Tuesday September 2, 2008, 5:58 pm
Vytorin made me so ill I thought I was losing my mind. I was really, really sick for a total of nearly 10 weeks until this drug was confirmed as the source of my illness. I had sweats, fever, chills, extreme fatigue, unrelenting diarrhea whether I ate or not and no matter what I ate, awful sci-fi dreams and mental disorientation (you'd think I'd be used to that by now - LOL!).

Based on my symptoms, I was tested for parasites, bacteria, GI problems, liver function - and it all boiled down to the Vytorin.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 6:28 pm
The lack of real oversight is overwhelmingly criminal.... I am on two meds that are under scrutiny by outside groups suing the FDA, for class level and safety....
It is up to you, the individual to look this stuff up on the internet to find out what your meds will do to you LOL! Big Pharma to the rescue, formerly "makers of fine tobacco which will make you alert (the world needs more lerts) and calmer.....

Good times, had by none lol!!!

Warm regards and best wishes

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 6:45 pm
Oh lord Cate. You had it bad from this killer drug. I am so glad I don't have to take anything. Noted with disgust. Thanks Cate.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:03 pm
OH! Thank You so much,Kate!I have been taking Zedia for about 5 months now and I have noticed a lot of changes! I will talk to my doctor and find what he suggests. I do not think I need it I am already on to many other things including Lipitor ,Lotensin ,rythmol,and ATENOLOL
I think I am on to much for my heart etc. Oh well I am so glad You are better my Dear sweet
Friend I missed when you were ill!Thanks again,Cate!

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:14 pm
I never took Vytorin, but I had similar reaction to Lipitor. My reaction to Creator wasn't as bad, but it was bad enough. Now I take Red Yeast Rice. It works well and no side effects.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:17 pm
Thank you Cate. I've printed off the article to send to a relative that was just placed on this...it may help BUT in case she has any side effects I want her to know this might be the reason and possibly save her weeks of misery you endured. I would have thought a new med would have been the most logical to check off first instead of all the testing you had....so glad they finally figured things out for your sake

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:24 pm
Linda, your doc sounds like he is married to the pharmaceutical industry! Lipitor AND Zetia? WOW. Thanks for your kind words, too. I hope you can manage to get rid of some of those scrips.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:24 pm
I'd ditch the statins and investigate niacin which was found to be 16 x better than statins for raising good cholesterol.
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2004/03/18/lipitor_side_effects_and_natural_remedy.htm

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:29 pm
Laurie, believe it or not it was my crazy old mother who asked me about the newest drugs I was taking. I had been on Vytorin for about 6 months before all this happened, so truthfully it did not occur to me to pinpoint it as a possible cause. I have to give Mom a green star for that one.

But then again, she was remembering back to when I had had a persistent skin problem on my arms, legs and butt. I would get these tingling, stinging itches and if I scratched them even a little, I would bleed and ugly scabs would form. I did my own research on that one and narrowed it down to the Prozac I was taking at the time for anxiety. In clinical trials, 4% of people taking Prozac had experienced similar problems. My doc was unaware of that. Sure enough, when I quit the Prozac, the horrible stinging itches and scabs all went away.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:29 pm
As tedious as it may be, it's really worth it to read that print out which accompanies our medications. And, to do our own research. Good god you'd think they were intentionally trying to kill us off, one bad drug after another. Natural News is a good source of information.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:30 pm
You;re right, Judy, my husband takes Niaspan (a formulary high dose of niacin) and it really works.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:30 pm
Oops, sorry, I'm so happy that you got to the bottom of it Cate.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:31 pm
Cate, when you first started taking the drug, did you rea the "brochure" that you can request as an accompaniment to your prescription? Did you know how to look for any side effects?

I have regular "wars" with my primary care physician about her speed to write a prescription to take care of any problems in my physical conditoon ... and I ask her, everytime ... are you/would you be taking this drug if it was prescribed for you?

Now, my primary car ephysician thinks she should be accompanying me on my 3 x/wk acupuncture/yoga/tai chi alternative medicine resources.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:34 pm
Amazing! These drug companies are way out of line. Natural medicine including meditation and exercise is better than any chemical concoction they can come up with. Doctors now prescribe preventative medicine if they can't find anything wrong with you too!

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:35 pm
I probably didn't, Blue....but I always quiz him on possible side effects. I guess I fall into the unusual small percentage category that he either isn't up on or has forgotten about. I am going to be MUCH more careful in future.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:36 pm
Carol, forgive me for howling...I know you meant Crestor but "Creator" is hilarious! (This from someone well and shamefully known for egregious typos).

