Trisha Torrey is Every Patient's Advocate. She is a newspaper columnist, radio talk show host, national speaker, and the guide to patient empowerment at About.com. Niacin can increase the harmful side effects of Lipitor on muscle, which can in turn harm the patient's kidneys and lead to renal failure, according to the Mayo Clinic. I took Lipitor for several months and frequent urination and lower back weakness and some pain started. I do not take any other drugs. I stopped medication and after about a week or ten days, the symptoms went away. Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of damaged skeletal muscle. Muscle breakdown causes the release of myoglobin into the bloodstream. Myoglobin is the protein that stores oxygen in your muscles. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurs when your kidneys are damaged and over time lose the ability to work properly. Eventually, this can lead to kidney failure, where your kidneys don’t work well. The picture in a recent ad for Lipitor implies that cholesterol-lowering is for everyone, even slim young women. However, in the fine print we learn that Lipitor “has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks”! Oxycodone and the drug’s corresponding metabolites are eliminated by the kidneys following metabolism inside the liver. Although oxycodone can place increased filtration burden on the kidney, the drug does not appear to cause any direct toxic effects on the kidneys. Side effects may occur with Lipitor, and muscle aches developed in up to 5.6 percent of people taking the drug. In most cases, muscle aches occur without more serious symptoms; however, if you also develop a fever or illness, call your healthcare provider right away. Heartburn and stomach acid medications known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) can cause CKD and can damage your kidneys further, once you have it. User Reviews for Lipitor. The following information is NOT intended to endorse drugs or recommend therapy. While these reviews might be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care.