Atorvastatin User Reviews & Ratings (Page 4)

• God...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 8, 2020

For High Cholesterol "Wow! I was floored. Long time trying to get my cholesterol low on my own with no medications. After finally trying atorvastatin 10 mg for the first time, it brought all cholesterol and triglycerides under control to more than acceptable levels. For now, until my next lab test, I will continue to stay on it. I am not experiencing any side effects."

• Hey...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 9, 2023

Atorvastatin "I took Lipitor for nearly two weeks under the doctor’s recommendation. I had to stop taking the medication as I had adverse side effects of severe muscle pain in my shins and upper arms. I felt extremely tired and dizzy, and my memory slowed. I am no longer taking this medication."

• Ala...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 23, 2019

For High Cholesterol "I have tried on several occasions to stick with a daily dose. But each time, I had to back off due to muscle pain and severe diarrhea. The diarrhea got so bad (needed to go urgently) that I found myself not wanting to socialize as much or leave the house for long periods. Several close calls made me apprehensive. When I did take this, starting my lipid panel was back to normal. But the side effects were too much to stand. So I will not be going back to daily statin doses. And yes, I have tried other statins down through the years. Same negative results."

• Sus...
• January 23, 2017

For High Cholesterol "My doctor put me on 10 mg of Atorvastatin, and after checking my cholesterol after 3 months, increased my Atorvastatin to 20 mg. I didn't feel the side effects right away, perhaps 3 months after taking them, my feet felt like bricks, and it was harder to walk because I had neuropathy. I just thought it was just getting worse, we have stairs, and I felt like my femur muscle was rubbing against my bone, just a slight sensation there. I knew this was different, but what can I do? Was I just getting older? I had within the next few days, both my knees would give out with pain behind them, hard to get off the toilet without pain. Got off Atorvastatin on my own, noticed I was getting better. Off for 2 weeks now, 99.9% better! It was Atorvastatin!"

• hen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 2, 2018

For High Cholesterol "I have been taking Atorvastatin 10 mg along with Olmesartan 40 mg for 3.5 months. About one month ago, I started waking up with my right hand almost locked in a semi-closed fist. In particular, the middle finger could not be straightened for at least 30 mins and was very painful. In the past two weeks, I have experienced serious muscle and joint pains all over my body. I thought it was caused by the Olmesartan, and with the doctor's approval, I started taking 20 mg rather than 40 mg. This did not help, so I was told to stop taking Atorvastatin for the next couple of days. Well, one day off the Atorvastatin has given me real relief from the serious pain that was making life miserable and keeping me from sleeping. The pain in the right hand is still there, but it is less painful. I am due to see the doctor on 11/5/2018 to discuss the issues and find a drug without the serious side effects. I hope this helps everyone on these drugs."

• Bea...
• September 8, 2017

Atorvastatin for High Cholesterol "I have been on Lipitor for two weeks and will stop tomorrow. My legs are hurting and I cannot sleep. For the first few days, I was fine, but now I ache from my hips down to my calves. I also have stomach cramps. This is not for me, I will tell my doctor this week and hopefully can try something else."

• USC...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 31, 2019

For High Cholesterol "I have had high cholesterol for years, so was put on atorvastatin, and it was a nightmare. Besides muscle pain and aches, the worst side effect is muscle weakness. I'm talking flat-out atrophy of my leg muscles. I'm in my 50s, and the effect has been horrible on quality of life. I fall easily. I finally got off of this drug and switched to another statin."

• Tah...
• October 3, 2019

For High Cholesterol "I have been on atorvastatin for a few months. Started out at 40 mg per day. I had something going on with my legs to the point where I thought I had blood clots. I told my cardiologist that I had leg pain this past June (2019). I said it may be the medication, but he said I should not be having any muscle pains in my legs. He upped my dosage to 80 mg per day. Well, I can barely walk, and I mean barely. The leg cramps at night and the pain in my legs are terrible. I saw this website yesterday (10/2/19) and read some of the comments. I contacted my doctor immediately and told him what was going on. I feel like I'm an 80-year-old woman and how painful it is in my legs. He took me off immediately and told me to never go back on atorvastatin again."

