Alirocumab for High Cholesterol User Reviews (Page 4)

• JK_...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2017

"46-year-old UK male; slim, above-average fitness, eats well. Tried 3 different statins with the same intolerable brain fog, muscle pains, and palpitations over a 3-year period. 1st injection: mild muscle pains in my back, cold legs and feet, morning glory, a little brain fog, looser stools. 2nd injection: similar effects to the 1st but 50% less strong, except the morning glory and looser stools. 3rd injection: mild brain fog for an hour (starting about 2 hours after taking), cold feet, looser stools still. Not had bloods tested yet, but if LDL comes down, I'd be very happy to stay on Praluent based on these minor side effects. Very hopeful about this convenient statin alternative."

• Len...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 2, 2024

"Injections are and have always been painless. I am going into my ninth week. Last cholesterol check my number before starting Praluent was 235. Since then, things appear much clearer, not so lightheaded as before. Blood pressure is much lower and is controlled. I am much more tired than I used to be. I also feel lethargic on the first four days following each shot. Sometimes feel faint, but again no more head fog and no more fatigue, which before Praluent was severe. If anyone is considering this drug, I would try it. I am confident that the sides of this drug are much better than the side effects of a stroke or heart attack. In closing, all good things come from the Lord Jesus, never forget that."

• Mik...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 5, 2020

"After having a heart attack two years ago, my cardio doctor put me on Praluent, painless injections every two weeks in my legs, along with daily 20 mg Atorvastatin (Lipitor). Together, they both have lowered my bad LDL from 250 down to 25. I'm a 73-year-old man. I'm very happy with the results. I don't notice any side effects. I'm also happy my Mutual of Omaha drug plan Plus, which covers most of the cost 2020/2021. I'm waiting for the FDA to approve Inclisiran, twice-a-year injections, which will be much cheaper."

• Jra...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 24, 2019

"Awesome stuff for me. No side effects. Cut the pravastatin in half: 40 mg pravastatin 1x daily plus 75 mg alirocumab every other week. HDL down from 399 to 85 mg/dl. Still taking the other stuff. Livolo works fairly well, but not like this. Can't tolerate ACE inhibitors, and some med put a bruise across my back within three days: instant kidney damage. Now Blue Cross wants to deny me the only med combo I could tolerate. Actually, Prime Therapeutics is doing that. Forwarding their denial to cardio and via my attorney to OAG and the state insurance board. After one 4x CABG, 3 stents, and 2 MI. Bilateral endarterectomy and original LDL around 400. I think my widow will be a millionaire as for me. We can prove this is the best and most correct treatment plan, and it did work for about 5 years until they decided they should play doctor..."

• Hap...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 1, 2021

"I'm a 73-year-old man, and I've been doing the 75 mg Praluent injections now for almost 4 years with no side effects. My LDL that I get tested every 6 months is a very low 24 thanks to Praluent. When I had my heart attack 5 years ago, my LDL was a very high 250. I'm happy that my CVS Silverscript Plus pays for most of the cost. I also take 20 mg Atorvastatin daily. The painless Praluent auto injector takes about 5 seconds to inject after warming it up and pushing the auto injector button. The only thing I don't like is the high cost and having to keep the Praluent refrigerated before use. For me, there is no pain or bleeding at the injection site, which is my leg."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 30, 2018

"I'm a 54-year-old male, average weight, healthy active lifestyle but diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. Statin drug intolerant. Been on Praluent 6 weeks. LDL went from 212 to 57, HDL from 36 to 44. Negative side effects at all. Fantastic results!"

• GEB...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 3, 2023

"Fatigue, lethargy, developed varicose veins in both inner thighs best described as parallel mirror twins. The breaks were discovered during a routine annual screening by my surgeon. The tears were serious. My doctor was concerned because previous procedures on legs were minor. My cholesterol was reduced by one hundred points. My memory improved... recall... somewhat. The medicine is brutal and fatiguing. Didn't realize how draining it was until it was interrupted. My energy returned. My dosage was 150 ml injection twice monthly."

• Syd...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 29, 2024

"I have been using Praluent consistently since 2018 (5 1/2 years) and have not experienced one side effect from this drug. My cholesterol count reduced substantially within two months and has been maintained well within acceptable levels, ongoing. I have had annual visits to the prescribing endocrinologist, complete with blood work analysis, and all measurements have been satisfactory. Prior to being prescribed Praluent, my cholesterol count was considered ultra-high, and I had to be taken off statins as they caused memory loss. Praluent has been far more effective in reducing cholesterol and has done so with no side effects."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2023

"I injected the 1st dose of Praluent and had no side effects, and 2 weeks later I injected the second dose. Three hours later, my whole body was experiencing terrible cramping, headaches, fever, and chills. Two days later, I was in the hospital with pneumonia (never in my life had I had pneumonia), UTI infection. I haven’t had a UTI infection in over 25 years, never before had a potassium problem, and while in the hospital, it went down."

