Pravastatin and Insomnia: What Users Say

• Lee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 5, 2018

For High Cholesterol "Where to start! My whole body hurt. I'm 37 years old, feeling like I was trapped in a 90-year-old body. Bad headaches, lack of sleep, stinky urine, weight gain, fatigue, memory loss, crazy thoughts, tired every 30 minutes, breasts were very sore, and irritable to everything and everyone, but my loved ones forgave me once I stopped taking the medicine, lol. On the 4th day of not taking it, I broke out in a very bad sweat, and then I felt wonderful! Never again!"

• ros...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 30, 2017

For High Cholesterol "I've taken three types of cholesterol meds, now on, or was (took myself off today), Pravastatin 20 mg. This stuff feels like it is killing me. My eye surgeon said they tried to put his wife on this stuff 'STATINS'. He said over his dead body. I sure wish I had told them that too, as I am so disabled now! I can hardly walk, move, stand, shoulders ache, foggy, dizzy, blurred vision, insomnia, heart palpitations (heart checks out good), pain in upper chest, weight gain, feet painfully burning, and Gout. Doctor also diagnosed me with polymyalgia rheumatica and carotenoid dermatitis since on this poison. No, never again. I don't want to feel like I am 90, I am only 65. Folks, I need a wheelchair!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 3, 2021

For High Cholesterol "On 10 mg pravastatin at night, it gave me lots of pain all over, especially the right side of my back. Also fatigue with no energy at all, also a spaced-out feeling with a low sex drive. Also not feeling well since being on this medication. Insomnia too. I stopped it 5 days ago and am beginning to feel better. Not sure if it's brought cholesterol down or not because I haven't had any blood tests done since being on this stuff over a year ago. Cholesterol was only 4.2 anyway before medication."

• Aga...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 11, 2022

For High Cholesterol "Cholesterol was 4.2 when I started 10 mg Pravastatin, 1 tablet to be taken at night. Was on it 17 months. It gave me very severe pain on the right side of the back area, with a spacey feeling, insomnia, and very low sex drive. Also was causing my left leg to buckle when walking, with fatigue and very low energy causing me to feel generally unwell and unable to exercise. I am male with normal blood pressure and otherwise healthy and was walking 5 miles every day before the medicine. 10 mg Pravastatin was not effective at maintaining or lowering cholesterol, as it was 5 on a blood test. I stopped taking Pravastatin because of the side effects, and the right back pain took about 6 weeks to resolve. When the cholesterol was done again after being off the tablet for 6 weeks, the cholesterol was 4."

• HCO...
• December 8, 2017

For High Cholesterol "I have been in the ER twice. I've racked up quite a large bill with the hospital. I've been exposed to needless radiation due to this medicine. I've had severe abdominal cramping, diarrhea, anxiety, confusion, nausea, and insomnia. Never ever again. I thought I was losing my mind. The ER doc was trying so hard to help me, and it was this stupid yellow pill. Never ever ever again."

• Sti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2023

For High Cholesterol "This pravastatin at 10 mg taken in the evening is causing insomnia. Been in bed since 11 p.m., and it's now 2:30 a.m. and still wide awake and will be up at 7:00 a.m. ...so looks like no sleep tonight again. This has been the same for 3 weeks since starting the pravastatin, managing to get only a couple of hours of sleep each night if lucky. When I stopped taking it for a couple of days, it gave me a withdrawal feeling of anxiety and panic."

• Son...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2021

For High Cholesterol "Took 10 mg of this medicine for about 5 weeks and ended in A&E with severe pain in the chest. I thought I was having a heart attack, but my heart was fine, had palpitations, increased blood pressure, and also could not eat anything sweet as my heart would race like crazy after the smallest bite of sweets. I had insomnia, waking up every hour, not being able to get a few hours of sleep in one go. I stopped it for 2 months and it went away, but I am back on it now again for about 2 weeks, and it is even worse. Have an appointment with a cardiologist in 2 days, so will see to get off of this as my body seems to not tolerate it."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 18, 2025

For High Cholesterol "Pravastatin lowered my LDL to healthy levels, so it's good in that regard. It did not make any impact on my HDL or triglycerides. The only side effect I encountered was difficulty falling asleep, however, I had this same side effect with Lipitor as well. I also take an SSRI, and both statins seemed to have some sort of interaction with my SSRI, which I think may be the cause of the insomnia. I don't think insomnia is normally a side effect."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 18, 2025

For High Cholesterol "Pravastatin lowered my LDL to healthy levels, so it's good in that regard. It did not make any impact on my HDL or triglycerides. The only side effect I encountered was difficulty falling asleep, however, I had this same side effect with Lipitor as well. I also take an SSRI, and both statins seemed to have some sort of interaction with my SSRI, which I think may be the cause of the insomnia. I don't think insomnia is normally a side effect."

• mss...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 5, 2017

For Hyperlipoproteinemia Type III, Elevated beta-VLDL IDL "Just finding out that this medication may be a factor in causing insomnia. This is something I am fighting tooth and nail."