Lipitor side effects

[lssaul]

My husband was on Lipitor for 9 years during which time he had 4 heart attacks. Last March his blood pressure bottomed out 50/35 his sugar was 345. He was hospitalized for 18 days. During which time they could not figure out what was wrong. He now can't keep his sugar regulated 95 one day and 293 the next. They THINK he has neuropathy. He has complained about pain in his arms and legs for years. He was told it was artherites. He has been off Lipitor since March and has some days that are better than others. I have complained to the Drs. that he is depressed and lost interest in everything. The last sugestion was for us to go for a walk together every day. That would be really Great if I did not have to worry about him falling down. In the last 22 weeks he has started ato walk around the house with out a cane. But is still very unsteady. He has sever memory loss and personality change. This the Drs. blame on the heart attacks, loss of oxigen to the brain and the fact that he had a hemmorage in his brain while he was hospitalize for his last heart attack 4 years ago. When I tried to talk to the Drs. about lipitor I was told I was just trying to find an answer and there was no answer.
Has anyone else had this type of frustration?

[secapps51]

Isn't it strange the Drs insist we go on these drugs to prevent heart attacks, but they are not preventing the heart attacks, and are making us sicker also.

My husband has tried almost every statin they have and he has has the problems walking after only 30 days on lipitor. He also had the shoulder and heel pain. Check the side effects and it says the statins can inflame the bursia and the tendons. So...if you have bursitis or tendonitis they will aggravate it.

My husband had to have a heart stent this year, so I am wondering what good these drugs did for him. And, if you stop them suddenly I understand you are at more risk for a heart attack, and that is what caused his problem I believe. He stopped the lipitor and in two weeks had the spell.

Good luck. I understand all you are going through, we have been there too. The moodiness and pains and every test in the world to find out what is causing all the problems. They all come up negative, so that tells me it has to be the drugs he is taking.

Susie

[lssaul]

Just thought I'd let everyone know. My husband went to the Dr. yesterday the Dr. told his nurse he didn't want me to come in the room with my husband this time. He told my husband he thinks I might have been right and the Lipitor was causing my husbands problems.
Too bad he couldn't have listen to me months ago. He still didn't have an answer as to what we can do to get rid of the side effects and damage that has been done.

[secapps51]

What is wrong with Doctors that they no longer care about whether or not they are killing people with drugs, and why are they so afraid of the drug companies? Why isn't there a Doctor who will stand up for us? Don't they feel the least bit guilty about what is happening to some people?

I am so angry at the statin drugs that I will sue them if we ever get the chance, and someone proves these drugs are destroying peoples lives.

My husband was healthy before starting on these drugs, and now it is day by day, and I think it caused his heart problems, not the high cholesterol.

Oh, one thing that men should check is their testosterone levels. The statins seem to lower their testosterone and it makes them moody, and can cause osteoporosis and a few other problems I can't think of right now. My husbands levels went to 292 which is below normal. Now with testosterone he is up to 800 and it has helped with some things.

My husband also has had eye problems, and I think that too was caused by the statins, but no one will back me up on that yet.

[haleybugs]

I just saw your message about eye problems. I was only on Lipitor for four months but I had some bad eye problems that I never experienced before. I had an uncontrollable eye movement when trying to fall asleep and I had a great sensitivity to light. It lasted about a month and now things seem to be better. I agree 100% about doctors not having a clue about protecting us against these dangerous statin drugs. I could just smack my former doctor for not checking into this before prescribing Lipitor. I trusted him. HA! He even put me on 20 mg. and it about killed me. I had horrible mental and emotional side effects. My present doctor is just as bad. I have my last appt. with her on Wednesday and she will get an ear full of why I can't trust her. She wanted me to take Crestor! How instulting. My total cholesterol is 235. That is non-fasting. I think these people are trying to kill us. Best of luck to you. Don't take any more drugs. There are plenty of natural supplements that can help you and have no harmful side effects. Trust the spacedoc. He knows what he is talking about.

