• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Atorvastatin and Joint Pain

S

Sally66

Well-Known Member
Messages
91
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
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.
 
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/
 
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.
 
Sally66 said:
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.
Click to expand...
I get stabbing and burning joint pains on statins... I manage red yeast rice once every other day though. Daily'd give the same issues. (Tried it, was very unpleasant indeed.). No idea yet whether that makes a dent though, won't get tested for another week or two.

I hope you find something that helps.
Jo
 
JoKalsbeek said:
I get stabbing and burning joint pains on statins... I manage red yeast rice once every other day though. Daily'd give the same issues. (Tried it, was very unpleasant indeed.). No idea yet whether that makes a dent though, won't get tested for another week or two.

I hope you find something that helps.
Jo
Click to expand...
Red yeast rice actually contains a naturally occurring statin (lovastatin, one of the less powerful ones), so it would make sense to get the same side effects.
However, as a supplement it's not regulated like medication, so you have no idea what dose you're getting. You could maybe discuss with your doctor using an actual prescribed low dose statin instead.
 
Last edited:
Eileen_mg said:
Red yeast rice actually contains a naturally occurring statin (lovastatin, one of the less powerful ones), so it would make sense to get the same side effects.
However, as a supplement it's not regulated like medication, so you have no idea what dose you're getting. You'd probably be better off using an actual prescribed low dose statin instead.
Click to expand...
It was suggested by both my GP and the diabetes consultant in the practice, as I can only take simvastatin due to thyroid issues, and I didn't respond well to that. There wasn't anything else on offer that wouldn't clash with my hypothyroidism. The Dutch brand (Lucovitaal) is pretty strongly regulated, actually, even if it isn't medication, so they're behind the use of that. Since '22 a supplement isn't allowed to have more than 3mg monacolin (sp?) per daily dosage, so they're quite on top of it. The nurse did mention it was less effective since it was regulated more than before and the dosage was lower, but for the moment, the best she could come up with with the complications my body tends to throw up. Considering I only take a dose every two days, it probably doesn't do a whole lot, but we'll see when I see the nurse in a few weeks.
 
The Monacolin K found in red yeast rice is just another name for lovastatin, so I was pointing out that you are already taking a statin other than Simvastatin.
Lovastatin is also available on prescription as Mevacor.
 
Eileen_mg said:
The Monacolin K found in red yeast rice is just another name for lovastatin, so I was pointing out that you are already taking a statin other than Simvastatin.
Lovastatin is also available on prescription as Mevacor.
Click to expand...
They can't prescribe me a different statin due to the Hashimoto's. The pharmacist isn't going to give it to me as I'm on levothyroxin, so while yes, this is technically the same as a different sort of statin, (which I am quite aware of and have been for years, which is why I didn't start it when it was first suggested 9 years ago)... It is a kind of work-around. I pay for it myself, and get it from the Boots-ish shop instead, with it not going on record anywhere except with the nurse and GP, so the ever non-helpful Daan, he of the silly shirts and the always speaking to me like I'm an idiot, can't throw a wrench in by not giving it to me.

So, yes, oooh, yes, I know... ;) But I have red tape and Daan's to avoid! (And before a mod throws a fit, it's his first name, and there must be a lot of people out there in his line of work in the Netherlands who are a Daniël or a varient thereof. ;))
 
Ahh, okay. That makes sense now, thanks.
Another non prescription lipid lowering food/supplement I've recently read some promising things about is amla (Indian gooseberry).
There was one study which found an effect on par with simvastatin (though it was a small and fairly short study, so I wouldn't draw too certain a conclusion from it), and the side effect profile seems very good (though I did read it's high in oxalate, so maybe something to watch out for for those prone to kidney stones).
I'm curious to hear if anyone here has tried it.
 
Back
Top