Sex: F
Age: 49.0
Side effects: I started taking Lipitor in Dec 2009. Experienced some leg muscle discomfort, but went away within a few weeks. In June, I ran out of my prescription, was busy, forgetful, stupid and didn't request a refill until about 2 weeks later. It took another week to get the prescription because I had switched doctors and the pharmacy didn't follow up. Anyway, after 3 weeks or so of not taking Lipitor, I started it again. Now a week later, I feel like I've been run over by a truck. I started having extreme muscle discomfort, achiness, cramps. I assumed it was due to my half-marathon training. I ran five miles last Saturday and expected to be sore for a day. But it has continued and gotten worse each day. I also started have muscle aches in my neck and shoulders and lower back. I couldn't figure out why. I also have felt extremely fatigued and people are telling me I look really tired and asking if I'm ok. I feel like I'm in a fog and it's a chore to just walk around. Last night right
Time taken and dosage: 7 months20MG 1X D
Review:

Sex: F
Age: 67.0
Side effects: In last 6 month, calf of left leg began to "burn" Nothing will stop it. Now, severe cramping.Also have tinnitis, headaches, cannot get to sleep on my own, Just had surgery on my knee for torn maniscus, waiting to have shoulder surgery on rotator cuff, arthritis......
Time taken and dosage: 10 years60 mg 1X D
Review: I do not know if its the LIPITOR that is doing it. My doctor only increased my dosage to 60 from 40 about 3 months ago.....can we quit this med cold turkey?I have had a Myocardial Infarction in '98, have 2 stents implants, and need the med to keep my chol at least within reason, although obviously its NOT doing its job, or med would not have been increased.

Sex: M
Age: 49.0
Side effects: Cramps in my feet, pain in the lower part of my knees, fatigue, mental fog.
Time taken and dosage: 3 years10 1X D
Review: During the three years that I was taking Lipitor, my cholesterol averaged as follows (n = 5) all units mg/dL: Total Cholesterol - 140 HDL - 38 LDL - 74 Triglycerides - 139 Total/HDL Ratio - 3.67 After stopping Lipitor and all other statins in 2010: Total Cholesterol - 218 HDL - 34 LDL - 184 Triglycerides - 167 Total/HDL ratio - 6.4 After switching to 10 mg Simvistatin: Total Cholesterol - 136 HDL - 38 LDL - 70 Triglycerides - 138 Total/HDL ratio - 3.58 I take 1/2 of a 20 mg generic Simvistatin pill daily. Very little side effects, cheaper, and does the same job as Lipitor.

Sex: F
Age: 51.0
Side effects: Back, hip thigh, knee pain, which is affecting my gait. Memory loss. I almost forgot(did I say memory loss?)...fatigue. As the dose increases the pain has worsened.
Time taken and dosage: 13 years80 1X D
Review: I have been on Lipitor for probably 10 yrs. Have tried nearly all statins with similar side effects. 10 mg no real side effects, no real benefits either; 40 mgs- fatigue, muscle aches but able to tolerate it though not happy and still no appreciable change in cholesterol. now on 80 mg and feeling extremely uncomfortable. Why am I on 80 mg? because the insurance company required a trial at this high level, before I can switch to an alternative and reduce the dose back to 40 mg. Since when did the insurance company go to med school so they can dictate what I should be on. sorry for the rant.

Sex:
Age: 60.0
Side effects: I am a physician. I have been on simvastatin, pravastatin, and now atorvastatin. My joint pains are severe and I have developed a dys-motility, irritable bowel syndrome of the sigmoid area and descending colon with obstipation and constipation that is very bothersome. Cannot take statins and I agree with most other comments of patients on fatigue and joint pain and short term memory dysfunction.
Time taken and dosage: 5 years 1X D
Review:

