muscle pain from statins use

[jeff]

hi don't know if this is in the right section .i have been taking a statin since my valve op in 2007. simvastatin being the first one i was prescribed after the first stages of using the drug i had no problems , them my gp decided to double my dosage from 20mg to 40mg a day . since then i have had very painful muscle aches he then changed me over to lipitor 20mg i was ok for a few months then back to the muscle pain so my gp changed it again to crestor 10mg and the pain is now unbearable to the point were i can't lift my left arm up at all with out helping it with my right arm . had a test some time ago for rhabdomyolysis and nothing was found there . any help or information gratefully received
cheers jeff

 

[Nancy]

Well, I am on Simvastatin, and also on Arimidex (for past breast cancer). Both of these meds cause joint and muscle pain. The only thing I have found that will help is to do stretching exercises in the morning. It seems that my muscles have no memory and need to get that stretching to work properly, and they need it each morning. If I skip a day I can tell.

Also Simvastatin depletes CoQ10 from the body and some say L-Carnitine as well. I started taking CoQ10 a while back and it helped a little. I just recently started adding L-Carnitine in a combo capsule. That helped more.

I go off Arimidex in December and I am hoping that this will help some. However, I will still be on Simvastatin.

You should discuss these with your doctor and see if it something that will help you and if you can take them.

 

[dick0236]

Jeff, I was on several statins for a few years until 7/09. I also experienced muscle pain and cramping. I have been off the statin, simvastatin, for two months and the pains and cramping have nearly disappeared......the "cure" may be worse than the disease.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Muscle Pain is a KNOWN potential side effect of the Statin Drugs.

If you do not have an Information Sheet for each of those drugs, ask your Pharmacist for one, or do a Search (Google, etc.) Hopefully you will find one that lists the side effects and protocol for dealing with those side effects. (I'm thinking that you should STOP taking any statin that causes Muscle Pain as that is a degenerative condition - ask your Doctor or Pharmacist for confirmation).

ZETIA is a Non-Statin Drug that works in the digestive tract to lower Cholesterol. Unfortunately, it is not yet available in a Generic Form so is more costly, at least in the USA.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[DeWayne]

having taken 3 different kinds of statins all with the same gut wrenching pain I just swore off Statins. since I figure my cholesterol is under 200 (192) and my triglyceride level is about 75 I figure I am ok. Sure my bad numbers are a tad high and my good number a bit low, but it seems that men tend this way anyhow. and the way I eat I figure I am doing pretty well to be under 200! And no I am not changing from eating my hamburgers and steaks, life without it would be worth it to me anyway! lol

 

[jeff]

Jeff, I was on several statins for a few years until 7/09. I also experienced muscle pain and cramping. I have been off the statin, simvastatin, for two months and the pains and cramping have nearly disappeared......the "cure" may be worse than the disease.

thanks for the reply but what do you take now to control your Cholesterol now then .

ALCapshaw2 i have read the information sheets and they all say may cause muscle pain . what they should say is will cause muscle pain

Nancy i will have a word with my GP to see what he suggests doing . as for the stretching exercises in a morning a would be glad to be able to stretch in a morning but the pain is to much to stand . i have stopped taking then now and will be seeing my GP this week .

DeWayne i think your cure is the best one so far steak and hamburgers

thanks to all that replied

 

[ponytaila1a]

Jeff, I was on several statins for a few years until 7/09. I also experienced muscle pain and cramping. I have been off the statin, simvastatin, for two months and the pains and cramping have nearly disappeared......the "cure" may be worse than the disease.

I agree.....I had less pain after heart surgery than I did on the simvastatin.

 

[hensylee]

there are lots of posts about statins. I finally told my dr I would NOT take a statin ever again. My cardio agreed that there are some of us who just can't take them. He put me on Zetia - I have now been told that there is not evidence that Zetia helps at all; in fact my drug provider (Humana) has taken Zetia off its list. Sooo --- I have a bunch of things I take each day - red yeast rice (it has a natural statin and some days I feel a little weakness but not much), niacin (over the counter - the kind that doesn't cause flushing of face), fish oil, Flax seed oil, and coq10. From years of Lipitor I became crippled and at one point was using a wheel chair, walker, cane. There is some permanent damage. Please get on the net and look up statins and see for yourself the things you will find. look at statins here in VR via search.

