To answer all your questions, I also take Glucophage, Synthroid, antihistimines (when needed) and Black Cohosh (for hot flashes). I found a new doctor last spring who prescribed the Glucophage then later the Lipitor. She then took a fellowship and I got assigned to a PA who just wants to teach me to eat healthy. I'm now trying a glycemic index diet and have been pretty successful.

I had lost about 15 pounds and was really starting to feel good when she put me on the Lipitor. It's been a struggle since then just to exercise and I've only lost 5 more pounds.

My doctor has been taking blood tests and she says the cholesterol is rising even though I had taken red meat and most cheeses out of my diet. I haven't seen the results and will ask to see them on my next visit. My father has similar health problems and he never complained of muscle pain. The blood pressure medicine seems to bother him the most. I'm able to maintain a healthy blood pressure and have avoided that medication so far.

I've heard Zocor is much better and will ask her to prescribe that next. It may take a while to find one that works for me.

 

I've used Lipitor in the past and yes, it did cause muscle ache. I switched to Crestor and so far that has not caused the same side effect. The best part is it made my cholesterol levels so LOW that my doc cut the dosage in half and told me I could even indulge in the occasional order of Buffalo wings.

 

I spoke with my pharmacist today and she said that if you are having muscle pain to tell your doctor immediately and STOP taking the Lipitor, it is eating away at your muscles. She said you need to get you liver checked immediately too. She said most people that have the muscle reaction to Lipitor don't have the reaction to Zocor.

Also, and this is no joke, eat a bowl of REGULAR OLD FASHION (not the phony stuff) oatmeal every day. The REAL stuff. The container says "OLD FASHION." It really does help lower the bad cholesterol. One bowl a day. If you can't stand the taste, add a few raisins or Splenda brown sugar.

Keep us posted of your developments.

Peace,

 

I'm already eating the instant oatmeal and don't even know how to cook the old fashion kind. I guess I'll buy some and learn on the weekend. I really love oatmeal and often eat some at work as a mid-morning filler.

I'm heading out of town next week so I'll see the doctor when I get back. When I told her about the pain from the Lipitor, she wasn't very alarmed and said I'd be on cholesterol medicine the rest of my life. In other words, she was telling me to "get used to it". I'm going to keep trying new meds until I find one that works.

 

Lipitor is a 1.7 BILLION a year drug and depletes the body of CoQ10 that helps fight the diseases you are exposed to. Red yeast rice does the same thing with out the side effects. In the 10 years of statins drugs the rate of heart disease has not declined! Niacin burns cholesterol in the blood stream. No adverse side effects. I have been in the natural health field over 30 years! The higher the fiber in the diet the lower the bad cholesterol!!!! Take a very good CoQ10 and the leg pain will go away in 5 -6 days. Cheap junk goes straight through making costly urine.

 

Flax seed. Check this out. My wife and I have been eating this (ground up) in a lot of things we eat. It has great efffect on blood pressure and lowering cholesterol. It's all Natural and around here .48 cents a pound at the farm market. We grind it up in a coffee grinder for a weeks worth.

 

I've been on Zocor for many years now. I have not had any muscle aches with the drugs. I work out 3 times a week, mostly pain free....

 

I had taken Zocor for a few years but was changed to Lipitor 20 mg in 1999. In early 2000 my triglycerides were off the wall so I was increased to 40 mg. Everything came into line, no problems. Fall of 2000 I had my first heart attack. Lipitor was bumped up to 80 mg. Within a week I could hardly walk from the pain and my liver function tests were elevated. Was dropped back to 40 mg and never had another problem with the Lipitor. Following my second heart attack and stroke in 2004, I also had Zetia 10 mg added to the Lipitor. My cholesterol remains excellent! Total is 118, HDL is 52, LDL is in the 80's, and for the first time ever my triglycerides are below 200 at 102. Like so many in the same boat, I take a truckload of meds every day to keep things in line and remain pain free.

It's something you need to adjust to, but side effects from the statins can be awful. Ask your doc to drop the Lipitor and monitor your bloodwork.

 

Like alot of us "older" types, I've been pretty "creaky".I also take a whole fistfull of meds. I was on Zocor and suffered through alot of aches and pains, joint stiffness. About a year ago my doctor switched me to Vytorin and it made a pretty noticable difference. When crawling around the shop floor under a hot rod, at least I can get up under my own power! I guess everyone is different.

 

Will a drastic diet modification ever bring cholesterol back into line? Does cholesterol naturally increase as we age?