• GJL...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 8, 2013

For High Cholesterol "I took it one day and had to stop. Didn't read the pamphlet, and I took it before I went to bed. Not for me since I have osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease with back muscle spasms. I also have thyroid, vertigo, sinus problems, stomach, and bowel issues. I have been on painkillers for my pain for over 10 years, so I was afraid that this medication was not going to mix well with my medicines. But, the next day, my right ear was completely blocked, I had a headache with fuzziness. So weak, I had to take the day off of work and go back to bed, slept all day. My face was a gray color, and my eyes looked like I was in pain. I drank a lot of water to flush this one pill out of me and felt much better."

• Ron...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 23, 2022

For High Cholesterol "I started taking atorvastatin 20 mg daily about 2-3 months ago and started having weird side effects. I noticed both legs, from the knee down, started having some pain and swelling. The swelling was the worse. The pain would have been bearable if that had been the only problem. Another side effect was some nausea, and the acid reflux was worse than I had ever had since my initial diagnosis 30 years ago. I also noticed memory loss and dizziness. I just felt horrible. I actually thought something terrible was happening. I work in healthcare, so my first thought was what has changed in my routine. So I stopped the atorvastatin for a couple of days, and I noticed improvement fairly quickly, so I had to be certain that it was the medication. I decided to give the atorvastatin another try, and the negative side effects started again. Needless to say, I will never take this medication again."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 10, 2019

For High Cholesterol "Side effects of atorvastatin included weight gain, muscle cramps, constant sore throat, and digestion/gas issues. Have stopped taking after 3 months of these issues - it's taken another 4 weeks of stomach pains to make a recovery. They did do the job as readings reduced from 6.1 to 4.1, but not worth the pain."

• Jef...
• August 30, 2015

For High Cholesterol "I was only on this med for about 6 weeks when I finally figured out it was causing severe joint pain in my knees and feet. Stopped taking it and the pain went away after one day. Also caused diarrhea. I'm going to try lowering my cholesterol with diet and exercise. Too many risks of side effects with statins."

• cho...
• January 19, 2017

For High Cholesterol "Prescribed 10 mg. Side effects started with an upset stomach (improved by always taking with food). Within a couple of weeks, the side effects exploded. No idea of whether or not it improved my labs (they were not supposed to be drawn for two more weeks). I am a vegetarian (no meat of any kind, no dairy milk, but I do eat some dairy cheese and eggs) and also a licensed massage therapist (so I know 'normal' muscle tension or joint pain and how to improve it). My side effects (in no particular order): muscle cramps/pain/weakness/swelling/tightness, tiredness, diarrhea/intestinal cramping, increased ringing in the ears, and depression/angry mood swings. Three days without medication, and pain, etc., continues to improve."

• Mtn...
• June 2, 2020

For High Cholesterol "I am so happy to see that it’s just not me having a bad experience with this drug, atorvastatin. My LDL in March was 201. This was the only abnormal lab result. She put me on 10 mg of atorvastatin daily. I asked about side effects, and after the first day, I had indescribable deep muscle pain. At first, I thought I was getting another round of shingles! I, of course, stopped taking it but adhered to the plant-based diet. In preparation for this morning's follow-up bloodwork, I took another yesterday with supper. Needless to say, I was up all night with abdominal cramps, stomach pain, loose stools, and nausea! So mad I called the doctor's office and canceled my appointment! Never again!"

• Lyn...
• June 22, 2019

For High Cholesterol "I have experienced light coughing that slowly advanced over 18 months to wheezing, hoarseness, uncontrollable coughing. I was treated for asthma and allergies with no relief. I researched this medicine and had all the side effects. This week, I stopped taking it and all asthma treatments. After 5 days, I'm breathing much better and not using an inhaler or breathing treatments. I sleep through the night without gasping and coughing. I fully believe 18 months of this medication has taken a harsh toll on my lungs. I'm seeing my doctor this week and can't wait to see what she thinks about my changes and findings."

• Anonymous
• October 20, 2022

Atorvastatin for High Cholesterol "Aug 8 (Reuters) - Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is facing a mounting wave of lawsuits by women who allege that the company knew about possible serious side effects of its blockbuster anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor but never properly warned the public. In the past five months, a Reuters review of federal court filings shows, lawsuits by U.S. women who say that taking Lipitor gave them type-2 diabetes have shot up from 56 to almost 1,000. Lawsuits began to be filed not long after the Food and Drug Administration in 2012 warned that Lipitor and other statins had been linked to incidents of memory loss and a “small increased risk” of diabetes. According to plaintiffs’ lawyers, women face a higher risk than men of developing diabetes from using Lipitor and gain fewer benefits."

