Some patients who take Zetia experience muscle pain, especially if Zetia is taken in combination with statins. Clinical studies have found that up to five percent of people taking Zetia will experience muscle pain. Some of those patients experience muscle pain as a symptom of a couple of very serious problems. Those problems are myopathy and rhabdomyolysis.
Myopathy is a disease in which muscle fibers do not function for one of a number of reasons. It is associated with muscle cramps, stiffness and spasms. Rhabdomyolysis is serious because it can cause the breakdown of muscles, which can cause acute kidney failure and can ultimately be fatal.
Patients who develop unexplained muscle pain while taking Zetia should consult with their doctor immediately. Other serious side effects include muscle tenderness or weakness, chest pain, nausea, stomach pain, and low fever.
In addition to muscle pain, Zetia has also been linked to an increased risk of liver damage when used in combination with statins. According to The New York Times, Merck and Schering-Plough, makers of Zetia, conducted several studies on Zetia that showed the drug increased the risk of liver damage. These studies are in addition to the Enhance study, also conducted by Merck and Schering-Plough, that may include information about the risks of liver damage. The article notes that some patients were dropped from the Enhance study after it was revealed that they had elevated liver enzymes—a sign of organ damage.
Patients and doctors are now concerned that they have not been given a full picture of Zetia's effects. Naturally, the companies argued that the studies were not considered scientifically important enough to have their findings published. But patients who have developed liver problems since taking Zetia would likely disagree with that statement.
Furthermore, it is interesting to note that the unpublished studies do not prove the drug's effectiveness, they simply show a broader picture of the potential risks of Zetia. According to the Times article, the unpublished studies cover a period of at least one year, enough to show some of the long-term effects of Zetia. Previously published studies only cover 12 weeks, which is not enough time to show any long-term effects.
Even more alarming is news that, according to the Times article, Zetia itself has not been proven to prevent heart attacks, which is the goal of cholesterol-lowering medications. It has only been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Other drugs, such as Lipitor, not only lower cholesterol levels they also reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. If patients are not reducing their risk of heart attacks and strokes, can Zetia really be worth the risks?
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Zetia is used to treat high cholesterol and is often used along with statins. Patients taking Zetia often take it either with Lipitor, Crestor or Zocor (all statins) or in a single pill known as Vytorin that is actually a combination of Zetia and Zocor. Zetia works in the patient's digestive tract and blocks the absorption of cholesterol from food.
READER COMMENTS
Bonnie Reyes
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Patti Desert
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Wendy Jo Burson
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Maria Griego
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Jim H.
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Rita Baynes
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Cecelia Melton
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Gainor Hillegass
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mary ferr
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Kathy C
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Coni J
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linda organ
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Dariece Nickerson
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This is the worst drug ever to be put on the market. My cholesterol was 130 when I was prescribed this medication by my MD, Lipitor 80mg. I began taking this and it quickly raised my CPK levels up to over 15,543. Normal range for CPK levels (0-200). Yes, I said mine were over 15 thousand. My liver enzymes raised to the roof as well. Although, over time,they are slowly coming down, still not in normal range. It landed me in the hospital for 12 days, pushing IV therapy, the emergency room Doctors were waiting on me to arrive in ER. This was 09-13-2015. I thought I was dying, and I was barely moving, now 2 years later, I still feel pain from that pill. Since that time, I had a major heart attack, Oct 15,2016 and was told if I had waited one more day, I would have had a massive heart attack and fell dead. I am still trying to recover fully. My hips hurt, legs and feet cramp, shoulders ache and the pain has never left my body. I would recommend that this drug be taken off the market. I do not wish to have anyone else go through what I have been through and experienced by taking this statin drug. I hate I ever put it in my mouth. My life has been completely turned upside down. I believe God for all things, but this has been my toughest challenge in life. As I read the comments, I too can identify with what you are going through and experiencing. God bless us all as we press through this thing called "LIFE". I would ask that you keep asking your MD for an alternative medication for your high cholesterol. Take care.
Clem gates
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edwardhoward
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Darlene
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Judith Richards
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Lisa
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For the last 3-4 years I had stopped taking anything after constant itching left me miserable day and night.
About 3 months ago I agreed to try Zetia as it wasn't a "statin".. well the itching has started up again!
Don't know what the common culprit is in these cholestrol reducing drugs but they all cause more harm than good!
I personally have to do something more natural than this!
Signed 48 and feel 80!
Patty Smith
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Shannon robertson
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Michelle Profanchik
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CoQ 10 in the body. This is a heart and vein healthy supplement. Google these supplements and read for yourself. I've had absolutely no side effects. Has lowered my cholesterol by 25 to 30 Pts. Still not at the low of 200
Haven't been tested lately but plan to. Some improvement is sure better than nothing. It's more challenging as you have to take 4-5 capsules a day of Red Yeast Rice instead of the simple 1 pill. But I feel great!
P palm
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I have had the exact same pain described by most of the other posters, severe cramping,,, horrible left sided arm and hip pain. My right foot has started hurting so bad for the last two months,,, that I can barely walk. I call my Dr about the horrible muscle cramping,, gives me Soma and warms about addiction. Hello??? I stopped two days ago and honestly I feel like a new woman! Good luck to any other person suffering effects from this medication. O and btw, I have an appointment with a rheumatologist in a month,,, maybe I won't need it! My hands aren't pain free yet,, but much improved. Also neurologist couldn't really find any reason that I should be having all this pain. I'm being honest,, I think zetia is poison for some ppl and I am one of them.
