Zetia and Joint Pain: What Users Say

• Fre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2019

For High Cholesterol "I cannot take statins as they tank my depression. I am a disabled veteran and have had my depression under control for several years now. My general practitioner at the VA put me on Zetia for cholesterol. I took it for approximately 4 days. My depression got so bad that I stopped it today and notified my psychiatrist and my general practitioner that I was stopping it as of today. I spent the last two days crying because I felt so bad. I also was extremely tired, and my joints and muscles were hurting. This is just how the statins affected me. If you suffer from depression, run away from this drug as fast as you can!! It works very quickly and can catch you completely off guard!"

• Suz...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 20, 2019

For High Cholesterol "Started taking ezetimibe 7/17 to lower my high cholesterol. I developed sore joints and started belching, but didn’t relate this to the medication. In August, I noticed a large patch loss of pigment on the skin below my kneecaps. Then patches developed on my hands and feet. Within ten months, the pigment loss showed around my mouth. I then stopped the Zetia and the joint pain disappeared, I had no more belching and no more pigment loss. But then I had shingles. I have read that pigment loss and shingles result from a damaged immune system. As I am an otherwise healthy and active 65-year-old, and the fact that all of these symptoms occurred shortly after beginning this medication, I believe the ezetimibe damaged my immune system."

• Non...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 14, 2018

For High Cholesterol "I have tried statins to bring my cholesterol down but the side effects were unbearable! Have been on Zetia for a week and the side effects are insane. My muscles and joints hurt so bad I want to scream. My skin even burns! Give me high cholesterol over these medications and their side effects any day. I only hope they will go away!"

• Ter...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 29, 2016

For High Cholesterol "I was prescribed this drug after my liver decided it was going to show sensitivity to statins. I'm in tears right now. It's only been 4 days and I've been experiencing severe joint pain, muscle tenderness, chest pain, and now woken up by a night terror. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I can't take this drug anymore. It's frightening!"

• Red...
• May 31, 2017

For High Cholesterol "My efforts to take something other than Statin is Zetia! My liver enzymes spike with Statins along with fatigue, muscle weakness, and cramping, major confusion, and memory difficulty! Overall, my cholesterol is in the 300s, and I need to get it lowered, so Zetia is one of many I've tried and couldn't tolerate! Side effects for me are fatigue, chills, and flushing, then sweats! Muscle charlie horses, joint pain!"

• bob...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 17, 2020

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."