Atorvastatin, brand name Lipitor, is a prescription statin medication that decreases blood levels of cholesterol by limiting the production of cholesterol within the body. This medication can also be used in conjunction with healthy lifestyle alterations to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke in patients with heart disease. Atorvastatin is administered orally (tablet) and should be taken as prescribed by your doctor. Discuss any questions or concerns you may have regarding this medication with your doctor before you begin atorvastatin treatment.
Stomach Upset
While receiving treatment with atorvastatin, you can experience stomach-related side effects because of this medication. The most common symptoms of stomach upset reported by patients taking atorvastatin include abdominal pain, bloating or gas. Certain patients also experience bowel habit changes during treatment. You may find it difficult to have a bowel movement (constipation) or you can experience an urgent or frequent need to produce a bowel movement (diarrhea). Symptoms of nausea or loss of appetite can also be experienced by patients taking atorvastatin; these may develop in conjunction with stomach pain, constipation or diarrhea. Eating a small snack or meal before taking your daily dose of atorvastatin can help limit the occurrence of stomach-related side effects. Speak with your doctor immediately if you develop severe stomach pain or notice that your stools appear pale or abnormally colored.
Joint Pain
During treatment with atorvastatin, you can experience abnormal, painful sensations within your joints or muscles. The tissues surrounding your joints or within your muscles can become irritated or inflamed, which can interfere with your ability to freely move the affected body region. These painful sensations are typically mild to moderate and tend to subside with recurrent treatment with this medication. If painful symptoms experienced during atorvastatin treatment extend into your bones or tendons or if pain is accompanied by tenderness or weakness, contact your primary care physician immediately.
Headache
You can develop a headache as a side effect of atorvastatin treatment, explain health professionals at Drugs, an informational website that provides current, peer-reviewed data on a variety of drug products. Headache side effects are typically mild to moderate in severity and progressively subside with repeated use of this medication. If you experience fever, extreme fatigue, sore throat, chills or other flu-like symptoms in conjunction with headache while taking atorvastatin, contact your health care provider as soon as possible for further evaluation and care.
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