Poll - side effects from statins?

[SJC]

After reading these replies I am not sure if this would interest anyone, but there is a clinical research study going on in the UK to do with statins and high cholesterol if you want to take part.
http://www.clinlife.co.uk/lpg/1419?gclid=CP_dvuSRwr4CFQzItAodu2IAjQ

 

[pinkiepunksmummy]

I've tried three types, had reactions to all!
1) Simvastatin - made me physically sick, gave me indigestion and maybe not linked but 2 hours after taking the first tablet I had awful pain (suspected kidney stones but none found on scan) which grumbled on until I stopped the statins.
2) Can't remember the brand - made me nauseous constantly and unable to eat properly.
3) Rosuvastatin - Made my scalp itch horrendously.

My cholesterol is 5.1.............not high enough to warrant me putting up with these awful side-effects. I have told my doctor this and he has stopped pushing the statins!

(age 36, Type 2 Diabetes)

 

[junewill2]

I have cast my vote with a yes.

The first statin I was pushed on some years ago (can't recall its name) gave me a muddled memory and kind of a low mood - not something I wanted in my then very active working life where I was constantly on. I went off it myself (didn't actually tell my doctor at the time).

Next time was when I had my diabetes diagnosis. My doctor (or rather his young temp) - insisted on my taking statins (this time Simvastatin). After two weeks, my feet and legs had become elephantine and with large red areas of blotches. The temp argued that I should learn to live with this. I flat refused though.

I was then put on another statin (Ezetrol) - but by then having had so bad experiences with statins, I started scouring the internet for more information. This made me choose to discontinue statins.

Anyway, I found that a slightly higher level of cholesterol in women 'of a certain age' is in fact beneficial - who would have thought that! Anyway, we produce up to 90% of our cholesterols ourselves irrespective of fat intake or statins.

I have read that in the US, the official recommendations are now that all diabetics shall routinely be prescribed statins. (Are big pharma in play here?)

annelise

I think there may be a lot in the last line of yours Annelise, the big companies are pushing them.

 

[junewill2]

I've only recently started Simvastatin, and I've been having pains in both my legs. My calf muscles feel tight, just like they do when you've done a lot of exercise.

On just reading the leaflet inside the box it seems this is a side effect, and warrants discontinuing the medicine, as it can cause muscle deterioration. Maybe I just should stop taking it and try to reduce the cholesterol through diet

All statins do this to your muscles and it also causes memory loss. When i asked my Doc about this , as i thought I was getting early dementia, he said its ok they do that but its not permanent . I then went on to remind him that he had told me I have to take statins for the rest of my life so surely that makes it permanent !!! I have been on Pravastatin for years now and also suffer muscle pains etc to the point that it has disabled me but then I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia which has the same symptoms so what do I believe ?

 

[donnellysdogs]

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia when taking statins... Undiagnosed now!!


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[muffy1948]

YES, 2000 ish, had high blood pressure, so placed on statin, took it as prescribed as a type 1, no problem.
2004 small infection in toe, put on two high dose antibiotics, had allergic reaction to one antibiotic so changed, about one month later saw blood in my urine, rushed to hospital. Initially thought my kidney was failing. several days later diagnosed with Rhabdomyolysis loss of muscle in thighs, calves, shoulders, and back, which looks like blood in urine, and damage to other organs.
This was caused because statins and high dose antibiotics, two things Diabetics are exposed too, to often without warning, I have had to advise two friends since who have started to suffer these symptoms, to go to their Doctor.
Now my life has been greatly effected, I live in a wheelchair.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Muffy

I was never aware of the antibiotic issue, and so sad that you have been immobilised from the bad reactions.

This is something why I wonder why so many people (like I was) are being diagnosed with fibromyalgia..

The thigh pain and legand back pain etc I totally agree with. Whilst living in Wales I was on full DLA and barely able to get out of bed and walked with sticks. This was pretty much statin time..

Came off and pains eventually disappeared for a year. Put back on statins but pains came back, were so severe I got up (or rather fell down) from bed, crawled to barhroom and admitted to hospital where they diagnosed diabetic amyotrophy. Which has now been un diagnosed from the EMG tests.

