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statins

Tilly1957 profile image
48 Replies

morning everyone,

Recent blood tests show I have raised cholesterol and triglyceride serum levels. After discussion with the gp I agreed to give Atoravastatin a go. I am already on Xarelto, Nebivolol, Candesarten and gave verapamil as a pip (pharmacist said still ok to take it as a pip, contraindication would only be an issue if taking it daily )

Just wondered if anyone has issues with muscular aches and pains due to statins? I have fibromyalgia, which gives me this, so am hoping statins don’t aggravate it. The pharmacist said people don’t realise that statins affect magnesium in the body and you need extra. Any thoughts on this? I know from this site that magnesium may help with af, but the only time I ever took it I felt I’ll 🤣

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Tilly1957
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48 Replies
etheral profile image
etheral

Muscle aches are a common side effect of statins..etheral

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toetheral

yes, that is what I mentioned to the pharmacist. And she said about it being to do with the way statins affect our magnesium levels and more is needed. 🥰 I am hoping I am lucky and avoid that side effect - or at least can tolerate long enough to get my serum levels down. Thank you for your reply 🤗

mav7 profile image
mav7 in reply toTilly1957

I have been on Atoravastatin for 10+ years. Annual blood tests indicate Magnesium level is normal.

I am male, not sure if gender is a factor. Also as you may know, it is important to have regular blood tests when taking medications for afib or any issue/condition.

Best to you !

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply tomav7

thank you, When I got the text from the surgery saying they had prescribed it, there was also a reminder to book a blood test in 3 months and again in 12 …. Don’t think magnesium was tested first time round x

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply toTilly1957

You would need a red cell Magnesium test which NHS don’t offer to test Magnesium levels. NHS do serum levels only and if your Mag serum levels are down there you are already in trouble as the body will maintain serum levels at the expense of depleting Magnesium from all other body cells. Muscle aches and spasms are also an indicator of low Magnesium in the muscle.

Electrolyte balance is a very complex subject needing expert advice but usually if you maintain a good diet and pay attention to eating and drinking foods & beverages with good nutritional values such as green leafy veg, fruit, pulses and whole grains, freshly cooked foods and stay away from sugary foods you should get enough Magnesium from your diet.

Hope that helps.

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toCDreamer

thank you. Sounds mostly like my diet, except I rarely have grains except some rice. Am starting to incorporate beans and pulses into my diet again. 99% of what I cook is done from fresh, always has been. No alcohol, next to no sugary stuff. Love my veg!!! Any recommendations where to get that sort of magnesium test done, please? I guess it’s not cheap 😪

secondtry profile image
secondtry in reply toTilly1957

The magnesium test most GP surgeries do almost always shows OK. What you need is a red cell magnesium test which is a simple blood test but will probably have to go to a private medical lab and therefore more costly.

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply toTilly1957

It is probably more to do with how statins affect the production by the liver of co enzyme Q 10. This is made on the same metabolic pathway as cholesterol and is essential for providing energy to our cells particularly muscle cells. There is no evidence that statins benefit women at all and meta analysis of statin studies has shown that any benefit overall in terms of life extension for primary prevention ie those who do not have established cardiovascular disease is a few days. As well as provoking muscle pain for some people they also can cause type 2 diabetes ( more in women) , eye problems and memory problems. Japanese studies have shown that they can contribute to CHF . Higher cholesterol is not a bad thing as we age. Cholesterol is protective against infections and cancer. Triglycerides should not be high but this can often be addressed by cutting out sugar and reducing the amount of white carbs in the diet. As you have already done this it isn't that causing the high triglycerides. How high are triglycerides and cholesterol? Have you had your thyroid levels checked? High cholesterol often goes along with low thyroid hormone levels and higher TSH.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

Marmite subject - I’m on the never have, never will polarity because I also have an autoimmune which worsens with oral Magnesium supplement and even my GP said statins weren’t a good choice for me. I take a probiotic supplement with plant sterols, try to exercise more and am careful with my diet and so far seems to be working as my ratio is improving & Triglyceride numbers decreasing. I also use Magnesium Oil Spray whenever I have muscle spasm, restless leg etc. Seems to work for me.

