Like all medicines, rosuvastatin can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Side effects often improve as your body gets used to the medicine.
Common side effects
These common side effects of rosuvastatin happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:
Feeling sick (nausea)
Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food. It might help to take your rosuvastatin after a meal or snack.
Contact your doctor if your symptoms continue for more than a few days or get worse.
Headaches
Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Try not to drink too much alcohol. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller.
Talk to your doctor if the headaches last longer than a week or are severe.
Stomach pain
Try to rest and relax. It can help to eat and drink slowly and have smaller and more frequent meals. Putting a heat pad or covered hot water bottle on your stomach may also help.
If these symptoms carry on, or if you're in a lot of pain, speak to your pharmacist or doctor.
Feeling weak or dizzy
If rosuvastatin makes you feel dizzy or weak, stop what you're doing and sit or lie down until you feel better. Try not to drink alcohol as it will make you feel worse. Do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery if you're feeling weak or dizzy.
Constipation
Get more fibre into your diet, such as fresh fruit, vegetables and cereals, and drink plenty of water. Try to increase your level of exercise, for example, by going for a daily walk.
If this does not help, talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
Protein in your pee (urine)
If you're taking the higher 40mg dose, your doctor will check for this as there are no symptoms for this side effect. This usually returns to normal on its own without you having to stop taking rosuvastatin. Your doctor may want to test your pee to see if this happens.
If the advice on how to cope does not help and any of these side effects bother you or do not go away, keep taking the medicine, but tell your doctor or pharmacist. They may recommend trying an alternative statin.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects are rare and happen in less than 1 in 1,000 people.
Stop taking rosuvastatin and call a doctor or call 111 now if:
- you get unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, weakness or cramps – these can be signs of muscle breakdown and kidney damage. This can happen a few weeks or months after you first start taking this medicine. Tell your doctor about any unexplained muscle aches and pains, tenderness or weakness straight away
- 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 have severe stomach pain – this can be a sign of acute pancreatitis
- you have a cough, shortness of breath and weight loss – these can be signs of lung disease
- you get a skin rash with pink-red blotches, especially on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet – this could be a sign of erythema multiforme
- you have a weakness in your arms or legs that gets worse after activity, or if you get double vision, drooping eyelids, problems swallowing or shortness of breath – these can be a sign of myasthenia gravis
Immediate action required: Call 999 now or go to A&E if:
- you develop severe breathing or swallowing problems
Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Bring all the medicines you take with you.
Serious allergic reaction
In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to rosuvastatin.
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Do not drive yourself to A&E.
The person you speak to at 999 will give you advice about what to do.
Other side effects
These are not all the side effects of rosuvastatin. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.
Reporting side effects
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.
Visit the Yellow Card website for more information about reporting side effects.