Zetia and Muscle Pain: What Users Say

• Fre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2019

For High Cholesterol "I cannot take statins as they tank my depression. I am a disabled veteran and have had my depression under control for several years now. My general practitioner at the VA put me on Zetia for cholesterol. I took it for approximately 4 days. My depression got so bad that I stopped it today and notified my psychiatrist and my general practitioner that I was stopping it as of today. I spent the last two days crying because I felt so bad. I also was extremely tired, and my joints and muscles were hurting. This is just how the statins affected me. If you suffer from depression, run away from this drug as fast as you can!! It works very quickly and can catch you completely off guard!"

• Pet...
• June 11, 2017

For High Cholesterol "I am 66 and have been taking Zetia 10 for nearly 5 years now. I had previously taken Zocor, Mevacor, and Crestor consecutively over a period of about 15 years, each giving me severe muscle pain in my feet and legs. At one point, the pain in my arches was so bad that one doctor diagnosed the problem as plantar fasciitis and recommended surgery. That's when I stopped taking any statins and within a couple of months, the pain was completely gone. When I started taking Zetia, I saw no adverse side effects and my bad cholesterol went down a little. About a year ago, I started having pain and weakness in my legs when standing up or climbing stairs. Now, I have pain in my left calf and heel and occasionally in my left arm, shoulder, and back."

• Jer...
• March 17, 2013

For High Cholesterol "I took Zocor for 10 years before developing muscle pain. Since then it's been trial and error with several different statins. In each case, I developed muscle pain in essentially the same area of my body, right buttocks, and hip. Most recently, I was put on Zetia without any statin. After two months, the pain returned to the same area, only much more severe than before and more persistent."

• Wat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 6, 2022

For High Cholesterol "My cardiologist put me on statins over 2021, 80 mg, 40, 20, 10, then changed to Crestor 5, then 2.5 mg. I cannot tolerate them, period. Now, he put me on Zetia, which I resisted for about a month, but he insisted I try them. By the 3rd day, I have muscle pain in my arms, cramps in my legs and feet, diarrhea, queasy stomach, severe headaches, dizziness, and insomnia. My non-fasting cholesterol is 225/85. I am stopping Zetia, and I pray that all these side effects go away within days. No one can live like this. I have a good diet, but will work at it even harder because I will NOT take this poison again. If you have had good results, I am happy for you, but if you experience what I have, get off them now."

• Anonymous
• January 2, 2011

For High Cholesterol "Tried several statins but both resulted in terrible muscle pain despite working to reduce both LDL and HDL levels. After switching to Zetia, no more muscle pains while lowering my LDL and maintaining my HDL levels."

• Wil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 12, 2017

For High Cholesterol "Took Zetia at 10:30 at night with my pravastatin 30mg. By 2:00 AM, I woke with horrible leg and arm muscle pain. Never had issues on the low dose of pravastatin, but now, 2 days later, my legs still burn. I cannot stand it and hope it goes away. Never again. I had the same problems with Lipitor, only this is not going away yet. Not worth it."

• mol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2021

For High Cholesterol "I was put on Zetia when I could not take statins because of severe muscle pain. Three weeks in, I started having pain in my elbow and both shoulders. I stopped the medication, so I ended up taking it for less than one month. Six months later, after stopping the medication, still the pain did not go away."

• fgr...
• June 25, 2013

For High Cholesterol "I have been using Zetia for two years. I am also having extreme muscle pain with profuse sweating when I get too hot."

• Anonymous
• November 21, 2011

For High Cholesterol, Familial Heterozygous "I didn't get on with statins - muscle aches. I have been taking this for several years with absolutely no side effects, and my cholesterol level keeps my doctor happy."

• Not...
• October 22, 2015

For High Cholesterol "I took 1 Zetia and my throat swelled up. I wound up in the ER, getting IV steroids and Benadryl. I will never take it again. I cannot take statins due to terrible muscle pain."

• Anonymous
• July 14, 2010

For High Cholesterol "So far no muscle pain with this medication. Very expensive, over $100 for 1 month supply, and no generic."