Ezetimibe for High Cholesterol User Reviews (Page 4)

• Rub...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 12, 2018

"I am a diabetic, so of course the doctors automatically say I have to be on cholesterol medication. My LDL is only 116, so just over the within range for the lab tests. Tried statins in the past, and the cramps were unbearable. Well, after 4 days on this drug, I feel like I have not slept in weeks. I have lost 5 pounds in the short time, the severe diarrhea is keeping me up at night, and I have developed a rash on my chest. Also, my joints and muscles are really sore, and my chest feels very tight. Like I could not do anything that would elevate my heart rate. Also feel dizzy and lightheaded, but that could be because I have not slept much due to running to the bathroom multiple times at night. I will be stopping medication as of now! I do not have a gallbladder, and they state in their consumer guide that it is safe for patients who do not have a gallbladder. If you do not have your gallbladder, really think hard before trying this."

• deb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2019

"My Dr. warned me that I may get stomach problems on ezetimibe, but I wasn't expecting the runs for hours on end and stomach pain. I've stopped it as I'm not sleeping, and I'm constantly burping, and it tastes awful. I messed up my bed and clothing."

• Sil...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 22, 2020

"I’ve been taking Ezetimibe 10 mg every day for 8 months and have good results. My doctor tried a statin before that made me sick, I was dizzy and couldn’t think clearly-raising my blood sugar over 300 for a week. I’m type 1 diabetic for 20 years and had to take this option and am grateful for no longer having complications. My HDL and LDL are above average now. I’m also on a low-carb, mostly vegetarian diet."

• Ade...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 8, 2023

"Been on Ezetimibe for 3 months now. LDL levels are down and overall cholesterol is at 4. So it works really well, but the nightly diarrhea and tummy pain is so bad... it keeps me awake and running to the loo for around 3 hours. I also experience fatigue, sleepiness (which is normally not the case as I suffer from insomnia, so this drug actually helps me sleep, but only after the diarrhea finally stops around 3am), muscle cramps (even in my hands), and breathlessness. I think I will have to stop this drug despite the excellent results."

• Sit...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 22, 2018

"Was on Zetia 10 mg daily for four years. Underwent numerous scans, testing, ultrasounds, and vascular studies to determine why I was having severe leg cramping every single day (worse at night). I discontinued Zetia by myself, and my legs had a 100% return to normal. Unable to take statins due to joint pains but was assured this med was not the same."

• Mar...
• August 1, 2020

"Been taking ezetimibe 10 mg about 3 weeks. I do get occasional diarrhea, but my biggest problem is the bloating. My stomach looks like I'm pregnant, and I hate that feeling. I don't have any other symptoms."

• Mee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 1, 2021

"I have been on statins for the last 4 years. Was placed on Crestor last December, and I had serious adverse effects like dizziness, loss of balance by taking just 2 times. Later placed back on Lipitor 20 mg, and then since September 9, Lipitor was reduced to 10 mg, and Ezetimibe 10 mg was added. Now I have severe joint and muscle pain with mood swings, which I can't explain. How often should liver function tests be taken, especially when I have had a cholecystectomy done? What other options are there to reduce high LDL? With no family history of diabetes, I now have high levels of HBA1C 6.5-7.2 thanks to statins. Can anyone reading this reply to me? I will be very thankful. Take care, all statin users."

• Bar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 2, 2021

"Extreme weakness after taking it for 2 months. Then extreme hunger but unable to eat much. After stopping for 7 days, all symptoms stopped. PA said it could not be causing my symptoms because they did not appear at first! I stopped anyway, and after 7 days, I am almost OK."

• Mil...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 6, 2019

"My doc believed my LDL and total cholesterol were too high. I was on Simvastatin 40 mg. He added a script for 10 mg Ezetimibe. Three months later on Simvastatin 40 and Ezetimibe 10, my total cholesterol improved from 216 to 116. LDL improved from 137 to 46. I was on a Paleo diet (no fruit) before and after Ezetimibe. Now all cholesterol measures are well within normal range."

