Cholesterol Management Community

I also have taken several satin drugs over the years and ended up with permanent muscle pain around my waist and groin area. I have talked to several other people that have experienced the same problems. The drug makers lead us to beleive that a side affect of muscle pain only occurs in a very low percentage of persons taking their statin drugs. It's difficult to convince doctors of these side affects. I changed to Tricor which is not truly a satin drug and the pain still exists. Recently, my new Internist thinks I may have developed Fibermygelia and put me on Lyrica which has reduced the muscle pain. I also would like some medical input and truth about use of statins and their side affects.

Several years ago I was prescribed a statin for high cholesterol. Within a week, I was experiencing unusual pain in my leg muscles. Being aware of that possible problem, I contacted my doctor and he switched me to Niaspan. With that drug, I have dealt with the occasional "flushing" - which sometimes required a lot of self-massage with a wet towel to cool off. - two or three times a year. Once, it was convenient to just jump into the bathtub for 20 minutes or so. My cholesterol numbers did respond to the the Niaspan nicely - down to an LDL of 135-140. Then the doc happened to notice a little uptick and he non-chalantly mentioned "too many burgers." That was a year ago. I went vegan - but I don't go into guilt drama if I happen to share a burger once or twice a month. I also decided to do an average of 30 minutes of walking a day. A real egg is rare, real cheese, even more so. I like a particular brand of soy milk so that takes care of that. And there are some really good substitutes for meats, eggs, and cheese - if you take the time to try a good selection of brands. My last LDL was 97, I'm feeling great and I have lost 25 extra pounds. Now, I'm negotiating with my doc on the possibility of getting off the Niaspan. I am a male, 67, and my only risk factor would be my age.

I too have been on numerous statin drugs, and had to discontinue each one due to severe muscle pain. So I decided to drastically cut down on meat meals, and eat more fruits, grains and vegetables. People on statins are supposed to take Co-enzyme Q10 at the same time, which was recommended when Lipitor was first patented, but most doctors are not aware of this, and often cardiac experts simply ignore the advice and consider it nonsense. But, regardless, Q10 has many other benefits as well and I have been on it for over ten years, and am considered very young for having just had my 81st birthday. stellarjay

try a bile acid sequestrant Questran, colestid, welchol. It your liver responds by making more bile the more it uses the less in your body

allane11@yahoo.com

I have taken the course of all of the drugs. I went through mevacor, lipitor, crestor, etc. I suffered greatly from muscle pain and high heart rate at night of 156 to 190 for periods of 1 to 2 hours. I am physically fit and work out every day. Not everyone is cut out for these drugs. I was taken off my final round three months ago and still suffer from the side effects in my muscle. It is horrible. I now watch my diet more and take high doses (3000mg) of No Flush Niacin and I will find out soon if this works. Recently I have read though that No Flush Niacin doesn't work as well as the intolerable immediate release Niacin or the easier to handle timed release Niacin. So the jury is out and I will keep you posted. My problem is keeping my LDLs down which statins have been most effective with. I tried the natural form of red yeast rice as well but that also gave me muscle pain. Taking COQ10 can alleviate some of the symptoms. If you are dealing with triglycerides then there are some other pills you should discuss with your doctor such as Tricor and Questran. You just have to keep trying to find the right mix that will work with your body. Drug companies need to understand that everyone is not the same. It takes people like us to talk it up to let them know that there are other symptoms out there that need to be paid attention to.

I have been on Simverstatin for several years with no trouble. However, in the last eight to nine months leg pain has developed. I decided to come off the drug for two weeks. The leg pain has completely subsided. So, now I have started back on a half dose, we shall see how long it take for the leg pain to reapear. I was put on the drug because of type II diabeies, not because my cohlesterol was way high. It was only 217 at that time, and that was the highest it has ever been in my 72 years. They wanted it under 200, and with the statin it dropped to 135/140 and has remained there.

