Tricor / Fenofibrate Is Ruining My Life! Severe Neck, Back, Shoulder Blade And Arm Pain!
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Two weeks after starting Tricor, I started developing muscle stiffness that within two more weeks was so severe, I was only sleeping a couple hours a night because the pain kept me up. I went to the Dr and she said keep taking the tricor -she prescribed muscle relaxers and an NSAID pain med. They said maybe it was bad posture, and caused by working at a computer. They also suggested physical therapy. Neither helped. Two days later I went to a Chiropractor, with no relief. The next week I was calling her office again, after waiting in pain a couple days, she prescribed another kind of muscle relaxer and NSAID for pain, and again said to go to physical therapy. The medicin did nothing at all, and again I was so severly in pain, I felt as if someone was trying to rip my arms from my shoulder, while also beating the hell out of my tricep. I spent most of the night crying in pain. The next morning I went to an immediate care doctor. I told them that I weas taking Tricor and thought we should look at that as the cause. I was told that would be a good thing to look at, and they said it seemed to be musculoskeletal, and they couldn’t find really anything wrong with me – he prescribed a “better” muscle relaxer. Feeling exhausted and defeated, I broke down crying. I new that I was gerting worse and the muscle relaxers were doing nothing at all. This was on a Friday, That Saturday, I called my Doctors office and spoke to the on-call nurse. I explained the amount of pain I was in and everything I had been going through – I again, broke down crying – lack of sleep and constant severe pain will do that. I told her that the meds the Immediate care doctor gave me no relief at all. She said that I should just keep taking them and they should work. She confirmed this with the doctor on call as well. Out of desperation, I doubled the prescribed dose, and had minor relief for a few days when I ran out of the pills. I know that I shouldn’t have done that. My sister was taking the same medication at 3 times the amount I was prescribed, so I figure I would try it. The following Tuesday, I stopped the Tricor and went to PT – they thought that I had high shoulders, probably because of the pain, but couldn’t figure out why my arm hurt – they thought maybe a pinched nerve or something. I got an appointment with my Dr for the next day. Again in there explaining my symptoms again…I asked her if we could do an MRI, to see what was going on – She said we should do an Xray first- this showed nothing.

She prescribed a sleeping medication and another NSAID, to help me sleep – I sleep just fine if I don’t have pain – anyway, I tried it. That night I started sleep walking and woke to find myself pulling on my moms leg trying to move her off my couch. My husband said I spent the rest of the night moaning like I was in a lot of pain and I kept him up. At that point, I swore off all medication – I also niticed when I tried to get up off the floor, my arm gave out and I fell. I sudden;y realized my arm felt really weak – this was the same arm that has been hurting. I got my little dumbbells out and found that I could barely lift 5 lbs from level with the back of my head, up with my left arm – I mean, I really had to strain. My right arm could do 10 pounds like it was nothing. I called my doctor the next day, Friday, and they weren’t working, so the nurse, and doctor on call for them said it would be ok to stop the Tricor- I had already done this, and they would leave a note for my Dr so she could follow up the next Monday. Monday came and went with no call back, I finally left a voicemail around 4pm. The nurse called me back around 5;30pm and said it was ok to stop the Tricor – really???? I asked her about the weakness, and if I should have blood work done because it could seriously affect my kidneys. She said she woul dhave to ask the doctor and get back to me the next day. Well, I received no call on Tuesday so I left a voicemail Wednesday afternoon. Hours later I got a call back and she said that the doctor said that I should just keep doing hat I was doing…. Since then I have only taken Aleve for pain. I am feeling much better, but still wake up at night in pain and have pain in my back but mostly my arm is very weak and is constantly in pain…..I feel neglected as a patient, and don’t know where to turn. I have been off the Tricor for 14 days now, and hope I continue to see improvement. I only consumed a total of 22 of the tricor pills, but they have really messed me up!

25 Replies (2 Pages)

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25

i used Fenofibrate for several days. i feel pain at back, probably it is liver or kidney pain

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24

I was put on Fenofibrate several years back..... I started getting severe pain and weakness in both upper arms. Had nausea and stomach pain as well. It was so bad that I had trouble dressing myself, showering or doing anything that required use of my arms. I could not lift my arms above shoulder level. I talked to my doctor about it and she said it was not the statin.... I beg to differ. :( Called my drugstore and asked them... they said to stop taking it & the pain would go away, they were wrong!!! The pain spread to my neck as well. I stopped the med and over several weeks the pain eased some what but here I am in March 2018 and am still having trouble with pain and weakness in both arms. I already must deal with Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis among other ailments and hate that a med designed to help hurt me more than anything else ever has. I have to live with it as no one seems to want to admit the drug did it. I heard about a class action suit here in Canada and when I contacted someone they said that the arm, neck and stomach pain was not a side effect! :O Now here I read of others dealing with the same problem so I say it is a bad side effect. Has anyone else heard of this or found a way to deal with the never ending pain? I say thanks now for any info. I live in southern Ontario.

