HealthUnlockedHealthUnlocked
AboutLog in

Experiences with

Atorvastatin

Atorvastatin belongs to a group of medicines called statins. It is used to lower cholesterol if you've been diagnosed with high blood cholesterol and prevent heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes.

Your doctor may also prescribe atorvastatin if you have a family history of heart disease, or a long-term health condition such as type 1 or type 2 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.

This medicine is available on prescription only. It comes as tablets, including chewable tablets for people who have difficulty swallowing.

Who can take atorvastatin

Most adults and children aged 10 years and over can take atorvastatin.

Atorvastatin is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor if you:

  • have ever had an allergic reaction to atorvastatin or any other medicine
  • have liver or kidney problems
  • think you might be pregnant, are already pregnant, or you're breastfeeding
  • have lung disease
  • have previously had a stroke caused by bleeding into the brain
  • regularly drink large amounts of alcohol
  • have an underactive thyroid
  • have had muscular side effects when taking a statin in the past
  • have ever had a muscle disorder (including fibromyalgia)

Lipitor chewable tablets contain something called aspartame. Check with your doctor before taking these if you have phenylketonuria (a rare inherited disorder of protein metabolism).

Dosage and strength

Atorvastatin comes as:

  • 10mg, 20mg, 30mg, 40mg, 60mg and 80mg tablets
  • 10mg and 20mg chewable tablets

The usual dose for adults is between 10mg and 80mg a day.

Your dose depends on the reason why you're taking it, your cholesterol levels, and what other medicines you're taking.

Do not reduce your dose without talking to your doctor first.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you're unsure how much to take.

The usual starting dose for children is 10mg, taken once a day. This dose may be increased to a maximum of 80mg.

Your child's doctor will work out the right dose for your child. The dose will depend on why they need atorvastatin, their age and any other medicines they are already taking.

How to take it

Take atorvastatin once a day. You can choose to take it at any time, as long as you stick to the same time every day. This prevents your blood levels from becoming too high or too low.

Sometimes doctors may recommend taking it in the evening. This is because your body makes most cholesterol at night. If you're not sure when to take your medicine, ask a pharmacist or your doctor for advice.

You can take atorvastatin with or without food, but taking it after food may help if it makes you feel sick.

Swallow atorvastatin tablets whole with a drink of water. If you've been given chewable tablets, you can chew them or swallow them whole with a drink of water.

How long to take it for

Depending on the reason why you're taking atorvastatin, you may have to take it for a long time, even for the rest of your life.

You may want to stop atorvastatin if you think you're having side effects. Talk to your doctor first to see if it really is a side effect of atorvastatin or an unrelated problem. Your doctor may decide to lower your dose or change your medicine.

You will not get any withdrawal symptoms. However, the benefits will only continue for as long as you take it. If you stop taking atorvastatin without starting a different treatment, your cholesterol level may rise again. This increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

If you want to stop taking your medicine, it's important to find another way to lower your cholesterol.

If you forget to take it

If you forget to take your dose, take it as soon as you remember. If you do not remember until the next day, skip the missed dose and take the next one at the usual time.

If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.

If you take too much

Taking more than your prescribed dose of atorvastatin is unlikely to harm you. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you're worried, or if you take more than 1 extra dose.

Common side effects

These common side effects of atorvastatin happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

If this advice does not help and any of these side effects continue or bother you, keep taking the medicine, but tell your doctor or pharmacist.

Stop taking atorvastatin and contact 111 or call your doctor if:

  • you get unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, weakness or cramps – these can be signs of muscle breakdown and kidney damage
  • the whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow, although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin, or if you have pale poo and dark pee – these can be signs of liver problems
  • you get a skin rash with pink or red blotches, especially on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet – this could be a sign of erythema multiforme
  • you have severe stomach pain – this can be a sign of acute pancreatitis
  • you have a cough, feel short of breath, and are losing weight – this can be a sign of lung disease

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.

Drinking a lot of alcohol regularly increases the chance of you having side effects with atorvastatin, and liver problems.

If you think that atorvastatin is causing side effects and they're making you want to stop taking it, talk to your doctor first. They may be caused by another problem and not the medicine. Your doctor may suggest lowering your dose or changing your medicine.

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to atorvastatin.

