Praluent and Back Pain: What Users Say

• Nev...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2020

For High Cholesterol "I have Myasthenia Gravis and Praluent initially flared my condition within 3 days of taking this, this has subsided several weeks later. With respect to side effects, I have neck, shoulder, back, and leg pain, cramping, nausea, severe fatigue, weakness in legs, and finally can't leave out the cough. I had a similar reaction to Repatha. I thought I would give Praluent a go. Half-life is super long, 17 - 20 days... so, this will be fun. There's no way I will continue this. It's amazing how FDA could pass this stuff. I would like to sift through the clinical trial data... the real data."

• Baz...
• October 12, 2018

For High Cholesterol "I'm a 64-year-old male. I have had 2 MIs (heart attacks)... first at age 46, the second at age 61 which resulted in me having a CABG x3 (Coronary artery bypass graft surgery - three grafts). I have been taking 75mg Praluent for about 5 months with twice-monthly injections. Over the last few injections, I have noticed a slight increase in muscle pain in legs and lower back. I also feel pain and discomfort in the abdominal area. Has anyone else noticed abdominal discomfort as well?"

• bar...
• August 15, 2019

For High Cholesterol, Familial Heterozygous "I have been taking this drug for two years, and the side effects are bad. Lower back pain, legs weak. I am 69, and it has taken my LDL from 250 down to 55, but the side effects are just not worth it. I tell my cardio doctor, but he just says if you stop it, then go home and wait for your heart attack! I don't know what to do. Can't live with all the pain of this drug, but not sure if I can live without it either?"

• ken...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 24, 2019

For High Cholesterol "I was on Repatha for years with no problems. Insurance provider stopped coverage, but offered coverage for Praluent. Out of pocket cost to me for three-month supply of 0.75mg every two weeks is $720.00. Taken it twice. Sore in mouth, lower back pain, and weak legs to go with overall feeling of tiredness/weakness. Biggest concern is that my blood pressure and pulse have gone off the scale, which is something I did not previously experience and seem incapable of bringing it down regardless of what I do. Always had excellent numbers without medication. Had Afib three times in a two-day period. To put it mildly, I have severe reservations, the plus side of this medication is worth the side effects. Life without quality seems to be lacking in the basic tenant."

• Mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2019

For High Cholesterol "I am a 63-year-old female with type 2 diabetes. I can't tolerate statins. I tried Repatha, and after the 3rd shot, I got severe back pain. I had heard about Praluent, so I tried that. After 1 injection, I had severe nausea and vomiting, headache, sore throat, and back pain on the right side only. I am going back to the doctor tomorrow because I feel so bad. Safe to say there won't be a 2nd injection. Hope this leaves my system quickly."

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2018

For High Cholesterol "I'm a 53-year-old female. I've had two heart attacks back in 2015. I'm also diabetic and have other chronic illnesses. My doctor prescribed this medication about four months ago. At first, I didn't take it, something made me wary. I don't tolerate statins. Just this week, I took my third dose. The side effects are horrible, the pain is unbearable. My memory is a mess. I can't literally hold a cup in my hands. Lower back pain, legs are weak, if I move an arm, it feels like it's being broken. My shoulders hurt, my neck hurts, literally, I'm not able to function at all. I will not take this medication ever again. I'm calling my doctor tomorrow and letting him know that I'm practically in pain 24/7. I refuse to be this ill."

• EDB...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2017

For High Cholesterol "I posted here in Aug, stating that due to pain in my legs, fatigue, backache, etc., I had stopped this med. On a recheck with doc in Sept, I found that my chol had risen to 410! So rebound was terrible; double what it was pre-Praluent! I am now back on 75 mg and will be rechecked in Dec. I am already experiencing nasal/mucous issues and some back pain and fatigue, although not as bad as when on 150 mg. What I'm wondering is if anyone out there knows if this can cause long-term severe problems, and has anyone talked to their doc about these side effects? If so, what were their comments, please?"

• PEa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 1, 2020

For High Cholesterol "I started taking Praluent in January 2020. A few weeks in, I had an awful UTI. Never, ever had one before. It was miserable. Then, six weeks later, I had another UTI. The only thing new was the Praluent. I started looking into the side effects and saw that it was a highlighted side effect. As I read more on this drug, I saw it may be causing the fatigue and pain in my lower back and pelvic area. I told my doctor I wasn’t going to continue. This was a last option, as I have severe side effects from everything else we have tried. I did have blood work the other day, and my numbers were lower, but triglycerides were still high."

