Key takeaways

  • Lipitor, a common medication for high cholesterol, can cause a range of side effects, from mild issues like nausea and joint pain to more serious concerns such as muscle pain, liver damage, and allergic reactions.
  • While some Lipitor side effects, like mild muscle pain or diarrhea, may be temporary and manageable, it’s important to promptly report any concerning or persistent symptoms to your doctor.
  • Certain preexisting conditions, such as diabetes, thyroid problems, kidney issues, or liver problems, could increase the risk of experiencing side effects while taking Lipitor. So it’s important to discuss your medical history with your doctor before you start taking Lipitor.

Lipitor (atorvastatin) is a brand-name medication prescribed along with a nutritious diet and exercise to:

The active ingredient in Lipitor is atorvastatin. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) The drug comes as a tablet that you swallow.

This article describes the more common, mild, and serious side effects that Lipitor can cause. For more information about this drug, including details about its uses and how to take it, see this Lipitor overview article.

Lipitor can cause certain side effects, some more common than others. These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. Talk with your doctor if side effects do not go away, get worse, or become too difficult to tolerate.

Lipitor’s more commonly reported side effects include:

For more information about some of these side effects, see the “Tips for managing side effects” section.

Examples of mild side effects that have been reported with Lipitor include:

  • infections, such as the common cold or urinary tract infection (UTI)
  • pain in the legs or arms
  • nausea
  • mild muscle pain
  • joint pain
  • diarrhea

For more information about some of these side effects, see the “Tips for managing side effects” section.

In most cases, these side effects are temporary. And some may be easily managed. But if you have any symptoms that are ongoing or bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. And do not stop taking Lipitor unless your doctor recommends it.

Lipitor may cause mild side effects other than the ones listed above. See the drug’s prescribing information for details.

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Lipitor may cause serious side effects. The following list may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Lipitor’s prescribing information.

If you develop serious side effects while taking Lipitor, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Serious side effects that have been reported with Lipitor include:

If you develop serious side effects while taking Lipitor, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Sharing your experience helps make medication safer for everyone by giving doctors and researchers more information about how the drug works in real life. If you develop a side effect while taking Lipitor and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch or call 800-FDA-1088.

Allergic reaction

For some people, Lipitor can cause an allergic reaction. In general, symptoms of an allergic reaction can be mild or serious.

What might help

If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should keep taking Lipitor.

If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.

If your doctor confirms you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Lipitor, they may have you switch to a different treatment.

There may be things you can do to help make certain Lipitor side effects more manageable. If you have ongoing, worsening, or bothersome side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can suggest tips for managing them or recommend other available treatment options for your condition.

Muscle pain

You may develop muscle pain during treatment with Lipitor. Muscle pain was a common side effect reported in studies of the drug.

This side effect can be mild or severe. In some cases, muscle pain can also be a sign of a more serious side effect. Examples include rhabdomyolysis, a condition caused by the breakdown of muscle, and immune-mediating necrotizing myopathy, a rare muscle condition.

What might help

If you have muscle pain while taking Lipitor, talk with your doctor. They can determine what may be causing it.

If your muscle pain is mild, your doctor may recommend decreasing your Lipitor dose to see if the side effect lessens.

If you have severe muscle pain, contact your doctor as soon as possible. This may be a sign of a more serious condition. Your doctor might recommend that you stop taking Lipitor right away. And they’ll likely check you for rhabdomyolysis or immune-mediating necrotizing myopathy.

Liver damage

It’s possible to develop liver damage from taking statin medications such as Lipitor. Although liver damage was not a common side effect, it may still occur during Lipitor treatment.

Lipitor may cause increases in liver enzymes, which may indicate liver damage. Symptoms of liver damage include:

What might help

If you have any symptoms of liver damage during your treatment with Lipitor, tell your doctor right away. They can order blood tests to see how well your liver is working.

Your doctor will also check your liver function by ordering blood tests before you start taking Lipitor and throughout treatment.

If you develop increased liver enzymes or liver damage during treatment with Lipitor, your doctor may recommend decreasing your dose of Lipitor. Or they may pause your treatment until your liver enzyme levels increase to the point that it’s safe to resume treatment.

In more severe cases, your doctor may recommend that you take a different medication instead of Lipitor to treat your condition.

Joint pain

Lipitor can cause joint pain. This was one of the more common side effects reported in studies of Lipitor.

What might help

If you experience joint pain during your treatment with Lipitor, tell your doctor. They may be able to recommend ways to decrease this side effect. For example, they may suggest taking an over-the-counter pain medication, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen).

Diarrhea

It’s possible that you may have diarrhea during Lipitor treatment. Diarrhea was a common side effect reported in studies of the drug.

Symptoms of diarrhea include:

  • belly pain or cramping
  • bloating
  • watery stools
  • having frequent bowel movements

What might help

If you have diarrhea while taking Lipitor, tell your doctor. They can determine whether Lipitor is causing your diarrhea and the best ways to treat it.

If you have diarrhea, it is important to stay hydrated. Your doctor or pharmacist may also be able to recommend other ways to treat your diarrhea. For example, they may recommend taking an over-the-counter medication such as Imodium (loperamide).

Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about Lipitor’s side effects.

Do Lipitor and atorvastatin (generic name for Lipitor) have similar side effects?

Yes. Lipitor and its generic version, atorvastatin, typically have the same side effects. Both drugs contain the same active ingredient, which is atorvastatin. An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.

But the inactive ingredients in Lipitor and atorvastatin may be different. So it’s possible to have different side effects due to the inactive ingredients in these drugs.

If you’re interested in switching between the brand-name and generic forms of Lipitor, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can discuss with you possible differences in the generic’s side effects compared with Lipitor’s.

Is there any difference between the side effects Lipitor may cause in females and males?

No, Lipitor should not cause different side effects in females and males.* In studies of Lipitor, there weren’t differences in side effects in men compared with side effects in women.

It’s important to note that doctors may not prescribe Lipitor during pregnancy or breastfeeding. This is because the drug may cause other side effects while pregnant and breastfeeding. For more information, see the “Warnings for Lipitor” section.

* In this article, we use the terms “male,” “female,” “men,” and “women” to refer to someone’s sex assigned at birth. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this sex vs. gender article.

Does my risk of side effects depend on what dose of Lipitor I take (10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, and 80 mg)?

It’s possible that the strength of Lipitor you take may change your risk of side effects. Lipitor is available in four strengths:

  • 10 milligrams (mg)
  • 20 mg
  • 40 mg
  • 80 mg

Taking a higher dose of Lipitor may increase the risk of side effects. So, if you’re taking a dose of 80 mg per day, your risk of side effects may be higher than that of someone taking a 10-mg dose.

If you’re having side effects from taking Lipitor, talk with your doctor. They can check whether your dose of Lipitor needs adjusting.

Are weight gain and hair loss side effects of Lipitor?

No, weight gain and hair loss are not side effects of Lipitor.

But there may be a link between taking statin medications such as Lipitor and an increase in appetite. An older study showed that people taking statins consumed more calories and fat than people not taking such drugs. So it is possible that this increase in appetite may lead to weight gain. But this was not reported in studies of the drug.

If you’re taking Lipitor to reduce your risk of heart problems due to type 2 diabetes, you may notice hair loss. This is because diabetes may increase the risk of hair loss in females and males.*

If you have weight gain or hair loss during your treatment with Lipitor, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to recommend ways to manage your weight gain or hair loss.

* In this article, we use the term “female” to refer to someone’s sex assigned at birth. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article.

Does Lipitor cause any eye-related side effects?

Although rare, it’s possible for Lipitor to cause blurry vision. This side effect was reported in studies of Lipitor.

In addition, eye-related side effects may be a symptom of another side effect that Lipitor causes. Lipitor can increase your risk of liver problems. One side effect of liver problems is yellowing of the eyes or skin.

If you have yellowing of the eyes or other eye-related changes while you’re taking Lipitor, contact your doctor. They can find out what may be causing your eye-related side effects and the best way to treat them.

Lipitor may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions. These are known as drug-condition interactions. Other factors may also affect whether Lipitor is a good treatment option for you.

Talk with your doctor about your health history before starting Lipitor. The list below includes factors to consider.

Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Lipitor or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Lipitor. Ask them what other medications are better options for you.

Diabetes: It’s possible that Lipitor may worsen diabetes. If you have diabetes, tell your doctor before starting treatment with Lipitor. Your doctor can determine if it’s safe for you to take the drug. Or they may recommend a different treatment option for you.

Thyroid problems: People with certain thyroid problems may have an increased risk of side effects, such as muscle pain, from taking Lipitor. Before you start taking Lipitor, tell your doctor about any thyroid problems that you have. Your doctor can help treat your thyroid condition before Lipitor treatment.

Kidney problems: Lipitor can cause muscle problems, which in rare cases may lead to kidney problems. If you already have kidney problems, taking this medication may worsen your condition. Your doctor can determine if it’s safe for you to take Lipitor with your kidney condition.

Stroke or ministroke in the last 6 months: Taking Lipitor after having a stroke or ministroke in the last 6 months may increase your risk of having another stroke. If you’ve had a recent stroke or ministroke, tell your doctor before starting treatment with Lipitor.

Liver problems: People with liver problems should not use Lipitor due to the risk of harm. Lipitor may cause liver problems to occur. If you already have a liver problem, taking this drug may worsen your condition. Due to this risk, your doctor will likely recommend a different treatment option for you.

Alcohol and Lipitor

There aren’t any known interactions between Lipitor and alcohol. But alcohol and Lipitor can both cause liver damage. So drinking alcohol while taking Lipitor may further increase the risk of liver problems.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about how much alcohol, if any, may be safe to drink during Lipitor treatment.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding while taking Lipitor

Lipitor may not be safe to take during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Currently, there’s not enough information to determine if Lipitor affects a developing fetus, but it is possible. So your doctor may not prescribe the drug during pregnancy.

It’s also unknown if Lipitor passes into breast milk or affects a child who is breastfed. Due to the possible risks, your doctor may advise you to avoid breastfeeding while taking Lipitor.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed, tell your doctor before starting Lipitor treatment. They can help you understand the risks of taking Lipitor during these times. They may also recommend a different treatment option for you.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.