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LisaM · 11-17-2006, 01:10 PM

WOW.....okay, now I'm REALLY concerned.....Take this to the doctor with you PLEASE....

Here is the link where I found the following information and if you have elevated liver enzymes, and muscle pain, then I think you SHOULD be concerned, and taken OFF that drug: http://www.healthy-heart-guide.com/z...e-effects.html

Quote:

What is Zetia and how does it lower cholesterol?
Zetia is one of the newer prescription cholesterol lowering drugs. Unlike the more common cholesterol medications called statins which block the enzyme your liver needs to produce cholesterol, Zetia works to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract.

Zetia is either prescribed by itself to lower cholesterol, or in conjunction with statin medications (Lipitor, Pravachol, Zocor and others) to maximize cholesterol reduction.

What are the Zetia side effects?
In addition to the side effects common to most prescription medications such as headaches, nausea and fever, other side effects of Zetia can be much more serious.

FACT: An FDA approved statin called Baycol was recently pulled off the market due to serious side effects and even deaths.

The most troubling potential Zetia side effects include extreme muscle pain and serious liver problems.

Take a look at following warnings taken directly from the official Zetia web site:

Quote:

"When Zetia is prescribed with a statin...it should not be taken by anyone with active liver disease" and "Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before you start taking Zetia with a statin and during treatment."

"Tell your doctor if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, weakness, or any medical problems while on Zetia. Patients reported side effects while taking Zetia. Side effects included tiredness and stomach pain."

And here are some opinions from askapatient.com which is my favorite website to get info on meds from cuz it's REAL PEOPLE posting THEIR EXPERIENCE on medications. This med only got a 1.7 rating out of 5. And here is what a few of them said (there were 30 opinions listed...these are the responses I picked out that related to issues you have been having). It appears this medication may be your problem: http://askapatient.com/viewrating.as...445&name=ZETIA

Quote:

*So far the only side effect has been a benefit. For the first time in years i'm sleeping through the night. It works better then Ambien.

*salt craving, weak

*headache, sleeplessness, joint pain, muscle weakness especially the legs, general weakness/fatigue, lower back pain

*took for four months and started experiencing loss of libido and inability to maintain an erection. quit taking them and sexual function returned to normal within 2 weeks. Also, woke up every night with burning in gut, maintained a bloated feeling most of the time.

*Dizziness, severe muscle pain to the point where I had to use a cane to walk, nausea.

*After about 1 month I have developed nightly extreme leg cramps, these I also developed with Zocor but it took about 6 months.

*muscle spasms muscle pain and a severe loss of muscle mass on both my arms.

*Pain between shoulder blades, under rib cage and neck at times. The pain seems to come on spasmodically and doesn't last long and travels around the body like gas....it's a bad feeling and I don't want to continue on this medicine because of it. I have been on Zetia for a few months and these pains have become gradually worse. I've had back pain every since I started on it.

*Chest pain, severe nausea, burning sensation in my stomach after eating, vomiting. The doctor thought I had a gall stone, but after ultrasound done, found 5.3 cm mass on my liver. Side effects were worse than the doctor told me and worse than the patient information literature from the pharmaceutical company states. I never had liver problems before in my life...I have been under the care of an internal medicine doctor for the last 4 yrs. for blood sugar--complete bloodwork has been done for the past 4 yrs. The doctor says it can't be from Zetia...check out the FDA website...look at ALL of the revisions to the Patient Information Sheets...they manage to delete some of the side effects as new info. evolves. (search using keywords)

*Nervous, feels like an anxiety attack. Twitching muscles and pain and pressure in my chest. Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing. Slight breaking out on my face, and it feels like my nasal passages have narrowed.

*Severe muscle spasms in lower back and calves. I had an MI in 1995 at the age of 43. My Dad died at age 46 from a massive MI. I always ate a healthy diet so I assume my MI was due to genetics. I took statins and could not tolerate them due to muscle pain. Then started Zetia. Developed muscle spasms in back after 6 months. Stopped the drug 3 years ago and still having back pain. Have been to varied specialists who offer no reason for the spasms. I am convinced it is from the Zetia.

*Occasional pressure in ears (like changing altitude), weakness & heaviness in limbs.

*Extreme tiredness, stomach upset, dissorientation, anxiety, depression, severe joint pain. This after only 3 days. The drug was combined with 10mg Lipitor and the results were nothing short of disaster. This drug is a major hazard in the making.

And this is directly from the zetia website: (NOTE: THE DEFINITION OF MYOPATHY IS: "any abnormality or disease of muscle tissue" - wouldn't fibro be considered a form of myopathy?)

Quote:

Selected Cautionary Information

When ZETIA was coadministered with a statin, consecutive elevations in serum transaminases (>3 x ULN) were slightly higher (1.3%) than those of statins alone (0.4%). Liver function tests should be performed when ZETIA is added to statin therapy and according to statin recommendations.

Patients should be advised to promptly report muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness.Discontinue drug if myopathy is diagnosed or suspected.

ZETIA is not recommended in patients with moderate or severe hepatic insufficiency.

The coadministration of ZETIA with fibrates other than fenofibrate is not recommended until use in patients is studied.

Exercise caution when using ZETIA and cyclosporine concomitantly because exposure to both drugs is increased. Cyclosporine concentrations should be monitored in these patients.

ZETIA should be used in pregnant or nursing women only if the benefit outweighs the risk.

In clinical trials, the most frequent side effects for ZETIA alone vs placebo included back pain (4.1% vs 3.9%), arthralgia (Pain In a Joint) (3.8% vs 3.4%), and fatigue (2.2% vs 1.8%); for ZETIA + statin vs statin or placebo alone: back pain (4.3% vs 3.7% vs 3.5%), abdominal pain (3.5% vs 3.1% vs 2.3%), and fatigue (2.8% vs 1.4% vs 1.9%).

The independent effect of raising HDL-C or lowering TG on the risk of coronary and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.

Hon...please get off this drug.

I also was "borderline" for high cholesterol at my last blood test...doc refused to put me on any med cuz they almost ALL cause joint pain...and I alredy have enough of that.

I think the zetia is your culprit...I think you'll feel much bettr. Most of the ppl on the askapatient site were only on it a few days before they felt these nasty symptoms.