[secapps51]

My husband is still battling eye problems, and I still blame those darned drugs.
I just heard a quick blip on the news last night that Pfizer had to cancel trials on a new cholesterol drug because of too many deaths.

When is someone going to stand up and help those of us who have suffered from the other drugs?

I believe there are a lot of people out there with problems from these drugs and there is no one who will admit it. Not one Dr. so far will even consider the statin problems. I keep trying, but I wish someone would prove what they are doing so maybe those of us injured can get some kind of compensation.

But, when you are blind, or dead, compensation doesn't really help at all. Not to mention all the other crippling problems people might have.

Susie

[vipergg22]

Gee anyone see a common thread here ??? Don't all the stories sound exactly alike . But according to the doctors it can't be from the statins or is all in your head . Unless your numbers are really high like over 300 you have to decide if you want to lead a reasonably good life without all these side effects and believe the scare tactics that some doctors and the pharm companies would have you believe . Can some people take them sure , but I bet a lot of them at some point will get side effects from taking these wonder drugs , a lot of times it doesn't show up for years , others it is within weeks . The risk is much smaller than they would have you believe , just for grins I punched in the numbers below for a female age 55 . This is for people who don't have CD to start with . So if you have something like those numbers then there is a 98% chance that nothing will happen in the next 10 years . There are very few things in life that give you those kinds of odds . So you decide , is it worth it !!!!!


Risk score results:
Age: 55
Gender: female
Total Cholesterol: 230 mg/dL
HDL Cholesterol: 40 mg/dL
Smoker: No
Systolic Blood Pressure: 130 mm/Hg
On medication for HBP: No
Risk Score* 2%

[secapps51]

I think we all see the common thread, it is the Drs who refuse to see it. I could just scream when they refuse to believe people. They can get away with it because there is no way to prove what these drugs are doing to us....unless all of a sudden people start dropping like flies and they are all on statins.

No more for my husband, and never for me. I also want to add that I almost started the Boniva for osteoporosis until I read an article in the peoples pharmacy that this can cause heart attacks too!

Good grief, are they helping us or harming us????

Susie

[harley2ride]

For those experiencing eye problems, how many have noticed the following symptoms.
1. Eyes feel dry all the time

2. Eyes get tired from watching TV or working on Computer easily.

3. Sensitivity to light. Sometimes extreme..

4. Loss of night vision

5. Spasms where eye will start winking for up to an hour when eyes are tired.

[sos_group_owner]

Hi "harley2ride",

Re: Eyes feel dry all the time
- YES, definitely. My husband has to use natural tears several times a day.

Another thing he experienced was visual disturbance in one eye. He described it as "a cloud moving across his vision". The eye Dr called it amaurosis fugax. This lasted for several month then mysteriously resolved itself.

His eyes tire easily, especially from overhead florescent lights. The natural sunlight reading lamp is much easier on his eyes.

Fran

[secapps51]

I would be very cautious about eye problems. My husband has had macular holes in both eyes. He started having eye problems after taking the statins. I think there is a connection, but of course, we can't prove anything. That is how the drug companies and Drs. get away with saying it can't be the drug. They blame everything on age.

Susie

[haleybugs]

I think I have finally broken free from the clutches of Lipitor and I was only on it for four months. THe emotional and mental side effects were enough to almost send me over the edge. I want to strangle my doctor who prescribed this horrible drug and my current doctor who is clueless to the effects. She suggested Crestor as my next avenue. I burst into tears. Doesn't anyone get it? My gut told me to forget these people and do what felt right for me. I am on a low carb diet and I exercise every day and take the vitamins Dr. Graveline has suggested. I am feeling so much better. My glucose is in check and I really don't care about my cholesterol even though it is lower than before. I just know I am doing everything I should to insure a healthy heart and sound mind. I was so scared I was going to die. I never want that feeling again. I had horrible nightmares, my eyes would race when I tried to go to sleep. I could barely get through the day. I was afraid of the dark, afraid of being alone, so many phobias. I think the only time I will see a doctor is if I fall down. No more drugs for me. My pharmacist insists on natural supplements for himself and his family. No drugs. That's pretty scary. He has been great in helping me find the right supplements for sleeping better. If you will pursue the class action suit against Pfizer, perhaps we can help save the future and put these thieves in the poor house. Also, Dee, if you are out there. I am wondering how you are doing. Please let me know.

