Lipitor and Weakness: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• September 21, 2009

For High Cholesterol "I was taking the combination drug Caduet, of which Lipitor was one of the two drugs. Steadily over a year, my doctor increased the medication from 20mg to 40mg, and then about three months ago, he increased it to 80mg. Within a month, I was experiencing tiredness, and eventually muscle weakness, coupled with elevated CK readings. On doing some research on the drug, I found that the symptoms I had were indeed a major drug reaction. Although Lipitor helped in the reduction of my cholesterol levels, the side effects were debilitating. Within a week of having the medication changed to a non-statin, I was beginning to feel better. A month later, I am close to being back to my old self. There are other better alternatives."

• Lol...
• September 14, 2016

For Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease "This drug is the absolute worst in the world for me. I have been on it for five years or more and being in bad pain for three of those years. I have been on Tylenol three, Codeine Contin, and hydromorphone, and the doctor argued every time when I went in to get more pain meds. My legs have been in unbelievable pain for so long I can't honestly think of the time when I was not in pain. I just started reading about this and stopped taking Lipitor and told the doctor that I would never go back on it again. In about a month, I have started to feel better, but I am left with weak legs and a huge bill from the chiropractor, massage therapist, acupuncturist, exercise therapist, and naturopathic doctor. I have had three trips to the hospital emergency department with no help in the long run. I am very, very angry. I hope my lingering pain goes away soon."

• for...
• April 17, 2016

For High Cholesterol "This medicine did a number on my legs. Had numbness, the legs felt like lead, wobbly. I had been a mail carrier and walked 10-11 miles a day, retired but continued to walk 4-5 miles a day besides being very active with DIY projects and part-time job. Took Lipitor earlier this year. It got the numbers down, but I had 3 ER visits in one week and spent the night in the hospital because my legs were acting up and it scared me and my heart did weird things. Lot of stress for me and my family. We have good insurance, but this will still probably be around $2000. I would not recommend Lipitor to anyone-there are other cholesterol meds out there."

• Be ...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 6, 2018

For High Cholesterol "My cholesterol level was 322, and my doctor prescribed Lipitor. I started to feel very weak. I was in pain constantly, and I felt very tired and sore. I could not even do my daily chores. I thought I had some kind of flu. I continued to take Lipitor for about a year, and the symptoms just got worse. After the second year of taking Lipitor, my constant pain, soreness, and tiredness worsened, and I lost my appetite. The doctor ordered a liver enzyme test. Lipitor was damaging my liver, and I was also experiencing trouble with my kidneys. Though I didn't realize it then, Lipitor was the culprit of my aches and weakness and was not effective in lowering my cholesterol much (only to 308 after taking Lipitor for more than two years.) I am not taking Lipitor anymore, and I don't feel tired and exhausted. My doctor continues to order a liver enzyme test every year. It has never come back normal anymore. Please be careful!"

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

For High Cholesterol "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."

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

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."

• Geo...
• June 17, 2022

For High Cholesterol "Just 10 days of Lipitor at 40 mg per day, and I have side effects of being nauseous, pain in right arm and back, muscle weakness. I feel really feel lousy all the time. Dropping my dose to 20 mg today...hope it works. My cholesterol is at 250."

• Anonymous
• February 17, 2009

For High Cholesterol "Many side effects, such as muscle pain, weakness, tenderness, gas, and blurred vision."

• Mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 21, 2020

For High Cholesterol "Our mom took Lipitor and had a lot of swelling around her eyes, pale, weak, and her skin was peeling on her face."