I am a healthy 45 year old man but my doctor increased my Lipitor from 10 to 20. Four weeks ago, after some rigorous exercise, I came down with cold symptoms, sneezing, coughing, and lightheadedness. Ten days later, I started on antibiotics, which did nothing. By last Friday my brain was not allowing me to walk. My doctor and his neurologist friend admitted me to the hospital, where I merely stopped taking the antibiotic and the Lipitor. 24 hours later I was walking normally. My health improved gradually since until it improved dramatically today after taking Co Q-10 as suggested by Doc Graveline.

Hi Brad and Welcome to the Forum,

You doctors will most likely try to talk you into trying another statin drug. Their belief is that you might experience side effects from one statin but you'll be able to tolerate another. Don't fall into this trap. Patients are usually challenged with 3 or 4 statins before the patient says, "enough is enough".

In addition to CoQ10, start taking "Statin Alternatives":

Buffered Aspirin - 81 mg (contains beneficial magnesium)
CoQ10 - 100 to 150 mg (gelcaps - NOT powdered) with some Vit E
* Folic Acid - 400-800 mcg
* B6 - 80-100mg
* B12 - 200-250mcg
* (all 3 of these B Vitamins control Homocysteine)
Omega 3 (Fish Oil or Cod Liver Oil) - There is no upper limit

Dr Graveline's Statin Alternatives reduce and prevent inflammation, are anti-oxidants, reduce platelet stickiness, control (toxic) homocysteine and have the same anti-inflammatory affect as 20 mg's of Lipitor, without side effects.

"Statin Alternatives" are NOT intended to reduce cholesterol levels.
Statins (as do statin alternatives) reduce the type of inflammation that leads to heart attacks and strokes. The fact that statins also reduce cholesterol levels is irrelevant.

Source: http://www.spacedoc.net/statin_alternatives.htm

If you are "aspirin sensitive", grape seed extract (GSE) is a good alternative (reduces platelet stickiness/prevents blood clots).

Fran

Wow! Now, does your doctor admit that it was the statin?

Greetings,

I have been reading through this posting and all the others for a couple hours and can't believe my eyes. I too am a Lipitor susvivor. I my mind, I wanted to believe that a drug that seemed so harmless, one that so many people take and one that the doctors push like candy couldn't possibly be killing me. I was so wrong!

Seven years ago when my daughter was born I made the decision to beef up how I took care of myself. I was 35, overweight (6' 1" and 260 lbs), already had hypertension (160/110 w/o drugs) and not getting any younger. The thought of not being around to take care of my wife and daughter in 10 years was hauntig my every move. So, I took charge and visited my doctor for help.

Other than a cut finger that needed stitches when I was 21 years old, and the high blood pressure visits at 33 years old, I hadn't been to a doctor for anything since childhood. Lipitor was perscribed and off I went smiling. Eight weeks passed, blood test okay. Six months passed, blood test okay. By eight months I couldn't hardly get out of bed in the mornings.

The body aches were so painful, unlike anything I ever experienced. I thought old this was the "gettin older" pains all my elders always spoke about. just siting for awhile and trying to stand up and walk brought on the same pains. Ironic though, after moving around for a 30 seconds or so, it was like nothing was ever wrong, as fast as the pains would develop, they went away.

I also noticed my memory retension was suffering, too. I never suspected Lipitor to be the cause until my wife saw a Lipitor commercial on TV and related the side effects mention to my suffering. I stopped the Lipitor that night and within three days, it was like someone took the weight of the world off my shoulders, the symptoms were gone.

But that was just the beginning, we tried Zocor and a couple other meds, all resulting in the same symptoms within days or weeks. I finally said "enough is enough" and told the doctor what he could do with his cholesterol drugs! One year after the meds, at 36 years old, I was seriously overwieght, no muscle tone, suffering erectile dysfunction, severe metabalism issues and mentally going out of my mind. The doctor could care less! No need to mention he's not my doctor anymore.

I took on another ninety more pounds during that year of cholesterol meds, never realizing the souce of my problems. Since that time, I've added another sixty pounds, but finally been able to stop the weight gain. I never have been able to overcome the muscle loss. No matter how much I exercise, building muscle is impossible. In fact, I seem to cause more damage trying to lose weight and exercise than any good that results.

I was nieve to all this back then, but I am convinced more than ever
after reading all the posts at this site that Lipitor has ripped away many years from my life, my family, my ability to play and spend quality time in outdoor acivities with my family. I haven't given up, but have learned how to listen to my body and take it easy.

Thanks for the many suggestions and explanations for my issues the doctors were to dumb or chicken to tell me about.

JP

I went this week and broke the news to my doctor that I had quit Lipitor because of the side effects and he was ready to write me a RX for another one.. I just told him I had enough of statin drugs and did not ever want to take them again... (I have learned by others posting what happened to them on another statin drug!)

I really expected to get read the riot act about cholesterol but he accepted what I decided and actually seemed happy about it.

My cholesterol now is 253 and his nurse tried to tell me that was high.. I told her I think, for ME, those numbers are good considering how pooply I did with it LOWER and how great I am feeling again.