[Cat Mom2]

My eyes have bothered me for a long time.. New glasses did not help. My eye balls HURT all the time and I was always in pain from them. My eye doctor told me to use eys drops 4 times a day for dry eyes and that has helped a lot.... Again, I NEVER connected that to statin drugs. Grrrrrrr!

These doctors will be a long time in admitting what these drugs are doing to people.... Lets face it, they are NOT in any hurry to admit they have been SCAMMED by the drug companies who have been so nice to them and given them all these wonderful trips, gifts and meals. Nobody wants to admit they have been made fools of and most of them think they are God's and this would tarnish that image.

Only when it happens to them will they start to even look into it and consider the possiability.. Admitting what they have done will open them up to law suites so why should they even listen to what we know to be the truth?

[catspajamas]

zocor excallated the growth of a cataract(did it cause it?}..I had to have it taken out...at the same time I had the start of one in the other eye...it was right after the surgery that I went off of zocor....that was 7 years ago....what happened to the other cataract?....Dr said its not growing....so figure that one...my eyes were very sensitive to light also....

[adec]

My mom developed floaters on statins, basically degenerative changes of the vitreous humour and/or retina -- so bad that she had trouble seeing clearly out of one eye. She also developed glaucoma. However, after being off of Lipitor for 1.5 years, she now has one or two remaining floaters left. You cannot make this stuff up if you tried.

Also, for Secapps51 regarding osteoporosis, there are healthy alternatives. Something as simple as taking 2000mcg of vitamin D daily, and simple strontium citrate (this has been used successfully to treat osteoporosis in Europe in the form of strontium ranelate,) also whole body vibration, and vitamin K2 etc.. My mom reversed from osteoporosis to osteopenia in a span of 1.5 years. I think these results speak volumes.

Strontium citrate especially helps to build high-quality new bone (osteoblasts) and reabsorb old bone (osteoclasts.) While something like Fosamax, or bisphosphonate, is only able to reabsorb old bone, and usually creates brittle lower-quality bone, with a potential risk for osteonecrosis. Osteonecrosis is a temporary or permanent loss of blood to the bone, that could potentially lead to bone death. When you consider that bone is a living organism, this is scary stuff, indeed.

But if you have any questions, feel free to ask. That extends to anyone and everyone.

[haleybugs]

I hope all of you have made attempts to contact the FDA and your Congressman about Lipitor. I have. If it is the only satisfaction I get, then at least I know I tried. We need numbers, people. Complain. Tell your doctors, tell everyone and anyone who will listen. I have had the eye roll, the scoffing and total disbelief but now since I have been off Lipitor since September of 2006, people finally believe what I have been telling them. You can make a difference. There is an on-going class action suit against Lipitor. Find it and act on it. Get angry at what has happened to you. If it takes thinking about your doctor and the drug salesman laughing all the way to the bank, then so be it. I take absolutely NOTHING in the way of prescription drugs and never will. The quality of my life is more important than taking seven to ten drugs a day as my GP would have liked. I see an excellent doctor now who works with me on diet and exercise and I am fine. Never better, mentally and physically. I take vitamins, that's it. I also sprinkle cinammon on my wheat toast every morning. My glucose has gone down seven points in three months to under 100. Take charge of your life. Your body talks to you............LISTEN.

[cjbrooksjc]

haleybugs: It feels good to have someone who will listen doesn't it? Thanks, many of us (in the US) have sent our letters to the Senate Finance committee and have filled out the FDA health alert form. Have you signed the World Health Org Petition prepared by xrn? If you have, great? If you have not, cut and paste this url into your browser (remove the leading * first) and sign up to fight Statin use.

*http://www.gopetition.com/online/11757.html

Regards,

Brooks