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 7:38 pm
Between the cancer and the back surgeries I've been on meds that were taken off the market.Not to mention the osteoporosis meds that don't work for me,Actonel and Fosamax.I followed the directions to the T.But all I did was get sick and lose weight.At almost 90 dollars a month what a waste for over 8 years.The worse part is that the doctors don't always listen or believe you cause you are a woman,even the female physicians.I feel like a LAB RAT.The FDA needs to tell patients the truth.Everything is to hush hush.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 8:34 pm
BE VERY CAREFUL BEFORE TAKING ANY MEDICATION, EVEN IF PRESCRIBED BY DOCTORS, GO ON THE INTERNET, SEARCH IT & GET ALL THE INFO. YOU CAN & THEN TELL YOUR DOC. WHATEVER YOU FOUND OUT, IF ITS OK FOR YOU TAKE IT, IF NOT, REMIND THE DOC. THAT THERE ARE OTHER SOLUTIONS..SORRY FOR THE MISHAP CATE & THANKS FOR THE INFO. & THERE ARE WAY TOOOOO MANY MEDICATIONS OUT THERE, THAT ARE VERY DANGEROUS INDEED.......BE VERY VIGILENT

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 8:50 pm
There are so many reactions to meds that they don't even know about. I took some common blood pressure med--I felt like I either wanted to kill someone or jump off my roof--my Drs answer? A referral to psych!!! Quit taking med feeling went away. They tried another I felt as if I had rheumatoid arthritis again they tell me this can't happen--quit taking it the joint and muscle pain went away. Screw it--I meditate and lost weight, fixed it myself.

Tuesday September 2, 2008, 8:56 pm
Oh my god! I am so glad my husband got off vytorin a couple years ago. That is scary. We need to start demanding more accountability on the part of our pharmaceutical companies. They must be more cautious and less GREEDY!

Wednesday September 3, 2008, 1:05 am
I am totally against cholesterol drugs there are to many natural ways to lower it and another problem I have are numbers on a lab test .What is normal for you may show a bit to high and next thing you know they are sticking you on drugs due to a number forget it I question every darn RX I get and am fortunate to have A mother who is a PA and a cousin cardiologist and his brother an md in Research and you better bet I ask them about htese drugs chris.Ps they had to get my Uncle off Vytorin he had muscle cramps so bad it was unreal chris

Wednesday September 3, 2008, 1:09 am
LINDA THIS IS IN CAPS ON PURPOSE WHY DOES YOUR DOC HAVE YOU ON 2 CHLOSTEROL DRUGS? I READ YOU LIST AND AM LIKE A WALKING PHARMACY I SEE YOU BP MEDS ECT AND 2 CHLESTEROL ONES TELL HIM YOU NEED AN ANSWER SOON CHRIS

Wednesday September 3, 2008, 2:58 am
Thanks Cate!

Wednesday September 3, 2008, 3:05 am
Natural remedies are the best way to be well, these big pharma industries will make anything and claim that they work all for the name of profit, I'm sorry you were ill Cate, but luckily you found out the cause. Thanks.

Wednesday September 3, 2008, 3:12 am
I have no faith in the Food & Drug Administration.

Wednesday September 3, 2008, 3:38 am
Noted.Thanks Cate

Wednesday September 3, 2008, 9:13 pm
I'm so glad you are over that horrible illness. This is good info for my husband. Thanks

Wednesday September 3, 2008, 9:19 pm
Noted.

Wednesday September 3, 2008, 9:27 pm
Almost EVERYTHING they advertize on TV has a Long List of Possible Side-Effects. Most sound worse than whatever it's supposed to cure/alleviate..

Wednesday September 3, 2008, 10:40 pm
WE TELL OUR CHILDREN NOT TO TOUCH POISON, WHY DO ADULTS CONSUME IT IN MEDICATION............

Thursday September 4, 2008, 12:39 am
I thought that the FDA was suppose to make sure that drugs were extensively tested BEFORE they were approved for use by the American public. Vitorin is just now being extensively tested. Geez, I've been taking it for 3 years. Yikes!

Thursday September 4, 2008, 8:32 am
There is another story submitted by another member from a different news source and worth reading.

http://www.care2.com/news/member/264827044/867838

http://www.naturalnews.com/024068.html

I was not thrilled to read about Vytorin, not the kind of news I wanted to read considering that I may have been "duped" into taking Vytorin at one time, per heart doctor's orders, but, now, take another statin medication, Zocor (Simvastatin). Hmmm... and "sigh"... plus the side effects which I have experienced - muscular weaknesses, abdominal discomforts and possibly, other side effects. Thinking here...

I have read about some of the other side-effects, reactions from a few other people.

The FDA needs a complete overhaul and get big pharma out of it once and for all.

TY, Regina.

Thursday September 4, 2008, 8:28 pm
Did you know that if you are taking drugs to lower your cholesterol and then stop taking them that you are at a greater risk for stroke? Read everything you can before you start taking anything and discuss the pros and cons with your doctor. Bloodwork to monitor how the drugs are working
is a must! Your doctor can help you decide what is best for you based on
your risk factors, but remember you are the boss where your health is concerned.