Sex: F
Age: 61.0
Side effects: At the beginning I did not had any side effects, until a few months after start taking Lipitor I experienced pain in the lower legs, sometimes I could not even walk in the mornings my muscles were very stiff. After consulting with my doctor he told me to stop taking Lipitor until the pain went away and to start taking it after the pain was gone. I followed the doctor's order. After a few more months of taking Lipitor I began to develop severe pain in the muscles in the shoulder area, upper back and neck, the pain and stiffness of my neck was so bad that sometimes I couldn't even turn my head when I was driving. I went to my doctor and she thought it was stress. I took off work for a month and during this time I tried to relax and the pain did not go away. I decided to be off Lipitor on my own and within a couple of weeks, the pain and stiffness from the neck and pain in the shoulder and back is going away, I feel much better now that I am not taking Lipitor.
Time taken and dosage: 2 years20mg 1X D
Review: I do not think I will take Lipitor ever again, the problems that have been causing me are too much to risk my health again. I will look for alternatives ways of reducing my collesterol.

Sex: F
Age: 58.0
Side effects: No side effects but greatly lowered my cholesterol.
Time taken and dosage: 2 years10 mg 1X D
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 66.0
Side effects: I started taking Lipitor in December 2009 and stopped after 4 months. During this time I experienced extreme pain in both shoulders, sometimes in the neck also, causing me to wake several times each night. Pain was worse in the morning but rarely went away completely during the day. Most mornings it was impossible to wash my hair in the shower as I was unable to reach the top of my head with my hands. Pain and restricted movement often prevented me from putting on shoes and socks without assistance. In January this year I started experiencing discomfort in my left hand for the first time. Now in both hands, the pain has increased, fingers are swollen and movement is restricted. My wife tells me my hands are warm to touch. The mornings are worse when they hurt the most, movement is restricted and it is impossible to make a fist. Ice and ibruprofen gel help but only for a short while. I have been taking 400 mg Ibruprofen 3 times daily for a couple of weeks on my doctors advice without
Time taken and dosage: 4 months20 MG 1X D
Review: This drug is clearly POISON to so many people and perhaps there is good reason to take Pfizer to the courts. However I do believe that any Doctor prescribing Lipitor should make it abundantly clear to the patient that very serious consequences could ensue that would cause extreme pain and could effect quality of life. I believe that failure to do so is a serious deriliction of duty that should be tested with complaints to the medical authorities that oversee our doctors and/or the courts.

Sex: M
Age: 62.0
Side effects: I did not experience any of the myriad of possible side effects of the drug
Time taken and dosage: 5 years40mg 1X D
Review:

Sex: F
Age: 67.0
Side effects: Sudden onset of extreme weakness and fatigue. I got up one morning and could barely walk across the room. I stopped taking the drug and the symptoms disappeared
Time taken and dosage: 1 weeks10 MG 1X D
Review:

Sex: F
Age: 68.0
Side effects: Muscle pain, leg cramps, fatigue, irritable, pain in feet, neuropathy
Time taken and dosage: 3 years 1X D
Review: I have stopped this medication a couple of times and my doctor keeps insisting I take it, rather then alternative medications.I'm getting off of this stuff after reading so many people are having similiar side-effects. Doctors need this information!

Sex: M
Age: 59.0
Side effects: pain all over my body. aches and overall misery
Time taken and dosage: 6 months30 mg 2X D
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 41.0
Side effects: stiff upper leg, quad area.some chest pain left side.not for me.called my pharma said usualy these side effects in 1-2 weeks.
Time taken and dosage: 2 days10 mg 1X D
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 63.0
Side effects:
Time taken and dosage: 10 years80 1X D
Review: No side effects. lowered LDl by over 50%. itis now under 70

Sex: M
Age: 74.0
Side effects: none
Time taken and dosage: 3 years20 mg 1X D
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 52.0
Side effects: muscle pain, fatigue, swollen tongue
Time taken and dosage: 24 days40 MG 1X D
Review: Was on Simvastatin for 1 year with slight decrease in ratio, then Inergy with increasing skin itchiness after 8 weeks, then Lipitor for 24 days.