I wouldn’t chance it with Fibromyalgia but obviously your body, your choice.

50568789 profile image
50568789 in reply toCDreamer

Can you tell me more about Magnesium Spray in particular effect on restless legs? Any side effects, any conflict with any other conditions or medication?

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply to50568789

ancient-minerals.com/magnes...

You do need to take care

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toCDreamer

thank you x

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toCDreamer

I guess I am working on the basis of get the levels down, increase exercise, fiddle with diet where can, then look at stopping statins and see what happens. X

Bluetonic profile image
Bluetonic in reply toCDreamer

I was also a never have, never will guy. I also have ankylosing spondylitis so have enough pain, or so I thought.Then I had a cardiac arrest last year and was dead for 20 minutes. In a coma for two weeks and now have a small amount of brain damage.

Wishing I'd taken the statins now.

For the record, my blood tests never showed my cholesterol to be high.

I'm now on Rosuvastatin with no side effects.

But like you say, your body, your choice.

I still think there is a big pharma conspiracy with statins, but I'm no longer willing to take the gamble

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply toBluetonic

If your cholesterol was not high then what good would lowering it with a statin have done? It was probably not the cause of your cardiac arrest.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply toAuriculaire

GP says because the main benefit of statins is anti inflammatory.

Still Gwandy said in his book Being Human that Osteoporosis was thought to be the biggest predictor of CVD & arteriosclerosis & the Kendrick book - The Clot Thickens explains in biographical detail how that works!

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply toCDreamer

There are less dangerous ways of reducing inflammation than taking a drug that interrupts a key metabolic pathway in the liver. Anybody would think our bodies produce cholesterol, dolichols and co enzyme Q 10 for nothing. I must get round to ordering The Clot Thickens.

Bluetonic profile image
Bluetonic in reply toAuriculaire

I said wasn't high, not isn't high. Who knows what happened in the 5 years between tests?

But I died, and it could possibly have been avoided

Truffles2 profile image
Truffles2

I was referred to my GP to a lipid clinic as have potential familial high cholesterol and have had problems with aches after taking statins in the past. The consultant there told me your more likely to get aches pains and side effects if your electrolytes and vitamins are not at optimum, so she did about a million blood tests and told me she will sort all that out and then will be able to get my cholesterol properly under control with as little side effects as possible so it might be worth talking to your GP and getting a referral to a lipid clinic

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toTruffles2

thank you, I will keep this in mind x

Bell50 profile image
Bell50

Hi I was put on statins in January and was told to ether take them at night or morning so I decided to take them at night thinking that if there was any side effects you would sleep through it and I have not had any problems with mine.

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toBell50

I take them at tea time with ny other meds, so fingers crossed x

Ppiman profile image
Ppiman

I think I would likely ask for a different statin since the one you've been given is unique in the way it interacts with verapamil. Other statins are fine with it.

Statins themselves are very safe and seemingly very effective indeed; their side effects, and, especially aching muscles, have been conclusively shown to be very much less common than is still popularly believed.

The interaction with verapamil and atorvastatin is of a different order completely and risks a more serious complaint developing, although I am certain that your doctor and pharmacist can be trusted.

escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-...

Steve

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toPpiman

thank you, Ppiman. I did research it pretty well, and discussed it with the pharmacist at the chemist. Since I was first prescribed verapamil, it has averaged that I take it about once a week for an af episode, and it stops it in its tracks. I think I might also leave a note for the gp who prescribed it too. Just in case he missed the verapamil. I don’t want to fiddle with the pip as it suits me and works. X

Ppiman profile image
Ppiman in reply toTilly1957

It’s certainly wonderful when a tablet works so well. I wouldn’t want to change it, either.

