The People's Pharmacy® with Joe and Terry Graedon

I had severe muscle cramps on Vytorin and was switched to just the Zetia. I continued to have muscle pain in my legs so I stopped the Zetia and the pain went away. I would like to see a show done on the erosion of patient confidence in their doctors because of the terrible side effects of most medicines given these days. I just had to stop my blood pressure meds as well because my lips started to swell up. I had to stop my arthritis meds because of the heart risks. So now I don't take any meds but my thyroid medicine. When a doctor offers medication now I tell him or her to please offer an alternative if possible. I will only take a medicatiion now if it is necessary to save my life.

I have taken just about all the anticholesterol medicines (including the statins) on the market over a period of years. The non-statins did nothing for my cholesterol levels and the statins all caused me severe muscle pains.

Then I tried Zetia. It caused the same type of muscle pain as the statins. I have been on WhelChol for nearly a month and am experiencing muscle pain. Muscle pain is not a common side effect of WelChol, but it is listed as a less common side effect on the literature I was given. The diets for high cholesterol have been ineffective for me.

I have been suffering leg pain and muscle weakness for months. I have gone to 2 doctors with my complaints. They all knew I was taking Lipitor. One doctor switched me over to Zocor but didn't mention the fact that Lipitor might be causing my problem. I took Zocor about 6 months and had heard from friends the statins might be my problem.

I have been off of them for about 2 months and my legs and muscles are much better. They were so bad I could barely walk around and felt like I was going to end up in a wheelchair. Going to the toilet was a major event. I could hardly get down and a bigger problem getting up. I still have to push myself up from the toilet seat as my legs are still not strong enough.

I do feel that I am on the road to recovery but I would not take that kind of medication again. My hand coordination was such that I couldn't button my shirt or put on earrings. That problem is almost gone now. Maybe these comments will help others out there before it's too late.
Sherry Brown
Albuquerque, NM

Zetia was prescribed for me a couple of years ago. After taking a half dozen pills, my arm and leg pains were so severe that I could barely walk or change my socks. The pains have been reduced after taking steroids for about 6 months, but they have not entirely disappeared, and they move around to a different location every couple of days.

The medical community seems unwilling to accept that Zetia could cause these severe pains.

My doctor put me on Crestor around November 06, and I had a surgery done in December 06 for my back. Soon after the surgery, I was having a hard time trying to walk-my legs just wouldn"t support me. I had to be hospitalized for the pain in my legs and hips, and nothing given to me relieved the pain. I continued on Crestor everyday that I was in the hospital despite all my pains.

My cholesterol levels were great, but my muscle pain was getting worse. I finally remembered that Lipitor had caused the same symptoms a couple of years ago, and I stopped the Crestor.

After a couple of weeks, I started feeling better, until my next doctor visit revealed that my cholesterol levels had increased again.

My doctor put me on Zetia. But I now have to see my heart doctor because of the following symptoms: shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle weakness again, very tired during the day, and severe pain in my hips. I bet it's from the Zetia.

I started taking Zetia about 2 months ago, as I will not take statin drugs due to their severe side effects. I'd done research on Zetia and it appeared to have fewer side effects. However, I have developed severe hip pain with pain in my shoulders also. I found numerous reports of the same kinds of problems after taking Zetia, so feel that it is the reason for the pain. I have pulled the plug on Zetia.

How can Doctors in good conscience prescribe these medications? My Dr offered to prescribe pain medication or refer me to an orthopedic Dr, even though xrays of my hips and back were totally normal. I am disappointed, again, in the quality of care given by the medical community.

My doctor prescribed Lovastatin for me about a year ago for elevated cholesterol. I had slight pain in my right bicep area. It was not disabling, & I felt I could put up with it. Recently, though, I've also had intense pain in my hip and right leg to the point that I can hardly function. I saw the doctor yesterday, and he told me it couldn't be the lovastatin as that would cause pain in my entire body. I am tempted to discontinue taking the drug to see if the pain ceases. Would that be dangerous?

I was prescribed Zetia to lower my cholesterol of 230. Within days, I was experiencing muscle pains, mainly in my calves. I thought the pain was from wearing flip-flops; I didn't even consider that it could be the Zetia until the muscle pain spread to my arms, thighs and back within the 19 days that I was on the medication. I also had strange sensations in my feet and toes. I took my last pill this morning, and will lower my cholestreol holistically! Don't want to be a statistic of the dangers of this drug.

I started on statins a year and a half ago after a stent was put in my heart. Severe muscle pains. It was almost a type of myalgia--rolling pain that wasn't predictable. The worst was when I would go to the dentist; my entire jaw would be in pain, even though there was no reason for it. I think the statins contributed to it.

Stopped taking the latest--Crestor--for a month and felt great. I have also been taking prilosec for acid reflux and everything was under control. Doc wanted me to try Zetia to try and keep my chol number down. I now have lethargy, severe bronchitis-like pain and muscle pain.

The bronchitis-like pain is what I experienced before on statins, which the prilosec keeps under control. I wonder, since Zetia works through the gut, if it is somehow counteracting my prilosec. Finally, muscle pains are starting to return. I am beoming a disagreeable person and wish there were another way to lower my cholestrol--my child suffers because of my discomfort; it causes me to be worn out and not very pleasant sometimes.