Anybody out there on a Statin?

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Sunshine susan

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2002
Messages
196
Location
St. Petersburg, FL
Hi, all! Both my cardio and my internist want me to take a low dosage statin....probably like Zocor, for fairly high cholesterol. My AVR was 13 years ago, and I am otherwise just fine with INR always within acceptable levels. Basically take no meds other than the warfarin. I've been reading reviews of all of the statin drugs, and what I read is really scary in terms of debilitating pain, etc. Maybe only the sufferers respond with negative comments, but few were positive. I am a very active person with a job and lots going on. No time for needless suffering. Has anyone out there had experience with statins? Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! :confused:
 
Sunshine Susan (there used to be a great country singer in Virginia named Sunshine Sue :) ) --- you will get a lot of response to this question. Been a lot of discussion here on this topic. You might want to key in statins and do a search and you will find a lot for starters. Am sure there will be more.

I take a low dose of simvastatin and have no ill effects that I am aware of. But some on here have had problems with various statins -- mostly the pain you mention, I think. Sometimes you have to find what works best for you by trial and error, working with your doctor of course.

All best wishes....
 
I was on several different statins, off and on, and most recently simvastatin, for several years. Because of ongoing muscle pain and cramping, I discontinued the use of any statin effective July,2009. I have decided to take my chances with a little high cholesterol....but I am almost 74. My decision might be different if I were a young man. FWIW, virtually ALL of my aches and pains have disapeared:D.

I think simvastatin is the generic for Zocor. 20mg caused only a small increase in my INR, however 40mg did cause my INR to spike above 4.5 on my normal dose of 5mg warfarin/day.
 
I take 40mg of simvastatin daily, and I've noticed no aches and pains at all. Then again, I'm 'only' 39, maybe the chance of that increases with age.
 
My DH takes one, and also something to lower triglicerydes. His body makes these like crazy! He has been on this combo for about 7 or 8 years, just turned 46, and he is fine .. at least as far as these meds and their problems go, he has others, too . . .
 
No personal experience except a few weeks of Simvastatin after my OHS...then my cardio said OK to stop because my cholesterol is within normal range. However, my husband has been taking Lipitor 10 mg/day for more years than I can remember and has never had a problem with it. Our HMO tried switching him to some other statin a few years ago and he had such bad reactions to it that they let him go back to Lipitor in a short time.

Midge
 
i've had high cholesterol, first diagnosed in '88, before the good drugs
were out.

started on simvistatin about 10 years ago, began with 80mg. this dropped
cholesterol levels almost immediately to normal, but a blood test showed
liver enzymes much too high. i believe it is this enzyme that attacks the
structural muscles and leads to pain. fortunately i had not been on the
drug long enough to cause pain or damage.

i was cut to 40mg and then to 20mg which maintained cholesterol in range
and liver back to normal.
 
I take crestor 2.5mg about three times a week, I do well with my dosing. They tried 10mg then 5mg but I cut the 5 in half and it works fine for me. I do take a B12, B6 folic acid and CoQ10 with vitamin C right now, it helps with my get up and go! Take at least 100mg of CoQ10 if you have any side effects.
 
They have tried me on numerous different statins for mine, but on each and every one, my liver numbers went way too high in a matter of 2 weeks. So, needless to say, I now take fish oil tablets every day to try and keep my numbers under control and I also try to watch my diet. I think everyone is different. My mom is on one and has no issues, so I think it is your chemistry that causes or can cause issues with statins. Good luck!!!
 
I've been on several statins over the years. Lipitor and Simvastatin both gave me muscle cramps and joint pain (not at first but after being on it for awhile)even though I take CoQ10 and my liver enzymes were within normal range. There is a theory out there that says the statins that are more water soluble won't cause as much trouble. These are Crestor (rosuvastatin) and Pravachol (pravastatin). I am currently on Crestor 10mg daily and haven't had a problem (yet). From my experience in the health field, there are some people that don't have any problems no matter which statin and how high the dose... and others, like myself, that have very sensitive muscles and joints. There are also a few that blame their sore muscles and joints on other things, like aging, not realizing it's the statin. My advice is to try it at the lowest dose that works and see how you feel as time goes on.
 
Hi,
I have been on Lipitor for some 5+ years (started at age 50) at 20mg/day and recently changed to Crestor 10mg/day as Crestor is supposed to be better at raising "good" cholestorol numbers. I have never had any issue with joint or muscle pain, but I do get blood tests periodically to check the liver numbers.
Cameron
 
I also was on Lipitor for years and just changed to Crestor. So far no problems at all. The 4 months of cardiac rehab managed to help cut my bad cholestrol down in half.
 
Thanks, everyone!

Thanks, everyone!

Thanks, all. My doctor called today to tell me he was going to send a prescription for Zocor to my pharmacy. He said 20 mg, and I talked him down to 10 mg. I will give it a try. All of you and yours seem to have had little problems with it. Also others as I did a search and read some of the previous threads, although not all were positive. I told him if it gave me problems, I wouldn't continue to take it. Like Carly Simon, "I haven't got time for the pain!". But I will give it a try! Thank for your help...I do feel better about it. I'll keep you posted on the results!:D
 
Hi, Susan. I've been on simvastatin (generic for Zocor) 20 mgs. since June. No problems at all and a 30 drop in my overall cholesterol.
 
Are you kidding? Is anyone out there NOT on a statin? I am on Zocor, 40mg...been under control with this despite familial hyperlipidemia (fancy way of saying "it runs in the family.)
 
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