Steve

Sixtychick profile image
Sixtychick

I take Atorvastatin, never had any problems with that. I take COQ10 supplements, as statins can cause a deficiency of this enzyme. If you google COQ10, it’ll explain about it.I also take magnesium. Both of those supplements are supposed to be good to take if you have AFib.

pusillanimous profile image
pusillanimous

I suppose it depends on the dose you are prescribed, I just take 5mg per day of Atoravastin - keeps my cholesterol steady at around 4, and I have no side at all.

Mumursa profile image
Mumursa

I have read this thread with interest. I had no idea statins could cause so much trouble. I only took mine in mid-Jan for 5 days, after which my BP dropped significantly and AF took off alarmingly so that I could only lie down. I took 2 more at intervals after that, with the same effect each time, so I stopped taking them before the end of January.

Since then I've had a lot of AF, and also joint and muscle pain, plus pain under my right ribs. My March DOAC blood test has shown liver toxicity, so a GP has just written to me saying "Must have been the statins, good that you've stopped them, arrange another blood test in 3 months"

I find this difficult to believe, but I've now had less AF in March than I had in February, no pain under my ribs, and I'm back to my long-standing joint and muscle pains.

I'm assuming (and hoping) that it was the addition of the Atorvastatin to the rest of the cocktail that's caused the bother. I'll manage without it.

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toMumursa

I am on my third day, of 20mg once a day x

Mumursa profile image
Mumursa in reply toTilly1957

Good luck, you may well be fine! I hope so! We’re all different!

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply toMumursa

sounds like you have a great GP👍

JOY2THEWORLD49 profile image
JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply toMumursa

Hi

Any more statin than 10mg my hurt big toe hurts and pain in left hip.

It agroavates old injuries.

Statins are am argumental choice.

cheri JOY

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

I also have f ibromyalgia, arthritis, degenerative disc disease, spondilosis , spondilo lysthesis and several other spine problems. I live on 3 hourly oxycodone in constant pain. Been taking statins for 5 years now since HA with no problems or increased pain. The first one, atorvastatin gave me stomach problems. Changed to simvastatin which is fine

Gatun profile image
Gatun

Recommend the book: The Great Cholesterol Myth by Johnny Bowden and Stephen Sinatra. It states one of the best predictors of both heart disease and Insulin resistance is the ratio between Triglyceride and HDL level, anything under 2 is great, under 3.50 not terrible but also not great.

I would not go to a cardiologist who pushed statins. There's much confusion on statins and from my readings will NOT take them.

Wishing you the very best.

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957

these are my blood test results leading to statin prescription. Due to my health history and these results, the surgery algorithm indicates I have a QRISK cardiovascular disease 10year risk score 33.2%. I gather that means 33.2% above the standard.

It’s only the serum lipids that are high, as I understand it.

Serum lipids

Comment

Abnormal, contact patient

  Serum cholesterol: 6.03 mmol/L

  Serum triglycerides: 3.00 mmo|/L (normal range: 0.30 - 2.30)

Serum HDL cholesterol level

Comment

Normal, no action

Serum HDL cholesterol level: 1.34 mmol/L (normal range: 1.15 -

1.68)

Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio: 4.50

Serum LDL cholesterol level: 3.31 mmol/L

Comment

Normal, no action

Non HDL Cholesterol: 4.69 mmol/L

Comment

Normal, no action

needlestone profile image
needlestone

I too was given 10 mg of statin, I could not tolerate the side effects and cut the pill down to only 2.5 mg dose and no noticeable side effects. That small dose brought my cholesterol to a normal range. We are all different in tolerating meds. Now I only take it every other day and supplement in between with high quality Red Yeast rice to see how my bloodwork looks next time. I do not want to be on statins as they are definitely detrimental to overall health. Losing weight will also lower cholesterol if you do have any excess weight.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

