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Ezetimibe User Reviews & Ratings (Page 4)

Brand names: Zetia

Ezetimibe has an average rating of 4.0 out of 10 from a total of 178 reviews on Drugs.com. 25% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 58% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Ezetimibe

Commonly mentioned side effects
  • Gre...
  • August 5, 2016

Ezetimibe for High Cholesterol "Dropped total number down 86 points, teamed only with red yeast rice supplements. 10 mg per day with dinner. I live in Phoenix, so can't tell if Zetia is causing sweat or Phoenix heat, but it has worked great. Very active life and no known side effects. Mail prescription plan costs 40.00 for 90 days."

10 / 10
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60 Report
  • Reg...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 6, 2020

For High Cholesterol "Don’t take this medication. I started taking it 2 weeks ago and have lost function in my left shoulder. I wish I had caught on sooner, but now even though I haven’t taken the drug for a few days, I’m still wearing a sling and can barely use my left arm. I’m not sure if the damage is permanent."

1 / 10
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35 Report
  • Fly...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 23, 2018

For High Cholesterol "I was taking the name brand Zetia for many years after trying 5 different statins that caused leg cramps that had me jumping out of bed at night and no way to stop the horrendous pain. No, pickle juice and hot showers didn't work. Things were going well with the Zetia until my insurance company refused to cover the drug this year and said I had to take the generic ezetimibe. What a disaster! It was like doing a colonoscopy prep every day. I couldn't leave the house because I was constantly running to the bathroom with severe diarrhea that lasted about 8-10 hours until the drug wore off. It made it impossible to even go to work. I couldn't eat anything without it running right through me (that's how it controlled the cholesterol--nothing stayed with you). Frankly, I'd rather take NOTHING than go through that again."

1 / 10
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44 Report

Frequently asked questions

  • Rio...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • August 4, 2018

For High Cholesterol "I have been on this number of years - maybe 7. I think the Ezetimibe was effective on reducing the cholesterol as designed, however, I have had bouts of diarrhea for years, like my stomach explodes and out it comes. The doctors have not come up with a cause and/or a solution. Lately, I have reason to believe it is caused by the Ezetimibe that I take. It seems to come on me about 2 or 3 hours after I take it. Anybody else have this problem?"

6 / 10
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43 Report
  • bob...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • December 17, 2020

Ezetimibe for High Cholesterol "I started taking Ezetimibe in Feb. 2019. I cannot tolerate statins. After 10 months, I started to develop joint pain, muscle weakness, a runny nose, and was very tired. I checked my blood pressure. It was 213 over 120. I decided that Ezetimibe could be the problem. I stopped taking Ezetimibe. After 2-1/2 days, my blood pressure dropped to 152 over 94. I feel 100% better. There is a question that my liver could have been damaged."

1 / 10
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32 Report

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  • ejn...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 18, 2017

For High Cholesterol "I have used this for a few months, as I cannot take a statin due to muscle pains. During this period, I developed a stiff shoulder that later progressed to a frozen shoulder. Worse, I had problems with focused thinking, and because of my lack of focused thinking, I only noticed this at 6 weeks. As I am a teacher, I immediately quit using it. I was lucky this happened in the school holidays. I have no idea what it did for my cholesterol, as the second side effect I noticed was such that I felt unable to continue it."

2 / 10
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47 Report
  • deb...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 9, 2019

For High Cholesterol "My Dr. warned me that I may get stomach problems on ezetimibe, but I wasn't expecting the runs for hours on end and stomach pain. I've stopped it as I'm not sleeping, and I'm constantly burping, and it tastes awful. I messed up my bed and clothing."

1 / 10
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35 Report

More FAQ

  • Sam...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • September 8, 2022

For High Cholesterol "My doctor prescribed this after statins caused horrible pain in the muscles. Then he prescribed cholestyramine, a powder resin, that caused little side effects, but my triglycerides shot up. I did learn that resin has to be washed out of the mouth by brushing your teeth or it can rot teeth. I then tried red yeast rice, and that caused the same pain as the statins. My doctor told me it contains lovastatin. He then put me on this Zetia or ezetimibe. I thought everything was okay at first, but I started coughing with water in the back of my throat, and it felt like water was in my lungs. Then my back hurt continuously, and my foot pain came back. Then I started having continuous diarrhea 3-4 times a day and even didn’t make it to the toilet a couple times. This is a horrible drug. I had my blood work done, and my liver enzymes shot up on top of it."

