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Newspaper Columns, Editorial June 4, 2007
They say that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. That’s because they have such different approaches to life.
If that’s true, then perhaps physicians are from Oz and patients are still in Kansas. They too have difficulty communicating.
Doctors scrutinize numbers like cholesterol or blood pressure. When they see something they don’t like, they frequently prescribe a medication to nudge it back to “normal.” They may see side effects as minor bumps on the yellow brick road to better health.
Sometimes, though, the cure can be worse than the disease. Pursuing numbers instead of quality of life can lead to unintended consequences. One reader shared the following tale of woe:
“My doctor put me on Lipitor a couple of years ago. At first I thought it was great because my cholesterol came down fast. But within the last six months, I have become extremely weak, especially in my legs. I told my doctor, but she did not seem to hear me. I stayed on the medicine because she never told me to stop.
“In the last few months I have fallen four times. The last time, I really hurt myself and now can’t go to work. My job requires me to be on my feet all the time.
“I am getting around the best I can with a walker. I do feel that I was wronged by taking this medicine. I hope you can get the word out so other patients will not end up like me.”
Lowering cholesterol with statin-type medicine can be beneficial, but not if a patient becomes an invalid. Other readers have shared a range of complications including nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy and incapacitating pain).
According to one reader, “I am unable to take Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol or Crestor. I develop the same problems every time--muscle and body aches that affect my hips, arms, legs and neck.”
Another reader reports, “I had gotten to the place where I could not go up steps. I kept telling my doctor that my legs were not working. I was also having trouble remembering names, common nouns and descriptive words. Finally my doctor said I should stop the Lipitor because my muscle enzymes were too high. She said my memory loss should be better soon.”
Memory problems are a repeating theme: “I lost my job due to memory problems, but my doctor and pharmacist said this wasn’t a side effect of Lipitor. A psychiatrist I consulted said it is a well-known complication.”
Perhaps the psychiatrist was familiar with memory-related side effects because that is his area of expertise. Doctors may sometimes think patients are exaggerating the problems they are having. Or perhaps they believe an inability to climb stairs or remember the neighbor’s name pales in comparison to avoiding a heart attack or stroke.
Some patients might even agree. Others would not trade the quality of their life for longer survival. The trouble is, most of the time doctors and patients don’t discuss such trade-offs. Whether it’s controlling cholesterol, blood sugar or hypertension, patients need to evaluate the pros and cons of their treatment.
To assist readers in communicating better with their doctors about these matters, we offer our new book, Best Choices From The People’s Pharmacy (Rodale Books). It is available in libraries and bookstores as well as online at www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Their syndicated radio show can be heard on public radio. In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
© 2007 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Reader Comments
I too, have the same symtoms from taking cholesterol medication. I have used the following: lipitor,zocur,pravachol, crestor and lstly wel-chol. With all of these medications, i had severed muscle atrophy and weaklness. After discontinuing usage everything was normal.. My doctor couldn't understand this but when I tried a different drug (for about 2 or 3 weeks) I would get these symtoms. After stopping them I was normal, Stay away for statin drugs...............
Posted by: Tim McCullen | June 5, 2007 1:05 PM
I too also had the same problems taking lipitor and zetia. I then researched COQ10 on the internet and was convinced to start taking it to replace the coQ10 in my midocondria that statins remove. In two days the weakness and pain left and has not returned in over two months. I take 100mg a day.
Posted by: David Duffey | June 8, 2007 11:18 AM
I have tried many statins and they all gave me muscle pain and leg cramps. My doctor put me on Zetia and said it was different from statins. I still have leg and arm pain but he doesn't believe me and said Zetia was systemic and couldn't affect my muscles. Could Zetia cause muscle pain?
Posted by: Carol Kubics | June 8, 2007 11:40 AM
My doc said my cholesterol was too high and wanted me to start on statin drugs. I decided first to try red yeast rice and it did bring it down 30 points in 30 days ... but ... I was feeling awful, dragging myself out of bed in the morning barely able to move my legs. Within a week of stopping it, all symptoms disappeared. Then, I tried naicin -- same result. Now I'm eating twigs and fruits and feeling much better!
Posted by: Pat McElroy | June 8, 2007 12:01 PM
I recently wrote same problems with statins. I don't take them anymore. I have been having pain in my legs, mildly, at night. Could other drugs cause this? I take coumidan , amiodorone, synthroid, -- eye drops -- cosopt, travatan, and alphagan. Could any of these cause this?