• DRW...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 25, 2022

Atorvastatin for High Cholesterol "I was prescribed Lipitor by a GP, due to my high LDL cholesterol level. I was in excellent condition, BMI under 25, surfing and bike riding daily. Within 24 hours of my first pill, I experienced joint pains. I have osteoarthritis, so I assumed it was just a flare-up. The next day, I had muscle soreness and weakness. The third day, all this was worse; realizing it had to be the Lipitor, I stopped taking the pills and consulted a specialist. I had dark urine. It was determined that I had rhabdomyolysis. I ended up losing 5 lbs of muscle mass, and it took weeks for me to recover from the extreme weakness and fatigue. The specialist told me that if I had continued to take the Lipitor for a few more days, I probably would have been in a very serious condition."

• Bam...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 23, 2021

Atorvastatin for High Cholesterol, Familial Heterozygous "I have hereditary high cholesterol and have taken statins on and off since I was 15 years old. My overall cholesterol at age 15 was 370. It has run as high as 460 when I wasn't taking a statin (usually Lipitor). Problem is my bowels stay messed up. I stay constipated all the time, and I suffer from anal leakage, which is highly embarrassing, and I feel like I'm constantly thinking I may smell bad. I keep baby wipes to try to keep myself clean without taking 3 showers a day. Do all statins cause this? I'm finding it harder and harder to accept and feel like just quitting statins altogether. I know that sounds foolish, but so does anal leakage."

• wig...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 18, 2018

For High Cholesterol "I have been taking statins for 3 years now, and this site rates up there as a good resource for medication experience. There seems to be medication manufacturer/retail people posting here touting how great medications are. My advice is to be aware of anyone making statements that taking medications over lifestyle change is the answer. In 10 years from now, if we have tens of millions of people with cancer and liver disease, what will they say then? Health care employs more people with very high salaries than any other profession, and to keep it going, there is no telling what they may do. Be careful and take care of your health, and by that, I do not mean taking more medications. It saddens me to see young people under 35 years old taking this drug. Please try all the lifestyle options before drugs."

• hou...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 6, 2015

For High Cholesterol "Atorvastatin was prescribed for years. In January, I woke up with severe leg cramps in both legs, aching in the morning, and I couldn't walk any distance. I experienced severe joint pains and my back was very painful. The doctor never mentioned it could be the tablets, and I couldn't believe my neighbor, who was exactly the same as me. Her doctor took her off them, and she's back to her gym routine and has never felt better! I've stopped taking them three days ago, and I've never felt better. I started back at my gym."

• Hug...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 31, 2017

For High Cholesterol "Been on atorvastatin for about 3-4 weeks. The first couple of weeks, I felt very fuzzy and lightheaded, eyes wouldn’t focus. Additionally, had sharp stabbing pain in my back. Stopped taking them for a week, then started again. Now I’m getting chest tightness, aches around the chest and back, plus heart pounding all the time, especially at night, which is messing with my sleep (haven’t slept much at all since taking this drug, come to think of it). Also had bad farts, embarrassing as I don’t know when it will happen. Sick of being a test patient for my doctor... stopping tomorrow."

• Sue...
• March 8, 2014

For High Cholesterol "I went to a lipidologist to find out why my HDL was better than optimal, but my LDL-P was close to 2000 (should be under 1000). Found out it was due to genetics, and no amount of exercise and healthy food would matter. She put me on atorvastatin, and two months later my LDL-P was at 740. I have had absolutely no side effects in a year of use. Would I like to be off all meds? Sure, but my low thyroid and high LDL suggest otherwise. So, up to now, all is well."

• Not...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 18, 2019

For Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease "I started on 80 mg of atorvastatin after receiving a stent following a blocked coronary artery. After researching, I told my GP I wasn't happy, and she suggested a lower dose of 40 mg. After one and a half years, I ended up with diabetes 2, memory problems, heartburn, blurred vision, joint pain, stiffness, and cramping. My memory recovered as did my digestive problems a few weeks after stopping them. I wish I hadn't taken them at all. Horrible!"

• Rla...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 18, 2018

Atorvastatin for High Cholesterol "I have been on Lipitor for 6 months. My cholesterol went down from 220 to 156, I was tested 2 months ago, therefore, I hope it is going down. Fortunately, I don't have any side effects. Thank goodness."

• Fen...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 16, 2020

For High Cholesterol "Been taking this drug for 4 years now after experiencing a TIA followed by emergency carotid endarterectomy. Cholesterol levels are good and have not experienced any side effects at all. All annual blood tests have been all okay."