Ask A Healer Healthy Heart Series

Lipitor side effects - What you should know about Lipitor risks and potential side effects
© Neva J Howell, All Rights Reserved
Related: Alternatives to Statin Drugs

I don't post these side effects to alarm anyone but to alert my readers of the potential risks and a partial list of some of the possible side effects Lipitor may have.

For some, the risks are much greater of course, but if you find yourself with any of these symptoms of side effects after you start taking Lipitor, please tell your doctor:

Difficulty swallowing

Constant feeling of fatique

Trouble enunciating your words clearly

Bad headaches

Neck aches

Nausea

Dizziness or a sense of disorientation

Noticable loss of memory

Very dry eyes

Pain and stiffness in neck and calf muscles

Abdominal pain, or any abnormal type of muscle pain, including spasms

Muscle weakness or strange sensations in the right leg.

The high cost of prescription drugs: By the way, I got an interesting piece of information on Lipitor, from the same folks who make GHS Plus, an ask-a-healer recommended cardiovascular health supplement.

According to their independent research, a prescription for 100 tablets of 20 mg Lipitor is over $200 for the average consumer. In contrast, the cost of the general active ingredients in Lipitor for the same amount of tablets? $5.80.

This is a mark-up of 4,696 percent.

I do understand that a lot of money goes into the development and testing of prescription drugs and that the drug companies need to recoup that money (although they could also definitely test better, judging from all the recalled prescription drugs) but come on now. To mark any product up 4,000 percent or more is just wrong.

Learn more about side effects and risks when taking statin drugs and specifically when taking Lipitor

Health Care Disclaimer: If you are currently on Lipitor for high cholesterol or arterial plaque reduction, please consult with your chosen heart specialist about lipitor side effects you may be experiencing.