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23

I have been going through many of the same symptoms. I was on a stating and fenofibrate. My rheumatologist took me off both and gave me meds to help with the damage caused from being on both. 3 months ago my primary put me back on both and within 2 weeks my pain started increasing. Have been off both again for 2 weeks and the pain and fatigue are finally easing.

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22

Re: I know (# 7) Expand Referenced Message

Please can you tell me how long it took for the Fenofibrate to clear your system?
I have terrible pain in my legs which is stopping me sleeping and didn't realist it was this medication. Took the pills for 3 weeks.

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21

I took Fenofibrate for 41 days. Within a few days, I began to have shoulder pain. I would massage it at night to get to sleep. Soon after, I began to see muscle loss in my legs. A large hurricane headed for San Antonio, TX., where I live, took my mind off of everything going on with this med. Vision was affected, when I began to lose 1/2 a lb a day for 11 days. I weighed 129 1/2 lbs and when I got to 124, I called the doctor. He was not in but I told the receptionist to have him call me because I could not breathe well. (I should have gone to the hospital.) The doctor did not call me back the next day, so I called the office on the following day. I went in and my blood glucose reading was over 500! I am 68, have always been thin and exercised. Past lab scores did not show any signs of this. I was told that I prob. had Diab. Type 2--gave me Insulin.. The following week, I was told that I have Type I. One of the side effects of Fenofibrate is Diabetes Mellitus. (Look at the Kaiser web site on Fenofibrate.) I think I got it from Fenofibrate 160. People who know me and how I have taken care of myself, believe me. I am trying to deal with this. Have felt better lately. Going to get a name of a Endrochronologist in 3 days. Don't take this stuff until you read the side effects. It works great for the majority of people--but some people have life-changing results.

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20

I've been on Fenofibrste for two weeks. I have been running a low grade fever, nauseous, back, neck pain, some minor abdominal pain since Friday. I stopped taking it as of Saturday because I was too nauseous. I talk to the pharmacy and they said I may have pancreatitis? Should I wait this out? How long until the meds are out of my system? I'm so tired of feeling like this.

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19

Took Fenofibrate for 3 days and I'm in excruciating pain..I also have fibromyalgia. So I am always in pain which sucks. But this on top of my usual pain is rIdiculous. My back and buttocks going down my leg plus my right shoulder to the elbow hurts. Especially the muscle in the upper arm. I'm sure it flaired up my sciatica on left side. Called the doctor and said I am stopping medication. Should should have known not to give me this med since I am extremely sensitive to all meds with unusual side effects due to the fibromyalgia. I made an appointment with my pain doctor to get an epidural injection in my spine hoping that works. Keeping my fingers crossed since it's been a month i stopped the medication and still in pain. Another drug people should stay away from is the Floxin family like Citroen or Levaquil. Wound up in hospital with vertigo and I was lucky that was the only side effect for me it can ruin your tendons and ligaments.

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18

Agree...Just a night of taking it I am limping the following day. My left foot was swelling with joint pains.

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17

Same problems with cholesterol meds.... pain, heart palpitations, etc.... I quit taking them all!!! My choloeterol is in 200 as well...currently taking a blood thinner Plavix 75 for stent put in last Oct. but can't take NSAID for lower back pain!!! Seeing PT 3 x weekly and raking tylenol... constant pain in back any suggestions?

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16

As prescribed by my doctor to lower my cholesterol level. I took simvastatin 40mg and fenofibrate 200 mg together at bedtime. The first night I took it, following morning I felt pain in my left foot and it's swelling. I thought it is arthritis as I am feeling occasional joint pain on my foot. So I took same dosage that night and it became more painful and I can't sleep with the pain and I can't walk my left foot as it is very painful to touch it. I've been taking it for three consecutive nights and today I have decided to stop it as I've read all revelations about its side effects. And almost all the guys here have the same experience as I did. Well in fact I only have 200 something with my cholesterol level which I believe I can manage with regular exercise and diet.

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15

Anyone having heart palpitations from fenofibrate 54 mg???? I'm scared to keep taking it and scared not to... High glycirides...... Can't take the statins!!!! Muscle pain awful.... Need input...

