Does this sound like Lipitor side-effect?

[Ray Holder]

I had only just posted the above, and I looked on the Br. Med Journal website, as I have had 5 "Rapid Responses" shown there in the last few weeks. To my great surprise, there were two more of mine on there, one trying to get Drs to realise the perils of Q10 depletion, and the other asking that carnitine levels should be measured in muscle pain sufferers.

A letter from a retired consultant with statin muscle pain was sandwiched between the two letters of mine, which helps.

I can only hope that they get read and that some notice is taken, I was a bit scathing about the government bodies who ought to be taking things up and quoted the figures for reported statin effects from one gov body website, including about 60 deaths thought to be connected.

I mentioned those in trouble on the spacedoc website.

That's pushed my BP up before bedtime, I've had to take a puff!!

Ray

[me2]

Hi Ray,

I appreciate your input. I agree that everyone needs to be careful with taking any kind of supplement. Just because it is natural does not make it safe. Also the FDA does not oversee the manufacturing of supplements.

The reason I am on blood pressure medication is due to a congenital heart defect and the synthroid is also not related to the lipitor. I have been on that for 25 years because of surgery. The carnitine I am afraid would mess up my thyroid levels. I don't think generally speaking, docs don't know enough about supplements and that is why they don't recommend them.

Are you saying that there is a blood test to check for carnitine deficiency? I am concerned that the only way to prove that I have lipitor side-effects is to have a muscle biopsy and I am really not into that.

me2

[Ray Holder]

There is a specific test for carnitine, I found out about it first on the W Australia Polio Network website ww.upnaway.com.au/poliowa as carnitine shortage affects post polios for a different reason. You will find details under Research on the home page. There is more under Fernando Scaglia + carnitine deficiency on google, but with the main emphasis on babies.

Hope that helps.

Ray

[me2]

Ray,

I read an abstract about carnitine deficiency like you suggested. It says that if the deficiency is limited to the muscle, it might not show up in the blood. I guess that there are still so many pieces coming together about how statins affect the body that it might not be known if it would show up in the blood if it is just in the muscle.

Thanks.
me2

[innkeeper1000]

I can't believe I found this website...I took 1 lipitor A WEEK for about 6 months a few years ago...I got so I couldn't get off the couch...a friend of mine said she was worried about me because I didn't have any energy. I had an old knee injury, but have been a walker (2 miles daily)...but my joints and legs ached so much that I didn't want to walk. I was most comfortable in bed!
The aches started in my "bad" knee (left). Then my right shoulder...then other knee and sometimes hips and ankles. I thought I was developing arthritis in my thumbs. I also developed aching legs (especially when I went to bed)
Even though I've been off Lipitor a couple of years, the symptoms seem to be getting worse again. I thought it was arthritis and old age (63). Then I realized I made the same excuses while on Lipitor. I had taken CoQ10 for a heart problem and will start again.
I have a brother with the same symptoms...that's how we figured out it
was the Lipitor. He, however, has gained 100 pounds in addition to the joint problems.
I will be back and post later...I am so happy I found this website. Thank you...

[Kalle]

I am a newbe to this site and am astounded at what I hasve read so far.
Here is my story;
I had a bypass May 2003 (I am 62 years young)which went well.After 3 months of rehab, I went back to my normal work/play routine and my Dr. put me on Liptor(10mg), Avapro(150mg)and Plavix(75mg).
I had no major side effects and became active again playing sand volleyball.One evening about six months ago,while playing sand volleyball,I had a terrible cramp in my lower right calf and fell down.The pain was terrible.My friends helped get back up and after rubbing the calf area,I was back to normal.They scolded me for not drinking enough water.Everyone thought that it was dehydration.
I had 6 more attacks after that at night in the same area in the next six months.One day I also had a bout where I became very dizzy and thought I would having a heart attack.I rushed to the hospital and after extensive tests they said my EKG was normal.Thay found nothing wrong and even did an ultra sound on my calf area to see if I had a case of DVT.Nothing was found.
I just had another attack 24 hours ago again the same calf area and this one has lasted much longer.I an convinced that it is the Lipitor causing this havoc.Here is the rub.My total cholesterol is 152 and at at one point,it was only 129.I have decided to stop taking Lipitor.I have read so many blogs about the side effects of Lipitor that are exactly similar to mine,that I am astounded that this is allowed to happen.I am angry and will have a heart to heart with my Dr when he agrees to see me in three weeks.Please help to evaluate my situation and advise the best possible alternate to Lipitor.Thank you all for your time.
Kalle
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[sos_group_owner]

Hi Kalle & Welcome to the Forum,

Your total cholesterol is EXTREME low. If you decide to stop taking Lipitor...

Statins are a potent anti-inflammatory and stopping abruptly can put you at risk.
Taper off over 3 weeks...

Cut pills in 1/2
wk 1: take that 1/2 pill every day
wk 2: take that 1/2 pill every other day
wk 3: take that 1/2 pill every 3rd day

http://www.spacedoc.net/stopping_statins.html

At the same time, start taking statin alternatives...

Dr Graveline's Statins Alternatives
http://www.spacedoc.net/statin_alternatives.htm

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".

Fran

[Kalle]

Hi again to all,
Thank you for your wise suggestions.Here is an update.
Since stopping Liptor about six weeks ago,I have not had any "Charlie Horse" cramp attacks on my lower leg muscles which I used to get every week.They were terible and very painful.I still do get pre "charlie horse" sensations and pain in my legs and they feel as if they are on fire many times.I have constant pain and some days are better than others.I will increase my L-Caratine dose along with my B12/CoQ 10 and magnesium.
I have now been experiencing frequent numbness in my hands early in the mornings when I wake up.I have to rub my hands together quickly and get the blood flowing again and then I am OK.There is no pain experienced but why is this happening?I am also on Protonix, Avapro, and Plavix.I will be seeing my Doctor next week and will ask him about this ,but this is the same Doctor that prescribed Lipitor in the first place even though my total count was 129.Today my LDL is at 89 and I am eating oatmeal every morning to help lower it.I have not had any chest pains during this entire time.
I also want to suggest to others having leg cramps/pains to try rubbing mustard seed oil on the calves which helps me a lot.You can buy this oil at East Indian food stores or some health food centers.It doesnt smell very good but warms up my calf muscles very well.
Thanks again to you all and God Bless.
Kalle
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[eml256]

for those individuals worried about adverse effects of CoQ10--there is a study published in the Archives of neurology, 2002, Clifford Shults, Oakes, Biel, et. al using 1200 mgm/day for patients with parkinson's. the study lasted 2 yrs--no major side effects from coq10 found.
you may obtain this supplement from the same company that provided the coq10 for the study mentioned above.
there are several studies being conducted at present using megadoses of coq10--2000 mgm for alzheimer's, 1500 for ALS, 1200 for Parkinson's.
i was told by a pharmacist that Sam's coq10 was "pretty absorbable"--he did not describe any other charcteristics of sam's product.