The medicine Lipitor (or the generic version of atorvastatin) is prescribed for patients who have high cholesterol levels. According to Drugs.com, Lipitor (or the generic version) works by blocking the cholesterol production in the liver, thereby reducing the level of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. Lipitor is also prescribed to lower heart complications such as heart attack and stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.
Common Side Effects
Common side effects of Lipitor include hoarseness, headache, tenderness or pain around the cheekbones and eyes, runny or stuffy nose and difficult or painful urination. Unless one or more of these side effects becomes troublesome, there is no need to seek medical attention.
Less Common or Rare Side Effects
Contact your physician immediately if you experience any of the following less common side effects: dizziness, difficulty swallowing, itching, skin rash or hives, tightness in the chest or a fast heartbeat. The Mayo Clinic states that you also should report stiffness, swelling, muscle cramps, pain or weakness, unusual tiredness or fever. Other serious side effects that need a doctor's attention include coughing, shortness of breath, and swelling or puffiness around the eyes or eyelids, lips, face or tongue.
Less common side effects that do not require a consultation with a doctor include back pain, abdominal pain, constipation and a feeling of discomfort, lack of strength, shivering, sweating, accidental injury, sleep problems, and stomach discomfort such as belching, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
Side Effects of Undetermined Frequency
Lipitor can have some serious side effects that require immediate medical attention, but the frequency of these side effects has not yet been determined. These include joint pain, sore throat, fever, chills and red irritated eyes, as well as diarrhea and dark urine. Many skin problems have also been reported. Contact your doctor if you experience red skin lesions, blistering or peeling skin, ulcers, sores or white spots on the lips or in the mouth, hive-like swelling on the eyelids, face, tongue, throat, lips, sex organs, hands or feet, or any itching, tenderness, burning or redness of the skin.
Side effects of undetermined frequency that do not require a doctor's care include large, flat bruised patches on the skin, red, chapped or swollen lips, an increase in appetite, blurred vision, an increased light sensitivity, problems with night vision, buzzing, ringing or noises in the ears, increased muscle tone or body movements, a fruity odor on the breath, loss of sexual ability, desire or drive, pain in the scrotum or groin and breast lumps.
Cases have been reported of increased sensitivity to pain or touch, increased thirst, urination, and the urge to urinate and defecate, loss of bladder control, urination that is painful, cloudy, burning, or bloody, and black, tarry stools. Mental side effects may include depression, nightmares, nervousness, paranoia, depersonalization and euphoria.
Other patients have reported a change in the length of their menstrual cycle, red pinpoint spots on the skin or unusual bleeding, pale or yellow skin, slurred speech, tender or swollen lymph glands in the armpit, groin or neck, and weight loss.
