Muscle pain from Lipitor

Hi, I have a problem that I dont know how to solve. I take Lipitor for my high cholesterol and it is working great. It really helps me to control its levels. However, it is also giving me muscle pain. I am thinking about stopping taking Lipitor because of this. But what will happen with my cholesterol levels then? What should I do?

Hi, Lipitor is a drug from a group of drugs called statins. These chemicals are mostly used to help a person with high cholesterol levels when all other options fail. I suppose that diet and change in life style didnt help you much, so the doctor prescribed you with Lipitor. This is a completely man made substance. One of the most common side effects of Lipitor is muscle pain. This pain could be a simple myalgia, but in very small number of cases muscle pain could be a sign of a more serious complication. Sometimes Lipitor can cause the breakdown of muscle tissue, primarily the skeletal muscles. This leads to the buildup of proteins, from which the muscles have been made of, into the kidneys. Renal failure is one of the symptoms of this condition. Because the muscle pain Lipitor has been causing you to feel can be both benign side effect and a serious one I would advise you to talk to your doctor about this as soon as possible. If it turns out that Lipitor is causing you more harm than benefits your doctor will be able to prescribe you another cholesterol lowering drug.