Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Atorvastatin side effects

57 Male never on medication and gym rat. I have been on Atorvastatin 40mg since middle of March. It was prescribed by my cardiologist for slightly high cholesterol level 225. Along with BP Med Losartan 50mg.
All of this started when I wasn't feeling very well one day in February and went to outpatient clinic. Since then I've had a heart monitor, CT scan of heart and angiogram. All normal except angiogram showed one 70% blockage. Cardiologist decided no stent and to treated with the 2 meds.
3 months later did blood work and cholesterol level was down to 137. YEA!.... But since then I have progressively felt worse.
I'm extremely tired all day, I'm on off dizzy, my forearms tingle on and off and my right Palm is numb from wrist to finger. I've seen a neurologist who did an MRI on my head, it came back negative.
ER visit three weeks ago showed nothing wrong with me even after three chest x-rays and full blood work.  

So question is could the Atorvastatin have side effects to make me feel the way I'm feeling?
9 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Tbd
kmrindraExternal User
I read that statins do not increase life span. Even though they decrease cholesterol, they do not reduce the risk of death in normal people.
Liver produces cholesterol for a reason. Cholesterol is needed for many vital body functions.
Statins have many side effects. Increased risk of Diabetes, Liver damage, muscle pain - just to name a few.
Helpful - 0
Tbd
Iris600External User
yes
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
There is s John Hopkins preventative medicine MD on YouTube called Ford Brewer. He found he has heart disease, well worth watching his videos.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I'll check it out
15695260 tn?1549593113
Generally, Lipitor or Atorvastatin is well tolerated by most people who take it. I would not suspect that what you are experiencing is in any way related to your previous use of Atorvastatin especially given the amount of time since you discontinued it. We do hope you didn't discontinue based on advice from members of this forum.    Decisions like that should be made ONLY through the help of your physician.  

Here is a side effect list for this medication: https://www.rxlist.com/lipitor-side-effects-drug-center.htm.  Again, most tolerate it very well and it has a high efficacy rate for controlling cholesterol.  

Some of what you describe could be related to anxiety.  Has this avenue of your health been explored? We wish you the very best
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
Thanks for the input. I discussed stopping my med with both cardiologist and GP. Based on my discussions with both, we decided to watch diet and recheck blood after 3 months.
   As I stated, the strict diet didn't work. I'm back on med and exploring other options on why I'm feeling this way.
Keep in mind your diet only affects about 10% of your lipid profile. If your LDL is 200, the best you could hope to get it to would be around 180 on diet alone in most cases which is why meds are almost always necessary at that rate. You can also consider a different statin, for example Simvastatin tends to have fewer reported cases of side effects but is just about as effective.
Avatar universal
Update.... So I finally got the insurance company to okay an MRI on my neck and spine. I go for it on Friday.

After being off my cholesterol medicine for 2 1/2 months, watching what I ate, no red meat, 99%ground chicken and turkey, high fiber, low-fat, low-carb, my cholesterol level went back up to 212. The good news is I lost 15 lb.

Cardiologist put me back on my meds, which I understood why.

I have also had a sleep apnea test. Nothing wrong there either.

Gone to dentist and they have worked my teeth over.

Still happening...My hands and fingers are always cold, my upper arms on both sides feel like pins and needles, my left eye seems to water quite a bit, nothing on my right eye, I have on and off pain on right side breast. It is located towards the Sturm but lower. Cardiologist and GP both say not heart and it is costochodist.(sp) I've had a few bouts of pain from my right side back of head traveling up the right side to my temple with a sharp pain.

I'm still tired. Sleep about 9 hours a night and collapse on couch when I get off work.

Just thought I'd update everyone. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
Perhaps you could look at your environment.
Are there any 5G cell towers near you.
Do you sleep with the mobile phone beside the bed.?
See if you can get an EMF reading from somewhere. Check your home environment mainly. Smart meters and WiFi routers are more prevalent now.
Just a thought.
New technologies and increased electric activity in our homes can cause these types of symptoms.
I’m not a professional but think you should have a look at that angle.
Good luck.
Thank you for your input. That is excellent information.  We hope you come back to help our members.
159619 tn?1707018272
COMMUNITY LEADER
First off let me be clear, I've been working with statin users for many, many years and what you're hearing from TheLightSeeker is pure and simple scare mongering. It is unethical and against forum rules to give any medical advice or discourage anyone from taking a drug prescribed by a doctor, period. None of us have an MD behind our name and most people who take that position are Internet power users.

You symptoms are much more likely to be caused by the lorsartan. I too am a  gym rat and I was unable to be on lorsartan due to the same symptoms. Fortunately there are many BP meds to choose from, for me the best choice is Benicar as it works in a completely different manner and does not slow the heart.