Sex: M
Age: 50.0
Side effects: Mild muscle pain and burning. My symptoms grew dramatically worse after adding Tricor 145mg on advice of physician.
Time taken and dosage: 8 years10mg 1X D
Review: Took Lipitor for about 8 years to reduce cholesterol from 240 to 160. On advice of physician added Tricor 145mg to reduce trigycerides from 330. Combination was very effective - cholesterol to 140, triglycerides to 150. Side effects increased noticeably a few months after starting tricor. About 4 months after starting tricor, spent a day of heavy physical exertion (shoveling snow). Immediately afterward side effects increased dramatically, severe muscle pain, burning, cramps, exhaustion, mild nausea, inability to concentrate. After two weeks of decline, contacted physician, who directed me to stop both medications. One week after cessation and I am starting to feel a little better. Belatedly reading on the web about this combination (I was never informed that physical exertion can bring on these side effects) I recommend extreme caution with this combination.

Sex: F
Age: 76.0
Side effects: none
Time taken and dosage: 15 years80mg 1X D
Review: I was on Pravachol for about 10 years without any significant reduction in my total cholesterol. Was switched to Lipitor 40mg initially with fair results and then to 80mg with excellent results. My present total cholesterol is 160, HDL, LDL and ratios are all acceptable. Have noticed no side effects. My only complaint with the drug is the cost and the fact that Pzier has not allowed the generic to be manufactured in the USA until 2012 and yet it is available this year in the UK as a generic.

Sex: M
Age: 48.0
Side effects: The drug worked well to lower my cholestorol from 8.5 to 3. Of late I have ben getting pain on the sole of my feet and find it dificult to stand or walk for too long. Hands are also tender and tingle, Often forgetful and tired to point of lacking energy to exercise. Lack libido. I also feel hot and am more sensitive to sunlight. After reading similar comments, I am off to see my doctor to change medication.
Time taken and dosage: 3 years80 mg 1X D
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 48.0
Side effects: impotence
Time taken and dosage: 1 years
Review:

Sex: F
Age: 48.0
Side effects: Pain in joints and muscles, including knees, ankles feet wrist shoulders and elbows. Unable to even climb 1 flight of stairs. Weight gain (due to no activity from pain?) Headaches, fatigue, confusion and memory loss. Uncontrollable gas and diarrhea as well as a burning in my stomach.
Time taken and dosage: 14 months
Review: Dr. never mentioned stopping medication. Just physical therapy and pain medication.

Sex: F
Age: 55.0
Side effects: unexplained cough. Doctors was unaware of this being a side effect of the drug. I stopped using it 3 days ago and the cough is gone. Last week, also stopped for two days and the cough stopped. Each time I go back to taking Lipitor, I begin to cough heavily.
Time taken and dosage: 3 years
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 45.0
Side effects: Aches and pains, breathing difficulties, panic attacks, stength and stamina destroyed, palpatations, strong tingling in one hand, some tinititis and occassional ear aches.
Time taken and dosage: 5 years
Review: Have mentioned symptoms as they appeared to my doctor only to be prescribed zorloft for depression and anxiety and noten for heart palpatations. This in turn has seriously upset my stomach which the doctor prescribed yet another drug for. 40 mg dose Lipitor worked well in reducing my overall cholesterol levels; which are high in my family. The last 6 months of my life have been a health nightmare. I was a fit, strong and very active person 5 years ago. Now I am struggling walking too far and functioning in general. I have only been off lipitor for 2 weeks so time will tell if lipitor is to blame for my deteriorated health; winding down on the noten and zorloft as well. I am trying the VitC, CoQ10 and omega 3 path.

Sex: F
Age: 65.0
Side effects: none
Time taken and dosage: 15 years
Review: I recommend Lipitor and it has worked well for me for over 15 years.

Sex: F
Age: 62.0
Side effects: dosage was increased from 10 to 20 mg and the tingling and numbness in my feet and shins escalated. I even went to a podiatrist because my toes ached and my feet hurt. I've tried simvastatin, provastatin, and lovastatin. Each time the side effects return. I can't even sleep at night because of the sensations of tingling in my legs and feet. No more statins for me. Does anyone else have the pain in their toes, feet and shins?
Time taken and dosage: 4 years
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 47.0
Side effects: muscle wasting in the shoulders and arms,nerve problems in shoulder , fatigue and very sensative to the cold.
Time taken and dosage: 5 years
Review: started on 10mg raised to 20.numbers are great with the bloods but symtoms gradually got worse.ive just stopped taking them,going to start high dose fish oil,coenzyme10,vit c and alpha lipoic acid and see what the next bloods say,please note other meds were taken at the same time as the lipitor- ramipril and metoptolol &acid reducers for gout,so anybodies guess?

