My mom has been on Lipitor for 2+ years. Very recently she has been feeling like a "zombie" as she put it. She feels no emotion and feels "empty". The only medication is has been on is Lipitor. I read the side effects of Lipitor and, sure enough, depression is one of them.
Is it possible that even though she has been on Lipitor for 2+ years, the side effect can occur now?
Thanks in advance!
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I looked up atorvastatin (Lipitor) in the Micromedex evidence-based database and in the Drug Information Handbook (14th ed.). I found no evidence of depression as an adverse effect related to its use. I did find one recent article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine that looked specifically at "statin" use and depression, and they were unable to show a link (source below). Could you please share your source of information?
Depression is a very complex state and stems from a huge variety of causes. Some of these causes are psychological, but a good many of them may be physical or hormonal. Menopause, lack of sleep, improper diet/exercise regimens, early onset diabetes, thyroid problems, anemias – these can all contribute symptoms that look like depression or lead to chemical imbalances that would be considered clinical depression. There’s no way to know without first doing a "complete workup" (blood tests, liver tests, etc.).
It is *possible*, that atorvastatin may be causing to some other adverse effect (e.g. muscle weakness, changes in your blood cells). These effects can become noticeable at any time during statin therapy, which is why your mom probably has regular liver function tests – if she hasn’t, then she needs to soon. You do *not* want to abruptly stop your statin therapy without first talking to your doctor.
This is not to say that you should ignore these signs or symptoms, because depression is serious and treatable. You definitely want to bring this up with your doctor as soon as possible. It helps to bring a "diary" of how your mom feels on a day-to-day basis (physically and mentally). They will first try to rule out a correctable physiological abnormalities, and then refer to a psychiatrist for evaluation.
Let me know if you need clarification. Good luck and best wishes for your mother!