1 / 10
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21 Report
  • Sil...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • May 22, 2020

For High Cholesterol "I’ve been taking Ezetimibe 10 mg every day for 8 months and have good results. My doctor tried a statin before that made me sick, I was dizzy and couldn’t think clearly-raising my blood sugar over 300 for a week. I’m type 1 diabetic for 20 years and had to take this option and am grateful for no longer having complications. My HDL and LDL are above average now. I’m also on a low-carb, mostly vegetarian diet."

10 / 10
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33 Report
  • Rub...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 12, 2018

For High Cholesterol "I am a diabetic, so of course the doctors automatically say I have to be on cholesterol medication. My LDL is only 116, so just over the within range for the lab tests. Tried statins in the past, and the cramps were unbearable. Well, after 4 days on this drug, I feel like I have not slept in weeks. I have lost 5 pounds in the short time, the severe diarrhea is keeping me up at night, and I have developed a rash on my chest. Also, my joints and muscles are really sore, and my chest feels very tight. Like I could not do anything that would elevate my heart rate. Also feel dizzy and lightheaded, but that could be because I have not slept much due to running to the bathroom multiple times at night. I will be stopping medication as of now! I do not have a gallbladder, and they state in their consumer guide that it is safe for patients who do not have a gallbladder. If you do not have your gallbladder, really think hard before trying this."

1 / 10
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41 Report
  • Mar...
  • August 1, 2020

For High Cholesterol "Been taking ezetimibe 10 mg about 3 weeks. I do get occasional diarrhea, but my biggest problem is the bloating. My stomach looks like I'm pregnant, and I hate that feeling. I don't have any other symptoms."

5 / 10
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30 Report
  • Sit...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • February 22, 2018

For High Cholesterol "Was on Zetia 10 mg daily for four years. Underwent numerous scans, testing, ultrasounds, and vascular studies to determine why I was having severe leg cramping every single day (worse at night). I discontinued Zetia by myself, and my legs had a 100% return to normal. Unable to take statins due to joint pains but was assured this med was not the same."

2 / 10
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42 Report
  • Mee...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • November 1, 2021

For High Cholesterol "I have been on statins for the last 4 years. Was placed on Crestor last December, and I had serious adverse effects like dizziness, loss of balance by taking just 2 times. Later placed back on Lipitor 20 mg, and then since September 9, Lipitor was reduced to 10 mg, and Ezetimibe 10 mg was added. Now I have severe joint and muscle pain with mood swings, which I can't explain. How often should liver function tests be taken, especially when I have had a cholecystectomy done? What other options are there to reduce high LDL? With no family history of diabetes, I now have high levels of HBA1C 6.5-7.2 thanks to statins. Can anyone reading this reply to me? I will be very thankful. Take care, all statin users."

1 / 10
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25 Report
  • Bar...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • August 2, 2021

For High Cholesterol "Extreme weakness after taking it for 2 months. Then extreme hunger but unable to eat much. After stopping for 7 days, all symptoms stopped. PA said it could not be causing my symptoms because they did not appear at first! I stopped anyway, and after 7 days, I am almost OK."

1 / 10
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24 Report
  • Agg...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • June 13, 2024

Ezetimibe for High Cholesterol "I took 10mg of Zetia for high cholesterol for a period of time. Later, I needed heart surgery and was off of it for a period of time. When I resumed the medication, I realized how bad it made me feel, even at a low dose, nothing specific, just general fatigue."

5 / 10
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10 Report
  • Mil...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • December 6, 2019

For High Cholesterol "My doc believed my LDL and total cholesterol were too high. I was on Simvastatin 40 mg. He added a script for 10 mg Ezetimibe. Three months later on Simvastatin 40 and Ezetimibe 10, my total cholesterol improved from 216 to 116. LDL improved from 137 to 46. I was on a Paleo diet (no fruit) before and after Ezetimibe. Now all cholesterol measures are well within normal range."

10 / 10
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33 Report
  • Ade...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • November 8, 2023

For High Cholesterol "Been on Ezetimibe for 3 months now. LDL levels are down and overall cholesterol is at 4. So it works really well, but the nightly diarrhea and tummy pain is so bad... it keeps me awake and running to the loo for around 3 hours. I also experience fatigue, sleepiness (which is normally not the case as I suffer from insomnia, so this drug actually helps me sleep, but only after the diarrhea finally stops around 3am), muscle cramps (even in my hands), and breathlessness. I think I will have to stop this drug despite the excellent results."