Sex: M
Age: 49.0
Side effects: Brain fog and decreased cognitive skills.
Time taken and dosage: 8 years
Review: Does wonders for reducing LDL Cholestrol. Short term memory and brain fog were brutal. Since I also have anxiety issues, I was not sure if Lipitor caused side effects. Stopped liptor and improved diet and memory improved.

Sex: M
Age: 54.0
Side effects: Short term memory affected, loss of concentration levels, Dizzy, hightened Anxiety Levels,generaly feeling unwell like walking in a daze (Zombie like) Weakness in Leg Muscles. All of these where a gradual onset over time making it harder to identify the course
Time taken and dosage: 3 years
Review: Terrible Medication! Ruined me every day quality of life! I was not surprised that many People reported similar and worst effects.Stay off it and find some other means to controll your cholesterol if you can. Big Money spinner for Lipitor who m ake Billions from it each year and it is making People quite sick. Naturepath for my options.

Sex: M
Age: 47.0
Side effects: Severe leg pain and weakness, muscle cramps in legs, feet, arms, ribs, face.
Time taken and dosage: 12 months
Review: I went from being a normal, active 46 year old male doing my job and normal activities of life until taking Lipitor. I took 20mg. for approximately 1 year, then started noticing the muscle problems so I discontinued it. That was about a year ago and I am still having severe pain and weakness in my muscles, especially the legs. I can barely make it up one flight of stairs to get to my office at work. Have no social activities now, can't even stand to fish anymore. I regret the day I ever took a statin drug and will warn everyone I talk to about the devastating effects of these drugs.

Sex: M
Age: 26.0
Side effects: sudden onset severe depression
Time taken and dosage: 8 months
Review: It worked very well the first time it was prescribed and I lost 20 pounds using it with exercise and diet. When this medication was combined with a SSRI it failed to reduce my HDL cholesterol in a meaningful amount and it caused intense anxiety attacks and short periods of intense depression.

Sex: M
Age: 66.0
Side effects: Initially there were no side effects. It took the better part of two years for them to start appearing. During that time, my "numbers" were doing great! But then, very gradually, things began to change. Fatigue was the first symptom for me. It hit hard! I was retireing at 9PM when it used to be 11:30. Then the muscle and joint pain kicked in. I felt much older than I was. My family noticed the short term memory loss before I did. It was very embarrasing for me. The blisterey rash on my arms and legs had me concerned even more. What was wrong with me? Is this what old age(62) should normally bring? When my vision became blurry, I started my search. That was in June of 2007. By August 07, I was off Lipitor for good. My cardiologist tried various substitutes without luck until we got to Simivastatin which seemed to work without the side effects.
Time taken and dosage: 2.5 years
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 52.0
Side effects: muscle aches in legs
Time taken and dosage: 6 days
Review: I tried 10mg a day for 6 days but developed muscle pain in legs. Doctor is now putting me on 10mg once a week to see if I can "tolerate" that dosage. Thanks to all you guys for a heads-up on what can happen with this drug as it is nice not to be blindsided by the medical community. Thanks again to everybody who posts here!!

Sex: M
Age: 60.0
Side effects: headache, insomnia,sore hip(tightIT band), depression
Time taken and dosage: 8 months
Review: had to stop taking it too many side affects, lowerd my cholesterol nicely but made me miserable with each passing month.

Sex: F
Age: 45.0
Side effects: Severe foot pain.
Time taken and dosage: 2 weeks
Review:

Sex: F
Age: 43.0
Side effects: This med worked wonders for me.Am only gratefull to the pharmaceutical company that makes it.My lipids are at normal level in the past 2 H1C tests.As adiabetic you are at higher risk for stroke and heart attack so taking Lipitor defininitely lowers the risk.No side effects.
Time taken and dosage: 8 months
Review: Expensive medicine but luckily my insurance covers it.

