by lars999 » Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:02 am
Fernb,
Impressive job sorting out on your own what was causing your problems!!
I went thru the same "find out for yourself" and had the same major improvements after I quit Lipitor. I quit immediately after I concluded that Lipitor was the culprit. I also immediately started CoQ10 in most soluble form available and later switched to Ubiquinol version, which proved more effective for me.
I am on old guy, now in my early 70s, that should never have been prescribed Lipitor because it does not decrease risk of first heart attack in us old guys. I also have high, protective total cholesterol concentrations (270 or so) and have had for decades. There is no history of clogged arteries among my immediate relatives, at least some of which also have total cholesterol in 250-300 range, in their 60s-70s. Where it can be checked non-evasively, I have no detectable plaque in my major arteries. I have low blood serum concentrations of Lp(a) -- search Dr. Graveline's recent Newsletters for on on Lp(a) -- and suspect that is common among my ancestors. You may want to collect such information for yourself.
In addition to Ubiquinol, I take grams of vitamin-C, a B vitamin complex, fish oil, vitamin D3, and Acetyl-L-Carnitine. I keep finding that they really do make a positive difference, when I forget to take them for a few days. I take additional Ubiquinol and acetyl-L-carnitine when I am going to be doing more demanding aerobic activities for a few to several hours (cross country and backcountry skiing in mountains at 9-12+ thousand feet) -- that makes a definite improvement and seems to help me avoid overdoing it and being trashed for next 2-3 days.
I still have various, repeatable aches, often "show stoppers" in specific muscles, which mild exercise helps a lot, as do hot showers, tub soaks, etc. My routine workouts keep these pretty much gone. I remain "on guard" against any physical activity that can rip or rupture ligaments and muscles -- I probably am overcautious, but, not about to back off my caution.
For first year after quitting Lipitor, I followed a very careful workout program, both strength and aerobic training. I was very careful not to overdo it because that set me back for days to a week or so -- a pattern that is reported to be common with folks having problems with damaged mitochondria. I saw steady progress and achieved perhaps 75% recovery of physical and aerobic capacity. My aerobic capacity remains impaired, although measured to be in center of "normal" aerobic capacity/lung performance for men my age. This limits what I can do in mountains, hiking or on skis. Still, I am one of few 70-something roaming around in high mountains, especially on skis.
I was on Lipitor for several years before adverse side effects started to really degrade my life, especially physical strength and stamina, but also muscle and ligament tears and ruptures, as well as the more common widespread muscle aches and pains. I was eventually reduced to a pathetic level where I could only drive auto for one hour (with cruise control and on Interstates), could only walk slowly about 15 minutes before needing to rest for at least 15 minutes. I also had the cognitive and personality effects you report, although less severely. All these adverse reactions just progressed from bad to worse to debilitating. Initial recovery was swift but, as I learned over time, only the start of a long process. One and half years after quitting Lipitor I am still recovering, albiet at a much slower rate than in first months after quitting.
Best wishes for extensive and rapid recovery from Lipitor.
Lars