6 / 10
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13 Report
  • Mel...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • August 5, 2024

Ezetimibe for High Cholesterol "8/2/24 My experience with Zetia has been unexplainable. My numbers were very high, and now, after being on it for 3 months, they are very low. So low I had my doctor do another blood test because I thought the test results were wrong. The second test, done a week later, was even lower. Now I am concerned they will get too low. All statins I was put on caused severe cramping: arms, legs, feet, hands, under my rib cage, back. The only side effect I have with Zetia is possible cramping in my forearms when I stretch and my calves. I also have had hair loss. Now taking Rogaine to see if that helps. I am 75 years old, so lots of complaints may be from just getting old."

10 / 10
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8 Report
  • JGB...
  • June 18, 2017

For High Cholesterol, Familial Heterozygous "I have been on medicine for familial heterozygous high cholesterol for 15 years, Rosuvastatin half the max dose 20 mg cut total cholesterol from 9.9 UK measuring system to 5.2, with no noticeable side effects. Ezetimibe reduced this by 0.6 to 4.6 monitored quarterly, side effects first diarrhea got worse and next resembled irritable bowel symptoms and then became like having severe gastroenteritis once a fortnight with, in the last 3 days, worsening nausea and delayed stomach emptying for up to 24 hours, followed by 2 days of extremely frequent and exhausting vomiting and diarrhea until only clear fluid was expelled, followed by 3 days recovery starting a new cycle. I endured this for 18 months with various negative tests. Stopping ezetimibe cured these side effects completely."

4 / 10
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36 Report
  • JJa...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 4, 2020

For High Cholesterol "I was on Zetia for a month, but my hip burned, so I stopped, much like other statins I had tried. I tried it again later, and after a month, both my hips burned. I stopped Zetia, and the burning improved. It has been 6 months, and my right hip still burns, and sometimes my left. I am done with statins. No drug is worth side effects like this. I will exercise more."

1 / 10
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26 Report
  • Cra...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • June 6, 2018

For High Cholesterol, Familial Heterozygous "After taking this drug for a week, I experienced severe joint and muscle pain, stomach pain, and headaches. Disappointing as I am unable to take statins for the same reason. Will just have to contend with high cholesterol."

2 / 10
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33 Report
  • Ste...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 10, 2021

For High Cholesterol "Sore shoulders and neck pain. Taking this with a statin, and I stopped the ezetimibe after two months. It has been two weeks off the drug and still sore, although not as bad, read that it can take up to two months for your muscles to heal."

1 / 10
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22 Report
  • Tes...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 7, 2024

For High Cholesterol "I was on Atorvastatin after a TIA. It was fine for a couple of weeks, and then I started to feel increasingly brain-foggy and so exhausted, I just wanted to lie on the floor. I came off them after four months, and within two days, I felt back to normal. However, my cholesterol crept up again, so my GP put me on Ezetimibe. This time, I was fine for the first 6 days, but I’m now getting the same brain fog and extreme exhaustion as I had with Atorvastatin. I’ve also had some weird spasms in my fingers. I’ll give Ezetimibe another couple of weeks, but it feels as if my quality of life has vanished yet again. Quite depressed about it."

4 / 10
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8 Report
  • Hel...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 20, 2020

For High Cholesterol, Familial Heterozygous "I'm 26 years old, have severe familial hypercholesterolemia. Was on ezetimibe for only 4 days in addition to Crestor 40 mg. Urine became brown, had horrible fatigue and pain in my legs and feet, plus a blocked nose. Have stopped taking it even though the benefit of this drug (in addition to statins) apparently outweighs the importance of my quality of life. Also, dark urine suggests liver or kidney problems, and I could tell the small amount of symptoms I had was only getting worse by the day. Will continue to search for an answer to my problem."

1 / 10
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24 Report
  • Lil...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • April 29, 2019

For High Cholesterol "After having a TIA (transient ischemic attack), I was put on Avandia, which works well. Now I've been given ezetimibe to go with it, and the pain in my legs hurts. Every night I'm tired with headaches all the time. Thinking of dropping it. PS I have swollen ankles too."

4 / 10
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29 Report

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