Now although I still have some pains in my muscles of legs, the only way I get out of the pain barrier is to really use my legs digging and gardening and walking. The more I do, the better reaction from my legs and body. This morn with the rain, I'm in agony sat down, but as soon as I walk and move and especially gardening the better I am.

Fibromyalgia, amyotrophy have effectively been undiagnosed, but nobody will admit from NHS that this is statin damage.

The NHS are supposed to do tests after people have been put on statins.. Did you have these tests done? And like me, supposedly no reaction to statins?


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[hankjam]

Yes. On and off Simvastatin in response to higher liver enzymes. Recently taken off on suggestion of Dr, who said she would be interested to hear how my mood was.... and I've stopped having awful cramps in my toes, that would lock up at the oddest of angles.... so hoping to stay off. I always worry when you hear some expert say the side effects are worth the benefit, which is meant to be about three months extra....

 

[Onlyababy]

I voted yes to the side affects I was put on 20mg of simvastatin and from that first night I had tingerling in my toes and fingers to the point it was happening a lot with a burning feeling in my toes and it hurt to have the quilt touching them. My right arm and both legs felt weak like a baby when going up stairs then it dawned on me I was only having these problems since starting the metformin and simvastatin so I stopped the statin and a couple of days later it went. Since then the DSN has put me on 10mg of pravastatin and up till now no problems if so I will stop them too.

 

[SandyDee]

I started taking them as a 'precaution' as my cholesterol was borderline, I am a little obsessed with checking for possible side effects of all medications and worried that some other problems may have been because of statins (this was just before all the bad press started) and stopped taking them. Problems didn't go away and I have now started taking them again as my cholesterol had worsened. I can safely say I have no side effects, but would definately stop taking them if I did as I think we have enough to deal with on a health front.

 

[Robbity]

I've been on Simvastatin 40mg for several years, with no apparent side effects. However since being diagnosed with diabetes last year and going on a low carb diet in January this year my cholesterol level's gone down from just under 5 to 2.7. I asked my doctor in view of this whether I could stop taking it and he's said no, "because there are other benefits"...

I'm due to have a diabetic review next month with the practice diabetic nurse and doctor, so will try again with him. I'm happy to take medication if there's a good reason to do so, but now I don't believe there is any longer, so I really don't see the point. I'd sooner they spent this money on giving me test strips for my meter, which in my mind would be more beneficial to me.

Robbity

 

[Totto]

I've been on Simvastatin 40mg for several years, with no apparent side effects. However since being diagnosed with diabetes last year and going on a low carb diet in January this year my cholesterol level's gone down from just under 5 to 2.7. I asked my doctor in view of this whether I could stop taking it and he's said no, "because there are other benefits"...

I'm due to have a diabetic review next month with the practice diabetic nurse and doctor, so will try again with him. I'm happy to take medication if there's a good reason to do so, but now I don't believe there is any longer, so I really don't see the point. I'd sooner they spent this money on giving me test strips for my meter, which in my mind would be more beneficial to me.

Robbity

2.7, that is far too low. Cholesterol is something we need. It is vital for us! Talk to your Dr about it and do some reading. High cholesterol might be bad, but too low is bad too.

 

[donnellysdogs]

There is also a very interesting article in the Healthspan magazine from Professor Langjoen regarding CoQ10.
Its not a sales pitch for the supplement, just how it states that if your cholesterol goes down by 40%, so will your CoQ10. CoQ10 plays a keyrole in energy production.

I hope that people realise that cholesterol tablets do not just lower cholesterol...



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[forty six]

Ye Gods yes, first prescribed Simvastatin as a "precaution" some years ago, which being a good girl, I took. Within a month I was wracked with pain and could hardly walk . GP couldn't find a cause but said that it was unlikely to be the statins . Not being convinced I stopped taking them and the pain vanished in 48 hours. ( my cholesterol was within the normal range at the time of them being prescribed )

The second time I had slightly raised cholesterol for two consecutive tests, and my diabetes had been poorly controlled for a while. I refused statins because of my previous experience and held out for a while but was more or less bullied into trying Atorvastatin (spelling?)

