lipitor and severe muscle pain.

[woody]

Hi,

I am a 58 year old grandmother and quite fit. I work full time as a clerk
for a catering company.

I had a TIA in April 04 (which I thing was due to migraine). The doctors prescribed blood presssure medication, aspirin and a statin.

The first statin did not seem to work ( I cannot remember the name) so my doctor prescribed Lipitor, 40mg at first then after 6 months 30mg.

In Dec 05 I started to get a severe pain in my right calf, I went to the doctors but she did not have any idea what it was. I was taking HRT at the time and was worried that it might be a blood clot so stopped taking it.

The pain was getting worse so I started to do research on the internet, describing the pain and seeing what suggestions it came up with.After a couple of weeks I began to suspect it might be the statin so went back to the doctor and asked for a CK test. This came back normal so the doctor ( a different one to the first doctor) said I could continue to take the statin although he did not have any explanation for the pain

I decided for myself in Feb 06 that it must be the statin and stopped taking it. I returned to the doctors ( a different one again) and asked what could be done about the pain, all she could suggest was to take a pain killer and in the mean time she would refer me to the hospital (my appt is in Aug 06) she again said that it was not the statin causing the pain.

In Feb 06 I started taking Q10 120mg and the pain inproved slightly, it would sometimes go away for a couple of days at a time but always came back. In May 06 I started to take Acetyl-L-Carnitine 500mg 3 times a day and after a couple of days taking this the pain seems to have gone away although I have had a slight twinge and I sometimes get a lesser pain in my left calf and upper thigh but nothing like the severe pain of my right leg.

I am very pleased and hope the pain will go away for good soon.
If it had not been for the internet I would still be taking the statin and be in a great deal of pain.

[Darrell]

Another Carnitine success story! Thanks for sharing that. Chalk up one more attaboy for Ray Holder.

[Betty]

I've taken liquid L-Carnitine for several years now to offset the pain of Lipitor damage. I take 1000 mgs twice a day. On a bad day I take it 3 times a day. Liquid works better for me and faster.

I'm heading into 5 years of trying to post recover from Lipitor that I took for 4 years. It looks like a "never" situation and half life.....but Q10 and L-Carnitine do help. Betty[/b]

[Betty]

To Betty: The name is the same and the history is about the same...on Lipitor for 4 years and off 5...still living a half life. L-Carnitine Liquid gives some relief. Man doctors and none with a solution.....just sorry nothing I can do.