Sex: M
Age: 57.0
Side effects: Congestion, cough, elbows burning, right heel pain, loss of concentration.
Time taken and dosage: 5 years
Review: I initially couldn't tell I was taking it. About two years ago I started waking up with significant congestion with clear phlem. Chest xray was clear. My doctor suspected allergies. Having 2 pets that seemed reasonable. About a year ago my elbows would burn like fire at times when I rested my arms on a surface. This would come and go. I also began having trouble focusing while reading and would skip around. Two months ago my right heel became painful for no reason. The more I walked on it the worse it felt. I switched shoes with no change. It hurt enough that I began to worry I might end up on disability if it got much worse. I was recently out of state for two weeks and still had congestion in spite of being in a totally different environment. That was when I suspected the Lipitor and did some research on line and saw matches with all of my symptoms. I immediately stopped it and the next morning the congestion was 80% less. I saw my doctor who agreed I need to stop it. He explained that there are a lot of side affects and there is no way to predict who will get which ones or when they will develop. The blood tests give a false sense of security since the results (like mine) can be normal yet other serious issues can develop.

Sex: F
Age: 56.0
Side effects: Dizziness,falls,poor memory,loss of fine motor skills,stiffness in legs, sore feet
Time taken and dosage: 5 years
Review: I began having falls shortly after starting lipitor approx 5years ago.Had an EEG at that time with no abnormalities. Had another EEG 6months ago with Frontal Lobe abnormalities which I suspect is due to Lipitor. Started on 20mg and progressed to 80mg

Sex: F
Age: 49.0
Side effects: pain in my legs,loss of sense of smell,increase appetite,headaches,extreme fatigued,tingling in my arms and legs
Time taken and dosage: 3 weeks
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 53.0
Side effects: Swollen and stiff knees and elbows, mental distress, others that I am now only becoming aware of after reading many of these others testimonials
Time taken and dosage: 2 days
Review: After being on Lipitor for 2 years my knees and elbows were getting increasingly stiff and sore. I'm a painter by trade and largely attributed it to over use of my joints. Repetitive stress syndrome. I went to my doctor, he sent me to an arthritis specialist, I had x-rays...nothing was found. I felt like an old (older) man during this period, I thought I was finished in terms of my trade and the things I enjoy most, like hiking. My prescription of lipitor ran out a few months after these tests were done. I didn't bother refilling it right away and noticed my knees and elbows felt better. I renewed the prescription and no sooner had I started taking it again that I felt the stiff joints return. So I stopped taking it, the stiffness goes away, started again, stiffness returns. After telling my doctor this story, right away he says "oh yeah, that's probably right" Pardon!? So why didn't you mention that possibility before all the tests? (luckily since I live in Canada, these tests were all covered by our health care system) I didn't make the connection to lipitor earlier because stiff, swollen joints were not listed as one of the side effects. Sore muscles yes, stiff swollen joints, no. I can see the class action suits coming against Pfizer.

Sex: F
Age: 55.0
Side effects: Was put on lipitor 3 months ago because of high cholesteral. Took for a month and seemed to have problems with feet, etc but kept taking. I had tests done after a month. My doctor sent a letter and said to cut the dose in half for a month and have tests again. After my second set of tests she called me and told me to go off completely. She said she realized that my cholesteral would go back up, but CPK is of concern. Was raised to mid 200's. After a month I went in and of course my cholesteral was back up and my CPK level was elevated to over 500. Now am having another blood test a week later. Not sure what it will show but I feel horrible. Tingly hands, terrible musche aches. She told me "no excercise" until we determine what the problem is with CPK level. My husband said my face looks puffy. My eyes hurt all the time. I look sickly. This is horrible. Never again! DON'T TAKE THIS!!!!!!!
Time taken and dosage: 2 months
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 53.0
Side effects: Muscle/joint pains, gastric upsets, insomnia, memory loss, anxiety, frozen shoulder ..... to name but a few.
Time taken and dosage: 6 years
Review: The medical profession should be made to advise patients more about the side-effects. Spotting them early can mean the difference between swift resolution or a lifetime of misery.

