Atorvastatin Lipitol - Muscle pains weakness

Others may have better guidance on whether low carbing affects Lipitor - I take this statin but don't low carb. What I do know is that many people who take statins complain of muscle pain and stiffness, my father amongst them although I haven't particularly noticed any problems. He is on Pravastatin and was previously on simvastatin, both of which he says have caused him stiffness - on the other hand, he is nearly 80!!! :lol:

I'm a low carber (between 40 & 60 grammes a day) and have tried both simvastatin and atorvastatin, both gave me lasting pains ... I have reduced my cholesterol to significantly lower levels by reducing my carbs/

Hope you find the answers you need xox

Hi Carol,
Unfortunately one of the side effects that some people experience with atorvastatin (Lipitor) is muscle pain, which can be quite severe. The side effects are also made worse by a chemical that is found in grapefruit juice. Your mother doesn't eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice by any chance does she?

I was put on simvastatin to try to reduce my chol from 5+ to below 4.

The development of problems/side effects was insidious, as I was taking them for about 18 months. The first effect was what I thought was leg cramps, & I started sleeping with a pillow under my knees. (I sleep on my back.) When I woke up & stretched (like Bagpuss) I had nasty cramps. Then intense pain in my thigh started, so it took a long painful time to get out of bed. Once I was moving, it was OK.

Then I read a letter in Balance, from people who sufferd muscle pains from SVstatin. I stopped at once, & within a week the pains were gone.

Similar pains developed earlier this year - chol 5.4, HBA 6.8, overnight BS 7-. I then found this web site & reduced my carb diet. The pains went within 3 months & I am again able to be very active. Recent tests: chol 4.4, HBA 6.3, overnight BS 5.6.

To answer your question

My question is it possible that reducing carbs, lowing her blood sugars , eating much healthier is conflicting with her 80mg dosage of Lipitol statins? even though she has been on this dosage for 2 years.

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In my experience, it is likely to be the slow buildup of statin side effects, & not low carbing.

Hi Carol,
A small quantity of wine shouldn't cause any problems (and in fact is helpful in lowering BS). The medical advice is to avoid excess alcohol, but then that advice is given regardless of whether you are on medication or not.

To me it seems fairly obvious that it will be the statins, as muscle pain is a well known side effect. Equally, the only side effects of a low carb diet are reduced blood sugars, reduced weight and feeling invigorated and fitter. All I can suggest is that you use a process of elimination. Try stopping the Lipitor for a week and see if the pains disappear. If so then it proves it was the statins.

caroluk said:

Thank you all for your replies.

My Mum had her appointment and had blood tests to check if it is the tablets causing this pain - She seems quite relieved that hopefully it is something so simple to correct as she was very worried it was her age! (64 ) Fingers crossed she will be pain free asap.

Carol xxxx

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usually statin side effects come on quickly.

Hope you can find out what it is, my mother is currently getting a very painful ankle (not gout) and muscle pains in her arms but is NOT taking statins. No-one's tracked down the cause yet (except for being 93)

Hi Carol, have been on atorvastatin [40mg] for about 5 years or so now and haven't noticed any side effects. Have probably cut my carb intake by about 75% in past two months and, touch wood, no problems yet.

I found your posts on muscle pain very interesting I was at the doctor yesterday the results of my xray for pains in my arms came back clear. He said the pain in my arms is something diabetics get caused by small tears in the muscle which don't heal properly. I also suffered from cramps in my legs but haven't had that for a while I am also on atorvastatin tablets for cholestrol I am not overweight although have highs and lows still trying to control my diabetes. I think with all your comments it is worth mentioning the cholestral tabs to the doc.
Don't know if it will do any good last time I asked if my thyroxine could affect my insulin ( I read a post on here that said it might) and was told No

I had such dreadful pains with Atorvastatin that I could hardly walk.

My doctor was very happy that I should stop taking it and commented that it was really most suitable for middle aged, over weight men and not ladies, particularly those who are not overweight. :roll:

This was all 2 years before I was diagnosed with diabetes and I was not low carbing at the time.

As of Feb 2010 all statin manufacturers have had to revise their side effect warnings, which also now have to include:

Depression, Memory loss, Sexual Dysfunction and Sleeplessness................

My GP told me I didn't have problems with statins as I had taken them too long ( 9 years) - I have complained for 8 years of chronic pain, muscle problems, spine pain, depression, memory loss, B12 anaemia- practically every symptom listed on the packets previously, and the revised warnings too.....

I lost 9 years of my life to statins. I was taking 16 painkillers a day (diclofenic and paracetamols), and still could not get any relief from the constant pain I was in. I had been referred to Neurologists, Rheumatologists and Pscyhiatrists.

My GP started to do a lot of tests, after my white cell count,, Rheumatoid Factor, ANA, kidney and liver function tests were all abnormal before Christmas.

I looked up the results of all the tests on the internet and realised that statins could be causing these problems. I stopped taking statins on Xmas day 2009, and on boxing day every single pain in my body had gone. I threw out every single painkiller, and haven't taken another painkiller since.
My brain has returned to full functionality. Even my GP could not believe what a difference there is with me. Every single blood test result is now normal and I no longer need B12 injections every 3 months either. I had thought I was going to die I felt so ill, I thought I was going to end up in a wheel chair.

Now I take 3000mg of Vit C everyday with COQ10 tablets and plant sterol tablets and products.

The thing is also, I never needed to have been put on statins-as I was only put on them because I was type 1, not because my cholesterol was bad.

All people having suffered any side effect due to statins should report the side effects on the MHRA website. Only when EVERYBODY reports the side effects will this drug be banned. My personal feeling is that the drug and it's side effects are worse than thalidomide from the 60's.

I also experinced pains in my heart area for 2 weeks after I stopped taking them, and this too is listed as a common side effect for persons that come off them after a long time. I actually wrote my husband a letter to makesure he got a post mortem done if I died to look at the effect of the statins on my heart.............................

Please do very careful research and consideration before coming to any decision.

Both of my parents were put on statins a couple of years ago, both are in their 70's.

Both had mega problems with limb cramps and pains, concentration, tummy problems and severe depression.
My mom went for a scan because of her problems, and was told her liver was 3 times its normal size and not functioning properly. The Dr's likened it to the liver of a heavy drinker.
My mom very rarely drinks.
Eventually my parents came off statins to fully recover and feel much younger and pain free within weeks.

I am expecting to be offered similar type of medication at my next Dr's review, but after seeing them both become old and ill through statins, I shall be reluctant to accept them.