Rich's wife also cannot take statins at all and he might see this thread and stop in to give you some of his info.

Good luck in your search, but don't suffer anymore. It will hurt you eventually.

 

[Rich]

Jeff,
As Ann mentioned my wife tried every statin out there at that time.
She almost immediately went from a very active lady to one who could barely stand up. Needless to say she threw away all statins.
Our cardiologist sent her to an MD friend of his who is really into alternative meds for someone like her. All is not perfect but she is doing well considering this all began about seven years ago.I do beleive there was some permanent damage from the statins to her joints and muscles.
She now takes something that is sold in her doctor's office, I believe it is called Cholestoff or something like that. It is taken prior to meals to help ward off cholesterol from being absorbed.
As Ann also mentioned my wife was put on Zetia some years ago, but a report that came out a few years back said it was basically useless.
Her doctor agreed.
Rich

 

[zipper2]

Ive been on lipitor and ohhhhhh yeah muscle pain for years
anyone i know on statins even hubby gets this muscle pain
i seem to put up with it after years and years on the drug
i know my surgeon told me my coronary arteries a common
hereditary factor in the family all brothers and my dad had
when the cath was done mine were clear he said the statin
is likely what saved me from getting blocages and ill take the
muscle pain been on it for 18 years now the statins and guess
just used to it but the muscle pain is there.afew times they lowered
my dosage from 80mg to 40 for pain but then cus i have the hereditary
cholestrol they have to put me back to 80mg but this helps me out
with the muscle pain to lower dosage for short times of duration
but never to quit it.

 

[geebee]

I tried a couple different ones a couple years ago and had so much muscle pain in my calves and arms that I stopped. I will take my chances with slightly high cholesterol. I do try to eat healthy and walk a lot which has helped to bring the numbers down but I will never take meds again for it.

 

[tobagotwo]

That type of muscle pain is the sign of a very serious side effect that statins can have: go ask your pharmacist (apothecary? chemist?). There can be permanent damage from it.

Consider going to whatever medical professional is NOT the one who prescribed this, and have them wean you off of it.

Let's see: possible atherosclerosis...can't lift my arm...a few percentage points of heart attack/stroke risk...a ruined life...possible heart attack later...crippled now...

This is easy math, Jeff. You get no points for being the victim of one-size-fits-all medicine from a practitioner who refuses to view the larger picture, and insists his statin treatment option has to be used and has to work, no matter what consequences it has for you. He may be fine otherwise, but he has a big blind spot here.

You'll just have to control it with diet and exercise, if you can't tolerate statins. There aren't a lot of choices. You got some good suggestions above. There are plenty of others if you search the posts.

Best wishes,

 

[knoxbone09]

That type of muscle pain is the sign of a very serious side effect that statins can have: go ask your pharmacist. There can be permanent damage from it.

Consider going to whatever medical professional is NOT the one who prescribed this, and have them wean you off of it.

Let's see: possible atherosclerosis...can't lift my arm...a few percentage points of heart attack/stroke risk...a ruined life...possible heart attack later...crippled now...

This is easy math, Jeff. You get no points for being the victim of one-size-fits-all medicine from a practitioner who refuses to view the larger picture, and insists his statin treatment option has to be used and has to work, no matter what consequences it has for you. He may be fine otherwise, but he has a big blind spot here.

You'll just have to control it with diet and exercise, if you can't tolerate statins. There aren't a lot of choices. You got some good suggestions above. There are plenty of others if you search the posts.

Best wishes,

I was about to say, it's very clearly stated that on the instructions that you should contact your doctor in case of any muscle fatigue. I had an LDL of 168 at 22, and I was a vegetarian recently! I've eaten pretty healthy but my genetics saw fit to stick me with high cholesterol so I need some medical intervention. I hear that they're working on "cleaning" statins up so they can become a life-long therapy and as harmless as some over the counter drugs. I'm not sure how feasible this is, but it would be great for someone like me. Meanwhile, I would encourage everyone to eat healthy and exercise if you cannot take statins and never take your health for granted.