I have tried 3 times to respond to you and am dropped each time!! Perhaps WEB MD does not like what I am having to say about statins!!! I can say nothing good about statins, especially for a person with fibro, which some refer to as arthritis of the muscles. Why would you want to take a drug whose side effects is "muscle cramps" for a persons with a muscle disorder in the first place? My email is eggoodwin@yahoo.com if you would like to discuss this. I have had fibro since 1986 and have been all over the USA to doctors looking for solutions.

Over the past 15 yrs I've been prescribed Questran, Zocor, Zetia, Pavachol, red yeast rice, nician.and now Crestor. I had to quit my occupation due to cramps in my hands and muscle and joint aches that were debilitating. I didn't realize these problems were due to the statin drugs until I interrupted their use. Miraculously within weeks the symptoms disappeared, but the LDL started to elevate. I have only been on Crestor for 3 months. As yet I haven't had any cramps or muscle and joint aches. My Dr wants my LDL below 70, because I had a HA three yrs ago. These drugs can be very bad for you. I've experienced many other side effects from them. The symptoms begin very slowly ,but eventually they begin to manifest themselves. Before long everything aches and just getting out of bed is difficult. Simple things like bending to tie shoes is very difficult and painful. Some Doctors arent' aware of these side effects.

I started taking a statin to reduce my cholesterol on a Friday. By Sunday evening, I could hardly walk with the pain in my legs. Unbeleivable!

I have tried several statins (Pravachol, Crestor, Lipitor) and had the muscle pain. I could only take zetia for 4 days - that was the worst. I am now on Trilipix but after a few weeks, have aches and pains. I am never sure if it's just arthritis or from the medication. After being on statins for over 10 yrs my dr finally told me I should be on the CoQ10 - I do not know what to do. My numbers are OK but dr. says I have twice the particles of cholesterol as should have. I have had the neck artery ultrasound and she says I need to take something. I hike everyday and am not a meat eater - and have never been. The niacin seems like the last resort. What to do? My brother has same problem and is not taking any medication and just trying to control with exercise and diet.

A few years back, my doctor put me on a statin drug. I had muscle pain with each one she tried. Then she put me on Lopid and I'm fine. It has lowered my cholesterol and there is no pain or any other side effect. Lopid is an older drug and not as convenient to use as the statins. It must be taken a half hour before eating. My dosage is twice a day. I also take enteric coated fish oil capsules. For anyone who has problems with statins, ask your doctor about Lopid.

I take Zocor and have for years. I have told all my doctors that I have severe leg pain, heel pain and sometimes I have pains in all my joints. They all keep x-raying my back, shoulders, neck , legs and feet and ankles. Not one has come up with any diagnosis that they can help me with. I have quit the water areboics because I am so exhausted afterwards and I'll have sharp pains in my legs or feet. I have not tried quitting the Zocor yet but I am going to today. Oh, also my fingers are so tender I can't knock on a door anymore, it hurts so bad.

Hi Stephen4444:

I assume that your question is a med that does NOT have that side effect. Direct answer: I do not know of any, but people have told me that it took four or five shifts in medication to get something they "could live with". Be relentless with your MD.

The side effects of Crestor (a statin) caught up with me three and a half years after my doctor put me on it and it was very bad. I started with pain in my left calf and knee. I moved to my thighs and hip joints and within three months I could not stand without assistance in getting up, my legs felt like they might not hold me at any specific moment. I was reduced to using two canes and it took me more than five minutes to walk up my 150 foot driveway. Pain woke me in the night. It moved to my shoulder and right bicep. I got a new patient information sheet with a new supply of Crestor and the symptoms were exactly mine. I stopped all statin therapy on July 1, 2008 and have been gradually recovering (I am not "there" yet.).

Astra Zeneca, the manufacturer, has been of no help other than to say that 1 in 1000 people are so affected. A fifth year intern from the U. of Okla. says that from his personal experience he thinks the number of people affected in this way may be between 20% and 30%. His own father was put on low dose Lipitor and "six weeks later could not even lift a golf club."

Please go to the internet and google "Spacedoc" for some more unsettling news about what statins can do to you.

unclecasper

Truth about statin drug side effects is VERY hard to find. Please refer to my response to Stephen4444 above and by all means check out the website "Space Doc"

unclecasper