Long term use of high doses of lipitor

[Ruud T]

In 1995 I have had a CABG (Coronary Artificial Bypass Graft) operation.One of the conclusions was that I had had FH. My cholestorol level at that moment was 11 (total chol.) My doctor prescribed me ZOCOR but because of the side effect (very cold feet) and the fact that my chol. Level didn’t lower enough he stopped the medication after two years. He prescribed LIPITOR, starting with 40 mg but within 3 months it was raised to 80 mg daily.Then finaly my chol.level lowered to 6. Not enough he said, a level of 3 or 4 was much better for me but 80 mg was the maximum he could give me.
I stopped taking the medicins in the end of 2005. Not in the first place of the side effects because I thought Ididn’t have them. Stopped because of the more and more negative stories about statines (also in Holland). So I used lipitor for almost 9 years, 80 mg daily.
Now I realize that I always had lower back pain and always walked “strange” because of “some” pain in my left leg/hip.
In june 2006, I stopped the lipitor for almost 6 months, the problems seems to increase. Tingling and numbness in both my forearms, hands and legs, couldn’t raise or strech my left upperarm, muscle weaknes in my left lowerleg (can’t raise my foot and no power in my calf), sometimes very cold feet and hands and muscle cramps.And still pain in my lower back.
Went to a neurologist. He made 2 mri scans of the spine and neck and a SEPP and EMG test. Everything was alright.
Is it possible that these problems can occur after stopping the medication for 6 month’s ? And is there something I can do about it?

[Ray Holder]

Hi Ruud T, and welcome

I had muscle wastage and other problems continuing for 14 months after I ended taking zocor (for 4 years) I only got relief and improvement when I started taking CoenzymeQ10 and also L carnitine, carnitine often gives quick good results for muscle problems, but Q10 is most necessary for other symptoms,

Look under Muscle Pain and statins, sub-heading How can I get rid if this muscle pain, from Darrell, to see details of dosage etc.

The aim of the UK cholesterol lowering programme was to lower it to 5, or by 30%, so even by those standards your doctor was being too ambitious, and any use of statins has its side effects

Hope it works for you
Ray

[Cat Mom2]

I have been off of Lipitor for almost 1 year now July 2007 will be a year and I keep having problems. Joint pain that almost throws me down because it is so sever. It was moving from joint to joint but it seems to have landed in my right shoulder and decided to stay there. It has been there almost 3 months, at times leaving my right arm almost useless. I feel like that poison is still doing it's damage to my body and wonder how much of it is still left in me attacking body parts. Quitting it only made things worse for me it seems.