Grant

 

[Nancy]

I really have to say that Simvastatin has worked extremely well for me. I must have an inherited problem with cholesterol. I think the numbers dropped 60+ points. Most of my relatives died either from stroke or heart disease of one kind or another.

So far, the pain and stiffness are manageable.

So I will stay on it unless I cannot manage anymore.

But once I am up and moving around, everything is OK.

I think everyone is different in how they react to just about any medication.

 

[Eva]

Simvastatin worked well for me for the first six months and dropped my cholesterol. Then, I started feeling pain in my arms after any light work I do and I thought I was having tennis elbows!! NO!! since I stopped Simvastatin, my pain has been disappearing a bit at a time. I am seeing my doctor on Monday and will discuss this with him. I will lower my cholesterol from now on through exercise, since the lipid levels are now acceptable.

 

[dick0236]

thanks for the reply but what do you take now to control your Cholesterol now then .

I've been off simvastatin about two months. My plan is to not go back on cholesterol meds. I was in my late 60s when I went on statins. I am now in my 70s and I question the "risk/reward" of these meds. My doctor is aware of my decision.

 

[jeff]

well what can i say apart from a very big thank you for all your help and first hand experiences. my statins have now gone in the bin and as you say the maths are not hard to work out .hopefully i have caught them before any major damage is done . i used to do a lot of exercise biking and walking . hopefully i can return to them and with a good diet i can keep my cholesterol under control i visit my GP on tuesday and will post his remedy
.once again thank you to every one for there input. i am new to this heart valve game and have a lot to learn

 

[Rich]

I won't say statins don't benefit a lot of people. If you can tolerate them then it is your decision.I am just amazed at the level they dropped the acceptable range compared to the 'old days'.
It has had one major benefit for sure, and that is the drug companies have pocketed billions from the sale of statins.
About four or five years ago, the Cleveland Clinic developed a medication that was injected in a patient. From what I read that persons arteries were totally clear in a matter of hours. They were supposed to come out with this medication in pill form, but so far it hasn't happened. My wife's doctor said it would pretty much eliminate statins. Could the drug companies be holding this up while they are pocketing big bucks?
Iv'e told this story before but it still keeps me wondering. When I was in my early forties having a routine physical, my total cholesterol was 250. I beleive my tryglycerides were almost 500. The doctor told me to watch my diet and so forth(no statins back then), but I didn't.
Then I was in my late fifties facing my AVR. My cardio ran a cholesterol check on me. My total was 170 and all the rest of the numbers were perfectly in range. How did that happen, I never changed my lifestyle or diet.
My catherization showed all my arteries were totally clean.
It still raises a lot of questions for me to this day.
Rich

 

[MGene]

My pain was becoming unbearable on Simvastatin and have switched to Tricor and niacin with fair result. I still have some muscle discomfort but is less noticeable.

If your muscles are hurting what is it doing to your heart since it is a muscle too?


My HDL has lowered also undesirably because of the exertion limits placed on me because of a dilated aorta. Exercise can and did control many factors for me but has now become a balancing act of risks.

Exercise for lowering LDL and raising HDL, limiting exercise and exertion to stay in shape without a blowout. Risk/Benefit ratio?

 

[Kathy McCain]

HI, I am currently, not on statins. I have ALWAYS had high cholesterol, both good and bad. The dr's have never been concerned about it. I had a catherization, of course before my AVR. Clean arteries! My recent cardiolite test was excellent! My current cholesterol is a little higher though, 230! Go figure, it must be hereditary. I am slender, usually exercise at the gym and walk. I am usually on a low fat diet, of which I have NOT been following since my surgery! Before I get on any statins, I will tell my cardio I would like to try diet first. I DO NOT want to take these, I'm on enough meds, thank you. I am also extremely sensitive to alot of medications. Everyone reacts differently though.

Good luck to you, and let us know of the outcome. We are here to help.