• JJa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2020

"I was on Zetia for a month, but my hip burned, so I stopped, much like other statins I had tried. I tried it again later, and after a month, both my hips burned. I stopped Zetia, and the burning improved. It has been 6 months, and my right hip still burns, and sometimes my left. I am done with statins. No drug is worth side effects like this. I will exercise more."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 10, 2021

"Sore shoulders and neck pain. Taking this with a statin, and I stopped the ezetimibe after two months. It has been two weeks off the drug and still sore, although not as bad, read that it can take up to two months for your muscles to heal."

• GCa...
• August 11, 2020

"I have been taking Ezetimibe, generic for Zetia, for one year with no side effects. With drug RX card, I pay $25.00 every 90 days. My cholesterol is down to 200 from 238, I still have too little good cholesterol, but it's better than the pain I get with statins."

• Tes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2024

"I was on Atorvastatin after a TIA. It was fine for a couple of weeks, and then I started to feel increasingly brain-foggy and so exhausted, I just wanted to lie on the floor. I came off them after four months, and within two days, I felt back to normal. However, my cholesterol crept up again, so my GP put me on Ezetimibe. This time, I was fine for the first 6 days, but I’m now getting the same brain fog and extreme exhaustion as I had with Atorvastatin. I’ve also had some weird spasms in my fingers. I’ll give Ezetimibe another couple of weeks, but it feels as if my quality of life has vanished yet again. Quite depressed about it."

• Cin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 20, 2019

"My cholesterol is/was at 235, and through a Doppler, discovered my left interior carotid artery is 100 percent occluded, but got somewhat lucky with some strong collateral arteries. My doctor immediately put me on statins...a big no-go on all of them, each one I tried (5) had horrible side effects immediately. Fog-like state, shortness of breath, muscle cramps, depression, it was terrible. One of my sisters was put on Zetia with no side effects, and her cholesterol went from over 300 down to 80. I begged my doctor to let me at least try it, and I've just passed the 1-week mark with just a couple of small side effects: tingly legs twice and bloating. So far, I love this ezetimibe, however, the proof will be in 2 months when my cholesterol is rechecked. I am a 65-year-old female."

• Lil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 29, 2019

"After having a TIA (transient ischemic attack), I was put on Avandia, which works well. Now I've been given ezetimibe to go with it, and the pain in my legs hurts. Every night I'm tired with headaches all the time. Thinking of dropping it. PS I have swollen ankles too."

• Ric...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 27, 2019

"I am on Ezetimibe 10 mg together with Simvastatin 20 mg for four weeks. In the meantime, I stopped Fenofibrate 134 mg. It seems effective to reduce LDL-Cholesterol by 25%, total cholesterol by 30%. Don't know why my triglyceride level was cut in half from 200 to ~100. So far, don't have much side effect, but will watch in the next 3 months."

• Mic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 4, 2018

"I wasn’t sure if I could stay on Zetia at first because my blood pressure was lower than usual (78/56), and I had shortness of breath with extreme fatigue. I secretly took only half a pill and half of my blood pressure medication for a while (not recommended). Almost a month later, everything leveled out, and I’m now taking a full dose of both meds with none of the problems listed. I had a lipid panel at the 4-month mark, and my values were all normal, and my LDL dropped 28 points. Best of all, recent lab work shows my liver enzymes as normal, and this was the first medication that didn’t elevate them into the triple digits. I have a bit of back pain along the spine, but nothing major. I’m not sure if it’s the Zetia or just me. Unless it gets unbearable, I’m gonna stay the course. $30 for the generic 90-day supply with insurance. Very pleased so far."

• Mik...
• November 3, 2020

"Have been unable to tolerate statins, so doc recommended Zetia. The headaches from Zetia are intolerable. I am stopping them. If I don’t, I will end up damaging my kidneys by taking too much ibuprofen just to get through the day."

• Den...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 9, 2016

"I was reading this blog with interest. I'm a Canadian. You are being ripped off in the U.S., I am sorry to say. I am on 5 mg of Crestor and 10 mg of ezetimibe, and I do not have insurance. In Canada, our social health insurance pays for the doctor but not prescriptions unless you are a senior. The cost of these two drugs together is just under $20.00 per month. Yes, not $200.00, but $20.00. I suggest you vote to put pressure on the drug manufacturers to reduce their pricing structures. And by the way, I have tolerated both with no side effects, and my cholesterol numbers for total are very low. My cardiologist is happy, and so am I."

