Crestor..the new cholesterol med..anyone on it?

Question

hi! My Dr put me on Crestor, 40 mg once a day for high cholesterol and coronary plaque buildup..... Today is my 4th day taking it. Ive seen the commercials...and Ive researched online...It seems ok...Ive tolerated Lipitor in the past with absolutly NO side effects. 
I just noticed today that i seem to be sore...in my shoulder and neck.... as when I would shrug my shoulders...the muscles there seem sore when I do that. 
Now, maybe I did something...? Sat the wrong way, slept the wrong way...carried something heavy..no, not really...
Im not going to do anything yet about it..but I just wondered, are there others out there on Crestor, same dosage? Any words of advice? Encouragement? Would it be too early to experience any side effects from the med?

Zhersan3 · Answer

My doctor wants me to start taking Crestor. Gave me some sample packs and a prescription.  Told me if I had muscle aches to stop taking it and contact him (probably to put me on to another - try this, try that,etc.)  Anyway, I hadn't started thaking them yet.  This is my first look into finding out what some others taking Crestor have to say. When I asked him regarding the muscle ache he told me it would be full body - not shoulders, back, neck, leg, - it would be everyting.  That's why I haven't taken it yet.   My number is 260 - What is yours?  What about your HDL & LDL ?

PikaPika88 · Answer

I'm on Crestor 5 mg for 4 days now. It is the second attempt trial. The statins always give me muscle pain. This muscle pain occurred in my heart so it looks like "heart attack". One side of my head and neck is in pain now. Not very very pain but very uncomfortable.

joanincarolina · Answer

I take my Niacin in prescription form. There are statin meds that come with niacin in them so you need only to take one med.Joan.

Niknak1974 · Answer

Okay my bf was on Crestor and it was too much for him the dr had to take him off and put him on something else.  I can't remember the 'new' med he just got the prescription because he has been on Lipitor and and one other one I can't remember, then Crestor, and now something else, but the doctor keeps changing due to complications it causes.  He had some bad muscle and joint aches and it was a side effect of the medication, however they left him on for 1 month to 6 weeks and did lots of blood work to determine each time before they took him off, but his dr says if there are any achy side effects to write it down and give it a couple of days and then make an appointment to discuss them.  So perhaps you can do that.

About Niacin, is that an over the counter vitamin or something you need a prescription for?

thanks,

itdood · Answer

I had to look twice at the date on your post to be sure.  Crestor is not new, it's been out for almost 7 years.  It's called the "gorilla statin" because it is much more effective than the lighter statins like lipitor and zocor.  As such, it does have higher incidence of side effects.  

Check with your doc about any muscle soreness when on a statin, there is a blood check to see if it's anything to worry about.

asgardshill · Answer

Odd, but I've never really felt the "flush" so many people describe when I take my prescription Niacin (500 mg).  I think I might have felt a very mild flush the very first time I took it, but its been completely unnoticeable for me since then.  Maybe I've got a bad batch or something.

joanincarolina · Answer

To bad about the niacin.It is recommended to be taken with an aspirin and at bedtime to decrease the 'flush'.You'd have to weigh a re-try and benefits against 'flush' which may not happen, or only happen once or twice.

Ihatepalps2 · Answer

I was put on Niacin about 6 years ago..and oh my gosh! I knew about the side effect of flushing...but...I took a dose when I was at work..one of my first doses...and within 10 minutes I was BEET red...from head to toe...splotches..and solid areas of such severe red..that I went to my supervisor..and she sent me to Urgent Care....
it wasnt anything serious...just too much for my sensitive system I guess...but they told me to not try Niacin again. It was more (embarassing for ME) and FUNNY for everyone else!! I still get teased about it!!!

joanincarolina · Answer

Not that new; I've been on it for almost a year with good results and no problems.But my best lipid results ( raising HDL, lowering LDL and Lp(a) ) came from taking RX Niacin which I take with the 10 mg Crestor and 325 mg aspirin at bedtime.No problems with Niacin either.I take RX fish oil also as I am in big time prevention mode due to cardiac microvascular dysfunction.Fortunately my lipids have never been bad and my larger coronaries are clear but the lipids are only a piece of the total cardiac picture and the possible side effects of meds far outweigh my other risks.I know you'll have the liver tests done as per your doctor schedule.Good luck.