As far as the statins go, the rate of side effects are so very low and your symptoms are not typical for statin related side effects. There are also many statins on the market, I had to switch to Simvistatin and I've been on it for 15 years without any issues. It's all about risk versus benefit and the statin scare mongers will twist and cherry pick data to make a point. This is a conversation to be had between you and your prescribing doctor, they know the risks. The fact that you have a 70% blockage at your age is significant, it only takes on occluded artery to kill you. That alone is the reason you should be on a statin. Also, CoQ10 has been prove ineffective in cases such as yours, it just makes for expensive urine.

I would be happy to talk to you off line if it would help.
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
Thanks for your input. As with all forums I always look at all sides before I do anything. I have posted this similar issue on multiple forums and had a lot of different opinions. I've researched and researched everybody's comment of what had worked for them and what didn't work for them. I took all those results to my cardiologist and GP.

I talked to my cardiologist and to my GP about all the symptoms and everything I have heard from all the forums. So far my cardiologist has taken me off the Statin for 3 months. I'm watching what I'm eating, low-fat, good fats and watching my carbs and eating healthier now than I ever have.

Trust me that when one for two people say something that works for them doesn't mean it's going to work for everybody. That's why I talk to my doctors before I do any changes in my lifestyle
Good to hear. One thought, watching what you eat only affects about 10% of your total serum cholesterol. High cholesterol  is more about how your body creates and eliminates LDL, not so much how healthy you eat. That's why the meds are so important, they work on that 90% that won't be altered by watching one's diet.
Avatar universal
Tried to get a neck/ spine MRI. Still feeling pretty crappy. Well, insurance denied my neck MRI. Dr said either a neurologist again or orthopedic. I asked the doctor for another referral to a different neurologist and he's going to try to get me into somewhere else. The first neurologist only did a head  MRI. It was negative and I was told to come back in 3 months and we will see if I'm better.
I still have dizziness and both forearms and hands are tingling. Even after  talking my cardiologist into taking me off my Statin. I go see him next week to see how I'm doing.
Can't say if being off the statin is doing anything but I do have brief moments that I feel normal again. I'm eating a very if not no fat no cholesterol diet.

Will keep you posted
Helpful - 0
3 Comments
Thank you for your response. I have been trying hard to stay at little or no sat fat and only having the good fat( mono and poly) for the last two weeks. I haven't paid attention to the vitamins yet. I have an appointment with cardiologist on Thursday so I'm sure he will talk to me about it.
They do have a dietitian on staff that I hope to talk to also.
Didn't know about the Losartan causing the dizziness. Good to know.
   Thanks again
statinfail02External User
I still have numbness and tingling in several toes more than 6 months after stopping my statins.
So far after 3 weeks being off of the statins my hands and forearms still tingle.

If it continues on this way I might see about asking my cardiologists to maybe changing the BP medicine.

I never thought that the BP med could be the problem until this forum.
Avatar universal
I called my cardiologist 2 days ago and he finally got back to me today. He suggested to stop the statiin And give it a week to see how I feel. So hopefully by the middle of next week I'll have good news.
Helpful - 0
1530171 tn?1448129593
Let me clear the air before I make any comments.
I am against statins!
Mortality from ALL causes is  Higher in people with LOW cholesterol.
It is my educated opinion that  with such low cholesterol as yours you will likely have serious issues.
Low cholesterol affects neurological and cognitive functions among others, since these functions are  cholesterol dependent.
In the end you may be a victim of iatrogenic disease.
If I were you, I would look into more natural ways of  widening and softening your arteries (search under nitric oxide, citrulline, arginine)  This will  elimiminate the need for the blood pressure meds as well.
Staying on Statins, with such low cholesterol  is a catastrophic decision to my opinion.
You may be at risk of unnecessary  complications and higher mortality!
Reduce inflammatory factors, take a lot of anti-oxidants, lower stress and  optimize your  nutrition.
Consume healthy oils like olive oil, coconut oil (don't listen to the saturated fat myth/propaganda), avocado etc.
Coconut oil has some of the most powerful medicinal properties and it  it replaces artery damaging carbs (  responsible for the  most dangerous  type of cholesterol )  for  energy demands, without any insulin load and NO oxidation!
Your Co-Q10 is likely depleted (causing fatigue and weakness among other symptoms) because of the statins, so taking Ubiquinol  Co-Q10 might be needed.
Please don't rely on my opinion only!
Do search on your own and take charge of your life!  
You did not mention the 2nd blood pressure drug, but regardless, you would not need it (nor its side effects) if you were to lower your BP naturally as I mentioned above.
Include moderate daily activity daily as well like brisk walks .
Best wishes,
Niko
Helpful - 0
3 Comments
Thanks for your input. My BP Med is Losartan 50mg once a day along with a baby aspirin. BP at Dr Thursday was 122/68. In February it was 159/109
I'm going to try to replenish my system with coq10. Maybe that will help my dizziness and my extreme fatigue. Only question I have about it if you can answer is when's the best time to take it? I'm going to take 100 mg.
It is unethical and against forum rules to discourage the use of a prescribed medicine, please limit your statements to your experiences without making discouraging comments to another forum member.
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Cholesterol Community

Top Heart Disease Answerers
159619 tn?1707018272
Salt Lake City, UT
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.