Atorvastatin for High Cholesterol User Reviews (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• November 19, 2009

Atorvastatin "43-year-old male been on 20mg Lipitor for 3 months, a lot of side effects for the first month mainly muscle spasms and uneasy stomach. Cholesterol went from 240 to 120, cut dose in half, and no more side effects."

• Lil...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 4, 2019

Atorvastatin "I’ve been on Pravastatins 20 mg for 5 years. Cholesterol was 225. It never went down. I do enjoy my cocktails, wine in the evening, nothing changed. My liver enzymes for 18 years always stayed at 20-21 (range is 4-43). In August 2018, I went in for my quarterly bloodwork, there was no change. Doctor put me on Lipitor 20 mg with the next bloodwork to be done in January. Well, I also started the Keto diet in January, a high-fat, protein diet, low carbs, low sugar. Surprise! My cholesterol went from 226 to 165! Glucose was down and very good! However, it compromised my liver, my enzymes skyrocketed to 99 and 110 (again, range 4-43). He immediately took me off Lipitor. Now, he doesn’t want me to drink any alcohol for 2 months. The test will be in March. So, what’s the culprit? Diet or Lipitor? He said to continue with the diet, just cut the fat down."

• bre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 3, 2017

Atorvastatin "About 2 weeks ago, my doctor put me on Lipitor for my cholesterol. I've been having all kinds of side effects from it, but I didn't realize it until today. I've been beside myself with itching. I keep getting these stinging sensations, like I'm being bitten by fire ants. I'm prone to insomnia (very severe), and it made it so much worse, despite the fact that I have been feeling like I was coming down with something serious (constantly exhausted). I've even developed blisters in my nose, and I have red spots, it's insane. No joke, I seriously have about 80% of the listed side effects, even the unreported and rare. I hope no one ever has to deal with this craziness."

• Sen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 1, 2016

Atorvastatin "Atorvastatin did lower my cholesterol quite a bit, but within the first couple of weeks I developed muscle pain in the back of one knee. After another week, I developed muscle pain in the calf of the other leg. My doctor doesn't think this was caused by Atorvastatin. He believes it is arthritis. He ordered an x-ray of the knee and blood test for liver function. Waiting for results. If the pain is from arthritis, I will continue taking the medicine. If Atorvastatin is affecting muscles or liver, I may discontinue or ask to switch to another statin."

• Gou...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 1, 2018

"Get off this medication as quickly as you can, and do NOT take another statin ever. I was on a dose of 40mg daily for 2.5 years. I experienced muscle weakness, although I exercised daily, sexual dysfunction, memory lapses, joint pains, and many other symptoms associated with statin use. The topper: three months ago I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Only after doing a little research on statins did I understand that cholesterol is essential for health and actually protects against cancer, among other things. It's necessary for the formation of brain cells, muscle tissue, and sex hormones. I stopped taking my statins about 6 weeks ago and already feel better, though it will take some time to fully recover. So do your research, people. I believe this is a truly dangerous drug, as are all statins. And it does nothing to increase length of life."

• Ski...
• April 28, 2016

Atorvastatin "I am 65 and active, to include hiking, walking in the gym, yard work, etc. Been on 10 mg of Lipitor or generic for 20 years. Within the past 2 years, I have experienced increased lower leg discomfort and within the past year, what appears to be lower leg muscle loss, chronic plantar fascia, leg muscle tingling, and a feeling of weakness in my lower legs. My primary care doc, who is Lipitor intolerant, attributed it all to age, cervical stenosis, etc. Have quit Lipitor and Prilosec (been on this for 10 years) and will reassess with my doctor (who's an internal medicine doctor) when I can get in to see him again in 3 weeks. Some remediation of mental fogginess which has plagued me recently, but to date no relief on leg issues."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2012

"I have only been taking this medicine for 1 month, 10 mg every other day. Already I am experiencing severe joint and muscle pain. This has happened to me every time I have taken statin drugs. I will be going back to my doctor to discuss further and look for an alternative."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 18, 2013

"At 40 mg, I experienced numbness, tingling, and burning in my toes and fingers. Cold fingers and feet as well. This occurred over a period of 3 weeks. Stopped taking the pill, and symptoms disappeared. I experienced similar issues when taking Lipitor 40 mg as well. I can tolerate doses only up to 20 mg."

• Box...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 30, 2019

"I have been on this for several years. I have felt nothing but miserable while taking it. I have had cramping, muscle pain in my legs, stomach issues, headaches, and pain in my arms. I kept asking my primary doctor if this could be the cause of all this, and he kept saying no. Well, I have changed my primary doctor and done away with this terrible medication!"

• Lip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 18, 2016

"In the first few days of taking Lipitor, I was unbelievably tired, weak, and dizzy. I had muscle aches, dry mouth, and a headache. I felt on the verge of having a heart attack. I felt nauseous, and these symptoms just got worse the longer I took it. It got to the point where I was so dizzy I couldn't drive my car. I had to get off it immediately."

• pj1...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 6, 2015

Atorvastatin "In the past year, I have experienced four occasions of hyperlipidemia, rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal failure. All four times, I woke up in ICU and had a lengthy stay in the hospital. I am still taking atorvastatin, have muscle aches and pains, weakness, joint pain, stiffness, and restless legs, with no control of movement. I am miserable most of the time. Recently, my doctor stopped the Lipitor for the next six weeks to see what changes may happen."

• cho...
• December 30, 2016

Atorvastatin "Started with 10mg daily. After 3 months, my cholesterol level was just borderline, so the dosage was increased to 40mg daily. This dose gave me muscle tissue pain in my right knee, so I self-discontinued."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 3, 2019

"I have been on atorvastatin for about three months. I kept telling my doctor that my legs hurt, so she ordered an EMG [electromyography measures muscle response], which I refused. She’s trying to make it sound like I’m crazy and it’s all in my head that my legs hurt or that there is something else wrong when in fact it’s from the atorvastatin. I’m sorry to say this, but I think doctors are all about the money because if she would have told me the side effects of this drug, I wouldn’t have taken it in the first place. I feel horrible all the time, I feel like I have to throw up all the time. My legs hurt, my foot is numb. I called her up today and said I’m not taking that medicine ever again, I’ll be taking niacin instead. That also helps to lower your cholesterol."

• TRu...
• April 29, 2016

"I'm a 47-year-old overweight female. I've had high blood pressure my entire life but never cholesterol issues. I went in for blood work in January 2016 and was shocked to learn my LDL-P (particle count) was off the charts at 2,800 (should be in the 700 range) and my LDL small particle count was 1,500 (should be under 500). Additionally, all my blood lipids were way out of range. I was given 40 mg of atorvastatin, but after reading how horrible statins were, I got scared and only took half daily. I just got my labs redone, and since January to April (3 full months), all my blood lipids are in the normal, optimal range. I did a lot of research on the effectiveness of lower-dose statins and have not had any issues with taking half my pill daily. Results speak."

• da1...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 12, 2024

"I started on 10 mg every day. By the 10th day, massive brain fog, dizzy, muscle pain. (I'm super sensitive to meds.) I now take it every 3rd day. Some weeks it ends up being 3 times a week and sometimes 2, but it works. Zero side effects and works like a charm. If you can't tolerate every day; talk to your doctor about every other day or every 3rd day."

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

"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."

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

"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."

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

"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."

• Sus...
• January 23, 2017

"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!"

• Bea...
• September 8, 2017

Atorvastatin "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."

• Tah...
• October 3, 2019

"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."

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

"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."

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

"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

"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."

• Jef...
• August 30, 2015

"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."