Zetia and Weakness: What Users Say

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 14, 2018

For High Cholesterol "I don’t know if Zetia is helping my high cholesterol since I have only been taking it three weeks and haven’t had the follow-up lab work yet, but I am getting ready to discontinue it on my own. My main complaint is extreme fatigue to the point where I feel like I need to lay down after quick outings. My blood pressure has dropped, and I have started taking a half dose of my blood pressure medication and a half pill of the Zetia. Still, I’m tired and find myself short of breath after moving around or even while talking sometimes. I just generally feel bad and weak, but I can’t tolerate statins. I was hoping this would work, but it doesn’t look like it."

• MJR...
• January 29, 2017

For High Cholesterol "If you are starting to belch while on this medicine, stop taking it, because it is starting to cause stomach inflammation, which is gastritis. This medicine caused muscle atrophy, dry eye, runny nose, anxiety, foot and calf cramping, sweating, sinus and stomach inflammation. I have been dealing with the gastritis, never had any stomach issues in my life until Zetia. I believe the drug companies are not telling people about all the side effects because they know not everyone gets every side effect, but believe me, this is a dangerous medicine. I have gone from 150 lbs with a lot of muscle, I went to the gym, lifted, and ran 3 to 4 miles a week. Now I'm about 118 lbs and still suffering 8, almost 9 months later."

• Pet...
• June 11, 2017

For High Cholesterol "I am 66 and have been taking Zetia 10 for nearly 5 years now. I had previously taken Zocor, Mevacor, and Crestor consecutively over a period of about 15 years, each giving me severe muscle pain in my feet and legs. At one point, the pain in my arches was so bad that one doctor diagnosed the problem as plantar fasciitis and recommended surgery. That's when I stopped taking any statins and within a couple of months, the pain was completely gone. When I started taking Zetia, I saw no adverse side effects and my bad cholesterol went down a little. About a year ago, I started having pain and weakness in my legs when standing up or climbing stairs. Now, I have pain in my left calf and heel and occasionally in my left arm, shoulder, and back."

• 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."

• ahi...
• September 8, 2015

For High Cholesterol "I experienced severe abdominal cramps and pain, as well as diarrhea. I also experienced weakness and fatigue. I could not tolerate the drug, so I do not know if it had any effect on my cholesterol."