Posted by: HELEN RAFKIND | June 8, 2007 12:08 PM
I had a very extreme reation to Zocor (Liver Function, muscle weakness.) My Doctor had me on 80 mg. I have been on 10 mg of Lipitor for about a year.He added Zetia about 6 month ago and I am feeling uncomfortable again. Sore arms, trouble sleeping due to discomfort. I am scheduled to see him in the next two weeks.
Posted by: David Cigler | June 8, 2007 7:51 PM
I was diagnosed with high cholesterol in Feb 2006. My doctor suggested I try Red Yeast Rice capsules (2 a day with dinner). Within 6 months, my numbers dropped 50 points, after one year on Red Yeast Rice, my cholesterol is 194! It worked for me and no side effects whatsoever. It definitely is better than a statin prescription!
Posted by: Linda Richardson | June 9, 2007 2:12 AM
Years ago, I took Lipitor, which worked well in lowering my cholesterol but my muscles hurt and it got to the point where I could not open a jar. My kids had to help me with that. I read a column written by Jane Brody of the NY Times at that time. How lucky I was to come across this article. My own doctor didn't seem to know. Because of the information in the article, I requested the doctor to test my CPK level, which is the measurement of the creatinine. My reading was so elevated that the doctor's office called me to stop taking the Lipitor immediately. To make a long story short, it took over two years to get my CPK back down to normal. Then she wanted me to try Zetia. Same thing. Then red yeast rice. Same thing. I give up on the medications but I my quality of life is normal in that I do not have to live to pain and weakness. Now I am more careful of what I eat. I also take fish oil, which lowers the triglycerides. I take flaxseed oil to lower LDL. I also take apple cider vinegar. This is a new one to me that my health food store suggested. I have not yet had blood work so I will write back and let you know how all these non-presciption, natural ways are working. My word to everyone is be your own advocate. Read all that you can - I subscribe to the Peoples Pharmacy and Mayo Clinic newsletters to stay informed. I will not forget that my own doctor was not the one to recommend testing my CPK level - it was my own interest in reading about health issues that saved me from further pain.
Posted by: B. Chin | June 9, 2007 3:25 AM
I,too, have been having neuropathic symtoms in my feet,weakness in my hands & wrists,& leg cramps since taking Zocor but my doctor says there is no connection to the drug. Have any studies on these side effects been done or planned?
Posted by: susan brand | June 9, 2007 12:42 PM
I literally lost my mind on Mobid, a drug for arthritis. I would be looking right at my boss and could not process what she was saying. It was frightening. I ended up having to be treated for major depression and thyroid problems which I blame the drug. Too many women are being over medicated because the tests are run on males 18-35 who probaly weigh 180-200 #.
Posted by: Peggy Poirier | June 11, 2007 9:24 AM
I took Vytorin (10/20mg) for a year. It dropped my cholesterol and I didn't have muscle aches, etc. I do have COPD which seemed to be getting worse, using emergency inhaler more and more often, even at night. After being off Vytorin for a very short period, I realized that I had much more energy and was using my emergency inhaler only occasionally. I quit the statin on my own because I didn't believe I really needed it.
Posted by: Carol Davis | June 27, 2007 7:33 PM
I am on 40 mg zocor for about 4 months i am having leg cramps and weakness in my legs,i was on lovestatin before and did not have the pain in my legs but my doctor said it was not lowering my cholesterol, i need to do something about the leg pains
Posted by: marie peterson | July 2, 2007 10:06 PM
Hi.I was taking vytorin for two years and during that time I felt like a 34 year old in a 94 year old body. My muscles not only hurt, but they would not work. I could not walk very well or go up stairs. I had to crawl up the steps to my front door on my hands and knees, in great pain.
My doctor was "fired" and I got a new one, who immediately took me off vytorin and the bp medication verapimil. These two drugs are not supposed to be taken together, so I had a double whammy of a time.
Now I do not take cholesterol medication at all and take benicar for my bp.
My cholesterol is better than normal just by eating right.
However, I have permanent damage to my muscles and though I can walk normally again, the pain is still there, and probably always will. If you take certain bp meds, or any other meds, find out for sure if they are compatible with eachother. Mine were not, and I will pay for that for the rest of my life.
Posted by: heather | August 11, 2007 10:01 AM