Judy
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Kat
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My doctor said it was an allergic reaction & that I was one who couldn't take them so she put me on Zetia. I've been on Zetia 3 weeks and am experiencing a lot of back pain, leg cramps & severe stomach pain. I went from being active to not able to do much at all.
Hdl good chlosterol 114 & Ldl bad 134, my overall number is 263 so here I am on horrible meds. I don't know what's worse for my health, being non active on meds or being active with no meds. Sucks! I feel like my whole body is deteriorating. Help!
James Felder
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three weeks later my left eye started to ache then, the side of my head then, the top and then then we went to the emergency room where they gave me something for my eye pain, even though they couldn't for a problem, they told me that my eye muscle was inflamed. today I found this site while looking to find the reason why I am having so much head pain.
Now, I can hardly see because the eye medicine that was given dilated my pupil and I can't see very well. No more Zetia for me!!!!!
deb edwards
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Curtis Pyle
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Deborah Diehl
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emery friddle
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Julie churay
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Has done to my body. I used to hurt a 7 on scale of 1-10. Zetia has pushed it to 10. Done with statins and anything else similar. Please lord let this hurry and get out of my system. Wish I hadn't taken it tonite! It has magnifies my body pain to the point I can barely pull my hurting neck off pillow or make my back walk. No more starinor as they claim this is " non statin" drugs for me. Maybe once off it I can walk and move and lower my cholesterol this way. So glad I googled this and see I'm not alone. " oh it's not a statin and easy to tolerate ". Never w we again
E.Serritells
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Barbra Doneff Angler
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Sign me angry and hurt.
B.
Kathy
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While reading up on zetia, I took it in Michigan, no problem for the one week sample,but due to the cost, I chose not to take it and I'm glad after reading all these comments
I experienced bronchitis and it lingered so I was sent for a chest X-ray, no pneumonia but my doctor noticed plaque on the X-ray and wants me to go to a cardiologist, trying to decide if I should or just get crazy with weight loss,exercise and smoothies. I hate any cholesterol lowering drugs.
By the way my brother has severe back pain and I'm thinking it's the statins not true back issues. Hoping to find a better way.
Alison
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But then it dawned on me that this was bilateral, making the possibility of it being from an injury highly unlikely. So the answer had to be something I was consuming--maybe an allergy of some kind. Then it hit me--it started shortly after starting Zetia! So i stopped it immediately, and the next day felt an improvement. The following day, still better. But the improvements have slowed and I've made very little progress in the last 2 day (5 days of being off it now).
It's clear to me that this drug actually caused me physical damage. Whether it's permanent or not remains to be seen. I certainly hope it isn't, but I'm in agreement with the other commenters here--no more cholesterol drugs for me! Lipitor and Crestor caused mild leg cramps, and the Zetia has shredded my muscles. Since it is genetic and not dietary, I'll have to just live with it.
Daphne Norfleet
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alice smith
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Austin
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James cashion
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Phyllis Panebianco
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ann
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Don Smith
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Unchecked my cholesterol seems to be over 300 so doctor will put me on some new statin and yes between Dr. visits it drops to about 200 with any of them I’ve tried. Over the past 12 years guess I’ve tried most all the statins out there. Bottom line just can’t take statins as they cause so much muscle and joint pain that ultimately I slack off exercise to the point my overall health collapses and I go back to the doctor.
On doctors advise I get off them and sure enough over time they clear out of my system, 8 to perhaps 24 weeks on average. Historacly I rebuild only to have a lipid panel show elevated cholesterol and have doc put me on something different only to have nearly the same pain come back over time.
This time Doc put me on trial supply of Zetia with the idea that it works in the intestines and that I should experience no joint pain. NOT!
Stopped the Crestor I had been on for 14 weeks and yes Crestor had dropped cholesterol 95 points in only 14 weeks at the expense of becoming inefective because of pain and having my tri glycerides get blown off balance.
After only 12 days off Crestor I started on a Zetia trial pack. It only took about 8-9 days for me to feel like I was getting the flu. No, it’s not the flu, started the regular script and at the 12 day mark I begin to feel like I was just having a ride in my body. Everything became feeling separated and I hurt all over. Nashua on Zetia and I just don’t throw up but I did on this stuff. Mild headaches and again I almost never have a headache.
Dark urine and I drink plenty of water.
Blurred vision, like as in a narrow field of view with stars around everything light.
Short of breath with bad bad pain under the front edges of my rib cage.
Scared hell out of me so stopped three days now, better yes, however still no energy and so weak I can hardly lift my arms to type this.
Life has been good, I prefer quality to quanity so going to try Niacin. If that does not work guess I will just live out my life with cholesterol level where ever it may be.
james keating
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carol
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Mike
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Nick Y.
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Judy
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Janet
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Dorothy
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von
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feed up
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deb thomas
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Josie Holcomb
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Joe
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Tim
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Susanna
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Ellen Stohr
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Karen Strader
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Donald Lekawa
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In my opinion it should be taken off the market. The side effects are far worse than what is it intended to accomplish.