• Ssb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 8, 2023

"I have had a CV event and have very high LDL and high LPa and cannot tolerate statins. I started on Praluent and was fine right after the injection. But the first night I woke up with a very swollen tongue and lips and an extremely dry mouth and throat. Took 1/2 Benadryl, which seemed to resolve. But over the next few days, I would experience bouts of extremely high BP and flushing of my face and chest (I tend to have low BP, so this was very odd). High BP and flushing seemed to occur after any exertion, followed by extreme tiredness for a few weeks, and my doctor told me not to take the next dose. Additionally, I have had very unusual headaches, odd bruising, as well as pinpoint bleeding under my skin and bleeding (large thick clots of blood) from my nose. If I got bit by an insect, I would have rubbery clots of blood on my skin. All very strange, and I will be glad when this med has worked its way out of my system (about 40 days). FYI, I do have a lot of sensitivity to many meds, so I am not surprised."

• Rom...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 17, 2024

"I've been taking Praluent 75mg for 9 months. I had experienced serious back pain after the 2nd shot for at least a week. After that, there were no side effects. Most importantly, this drug lowered my blood pressure, so I didn't need to take additional medication I had been on for years! LDL showed 100 less after 2 months on it. Recently, I had to switch to Repatha due to the fact that my insurance no longer supports Praluent. I have plenty of side effects and needed to take blood pressure medication as well. Praluent is way better, even though they are saying it's the same agent."

• Ken...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 27, 2021

"1st injection was so dangerous for me, my throat started closing, my airway and barely could breathe, I broke out in large hives all over my body with severe itching. Wife rushed me to hospital treatment to take the swelling down, and by 24 hours later, the hives were still there with itching. Took about 4 days of misery for it to go away. What a bunch of poison. Stay away from this bad drug."

• Boo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 16, 2023

"Five years later, I experienced a stroke at the age of 54. Due to being considered high-risk, I was prescribed Praluent, which was believed to be the wonder drug for me. However, I have progressively felt unwell, experiencing tiredness and dreadful joint pain so severe that I am unable to sleep. At first, I did not suspect Praluent, but rather my blood pressure medication. However, my general practitioner ran blood tests and discovered that my liver enzymes were off the scale. Upon reviewing my blood tests over the past five years, it appears that there has been a significant increase in liver enzymes since I began using Praluent. After researching potential side effects, I was horrified to discover that raised liver enzymes were listed. I am now wondering if this medication could be the cause of my health problems and have decided to stop taking it to find out. I am also undergoing tests to examine my gallbladder, which may also be the source of the problem. In addition to the liver enzyme issue, my cholesterol levels have increased over time. I initially started on 75 mg of Praluent every two weeks, which yielded great results in lowering my cholesterol. However, my cholesterol level has now risen to 8.4, indicating that the medication is no longer working. As I researched potential causes of my issues, I was also interested in learning if anyone else had experienced raised liver enzymes as a side effect of Praluent."

• Jov...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 29, 2022

"The injection itself was very painful. After my second injection, I started having memory problems, problems walking, I haven't been able to drive in a week. Became suicidal. Will not take this again. I still have 7-10 days to be out of my system."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 1, 2023

"I cannot take statins because of the pain they cause in my joints, so I gave this a try. I am a female aged 65 yo, and I had a heart attack 3 years ago. I have one stent but have other calcified vessels, and my cholesterol is high, so I don’t have a lot of options I’m told by my cardiologist. I had the worst reaction I’ve ever had to any medication after injecting 75 mg of Praluent. Firstly, I had a nosebleed, and then I had extreme nausea and was throwing up most of the night. I also had a migraine headache that started behind my right eye and lasted for a few days (for which Tylenol 1000 mg didn’t help at all!) My BP also went up to 188/100! It has been 11 days since I took that shot, and today I have extreme lower back pain, as well as lingering dizziness and nausea. I’m supposed to take the second shot 3 days from now. I emailed my cardiologist with this information, but he thinks that’s unusual and that I should go ahead with it."

