Pravastatin and Fatigue: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• November 29, 2011

For High Cholesterol "I took this medicine for about 3 years. About 6 months ago, my dosage was increased from 20 mg to 40 mg. At first, there were no problems. After a couple of months, I started having shortness of breath, chest pain, tremors, fatigue, and vomiting. I went to the ER with chest pains and shortness of breath. They could find nothing wrong with my heart. I was sent to a cardiologist to have Holter monitoring, echocardiogram, and stress test. Nothing. Had a pulmonary function test. Nothing. The pravastatin brought my cholesterol down to 177, so my doctor took me off of it to see if it made any difference with all my health problems. It did. Within 3 days, I was starting to feel better. Within a week, I was back to my old self again."

• Lee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 5, 2018

For High Cholesterol "Where to start! My whole body hurt. I'm 37 years old, feeling like I was trapped in a 90-year-old body. Bad headaches, lack of sleep, stinky urine, weight gain, fatigue, memory loss, crazy thoughts, tired every 30 minutes, breasts were very sore, and irritable to everything and everyone, but my loved ones forgave me once I stopped taking the medicine, lol. On the 4th day of not taking it, I broke out in a very bad sweat, and then I felt wonderful! Never again!"

• Aga...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 11, 2022

For High Cholesterol "Cholesterol was 4.2 when I started 10 mg Pravastatin, 1 tablet to be taken at night. Was on it 17 months. It gave me very severe pain on the right side of the back area, with a spacey feeling, insomnia, and very low sex drive. Also was causing my left leg to buckle when walking, with fatigue and very low energy causing me to feel generally unwell and unable to exercise. I am male with normal blood pressure and otherwise healthy and was walking 5 miles every day before the medicine. 10 mg Pravastatin was not effective at maintaining or lowering cholesterol, as it was 5 on a blood test. I stopped taking Pravastatin because of the side effects, and the right back pain took about 6 weeks to resolve. When the cholesterol was done again after being off the tablet for 6 weeks, the cholesterol was 4."

• Aga...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 11, 2022

For High Cholesterol "Cholesterol was 4.2 when I started 10 mg Pravastatin, 1 tablet to be taken at night. Was on it 17 months. It gave me very severe pain on the right side of the back area, with a spacey feeling, insomnia, and very low sex drive. Also was causing my left leg to buckle when walking, with fatigue and very low energy causing me to feel generally unwell and unable to exercise. I am male with normal blood pressure and otherwise healthy and was walking 5 miles every day before the medicine. 10 mg Pravastatin was not effective at maintaining or lowering cholesterol, as it was 5 on a blood test. I stopped taking Pravastatin because of the side effects, and the right back pain took about 6 weeks to resolve. When the cholesterol was done again after being off the tablet for 6 weeks, the cholesterol was 4."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 3, 2021

For High Cholesterol "On 10 mg pravastatin at night, it gave me lots of pain all over, especially the right side of my back. Also fatigue with no energy at all, also a spaced-out feeling with a low sex drive. Also not feeling well since being on this medication. Insomnia too. I stopped it 5 days ago and am beginning to feel better. Not sure if it's brought cholesterol down or not because I haven't had any blood tests done since being on this stuff over a year ago. Cholesterol was only 4.2 anyway before medication."

• Why...
• January 8, 2017

For High Cholesterol "Been scripted for various statins over the years, having to change from one to another due to side effects: muscle pain, increased glucose, blurred vision with aching eyes, fatigue, cognitive impairment, headaches, etc. Not sure of the time of onset of each symptom. Am being treated for seasonal affective disorder but am now thinking this is due to statins. Am now off statins and other than mild blurred vision, all symptoms have stopped."

• Ros...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 4, 2017

For High Cholesterol "After genuinely wanting to lower my cholesterol from 8, I tried yet again a statin for the fourth time. I halved this medication down to 10 mg per day. My GP wanted to increase, but knowing all statins give me muscle pain, I decided to keep the medication low. I noticed a lot of weight gain, increasing blood pressure, and a sense of lack of energy. I radically altered my diet. Everything, including cooking oil, all low-fat dairy, and extreme lean meats. Increased veggies and fruit. My BP went from 135/95 to 117/79 within 3 months. My cholesterol dropped to 6.5. Was it the pravastatin? Maybe, very low dose however. Discontinued use due to onset of worsening shoulder pain, left rib cage floating pain, and left neck. Pain was becoming chronic."