See - Marmite subject. 🤷‍♂️

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toCDreamer

yep - and now I have flipped into an af episode and my pip is verapamil …. Oh look, that’s contraindicated with atorvastatin …. Although the pharmacist I don’t trust says the odd one is ok whike on the statin 😱🤣🤣🤣 am currently waiting for surgery to ring back x

Jmc43 profile image
Jmc43

As usual, lots of good and varied responses to your question. I will add mine…I have taken 10 mg once a day of Atoravastatin for 15 years or so with no side affects. My family has a history of problematic cholesterol and related heart disease so my GP recommended it. Cholesterol numbers are excellent with it, and they were very high without it. So, it works for me, but as several have commented, everyone is different.

Tomred profile image
Tomred

just a short answer , i take plant sterols instead of statins.

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toTomred

how far out were your cholesterol serum levels? Gp didn’t seem to think plant sterols would help with my levels. X

Tomred profile image
Tomred

HI Tilly , cant recall figures , my gp told me the same and that no amount of rabbit food would work, must add, gp said cholesterol high and ep said it was reasonable, some diet modifications and plant sterols brought it down, gp has been pushing statins on me for a long time.

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toTomred

I will give it a go until next blood test in 3 months. Am not good at being ‘compliant’🤣. And cos I have just had a call about verapamil pip for my af and statin, (which he said was ok) he now wants to review the nebivolol I take cos of its interaction with verapamil …..🤷‍♀️ Already been discussed in depth with a&e guys and another gp somewhere along the way 🤣🤣🤣

And statins are because of these blood results:

Serum lipids Comment: abnormal. Serum cholesterol: 6.03 mmol/L  Serum triglycerides: 3.00 mmo|/L (normal range: 0.30 - 2.30)

Tomred profile image
Tomred in reply toTilly1957

1200mg twice per day of plant sterols is to lower cholesterol and 800mg twice per day is said to maintain levels , but do your own research Tilly,it worked for me and ive been taking since november 2018.

JOY2THEWORLD49 profile image
JOY2THEWORLD49

Hi

There are other meds which are not statins.

I've got a prescrption filled but I' saiting for the opportune moment to start them 10ng.

My levls are 6.2 and 2.0 but range from 1.5-2.2. It depends what you eat. Good cholesterol 1.2..

Before a blood test try conforming to a low fat diet and see what happens.

Althogh my GP says my higher rate is due to my genes!

I read i a health magazine that cholesterl cannot vbe measured.

My stroke was caused by thyroid cancer and the AF.

Des make heaps out of prescribing statins. Thespecialist-heart says hewants me at 4.0. Whiilst I am at 5.0.

cheri JOY

The carotid arteries scan showed them as squeaky clean.

Tilly1957 profile image
Tilly1957 in reply toJOY2THEWORLD49

I eat a healthy diet anyway, not a lot more I can adjust. I might add plant sterols too. All the levels except the serum levels are fine x

JOY2THEWORLD49 profile image
JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply toTilly1957

Hi

They say sugar is as bad as cholesterol.

Ver... is a CCB and I take Diltiazem daily to control my rapid persistent H/R Day. At night avge 47.

I also take BB 2.5 Bisoprolol PM for BP better control and aids my essential tremor.

You could possibly make a temporary change like egg whites only!

I have no gall bladder so I have a low fat diet for years. Take out red meat and cheese they tell me.

Last night I had a treat lambs liver and pece bacon slow cooked , with tomato and garlic sauce, spring oion, dandelion, onion, black beans chilli under. parsleybasil and kaffir lime leaves. $3.65 liver 2 slices fat free bacon this will last 3 meals.

cheers JOY

Nursingirl profile image
Nursingirl

Hi Tilly, I have been in statins since a heart attack in 2006. I am now on Crestor. They have a way of depleting Coq10 and so you need to get some for your health. Also they are infamous for giving leg cramps so I have taken supplemental magnesium, probably the citrate on magnesium. Hope that helps.

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