• Mic...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 17, 2024

"My Cholesterol was so high, I was destined to have a stroke. I am highly allergic to any Statin drugs, and had given up hope. Praluent has helped me to regain good health! My numbers are consistently in the 'good' range, and my family & I are relieved that I have a better chance of a long life!"

• Mar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 6, 2024

"This stuff rocks! Melted my impossible cholesterol down -200 points after being on maximum statins. I could not get below 300. I’m now bouncing around under 100 every test. I did have to get 3 stents so this does not stop blockages but this is just my body. I have hyperlipidemia and Diabetes at 59."

• Lyl...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 22, 2023

"I was not able to use statins. Myalgia was so painful it was difficult to walk upstairs, and lipids were not normal. I am now walking up steps without difficulty and my lipids are all within normal range."

• DLB...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 1, 2024

"I have been using Praluent for 6 months. Previous attempts to lower my cholesterol (normally in the 300-400 range) with statins and supplements were unsuccessful, leading to coronary artery disease and a subsequent 5-graft bypass surgery. After 6 months on Praluent injections (easy to administer with foolproof visual window), new blood work showed my cholesterol at 101, a stunning improvement. I couldn't ask for more. One minor side effect was skin flaking in about a 6-inch radius around the injection site (usually belly). No itching, just flaking. Small price to pay for such a great benefit."

• Bon...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 27, 2023

"I've been taking Praluent for 5 years and have had no side effects that I could link to Praluent until now. I also have Sjögren's syndrome, which is an autoimmune condition. My liver enzymes have been elevated; my liver doctor diagnosed me with primary biliary cholangitis, but from taking a fibro scan, my liver shows to be completely healthy. The doctor says the autoimmune condition is migrating to another organ, my liver. But after looking at the side effect info on Praluent, I find there is a rare but severe side effect of elevated liver enzymes. The other more common side effect that I have is a cold (I never made the connection to Praluent). I've had a cold since June 2022, an entire year. I've also had a runny nose for 5 years since I began taking Praluent; I'm writing this review because I think anybody on Praluent should have their liver values checked. No symptoms exist, so you'd never know your liver was in trouble. It did bring down my cholesterol."

• Tur...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 21, 2021

"My cholesterol was over 300 for over 20 years. Statins made my legs pull and ache, so the doctor decided to try Praluent. After 8 injections, the cardiologist called and told me to stop taking it. My cholesterol was 630 now. Electrolytes nearly doubled. They say this is not a 'normal' reaction, but it is mine. Now they have started me on Repatha. I've taken one injection and am getting blood tested before the 2nd shot. Needless to say, I am nervous."

• Deb...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 13, 2021

"My numbers were brilliant. But after several months, I suddenly became very ill. I would have episodes of severe dizziness and a feeling of total detachment when all I could do was sit with my head on the table and wait to get back to myself. Or get my husband to guide me to the couch and lay me down. Sometimes the episodes were milder but more frequent, like up to 3 times a day. My consultant was unreachable, so my GP agreed that I should discontinue the Praluent, although he made it clear that he didn't quite believe that the problems were effects of the injections. When the attacks disappeared shortly after I took my last injection, it became obvious that the Praluent was to blame. About 3 months have now gone by, and I still don't feel back to myself. I am left with some lightheadedness, which I hope will wear off."

• Sus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 1, 2024

"I’ve been on it since Jan 14 every 2 weeks. I did have trouble with the injector the first month, but I finally got it right and the injections are now fine. However, this last month of doses, I’m having side effects. I have a bladder infection (positive results). I’ve had a very sore throat with drainage for 2 weeks after the last dose with a very severe cough. It started to go away but is back after my last dose 1 week ago. I feel lethargy and have a bad headache. I question whether these are side effects of the med!"

• HUG...
• March 6, 2018

"I have been on Praluent for about 18 months. Had some cramping in my hands. Ended up in the hospital last week with cellulitis. The infectious disease doctor said it happened when I gave myself the Praluent shot and it malfunctioned. I am thinking about seeing an attorney as I was in severe pain for several weeks. I am 75 years old."

• DCa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 2, 2021

"I have been taking this drug for around 6 months now, 75 mg, a woman in her early 60s, pretty healthy, and watch my intake of everything. Taking this for high cholesterol, suffering from really bad muscle aches and pains, also terrible night cramping. Experiencing dizzy spells and headaches, also, which I have never suffered from before in my lifetime. Tummy discomfort and palpitations and night sweats. Decided to come off for 6 weeks and felt much better. Took an injection last night and did not feel well at all, palpitations and dizziness straight away. Nope, not for me, quality of life is more important, and what will be will be."