• Dai...
• March 23, 2025

"I disagree with most of you on this drug. It is a godsend, and it has only had good side effects for me. Recently, I was found to have extensive calcium deposits in the biggest coronary artery. A blockage in that artery nearly killed my father at age 58. Three of my four grandparents died of strokes. I have not had perfect control with pravastatin, but am stuck with it because I have mutated cytochromes, which cannot handle hydrophobic statins. The same mutated cytochromes would make me unable to take many cardiac drugs, so prevention is key. My new cardiologist ran tests of my apolipoprotein A and B and said the results show I probably have familial hypercholesterolemia. She started me on ezetimibe 7 weeks ago. My ApoLP-B is ↓ 8 pts, cholesterol ↓ 15 pts, triglycerides ↓ 5 pts, VLDL- ↓ 1 pt, LDL ↓ 20 points, and my good HDL ↑ 6 pts. I have had no nausea or other symptoms. My weight has dropped to normal, my chronic constipation gone."

• Bee...
• July 2, 2019

"Has lowered bad cholesterol and raised good cholesterol, but - not sure if ezetimibe (10 mg) or other medications. Feel completely exhausted, cannot tolerate statins (pain). Changed PCP's (an endocrinologist put me on this medicine + Synjardy XR + amiloride < due to low potassium). Also blood pressure medications - Lisinopril 20 mg + Amlodipine Besylate 10 mg? Overmedicated? Have an appointment with PCP tomorrow to discuss. Had very recent metabolic profile + Hgb A1C = 5.7, so good BP - 127/67 pulse 67. I take BP medication Lisinopril and Amlodipine Besylate at night as too tired if taken in the day. I take Synjardy and ezetimibe and amiloride in the morning, from endocrinologist last July and great diabetic control med - diet and home testing. NOTE: I have lost > 40+ pounds since August 2018 and dropped from 44 waist to 36-38. I am a male - Yes, I adjusted my diet, but not that radical. Help? Panic? Will post > but (IMO) medication(s) cause fatigue."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2023

"I have inactive CAD, so recently my cardiologist suggested Zetia to lower my bad cholesterol, which, although not very high, is still higher than where it is recommended. I decided to wait on starting the med until I had my annual checkup with my primary doctor, and she ran a new blood panel. I was happy to see my LDL had dropped 20 points, but still 30 points over the optimum level of 70. So I thought I would give Zetia a try, but still nervous because of potential side effects since I am very drug sensitive and have had adverse reactions to statins and some other drugs. I only took 1/2 tab yesterday to test it out, and I thought I felt a sensation later on my tongue. Tried 1/2 again today, and about a half hour later felt another sensation like numbness on my tongue and the roof of my mouth. So that's it for me. Can't speak to the drug's effectiveness. I will continue to take lecithin, as I have been doing to work on lowering my cholesterol further through exercise and diet."

• RJP...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 24, 2017

"Reduced LDL by about 25%, good. But made me feel terrible, disrupted my already tenuous sleep. I tried it 3 times, same result each time. Too bad, as it works to reduce LDL. Need to try something else."

• Sma...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 4, 2021

"Was having some heart issues (fluttering, tightening in chest). Went to the hospital. Ran tests and found the heart issue was a fluke, but my cholesterol was high, which I knew. Can't take statins. Told the doctor not to put me on any statins. Had me take Ezetimibe (Zetia). I was really hesitant. Took approximately 2 days before the rash and severe hives appeared. 3rd day it was from my neck down to my knees with severe rash and raised hives. Back to the ER. Put me on 50 mg of Prednisone for 5 days. The doctor told me to NEVER take it again. Wish they would listen. Was out of work for a couple of days until the hives/rash started to subside. Awful few days. Prednisone was giving me grief, also, but helped with the rash/hives."

• TMa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 5, 2018

"Started taking ezetimibe 10 mg on 7/1/18. Diarrhea and pain in the left side of the back by 7/4/18. Taking this along with Simvastatin. Can't continue on the ezetimibe with the back pain, especially, so will stop until my Dr. and I can figure out another alternative as the Simvastatin 20 mg alone not doing it."