I am currently on Vytorin 10/20. I was previously on Lipitor 20 mg. plus Zetia 10 mg. I switched because of having to buy 2 drugs when I can just buy one. I had been on Lipitor alone for several years and when my numbers weren't low enough, the Dr. suggested adding Zetia. It has done wonders for my numbers, but I have always felt it causes me abdominal distress such as bloating, pain in my lower left side, and lots of gas. The Vytorin seems to effect me more than the Lipitor plus Zetia. Does anyone out there experience the stomach distress that I have indicated with Zetia?

Hi donanaliza,

Vytorin is a combination of Zocor and Zetia, so you've switched from
one statin to another. Side effects can worsen when switching statins
and/or increasing dosage. Intestinal discomfort is a common complaint
for all statins

Dr Graveline wrote an article about "Vytorin's Side Effects":
http://www.spacedoc.net/vytorin_side_effects.htm

There are several case histories of those experiencing side effects.
At the end of the page is a Vytorin update and a link to:
"Vytorin Concerns":
http://www.spacedoc.net/vytorin_concerns.htm

You might also want to order Dr Graveline's book:
"Statin Drug Side Effects and the Misguided War on Cholesterol"

If you are female, there is no evidence that statins benefit women
(or the elderly).

Do you have any other risks factors?
* diabetes
* over-weight
* high blood pressure

What were your cholesterol numbers before Lipitor?
* LDL
* HDL
* Triglycerides

Fran

Hi Fran,

Thanks for answering my post. I have been on Lipitor since 1997. I started with 10 mg. and increased to 20 mgs. My numbers before Lipitor were off the chart! I'm talking over 400 total cholesterol and my tryglycerides were 600 I think. The Dr. told me he had never seen such high cholesterol. The Lipitor did the trick for me. With 10 mg. it lowered my total to the high 200's and with 20 mg. it lowered it to the low 200's. Adding Zetia lowered it to 185 and all my numbers were in normal range except Triglycerides which are still a little high. So, the statins have helped me tremendously and being a woman, there is evidence that the Statins have helped me a great deal. I just feel the Zetia is causing the stomach discomfort so I'm considering going back to just the Lipitor. I feel I do need a Statin because I have never been successful in lowering the cholesterol on my own with diet and exercise. I have even have taken Policosanol and it did nothing for me.

donanaliza

Hi donanaliza,

High triglycerides are usually due to a high carbohydrate diet,
especially the white foods. Sugar is the biggest offender, followed
by white flour, bread, potato, rice and pasta.

Are you familiar with the "Glycemic Index"?
Foods are listed based on the glycemic index and glycemic load.
"The Glycemic Index measures how quickly the body converts
carbohydrates in foods to glucose (thereby elevating blood sugar)."

My husband had trig's as high as 600 at one point. His doctors
perscribed the typical "low fat - low cholesterol" diet and that's
when his HDL started to plumet and his trig's soared. We both
thought that as long as a food was no-fat or low fat, it was OK.
We essentially eliminated most very healthy foods from our diet.

We've completely changed our way of eating. Breakfast: instead
of cereal with skim milk, we both have eggs (cooked in butter) fixed
numerous different ways and with fresh fruit. Just this alone and
hubby taking one - 500mg capsule of cinnamon lowered his trig's
from 300 to 150 in 3 months.

The primary reason we added butter (and coconut oil) to our diet is
that both (saturated) fats RAISE - HDL levels.

Are you diabetic or have elevated blood sugar levels? High trig's
usually go hand-in-hand with elevated blood sugar levels and 99%
of the time both can be controlled by diet.

Lipitor may have lowered your cholesterol, but did not correct the
underlying cause.

Fran

Hi Fran,

I know my diet is bad and I do I love carbs in every form. You are right, the sugar is the culprit in my life. I am very overweight, and I just think I've got my cholesterol under control with medication so I'm alright. I don't have elevated blood sugar and my blood work is excellent every year. But the side-effects with the medications are getting old and I want to change the way I eat and hopefully someday I can toss all the cholesterol medications away. I'm going off Vytorin and back to Lipitor 20 mg. I do feel the Zetia in Vytorin is causing me some bad side-effects.

Thanks for your answer, I appreciate your willingness to tell me what you have done in your family to help your health.

Thanks again, Sherry (donanaliza)

Hi Sherry,

Please make sure you take CoQ10 with Lipitor. Keep in mind that Dr Graveline had adverse effects on just 5mg of Lipitor. CoQ10 should be in gel form (not powdered) and with or containing some vitamin E.
Dr Graveline wrote an article about low dose statins:
http://www.spacedoc.net/statins_low_dose.html

Also be alert to muscle changes (pain, atrophy, etc) and memory decline.

Cinnamon, available in 500mg capsules (very inexpensive at Walmart), also helps to control triglycerides. You can take one or two capsules daily. C cassia cinnamon has no know side effects in these doses.

It's very difficult to make lifestyle changes and since I'm only 4' 11", and love to eat, I constantly battle being overweight. Just because our cholesterol levels keep our doctor happy, does not ensure we are healthy. Most of what we've been told is a heathy diet (low fat - low cholesterol) is the primary reason our cholesterol levels are out of whack and doctors are insisting the only way to control our cholesterol is with dangerous and expensive drugs. Sorry, but it is the sad truth.

Fran