Atorvastatin and Joint Pain

[Sally66]

I started statins at diagnosis for type 2 end of 2022. It has certainly been brilliant and reducing my cholesterol. However,I have noticed more joint pain of late. This could be many things but asI have noticed more joint obvious swelling Idid wonder if this could be an Atorvastatin side effect.

I don’t know much about the side effects but did meet someone recently who found it so troublesome she struggled with day to day movement. Gave up Atorvastatin and now feels like a new woman!

I can’t give up as my cholesterol levels simply cannot be controlled by diet alone (trust me I’ve tried for many years even before being diagnosed type 2). I’m 58 and yes getting older but I exercise a lot and don’t need this new development (who does?).

Any information is welcome especially if there are statin alternatives that made a difference.

 

[Mark Rawlinson]

Ask your Pharmacist or Dr/D,nurse there are several other stains you may be better on

 

[Sally66]

Thanks, Mark.

It is possible it’s completely unrelated to the statin.

 

[Mark Rawlinson]

Thanks, Mark.

It is possible it’s completely unrelated to the statin.

I was told when I first started them do you get muscle aches ? Erm yes I do over 25 gym classes a week
ok statins can increase muscle aches

 

[LonelyFatGuy]

I'm currently taking this for joint pain, and it seems to be working.

 

[lovinglife]

There are alternatives to statins - I think @Rachox is on a medication that isn’t a statin but works in a similar way - I think it’s Ezetimibe?

 

[Rachox]

Thanks for the tag @lovinglife , I am indeed on a non statin cholesterol lowering med. called Ezetimibe. I don’t have any side effects from it.

 

[Melgar]

There is a difference between joint pain (arthralgia) and muscle aches and pains. Statin use has a greater associated with muscle aches than joint pain. Joint pain is generally associated with arthritis. However, arthralgia is listed as a side effect for atorvastatin and rosuvastatin , but not for simvastatin. Atorvastatin is more lipophilic than, say simvastatin. What this means is if a drug is more lipophilic it is more easily absorbed into cells. It's a drug that dissolves or is attracted to fats. Some evidence suggests that statins that are lipophilic are more likely than other statins to cause joint pain. There is a study which I have attached that disputes the effects of lipophilic statins and concludes it is more likely osteoarthritis.

Here is the link. The paper is entitled Statins and joint pain.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2561105/

 

[Kernow Debra]

I’m another who suffers muscle ache/joint pain on Atorvastatin and then Rosuvastatin.
Have been on Ezetemibe for many months with no side effects.

 

[shelley262]

Another here who had major side effects on statins - severe muscle pain for me.
I take,daily, half the normal dose of Ezetemibe which has reduced my LDL significantly but no muscle pain. On the full dose I had energy problems but no issues on the half dose. I gather too that there is research supporting effectiveness of half a normal dose of ezetemibe so perfect solution for me.