Anyone switched from Atorvastatin to Rosuvastatin?

[lucyskye]

Has anyone been switched from switched from Atorvastatin to Rosuvastatin? I was taking 80mg of A and getting all sorts of aches and pains so Doc has switched me to R and a 10mg dose per day only a couple of days but wondered what others experience might be?

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hello, yes I have. I've been on 80mg Atorvastatin since my heart attack in December 2018, and while they haven't troubled me excessively I have been experiencing some muscle aches and pains. I'd read that a different statin may make a difference, and after a look of searching around found this article from the Cleveland Clinic :-

health.clevelandclinic.org/...

So I asked to be switched from 80mg Atorvastatin to 40mg Rosuvastatin about 2 months ago. Atorvastatin is a passively acting statin, so it takes up to 4 weeks for it to get out of your system, so I didn't see any improvement immediately, but slowly the aches and pains did go away, to the point that now 8 weeks later - no pains or aches - lovely!

Hope it works as well for you.

[lucyskye in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Thank you ; yes so do I the aches and pains were really getting me down.....

[Lulu2607 in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hi. I have been offered Rosuvastain due to severe muscle pains whilst on Atorvastatin. Did you move straight on to R or take a break to get A out of your system first? Thanks

[lucyskye in reply to Lulu2607]

Yes I had a break(prob around 2 weeks or so) from the Atorvastatin and felt 100% better within a couple of days; it was really getting me down!! The Rosuvastatin is certainly a lot better although early days yet But won't hesitate to ask to change again if problems arise

[Cliff_G]

I had the same problem and the same switch and it didn't help me. Lipids clinic have suggested trying all the different statins, people are different. Aboit to pick up soem Pravastatin this afternoon. Which reminds me....

[lucyskye in reply to Cliff_G]

Thanks for your reply research seems to suggest Atovastatin is the cheapest which is why they start with that one.....

[Selhurst90]

I did exactly the same switch a couple of months ago and have felt much better since. I was experiencing lots of muscle aches and pains but since switching they have almost completely disappeared.

[lucyskye in reply to Selhurst90]

Good to hear!! Fingers crossed....

[Billyjean123]

Hi lucyskeI had really bad muscle aches with atorvastatin and switched to rasuva. Much improved and a good move for me too. No problems 😊

[Hannibal1948]

Morning,Yes. I switched from Atorvastatin to Rosuvastatin as the Atorvastatin led to aches in the big muscles and some sharp pains.

The rosuvastatin works fine for me and still no probs after around 12 months.

I understand that the statin family is quite extensive and your Doctor is usually able to find one that suits you.

[MountainGoat52]

I was prescribed Atorvastatin, Simvastatin and Pravastatinone one after the other, all of which caused quite severe aches and some minor ankle swelling. After a break from statins, I was persuaded by the pathologist at the local hospital to try Rosuvastatin and after an initial period when I experienced mild headaches, I now have no issues. My prescription is for 10mg on alternate days which works as the medication has a fairly long half life.

[Prl43]

Hi, I also had terrible aches and pains with Atoravstatin when i stopped taking them within a few days i was fine, i was only taking 40mg. Rosuvastatin works better and its stronger with no pains. I was told everyone's body gets affected differently. Hope you feel better soon👍

[lucyskye in reply to Prl43]

Thank you Only been on the new ones a few days so fingers crossed!!

[Sleesa]

I seem to react badly to statins. I was changed from atorvastatin to Rosuvastatin. My body seems to hate them all. 😏I now take low dose every other day.

[Fish4Info]

I was put on Rosuvastatin about 13.5 years ago because my HDL cholesterol (the good stuff) was too low compared to LDL (the bad stuff) even though I had a healthy diet and did loads of exercise after a CABG × 4. It seemed to do the job ... and even though it was the most expensive statin at the time, they couldnt take me off it because there was a clear therapeutic benefit. I had no other issues like muscle pain. Rosuvastatin is now available as a generic ... and I continue to take it.

[Fitchett]

So I hope this doesn't taint your experience but I had to switch from Crestor to Lipitor because of the aches and pains. On Lipitor, they have diminished somewhat but still have them.

[WestCorkHeart]

What sort of aches and pains are people experiencing from Atorvastatin? I play 3 or 4 rounds of golf every week and try to walk 10,000 steps on my free days. My ankles and calf muscles ache when I get up most mornings and I put this down to my age and after effects of exercise. Could it be linked to the 10mg of Atorvastatin that I have been taking for the last 12 months?

[MikeBB in reply to WestCorkHeart]

I was experiencing the most dreadful leg cramps at night! As in, literally screaming in agony. Blood tests showed elevated muscle enzymes so Atorvastin stopped and in 3 days I was much improved. However, cholesterol went from my ‘normal’ 5.5 to 7.3 so I’m literally about to go to the chemist to collect some Rousvastatin to see how I fare on it.

Ps. Durrus / Bantry / Skib connections - -

[QuadroVEINia]

Hi,

I’ve been on R (same dosage) for a few years now after starting on A first and then bring put on the other statins too due to severe muscular aches and spasms. R proved the least problematic for me but still experienced said problems. I guess some people (like me) are less tolerant but it is what it is and I have accepted it is what it is.

Hope that helps.

[Lulu2607]

Hello Lucyskye. I have asked to be changed from atorvastatin due to really bad muscle aches which make me feel like a very old woman (which I'm not!). My legs and pelvis and upper arms, shoulders in particular. Also a stabbing pain on inner thigh which was excruciating. Then I saw my calf was a bit swollen. I have also been experiencing light headedness and embarrassing flatulence. Total mess. I've stopped them a week ago but I still have symptoms. I seem to be very sensitive to medication which I put down to some treatment I had a few years ago for a serious blood disorder so I'm very wary of drugs. Doc has suggested R now and is going to discuss it. I'd be interested to know if anyone has experienced any other side effects with R? I particularly don't want the protein in urine side effect which I see listed. Thanks.

[lucyskye in reply to Lulu2607]

all I can say is I've not had any issues to date with the Rosuvastatin compared with the Atorvastatin only about a month taking them though so early days but promising.....

[Lulu2607]

That's good to know. Did you wait a while before starting R to get A out of your system first? Thanks.

[Lulu2607]

Thanks for the reply. I've been off A for a couple of weeks whilst trying to talk to a Dr about an alternative and do feel better. She's now prescribed R but had no time to discuss it. I'd read somewhere that asking the pharmacist can be a better bet as they of course are drug experts so I tried this instead. Luckily the pharmacist I spoke to to was very helpful. She was v clued up about side effects of the various drugs I've had issues with ( not just statins), doses, risks etc. She had lots info to hand and I suppose theyare less influenced by budgets than Drs are (offering you the cheapest). Might be worth trying as a source of info in the future.

[Hidden]

Hi Lucyskye Yes!

Went from 40mg down to 20 mg of A and still could not get on with it. Painful legs. Heavy legs. Bowel urgency and headaches. Coming down 20mg didn’t make any difference.

I took a break of 2 months and felt a lot better.

Went back to doc and she suggested R but only 10mg. I’m quite happy on that. No side effects at all.

Always worth trying something else as everyone is different. Give it time though.

Maisie