Lipitor and exhaustion

I recently lost about 25 lbs and decided after about 8 years of 10 mg of lipitor, to go off of it, cold turkey. I consulted both my MD and my pharmacist about whether or not I should wean, and both declined.

I now feel that my sweats, hot flashes are out of control. I am so hot and tired. I feel as though I cannot do the daily functions that I am responsible for.

I truly had NO side effects that I know of ON the drug. I just figured I'd see how I do now that I lost some weight. I wonder if going OFF lipitor is dangerous?

If anyone knows, please reply!

Thank you!

I do think the drug maker should put more emphasize on the side effect! I do believe maybe 98% people who take Lipitor without side effect that is why lots of doctors just ignored this fact. I was on Lipitor for two month with daily dose 10mg. Right after one month, I started neck pain with no reason and lasted a month didn't improve at all. Luckily, I thought about the possible Lipitor side effect so that I stopped to take it. Amazingly, just one day without Lipitor, my neck pain almost went away! I tried on/off Lipitor couple times again, and the results were consistent. But, when I revisited the doctor who prescribed Lipitor for me, he just don't believe this fact! He don't believe I had Lipitor side effect at all and prescribed me some pain killer, and asked to continue on Lipitor!
Thanks to the internet technology! I found this website and knowing so many people do have Lipitor side effect! Because this experience, I realized my mother complained back pain for more than a month with no reason, and she was also on Lipitor. I called her, and just two days after stop taking Lipitor, her back pain gone, she can walk again!
Initially, I angry about the doctor! Why he don't follow drug maker directions about the side effect! Then, I realized that in fact the doctor may never encountered Lipitor side effect either patients don't know it is the side effect or most of patients who don't have the side effect at all! I could argue that a doctor is a high trained professional, who should play cautions! Second thought doctors are human too, once they used to the impression Lipitor has no side effect, they may easily miss the warning sign, even ignored the clear fact like my doctor did!
In my view, both doctors and the drug maker responsible for the people suffering Lipitor side effect, but of cause, the law sue against the drug maker is more effective for lawyers!

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 posted my experience with LIPITOR on the first of January. I am happy to say, all of the muscle pain I was experiencing in both legs (knees, calfs, feet) has stopped completely. The tendinitis in both of my arms has improved, but hasn't stopped completely. I am already feeling 80% better, & am encouraged to the point that I believe all of my negative symptoms will disappear soon. I haven't informed my doctor yet, (that I stopped taking LIPITOR cold turkey), because I am trying to exercise daily, doing at least 45 minutes on our treadmill, (something I couldn't do with the constant leg pain & exhaustion), eating healthier. (I should lose at least 20 pounds) & I've added Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, to my daily routine. I heard that this has helped others to lower their total Cholesterol number. I will do this for a few months, then have blood work done. No matter what, I will NEVER go back on Statins. Good Luck Everyone :)

I posted my experience with LIPITOR on the first of January. I am happy to say, all of the muscle pain I was experiencing in both legs (knees, calfs, feet) has stopped completely. The tendinitis in both of my arms has improved, but hasn't stopped completely. I am already feeling 80% better, & am encouraged to the point that I believe all of my negative symptoms will disappear soon. I haven't informed my doctor yet, (that I stopped taking LIPITOR cold turkey), because I am trying to exercise daily, doing at least 45 minutes on our treadmill, (something I couldn't do with the constant leg pain & exhaustion), eating healthier. (I should lose at least 20 pounds) & I've added Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, to my daily routine. I heard that this has helped others to lower their total Cholesterol number. I will do this for a few months, then have blood work done. No matter what, I will NEVER go back on Statins. Good Luck Everyone :)

Daily episodes of pulmonary arrest, congestive heart failure leading to heart surgery, loss of motor control, curling of the right foot into a club foot that could not be uncurled, nerve damage, numbness in toes, loss of memory, depression, anxiety, dry eyes, elbow pain, intense neck pain and stiffness, backaches, leg spasms, loss of balance, hair loss, permanent "hissing" in the ears, inability to concentrate, inability to walk, nausea, elbow pain, jaw pain, debilitating exhaustion, impotence, flaking skin.

Terrible hip pain and swelling of left hip. flu symptroms, achey, no energy, exhaustion,

High cholesterol. currently 56 y/o. been on lipitor a total of 4 years. put on lipitor 10 in the beginning. triglycerides doubled on this dose. changed to lipitor 20. cholesterol went down from 259 to 144. triglycerides came down to normal.

stated suffering the following symptoms within one month of going on lipitor. doctor has ignored my complaints of constant tiredness & weakness. i don't think he knows that lipitor can cause these side effects. i will be educating him on friday. when my triglycerides doubled again recently, he raised my lipitor to 40mg. i have only take it one month & stopped taking it yesterday. my symptoms are getting worse with the doubled dose. surely there is something else they can do to lower cholesterol.

(1) numbness & shooting pain in my right leg from hip to foot (was put on neutontin 600 three times per day)
(2) short-term memory loss. sometimes i just can't put a coherent thought together. sometimes i reach for a word & i just can't grab hold of it. i have felt like i was getting alzheimer's.
(3) bloating of the abdomen
(4) so hot at times i feel like my body thermostat is going haywire or i am going to spontaneously combust.
(5) muscle weakness in legs when walking, weakness/tremors in my hands when trying to hold something.
(6) pronounced changes in vision
(7) weight gain (especially at the abdomen)
(8) occasional dizziness combined with nausea
(9) alternating constipation & diahrrea
(10) total and complete exhaustion
(11) severe depression (treated with zoloft 100)

thyroid was checked. everything a-ok (although i still believe i could be having some thyroid issues inspite of those normal readings).

Barbara

I am 28 year old female with diabetes. My doc put me on lipitor as a preventive for my heart, as well as I do have slightly high cholestorol. Within a week of srating the med I developed body aches like the worst flu you could imagine. Th pain then became intense in my right arm, but the triage nurse at my dr's told me it was the flu and would last a few days, but I couldn't handle it and went to the ER, where they said it must be a virus (fever of 102) and sent me home. The majority of the aches went away, but my right arm remained a throbbing pain. I then developed a bronchial virus, and the pain let up afor a few weeks, then all over, joints and muscles. Somedays I would cry all day- no narcotics seem to help enough to make it worth takeing them. Finally, a month after starting the lipitor, my doc took me off, "just in case" it was that. well, the first 2 days were better, then all the weakness, fatigue, and aches came back. I could barely climb a set of stairs, I'd be out of breath and my muscles would cramp like I'd run 5 miles. I could no longer sleep at night, 2-3 hours max...finally was admitted to the hospital where a zillion tests were done and nothing found to give a diagnosis, though mitochondrial myopathy was mentioned, as well as mitochondrial encephalytus. I can barely handle a day of a few errands, and have been out of work for months. Sometimes I think my brain is fried, cuz I can't remember the simplest things, or I forget where I am or where I'm going. Thank God I have wonderful friends to support me, and Jesus Christ to lead me through. I pray that it goes away soon, as the neuroloist says it may, otherwise I think I'll have to be put on disability. I've also put on about 30 lbs due to the exhaustion I guess, so much for those pilates!

exhaustion, can't breathe (panic attack) had not been taking meds for about 1 week, took 1 pill, about 20 minutes later could not breathe, felt like I couldn't catch my breath. very scary! when I take lipitor I am exhausted by about 3:00pm every day, when I don't take it I have all the energy in the world. any connection?