on responded to steroids and continued the Lipitor. The muscle pain came back after I went to the lower (5 mg.) dose of prednisone. So, the doc suggested I stop taking
the Lipitor, which I did.

Unfortunately, my numbers went thru the roof again
and I started the Lipitor again 6 months ago (dummy me) and - BAM - the pain is back full force again!

Feels like I got hit with a mack truck!! Have stopped taking Lipitor and will wait to see if pain stops.

Another question.....since the prednisone helped
before (i.e. inflammation), would the Lipitor cause the inflammation? Someone on the other board suggested it destroys the ubiquinone/co-enzyme?

Confused and would love some input.

Linda

[gorgon]

Well Linda, sounds like you are one of the unlucky people who can't tolerate the Lipitor. Muscle twitching, aching, and weakness are the hallmarks of the many side-effects associated with this whole class of drugs. Some people believe that taking CoQ10 helps - it really didn't help me much - but the muscle aches will most likely abate over time. There are other drugs and supplements that may reduce your chol. levels somewhat, but the statins do an excellent job of keeping the bad chol. down - but are toxic to some of us. Watch out for tingling and numbness (neuropathy)if you continue lipitor-this will take a lot longer to clear up.

[32skater]

Hi Linda: I, too, experienced the aching with Lipitor. I took it for two years and when my lipids
starting showing a problem with liver, I had to go
off of it and my aching let up. Than after a while,
they tried me on it again as my liver signs were back
to normal and the aching came back. Boing!!! It just
like hits you that this is causing the muscle aches
and pains. Again, it starting affecting my liver.
They took me off of it, saying never to be on it, again. I than tried provachol, of which I had the
same problem, all over again. Went off of that, and
than I chose to take a non-statin medication for
cholesterol and I have been on Tricor for several
months, now, and really not experiencing any
difficult, to my knowledge and my "numbers" are
great. I take 160 mg. every day. You might consider
the non-statin as I know the aching is no fun and you
begin to think that there is really something serious
going on. Good luck to you, Dottie

[libloom]

Thanks for your response....

I haven't taken the Lipitor since last Friday and
the muscle aches seem to be fading already.

Thanks for telling me about Tricor....I'll ask
my doc about it.

Thanks again and take care,
Linda

[32skater]

Thanks for the message, Linda. Happy to hear your
aching is fading away. It is "no" fun, and doesn't
seem quite fair, does it? Trying to cure one thing
and have the aching along with, stinks. We are going
to look in to the policosanol that they have been
talking about on the board. It is not prescription
and is not a statin or a non-statin. It sounds very
promising. I take the Tricor; my husband doesn't
take anything for cholesterol nor does he need;
mine is heriditary, but he says he would take the
policosanol if we found out enough about it. Good
luck and keep me posted as to how you feel after
taking the Lipitor. Dottie