These are not all the side effects of atorvastatin. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Atorvastatin and pregnancy

Atorvastatin is not recommended during pregnancy. If you become pregnant while taking atorvastatin, stop taking the medicine and tell your doctor.

Talk to your doctor if you are trying to get pregnant. Whether you continue to take atorvastatin or not depends on your reason for taking it. It may be possible to switch to an alternative medicine that is better during pregnancy. Sometimes it may be better to keep taking atorvastatin until you have a positive pregnancy test and then stop.

It might be OK to take atorvastatin while breastfeeding, but you might also be advised to stop taking your medicine until you are no longer breastfeeding. Your doctor or pharmacist will help you decide.

It's not yet known how much atorvastatin passes into breast milk, but it's likely to be a very small amount. It is unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby, or affect their cholesterol.

If you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual, or not putting on weight as you would expect, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your health visitor, midwife or doctor as soon as possible.

Atorvastatin and fertility

There's no clear evidence to suggest that taking atorvastatin will reduce fertility in either men or women.

However, speak to a pharmacist or your doctor before taking it if you're trying to get pregnant.

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines can affect the way atorvastatin works and can increase the chances of you having serious side effects, such as muscle damage.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:

  • antibiotics such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, rifampicin or fusidic acid
  • antifungals such as ketoconazole, voriconazole or fluconazole
  • some HIV medicines
  • some hepatitis C medicines
  • warfarin, a medicine to help prevent blood clots
  • ciclosporin, a medicine for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis
  • colchicine, a medicine for gout
  • contraceptive pills, such as the combined pill
  • verapamil, diltiazem or amlodipine, medicines for high blood pressure and heart problems
  • amiodarone, a medicine that helps if you have an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)

If you're taking atorvastatin and need to take one of these medicines, your doctor may:

  • prescribe a lower dose of atorvastatin
  • prescribe a different statin medicine
  • recommend that you stop taking atorvastatin for a while

These are not all the medicines that can affect the way atorvastatin works. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicine packet or check with your pharmacist.

St John's wort, a herbal remedy taken for depression, reduces the amount of atorvastatin in your blood, so it does not work as well.

Talk to your doctor if you're thinking about starting St John's wort, as it will change how well atorvastatin works.

Sometimes, people take a supplement called CoQ10 with statins. There's no clear evidence that taking it at the same time as atorvastatin benefits your health.

If you decide to take a CoQ10 supplement, tell your doctor or pharmacist. Supplements can affect the way other medicines you're taking work.

There's not enough information to say that other herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with atorvastatin. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines.

Related links

HealthUnlocked contains information from NHS Digital, licensed under the current version of the Open Government Licence

  • Posts

  • Communities

881 public posts

Atorvastatin

Hi GP dr as sent a message through for my Hubby to start on drugs Satin Atorvastatin . No explanation Hubby is on flair trial drug Ibrubtinb 3 tabs a day as anyone else took these drugs with treatment or had any side affects or reaction from Atorvastatin any answer or advice mucky received
Hi GP dr as sent a message through for my Hubby to start on drugs Satin Atorvastatin . No explanation Hubby is on flair trial drug Ibrubtinb 3 tabs a day as anyone else took these drugs with treatment or had any side affects or reaction from Atorvastatin any answer or advice mucky received
Duder profile image
Duder
in CLL Support

Atorvastatin

I read somewhere that a statin such as Atorvastatin will increase RLS. Is this likely to happen? Do any other forum members have any experience of this medication.
I read somewhere that a statin such as Atorvastatin will increase RLS. Is this likely to happen? Do any other forum members have any experience of this medication.
dahon profile image
dahon
in Restless Legs Syndrome

Statins

I’ve been on Atorvastatin for about 8mths and the last 3 months my legs are aching. Could that be statins.? Thanks #statins #Atorvastatin
I’ve been on Atorvastatin for about 8mths and the last 3 months my legs are aching. Could that be statins.? Thanks #statins #Atorvastatin
Atma123 profile image
Atma123
in British Heart Foundation
Want to take advantage of all our features? Just log in!
or

Taking Clopidogrel, Thyroxine and Atorvastatin

Also there were concerns about the reaction between Atorvastatin and Clopidogrel . Help I'm totally confused and have not taken the Atorvastatin as I am still trying to get a phone apointment with my doctor. I am worried now as I should have started it last week.
Also there were concerns about the reaction between Atorvastatin and Clopidogrel . Help I'm totally confused and have not taken the Atorvastatin as I am still trying to get a phone apointment with my doctor. I am worried now as I should have started it last week.
Jannypopins profile image
Jannypopins
in Asthma Community Forum

