Q. I have tried many statin drugs for cholesterol, but all gave me muscle pain and cramps. My doctor put me on Zetia and insists it can't cause muscle pain since it is not absorbed into the blood stream. I still have muscle pain, cramps and tingling in my legs and feet. Can Zetia cause this?
A. Although Zetia works differently from statin cholesterol-lowering drugs such as Lipitor or Zocor, it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Muscle side effects seem to be less common with Zetia than with the statin drugs, but they can happen. Ask about another approach for cholesterol control.