Lipitor (known generically as atorvastatin) is a statin drug used to lower a person’s cholesterol by reducing low-density lipoproteins in the patient’s blood. In February 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated Lipitor’s label to include a warning about an increased risk of patients developing type II diabetes while taking Lipitor. Health Canada followed suit in September 2012.“The people who are at the most significantly increased risk of developing type II diabetes after taking a statin are women who are 50 and older - post-menopausal women,” Orenstein says. “That is the clearest category of people we are looking to contact us.”
That said, anyone who took Lipitor and developed type II diabetes can contact the law firm to investigate the possibility of joining a class-action lawsuit against Pfizer, maker of Lipitor.
Among those who would have the strongest case against Pfizer are people who took Lipitor and developed diabetes before September 2012, although a case could potentially be made for people who took Lipitor after that time that the label change did not sufficiently warn about the risks.
“Before September 2012, it’s our position that had Pfizer put in the patient information precautions about type II diabetes, people could have made an informed decision about taking the drug,” Orenstein says. “Their doctor would also have monitored their blood sugar levels and they would have taken necessary precautions to make sure the patients did not get type II diabetes.”
READ MORE LIPITOR LEGAL NEWS
Patients who have taken Lipitor and developed type II diabetes are advised to obtain their pharmacy records - so they know when they took Lipitor and when they developed diabetes - and contact Consumer Law Group sooner rather than later.
“Type II diabetes is incurable,” Orenstein says. “You can control it, but it has its own complications. With type II diabetes, the risk of heart problems is higher, which is why you took statins in the first place. It wouldn’t make sense to have a higher risk for something you’re trying to avoid.”
READER COMMENTS
frank moses
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Alex
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I refused to take statins and suddenly started to feel better. I was press ganged/emotionally blackmailed to go back on the statin or "surely die!" due to bad cholesterol etc (it only measued 2.4 by that time, far lower than perfectly normal.)
My symptoms came back imediatley.
I sought out a private cardiologist who took me off the statins. I then saw my GP and demanded he raise a yellow card for it and he said no need as they already know about the side effects!!!
Its outrageous that there is still no suit for rhabdomyolysis and nuerologcal damage caused by statins!
For those of you still suffering ( im much better but still seriously disabled after 11mnths) I found that taking daily folic acid has helped tremendously.
Kim
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Majid Samadzadeh Tabrizi
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I was not aware that there was a linkage between the use of Lipitor and type 2 diabetes.
Judy Jeanette
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without paying for it in severe pain. As a previous person explained the stairs are something I avoid if possible, getting dressed,or getting into the bath is like a work out.
I will get sudden sharp pain that stops me in my tracks. Walking for to long is out of the question. Standing for a few hours which I do as well as bending or just general
housework can tire me quickly. I had to take prednisone as it effected my throat muscle, which caused speech problems. It would also causing choking in my throat where food would not pass. Sometimes I would pee my pants or throw up. thus I had to be put on 50 miligrams of the prednisone. I worked in a fish plant where I was always exposed to cool areas and constant cold and wet weather. This would cause my muscles to cause my great pain plus hinder my movement. I am off the prednisone but this devastating problem
will plague me for the rest of my life. It was the main reason I had to leave my job of eleven years. I was on disability and now a retirement pension. I volunteer two days a week in a low income grocery outlet as I am afraid of losing all mobility. As far as being a diabetic. I was border line and now a full type two diabetic.
Ellen Alonzo
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Cherrie Poste
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Paul Enston
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Wendy Krupnik
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