Sex: F
Age: 60.0
Side effects: muscle pain in back; insomnia
Time taken and dosage: 9 days
Review: muscles on the sides of my back were constantly painful; I could not sleep even with ambien and melatonin. I only took it 9 days and it took a week for symptoms to gradually disappear

Sex: F
Age: 48.0
Side effects: Extreme tiredness, dizziness, memory loss, moody
Time taken and dosage: 2 years
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 72.0
Side effects: leg pain, loss of memory, loss of libido and lack of sleep.
Time taken and dosage: 6 days
Review:

Sex: M
Age: 72.0
Side effects: Leg pains, loss of memory, E.D. and sleep loss.
Time taken and dosage: 4 months
Review: I was never told of these possible side effects

Sex: M
Age: 75.0
Side effects: I am the advocate for my father who took this drug for 8 months before he passed from an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2005. The patient data is reported for him by me. Briefly, my research during my advocacy efforts during his illness indicated that this drug may have contributed to the onset of his particular form of brain cancer (glial cell related cancer). That cancer was diagnosed 6 months after his initial Rx for Lipitor -- he died 2 months after his initial cancer diagnosis. There were no warning signs, deterioration was very fast and debilitating -- he was a "model" totally healthy individual by conventional medical standards.
Time taken and dosage: 8 months
Review: My father was vibrant and could work any teen into the ground for a 75 year old, had great cholesterol numbers, but he was a cardiac patient. He and the cardiologist agreed to go to Lipitor to see if they could drive LDL below 100 (his lipid profile was very, very good by usual medical standards). I will say that there was no way any doctor could have known this would happen (my research showed that Lipitor could contribute to this cancer with prior risk factors for it which would have to have been environmental exposure and from what I know of my father's work history experience), but it would help if conventional medicine would listen to patients and their families about experiences that we all are reporting in places such as this. My father could not speak for himself as his form of brain cancer was so aggressive that he went from a totally normal guy walking with a cane from initial neurological damage at inital dx for brain cancer to bedridden, unable to speak, feed himself, do anything for himself in 10 days. Don't know if this will really help anybody -- but just please be cautious with Rx medicines and advocate for yourself; you may not know everthing, but you do know best about what you are experiencing with these Rxs.....keep doing your research, tell your doctor anything you find relevent about your life as it relates to Rxs you are given, and advocate hard for your quality of life.

Sex: M
Age: 61.0
Side effects: None for three years, then bam! Toes became so painful I couldn't stand it, as did leg neuropathy.
Time taken and dosage: 3 years
Review: Lipitor made my cholesterol numbers improve greatly for three years. But alas, the side effects finally showed up with a vengeance, and I can no longer take Lipitor.

Sex: F
Age: 60.0
Side effects: pain!!!!! I felt like I had sever arthritic condition. even tried two times per week with same results.
Time taken and dosage: 4 months
Review: tried other statins with same side effect . presently on crestor one time per week with occasional side effect of mild pain. MD said one time a week can be very effective for patients that have reaction to statins. Have not had bloodwork as yet to see if helped

Sex: M
Age: 49.0
Side effects: Severe pain in my calf muscles in my legs started about 7 months after taking the drug. My doctor kept me on it and insisted this was a common side effect. I complained for several months and then he switched me to another drug (Crestor) and the problems persisted. He then switched me to (Zochor). Finally I informed my doctor the pain was too severe and I was stopping as I found I could not even walk in the morning! The cramps persisted for months and then I tore a tendon in my ankle and months later my knee. I have had surgery but to no avail. I still have some form of pain daily. Before Lipitor I was in excellent shape and exercised regularly with no issues at all. I have never been the same. By the way 10Mg of Lipitor lowered my cholesterol 100 points but it was not worth it. This drug ruined my life!
Time taken and dosage: 10 months
Review: Stop taking at first sign of muscle pain!

Sex: M
Age: 62.0
Side effects: Taking 10 mg. and experiencing pain in feet and legs, including terrible leg cramps. Also have difficulty sleeping, occasional headaches and fatigue. Sex drive has decreased too. Wondering if the benefits are worth putting up with all of this.
Time taken and dosage: 1 years
Review: Cholesterol dropped from 225 to 145, but will ask doctor for an alternative.