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14

Went to doctor and he xrayed shoulder. I have arthritis in two areas and one is causing the pain to run from my back to my elbow and the other is causing the pain in thecarea by my collsrbone.
Here is the medica stuff on my report. 3 views of the right shoulder demonstrat articular surface irregulaities over the humeral head and glenoid fossa with marginal osteophytes at the humeral head considtant with chondromalacia and degenerative disease. There appears to be intrasseous cystic changes near the humeral tuberosites.
Mild right acromioclavicular degenerative joint disease is present.Degenerative spondylossis and scoliosis are present. No ther significant bone joint soft tissue or right lung lesions are identified.No foreign bodies are detected.

Impreesion
Moderate right glenohumral cystic djd
Mild right acromioclavicular djd
Degenerative spondylosis.

My doctor recommend I see an orthopedic specialist. Luckily I live in Florida and their are a lot of pro golfers and baseball players around here andmy boss knows a doctor that specializes in this and is highly recommended so I am going to see him in a few weeks.

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13

Went to see my doctor and was told tha the medicine shouldnt be causing the pain and told me to go back on it since it might mess up my blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Gave me 21 methylprednisolone pills and did an ekg and ultrasound of my abdominal area and liver kidney and coratic arteries. Have anappontment to get my shoulder xrayed tommorrow to see if it is messed up. a The dr also scheduled me for physica therapy but Im going to see what the xrays say since if something is torn I dont want to make it worse.

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12

All the above sound like Rhabdomyolysis. I had this on Atorvastatin and it is a risk with Fenofibrate also apparently.

To be sure your doctors should run a blood test for Creatine Kinase. This is also used to detect heart attacks as it is released during muscle atrophy.

I've been fortunate so far on Fenofibrate, although the dizziness is a PITA.

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11

I am having the exact same problem but had rotator cuff surgery 5 years ago and thought that was the reason for the pain coming back.For the last week my forearm has hurt like crazy and I am having pain on the right side by my stomach or kidney. It feels like a nail has been hammerred into my shoulder and is hitting the bone. I am on 2000 mg of metformin. And 20 mg of simvastatin a day. After reading this I am going to stop taking this stuff.Rather have a heart attack and get a transplant than screw up my kidneys and be on dialysis the rest of my life

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10

I started fenefibrate 2 years ago, finally my cholesterol was perfect, then my doctor moved away. So had to find a new doc in my health care network, she took me off of it and put me on pea astatine because it was heart healthier, 3 months blood work showed my cholesterol went back up, a year later her replacement while she was on maternity leave, put me on fenofibrate again but also kept me on pracastatin. About 2 and a half weeks later I woke up to aches and pains in my left arm and shoulder blade, I was crying like a baby, nope no heart attack found nothing wrong, do I just thought ok I m getting old and soar , this went on for 3 months until the pain was so unbareable I could sleep , sit, stand, eat... I felt like I wanted to throw up and pass out at the same time, I then saw this forum and realized it was the fenofibrate and stopped taking it a week ago. I am in less pain , but still very bad and I have gained a bit more control of my arm back where as before I had lost most of the use of my arm. Please stop taking this medication and contact a physician , as soon as possible if you have any weird symptoms, I don't know if I will ever get the strength back , or the motion in my arm back, I don't even know if I will ever be pain free, but I do know that doctors need to be more educated on these symptoms their selves, I would never wish this much pain on any one it is horrible

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9

Can you stop taking fenofibrat cold turkey?

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8

This is ridiculous! I have been taking it for 2 weeks...i have muscle aches, tension all over the body. I have pain in the abdomen too. Doc prescribed because i have a it high Triglyceride count and now after taking it i am realizing it may just stop me doing any exercise. I have a snapping feeling with the shoulder blades..now that's just weird feeling. Thanks to this chatboard..i feel i am not alone. Remaining fenofibrates goes to the dust bin. I am gonna go back to simple multivitamins, fiber and exercise. Reduce salt and sugar and drink nothing but water.

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7

STOP ALL STATINS AND FENOFIBRATE. They cripple you and do irreversible damage.
Exercise and eat right but do not take the crap. The doctors will pill you to death.
It is the fenofibrate. Don't take it

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6

thank you for sharing, it sounds exactly like what I am going through. I also have been sent to the pt. , drugs etc....I definitely had this problem with statins but I was told I wouldn't have this with this drug. im very conflicted my cholesterol was up to 500 and it went down to 225 after 2 months on this drug but my arm hurts all the time and I do massage for a living, not good . so what do you do? I don't want a heart attack but the pain is also getting me down. im going to try taking the pill 3x's a week and see if that helps. what did your doctor finally give you for your cholesterol and is it working

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