• don...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2024

For High Cholesterol "Been taking shots for 4 months. My eyes are very red, so I bought eye drops, did not help. Have back pain and upper thigh pain and itching. It lowered everything, but I can't take the tiredness anymore. I want to sleep all the time. This stuff is evil. Now I have to wait 100 days to get it out of my system."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 1, 2023

For High Cholesterol "I cannot take statins because of the pain they cause in my joints, so I gave this a try. I am a female aged 65 yo, and I had a heart attack 3 years ago. I have one stent but have other calcified vessels, and my cholesterol is high, so I don’t have a lot of options I’m told by my cardiologist. I had the worst reaction I’ve ever had to any medication after injecting 75 mg of Praluent. Firstly, I had a nosebleed, and then I had extreme nausea and was throwing up most of the night. I also had a migraine headache that started behind my right eye and lasted for a few days (for which Tylenol 1000 mg didn’t help at all!) My BP also went up to 188/100! It has been 11 days since I took that shot, and today I have extreme lower back pain, as well as lingering dizziness and nausea. I’m supposed to take the second shot 3 days from now. I emailed my cardiologist with this information, but he thinks that’s unusual and that I should go ahead with it."

• CCB...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2024

For High Cholesterol, Familial Homozygous "Reduced cholesterol well. Injection pen painless and easy to use. Side effects of activity-limiting low back pain, muscle aching around hips and sides, occasional feelings of head pressure and mental fogginess, and often feeling very tired or drained. However, it works a LOT better and causes much less pain than statins!"

• Sky...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 31, 2021

For High Cholesterol "A female, 60+, I started Praluent injections (150 mg twice a month) in December 2020. At that time, I had a history of normal blood pressure. After 2 months on Praluent, my LDL dropped to 33, however, I began getting rashes, hip and back pain, my feet felt numb and tingly, and my blood pressure increased. I asked my doctor to reduce the dose to 75 mg twice a month. I have now been on it for almost 8 months, and my blood pressure has steadily increased. I am now on BP medication for hypertension. This drug is outstanding for reducing familial high cholesterol, but in my case, the side effects frighten me. I will stick with a statin."

• kev...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 25, 2022

For High Cholesterol, Familial Heterozygous "After the first couple of weeks on Praluent, I noticed Achilles tendon pain, right hip pain, low back pain, my knees were achy, and neck pain. Also, developed severe fatigue. I tried to continue for the 3-month period to see if they eased up, but has only gotten worse. It is like every injury I have ever had has flared up all at once. I had to discontinue use, and I had similar statin intolerance with muscle cramps and bilateral Achilles tendon pain."

• Jim...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 16, 2022

For High Cholesterol "Family history of high cholesterol. Had a stent put in 2014. Can't take statins, legs lock up. Started on Repatha about 4 years ago. All numbers drastically improved. No real side effects noticed. Insurance dropped Repatha in 2020, made me switch to Praluent. Numbers still staying low and no bad side effects. Maybe some foot cramps, some lower back pain, but I'm 71, so aches and pains are expected. Stuffy nose for a few days after injection. Started on 75 mg pen every two weeks. I'm now on 150 mg injection pen every 2 weeks (300 mg monthly). My cardiologist loves this stuff and my numbers. I worry about long-term kidney or liver damage. But I don't want a heart attack either. I'm a very active 71-year-old male."

• Pra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 31, 2021

For High Cholesterol, Familial Heterozygous "75 ml Praluent injections since August reduced from 240 to 144 mg/dL. The FDA approved it for use in hypercholesterolemia patients in April 2021. Then I helped lift a heavy furniture box with my son, stood on a tall ladder, and days later developed intractable pain in my lower back radiating to my left leg, which is common in an injury that pinches the sciatic nerve ('sciatica'). Normally, an NSAID pain reliever would have provided relief, but I just underwent TAVR in early August (and started taking Praluent before that, and Eliquis several years before the surgery was needed), I could not take the NSAID drug I usually took. The pain escalated, and my GP prescribed prednisone, which helped with what was becoming two new rotator cuff injuries on my arms from using a cane instead of a walker or wheelchair. But the prednisone did nothing for the back pain, and by the way, is also incompatible with Praluent, which I have discontinued for now."

• Axe...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 24, 2021

For High Cholesterol "61 yo male, had LDL ~200, doctors found a blocked artery but couldn't stent it. Tried numerous statins with moderate LDL improvement, but serious side effects (muscle pain, severe anxiety). Switched to Repatha, which dropped LDL to 45, but developed severe sudden BP spikes after 3 months. Switched to Praluent 75 every 2 weeks. Dropped LDL to < 75. Praluent injections didn't bother me as much as Repatha. I do have annoying side effects: 3 days after injection, I retain water and my urine is like syrup for a couple of days. After that clears up, I get severe lower back pain in the morning for a few days. After that clears up, I get constipated for 3 days (very uncomfortable, but not debilitating). After that clears up, it's time for my next shot, and the cycle begins again. Net-net, compared to statins and Repatha, Praluent side effects are tolerable given the LDL reduction."

• Mca...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2021

For High Cholesterol "Started the first injection on Tuesday, extreme back pain the next day, and weeks later still have back pain. Will not be taking another injection."