Question: I have had trouble keeping my cholesterol down. When I take Crestor, the bottoms of my feet burn and start to hurt. Crestor has been the only one that I can take for a while before it makes me sick. It is only 5 mg.

Dr. Hibberd's Answer:

If you have recurrent problems with any medication, always request a change. Though your description of problems with Crestor are quite unusual, this should be a sign for a change to a sister medication such as Lipitor. Besides, Lipitor has a far greater wealth of literature supporting its ability as a good cardiovascular protector than Crestor, and it actually may turn out to be a preferable medication for you. Crestor has yet to be shown superior to Lipitor, despite aggressive marketing by the manufacturer.

Have your doctor monitor you closely, and alert them if you have any suspected side-effects from your medication. Also, be sure to have your doctor screen you for peripheral arterial disease (PAD), diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy, and institute a treatment plan for this if it is present.