Rosuvastatin Issue

"The investigators compared 152,101 new users of rosuvastatin and 795,799 new users of atorvastatin (both high-intensity statins used to treat high cholesterol) from the 2011-2019 Optum Labs Data Warehouse.
"The investigators compared 152,101 new users of rosuvastatin and 795,799 new users of atorvastatin (both high-intensity statins used to treat high cholesterol) from the 2011-2019 Optum Labs Data Warehouse.
Teufelshunde profile image
Teufelshunde
in Advanced Prostate Cancer

Heart Meds

Has anyone stopped taking their Ramipril, Bisoprolol, Atorvastatin etc off their own back and did you notice any difference.
Has anyone stopped taking their Ramipril, Bisoprolol, Atorvastatin etc off their own back and did you notice any difference.
Stevie1960 profile image
Stevie1960
in British Heart Foundation

Nilemdo 180gm

I was on Atorvastatin 20mg but side effects were so bad, saying that it loweredCholesterol from 6.9 to 3.8. Can't find much on Nilemdo, any info will be gratefully received. I'm not sure it will be as effective as Atorvastatin but hoping joint, muscle pain won't be as bad.
I was on Atorvastatin 20mg but side effects were so bad, saying that it loweredCholesterol from 6.9 to 3.8. Can't find much on Nilemdo, any info will be gratefully received. I'm not sure it will be as effective as Atorvastatin but hoping joint, muscle pain won't be as bad.
Bodyp profile image
Bodyp
in British Heart Foundation

High Cholesterol and high B/pressure

Is anyone taking Amlodipine 5mg and Atorvastatin 5mg and do you have side effects. I am taking the two and my sleep at night is very poor I also have a very dry mouth and have a big thirst at night anyone experiencing this?
Is anyone taking Amlodipine 5mg and Atorvastatin 5mg and do you have side effects. I am taking the two and my sleep at night is very poor I also have a very dry mouth and have a big thirst at night anyone experiencing this?
Amarie52 profile image
Amarie52
in Cholesterol Support

Atorvastatin pains

Statins have been taking Atorvastatin for a couple of months. In the last couple of weeks my upper arms have aches and shoulder now tender. Also generally feeling joint pain that I haven’t had before. Have blood test next week due review . Wonder what other peoples experience is? Thanks
Statins have been taking Atorvastatin for a couple of months. In the last couple of weeks my upper arms have aches and shoulder now tender. Also generally feeling joint pain that I haven’t had before. Have blood test next week due review . Wonder what other peoples experience is? Thanks
Sleepyzz profile image
Sleepyzz
in British Heart Foundation

Fasting glucose

I started taking Atorvastatin 20 mg and Ezetimibe 10 mg on 28th June. I tested my fasting blood glucose yesterday and it was 7.8. Has anybody had high glucose since they started on statins?
I started taking Atorvastatin 20 mg and Ezetimibe 10 mg on 28th June. I tested my fasting blood glucose yesterday and it was 7.8. Has anybody had high glucose since they started on statins?
german14 profile image
german14
in British Heart Foundation

titleFenofibrateimprovised capsules 200mg

I have previously had problems both with Simvastatin and Atorvastatin so I think that I am one of those people who can not take statins.Has anyone any experience of this drug and did it help to reduce their cholesterol levels?
I have previously had problems both with Simvastatin and Atorvastatin so I think that I am one of those people who can not take statins.Has anyone any experience of this drug and did it help to reduce their cholesterol levels?
theminiaturist profile image
theminiaturist
in British Heart Foundation

moderate aortic stenosis

Waiting now to see cardiologist I'm a bit concerned as to what should I be doing I'm on Atorvastatin for high cholesterol and have hypothyroidism too ? I have some symptoms of lightheaded achy jaw and mild chest pain!suffered from irregular heartbeats, supra ventricular tachycardia .
Waiting now to see cardiologist I'm a bit concerned as to what should I be doing I'm on Atorvastatin for high cholesterol and have hypothyroidism too ? I have some symptoms of lightheaded achy jaw and mild chest pain!suffered from irregular heartbeats, supra ventricular tachycardia .
molly1964 profile image
molly1964
in British Heart Foundation

Getting really cheesed off now

Spoke to pharmacist and after a good long chat I went back onto 40mg Atorvastatin starting last Thursday.
Spoke to pharmacist and after a good long chat I went back onto 40mg Atorvastatin starting last Thursday.
Outoftheblues profile image
Outoftheblues
in British Heart Foundation

Alcohol query?