My BG went through the roof almost straight away despite nothing else changing, the pain in my legs returned with bells on so after one month I stopped taking them . My BG went down, the pain stopped and my GP was convinced I was blaming the statins for poor dietary control , the pain on sod knows what and told me I increased my risk of heart problems by 24% by stopping them !

That made me try taking plant sterols instead, and my last cholesterol was just fine Whether it is the plant sterols or low carbing , I don't know. Incidentally, at both times of taking statins, I was unaware that people had been having problems with them, so it certainly wasn't psychosomatic.

Apparently there is something in the leaflet that comes with Atorvastatin that it can raise BG, though my GP has said that this side effect is "unknown"

Signy

Apparently there is something in the leaflet that comes with Atorvastatin that it can raise BG, though my GP has said that this side effect is "unknown"

What a load of rubbish - a recent study in USA has showed that some women taking that particular statin for other reasons than diabetes have a much higher risk of developing diabetes anyway. Does your doctor have the evidence to back up the frankly stupid 24% claim!!!!!!!

I suggest you get another doctor or at least ask for proof that your doctor has reported your side effects like he/she is supposed to.

This is going to become a war in this country and we are the cannon fodder. I have reached a point of not taking anything at face value and checking everything out, mainly on this site but also on diet doctor. Very good information and no hysterics like we are getting from GP's who are paid to prescribe and researchers in labs who are funded by drug companies in the first place.

How can you trust people who are there to make a profit?

I was diagnosed in November 2013 and my average fasting sugar reading taking 3 tests per week is 6.7 (had to buy my kit and testing strips) and my last cholesterol was 5.0. Next blood test is next month. We'll see what happens.

I will not take statins full stop.

I have to say that my doctor is the first one who has said to my face that this disease is reversible. She also does not agree with the 'healthy eating plate' system and has told me to cut my carbs as a matter of urgency.

 

[paulins]

I took them for two months. Simvastatin. I developed excruciating pains in my hips when in bed, which woke me up every night in agony. In the mornings I could hardly stand to get to the shower. My cholesterol levels came down quickly but I'm sure this was because of diet. I came off them after two months with my doctor's agreement.

 

[Indy51]

My understanding is that there is no convincing evidence that statins have any benefit for women, so it's a mystery to me why doctors keep trying to force us to take them.

 

[JacHibbert]

I was prescribed statins around 10 years ago.Initially I was put on Atorvastatin, but after a while my surgery told me they were changing me to Simvastatin (I believe these are cheaper). Within a couple of days of taking Simvastatin my arthritis flared up so much I was unable to stand, let alone walk without a huge amount of pain. I advised the surgery and was put back in Atorvastatin immediately. No probs with these at all.

 

[muffy1948]

Muffy

I was never aware of the antibiotic issue, and so sad that you have been immobilised from the bad reactions.

This is something why I wonder why so many people (like I was) are being diagnosed with fibromyalgia..

The thigh pain and legand back pain etc I totally agree with. Whilst living in Wales I was on full DLA and barely able to get out of bed and walked with sticks. This was pretty much statin time..

Came off and pains eventually disappeared for a year. Put back on statins but pains came back, were so severe I got up (or rather fell down) from bed, crawled to barhroom and admitted to hospital where they diagnosed diabetic amyotrophy. Which has now been un diagnosed from the EMG tests.

Now although I still have some pains in my muscles of legs, the only way I get out of the pain barrier is to really use my legs digging and gardening and walking. The more I do, the better reaction from my legs and body. This morn with the rain, I'm in agony sat down, but as soon as I walk and move and especially gardening the better I am.

Fibromyalgia, amyotrophy have effectively been undiagnosed, but nobody will admit from NHS that this is statin damage.

The NHS are supposed to do tests after people have been put on statins.. Did you have these tests done? And like me, supposedly no reaction to statins?


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Hi,
I have been put on Ezetimibe, a derivative of statin but does not have the issues with antibiotics, worth asking about.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Was on Exemtibe too. My research consultant told me they weren't worth taking....


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[Barrie Smith]

Yes I tried all that were available at the time ,all caused severe night cramps , so bad in fact it severely bruised my calf muscles , I refused to try anymore but then test reading was and still is 3.0 so why give them to me .