LIPITOR nasal/sinus inflammmation???

[SPIRIT]

Hello, I will try to be brief. But that's unlikely! LOL
Like many of you I was on Lipitor, (about 4 yrs) complained to DR numerous times about muscle pain & weakness. I was told it was probably meno & my age. (late 40s at the time) When I found a new PCP I went off the Lipitor (in Feb) & within a WEEK I could move my arm & hold a cup of coffee. I didn't have horrible leg pain at night. I'm not saying that I was totally painfree but the improvement was REMARKABLE in a very short time. BUT...my post is regarding sinus problems as a Lipitor side effect. During the years I was on the RX I had more sinusitis problems that ever before. It got so bad, between triggering more Migraines & daily morning pain & congestion that I saw another specialist, another allergist, paid out of pocket for 10 months of accupuncture $ as well as another CT Scan & an ear, nose throat dr. I had to steam & irrigate every morning, tried the various OTC & prescription meds as well as nasal sprays for sinus.
Not having the muscle pain 24/7 was so great but also, as an added bonus, I didn't have the daily sinus pain, pressure & inflammed nasal passages.
This was wonderful but also unbelievable that this too was a side effect of Lipitor?! I do know sinus inflammation is listed as a side effect, but really never connected it to the statin all those years. And I am pissed my Drs didn't connect it either. I mean, it was severe sinusitis for years!
Anyone else have this side effect? Thanks!

[Darrell]

I had sinus problems including headaches and migraines for years until my doctor put me on Flonase nasal spray daily year-round. Diagnosis was alergic rhinitis. A few years later I started Zocor and eventually developed muscle problems. I did not notice any new or worsening sinus problems during my Zocor period, but I was still taking the Flonase every day. Of course, Zocor is not Lipitor and everybody's different.

[bunnylady]

YES YES- I started getting severe allergies- I can treat them with Flonase and over the counter meds- but I was living on 4 Tylenol sinus tabs a day and an air purifier and Imitrex for migraines almost daily- I too told my doc of all the weird symptoms- his answer was that I had sleep apnea and he wanted me to go to a lab and sleep overnight- no way! So am changing docs- but I am really thinking of sueing him and his ignorance- I realize they don't have the time to know the side affects of every drug but I told him I took myself off Lipitor as I linked it to my side affects and he turns around a month later and puts me on Crestor- I lasted 3 days and took myself off it again- Its a miracle- I woke up without a headache yesterday and today - I have to live my around those headaches- cancelled an appt last Wednesday, a week okay, with a migraine, but today I'm going- I even bought a little bottle of stuff made from pepper spray to kill the sinus pain- its called sinus buster- I also have post nasal drip that is making my throat very sore- I looked in the mirror and its red in color- going to try Listerine for that

now to try the L Carnitine for my chronic fatigue

I think doctors bluff their way thru their job when they don't know the answers- couldn't a good doc look into it for you?

[SPIRIT]

It's good to know I am not imagining all the sinus problems I had. Since I had a 40 yr migraine history, & was diagnosed with sinusitis 22 yrs ago, been treated by many drs, had all the tests, took all the meds I wasn't a newbie to this brain pain but....for it to get that severe & that frequent (daily) & none of my drs to connect it with the Lipitor really upsets me.


I did not take the Crestor samples after I went off the Lipitor. I now have Zocor samples, a rx for it & a rx for Vytorin that at this time I do not plan to start. I can't even think of living with the body aches as well as the head & sinus pain again.


I have done my research, & have probably made my decision NOT to go back on a statin again. But if my numbers have gone up even more at my Aug bloodwork I may have a dilemma with my decison.
the new pcp I have will readily suggest drugs but doesn't push, & seems to be listening to me & accepting my decisions. Have you found a new dr? What do you plan to do as far as getting your cholesterol down?
Well, good luck, bunnylady, hope you get your statin & cholesterol & sinus/headache issues straightened out. Keep in touch, ok?

[Kathy]

I have not been on any of the statin drugs (hubby is the one with the problem) but in regards to sinus problems I get a nasal spray called Xlear from the health store. It is all natural and drug free. The ingredients are purified water, Xylitol which I believe is a sugar extracted from a leaf of some plant, saline, and grapefruit seed extract. It can be used when ever you need it until the sinuses clear up and then you use it twice a day to keep things under control.

I no longer take any allergy meds or need to use flonase. It is also alot cheaper than the flonase.
Kathy

[SPIRIT]

Hi Kathy
Thanks. I don't have a problem since I've stopped the statin. Just use my eucalyptus saline if needed.

I have tried many many things, rx, OTC & natural & herbal remedies for the migraines & the sinusitis. Seen all the specialists, had 3 ct scans...ya knbow all the fun stuff! LOL I had the usual symptoms for most of my adult life. So I had the pre-existing condition, but it got MUCH worse & in a different way AFTER I went on the Lipitor.


The waking up every morning with excruciating head & sinus pain pertty much stopped within the first week of going off Lipitor. It was amazing.

I guess what I am figuring is that the sinus inflammation, being a side effect of Lipitor cannot be cleared up while a person is on the statin. That is what makes the difference? As long as you are putting that drug into your body the side effects will be there. I am trying to find others who had this specific side effect.


Thanks

[sos_group_owner]

Re: I have done my research, & have probably made my decision NOT to go back on a statin again. But if my numbers have gone up even more at my Aug bloodwork I may have a dilemma with my decison.

Hi SPIRIT,

Cholesterol levels are not the problem; it's "inflammation".
Please read Dr Graveline's article "The Great Cholesterol Scam":
http://www.spacedoc.net/cholesterol_scam.html

And "Statin Alternatives":
http://www.spacedoc.net/statin_alternatives.htm

Fran

[jmojahedi]

I'm glad that I found this forum and read what you said about headaches. I have had a headache that feels like extreme congestion in the left side of my head and face every morning for the past three years. I also have migraines and sometimes it will have evolved into a migraine by the time I get up. I went to a headache clinic and did a sleep study. They of course said that I had sleep apnea.

On February 13 of this year I woke up and the left side of my face was paralyzed. I was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy. But it's strange that the pain from the Bell's Palsy is in the exact area of the morning headaches that I've been having all this time. I wonder how much of this is related to lipitor.

I've been taking 10mg. of lipitor daily for probably 10 years.

jmojahedi

[sos_group_owner]

Hi "jmojahedi",

My husband took statins for 7 yrs before he experienced TGA (transient global amnesia). Around the same time he also had visual disturbances, depression, agitation, short term memory loss. My husband was taking 100mg of CoQ10 with 10mg of Lipitor. He'd always complained of sore muscles and stiff neck/shoulders, but Dr chalked it up to "old age". He was in his 50's at the time. Most of the trouble started when Lipitor 10mg was increased to 20mg.

Doctors assume that if we don't have an immediate reaction to statins, that our compaints are not connected to statins. Not so...

Fran

[bunnylady]

Good news- I tried the Flonase and my allergies subsided considerably and I have been migraine free for 3 days- been off Lipitor/Crestor for 4 weeks- increased supplements to add L carnitine which I didn't know about- still shaky and weak- knees are still hurting and an old broken bone from 40 years ago is hurting- and its never hurt- but I went shopping today and that's great!!