8 weeks post HA and on the following meds… Aspirin 75mg 1xday Atorvastatin 80mg 1 at night Beclometasone 2x twice a day Bisoprolol 5mg 1 x day Gliclazide 40mg 2 x daily GTN spray PRN Lansoprazole 30 mg 1 x day Levothyroxine 100mcg 1 x day Metformin slow release 1g 2 x daily Prasugrel 10mg 1 x Daily
8 weeks post HA and on the following meds… Aspirin 75mg 1xday Atorvastatin 80mg 1 at night Beclometasone 2x twice a day Bisoprolol 5mg 1 x day Gliclazide 40mg 2 x daily GTN spray PRN Lansoprazole 30 mg 1 x day Levothyroxine 100mcg 1 x day Metformin slow release 1g 2 x daily Prasugrel 10mg 1 x Daily
Solesofhershoes profile image
Solesofhershoes
in British Heart Foundation

Red Skin Rash - Anyone Else ? - Meds ?

I’m on Ramipril, Asprin and Atorvastatin. Thanks
I’m on Ramipril, Asprin and Atorvastatin. Thanks
Bellipan profile image
Bellipan
in British Heart Foundation

Pravastatin anyone?

I currently have Sulfasalazine x 2, Metoject 15mg weekly injection, Tocilizumab weekly injection, Omeprazole, Vit D3, Cyanocobalamin, Folic Acid, Calceous and Atorvastatin.
I currently have Sulfasalazine x 2, Metoject 15mg weekly injection, Tocilizumab weekly injection, Omeprazole, Vit D3, Cyanocobalamin, Folic Acid, Calceous and Atorvastatin.
Moomin8 profile image
Moomin8
in NRAS

Indapamide & Atorvastatin

Hi I’ve been taking above since May last year and gradually I have had a ‘redness’ appear on shins. This fades on and off during the day . There is a smaller area on right lower shin with very small orange patches which apparently the doctor said are small fat deposits but he’s not said what to do about
Hi I’ve been taking above since May last year and gradually I have had a ‘redness’ appear on shins. This fades on and off during the day . There is a smaller area on right lower shin with very small orange patches which apparently the doctor said are small fat deposits but he’s not said what to do about
Ryis profile image
Ryis
in High Blood Pressure Support

Atorvastatin and joint pain

I have seen that joint pains can be a side effect of taking Atorvastatin. I do not want to stop as I have high cholesterol which is genetic rather than lifestyle. Have others had similar experiences ? Thanks Jack
I have seen that joint pains can be a side effect of taking Atorvastatin. I do not want to stop as I have high cholesterol which is genetic rather than lifestyle. Have others had similar experiences ? Thanks Jack
jack1955 profile image
jack1955
in British Heart Foundation

Statins and coffee

I take 40mg Atorvastatin, plus the other usual meds after CVD and heart bypass, and epilepsy meds.
I take 40mg Atorvastatin, plus the other usual meds after CVD and heart bypass, and epilepsy meds.
materialman profile image
materialman
in British Heart Foundation

80mgs Atorvastatin and fatigue

Cardiologist recently increased my atorvastatin from 40mgs to 80mgs and am now experiencing extreme fatigue. Anyone else found this to be their exper?
Cardiologist recently increased my atorvastatin from 40mgs to 80mgs and am now experiencing extreme fatigue. Anyone else found this to be their exper?
Greencat59 profile image
Greencat59
in British Heart Foundation
  • 1
  • 2
  • ...
  • 45
  • Next page
  • 10
  • 20
  • 30
  • 40
Filter results
Posted in
Sort by
HealthUnlocked
© 2022 All rights reserved.

Company

About Us

Partner with us

Careers

Product

Health terms A to Z

Communities A to Z

Start a Community

Support

Help Centre

Community Guidelines

Contact us

Cookies settings