Statins for 65 yr old asthmatic woman

[Anniecath]

Hi, has anyone had any experience with Lipitor statins ? My GP decided to prescribe them for me. I tried to explain that I wasn't 100% on this as I have had bad reactions to various drugs, vaccines in the past. I also pointed out that a) I suffered from white coat syndrome and b) I had been under a fair amount of stress which was finance based and which would be coming to an end soon.

Sure enough after a couple of months my skin started to peel off, like bad sunburn, I also had pains in joints not usually painful, felt feverish and totally weak. I stopped taking them and hay presto felt better. Have since found out that these drugs have been tested on men, but not women. Have not yet plucked up the courage and energy to go back to the surgery as I know it will be another battle that I really don't feel I should have to fight.

[lakelover]

Hi I'm a 70 year old woman.

They started me on Lipitor when I was roughly your age. I was reluctant but went with their advice. I didn't get pains or anything like that but my energy levels plummeted. If I saw a chair I had to sit on it! I began to think that some of the benefits of the statin were erased because I didn't want to walk anywhere & that was something I really used to enjoy doing. I went for the blood tests as recommended. My cholestorel levels had improved but they had affected my liver. I can't remember what the numbers were but they were not good. I discussed it at the check up & persuaded the doctor to stop the statins. One of my arguments was that I'd sooner live happily to 75 than miserably to 105, & I was miserable. About 2 years later the doctor revisited the idea saying they may not affect me now. I was screaming inside "NO NO NO". We compromised & she gave me 10mg dose instead of the 20mg I was on originally. I have been basically ok on this dosage, slightly tired, but I can cope with it. I'm just beginning to wonder if they are building up inside but I'll stick with it until I have my annual review in January.

Hope that helps.

[Anniecath in reply to lakelover]

thank you so much for your reply. I began to feel like a freak !

[Anniecath in reply to lakelover]

I would like to add that I too would rather live happily to 75 than drag on for another few decades in utter misery. I feel sometimes that GP's are too concerned with prolonging life without looking at the quality of life.

[Oldandgray]

Whilst I know that for the majority of people taking statins works just fine for some they are a nightmare of side effects.

I have written in my medical notes that under no circumstances am I to be given statins.

That is my choice following researching them. None of us have to agree to take any medication just because a doctor wants to prescribe them.

[Anniecath in reply to Oldandgray]

Hi there. Yes I agree, but sometimes they hold me hostage re repeat prescriptions for ventolin, which I use very rarely these days, it seems to be pantomime season anyway. I have to jump through hoops to get what I need. Many thanks for responding, more food for thought.

[Ayeup]

Hi. I've also had issues with statins and tried the top 4 (forgot the names now but simvastatin was one of them) and I experienced awful joint pain. It took a referral to the lipid dept at hospital to try something different. I'm now on ezetimibe and no joint pains (except the usual) I would suggest you go back to your GP and ask to try another one, there are a few and keep going until you find one that suits you.

[Anniecath in reply to Ayeup]

Many thanks for your input. Such side effects just seem to add to the woes don't they ? I will go back and see what they come up with. After I've had the usual blood pressure fiasco and blood test for cholesterol tho !!

[Ayeup]

What puzzles me is they must get so many people going back saying the statins have caused painful joints so why do they look surprised when you tell them? Mine said he'd never heard of that happening before 😟 yet theres so much written about it on the internet 😡

[Anniecath in reply to Ayeup]

Yes its a real puzzle. The flu jab affected me the same way, but they insist its a good thing. I've had joint pain ever since my first flu jab in the '80's, and I will never have it again but I am put under pressure every year even though I have been very clear my reasons for not wanting it !!

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Anniecath]

Oh no! That’s not good encouraging - I’m 73 and I’ve finally given in - not because I was pressured into it I must add - I’m going for my first ever flu jab next weekend!

[Anniecath in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Hi Fruitandnutcase, not everyone responds the way I do. I just question everything because I have had bad reactions in the past.

[Elspe]

Now I see why you asked whether things were tested on women or only on men!

[Anniecath in reply to Elspe]

Hi Elspe, yes, foolishly I had always thought that that drugs were tested on men and women. It was only after viewing a TV programme by a female GP looking into how harmful some drugs were when given to women, but were only tested on men. Its cheaper apparently. Have since started looking into it in more depth, with some alarm I have to say.

[Anniecath in reply to Elspe]

Hi Elspe,some interesting reading

1) The female problem: how male bias in medical trials ruined women's health by Gabrielle Jackson. Edited extract in 13th Nov 2019 Guardian.

2) Insight: Will women's health finally be taken seriously ? by Dani Garavelli, 4th July, The Scotsman.

3) Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez

[CDPO16]

I didn't realise that they weren't tested on women either.

Were you prescribed them because of high cholesterol levels? My levels are in the region of 6.5 but I have never been prescribed statins as I have no cardiac symptoms which, as I understand is is normal practice. My husband on the other hand has coronary artery disease and takes statins with no adverse effects but the benefit of lowering his cholesterol levels.

[Anniecath in reply to CDPO16]

Hi CDPO16, can't remember what my levels were. I think it was more to do with high blood pressure, but at the time was really stressed about finances and I have white coat sindrome so my blood pressure goes through the roof anyway when they take my readings !

[CDPO16 in reply to Anniecath]

That's interesting Anniecath. My husband has white coat syndrome too and his high blood pressure was discovered by being fitted with a 24 hour BP monitor.Thanks for your prompt reply and I hope your BP is ok now and you are much less stressed.

Best wishes, Carole

[Anniecath in reply to CDPO16]

Hi CDPO16, my stress levels are much lower now, prbably because I'm not being chased by GP in white coat ! Keep safe

[CDPO16 in reply to Anniecath]

😊 you too xx

[Fruitandnutcase]

I was given statins a long time ago. After a week I could barely walk and I felt really depressed, we were on holiday at the time and by the time I got back I’d stopped them. Back then I knew nothing about side effects so I wasn’t influenced by anything I’d heard about them. I did a lot of research, read Malcolm Kendrick’s book and decided enough was enough. I went back to the doctor and told her I didn’t want to carry on with them I was told I could get a ‘better’ one but I decided I’d skip it.

It’s annoying that over the years what would have been an ok level is suddenly too high. It’s also annoying that the research in statins and the levels that are deemed to be ok seem to be decided by the manufacturers of statins. Also when I had an overactive thyroid and my TSH was off the scale low, my cholesterol was the lowest it has ever been - since then my TSH has gradually increased and so has my cholesterol.

I came to the same conclusion as you did, I’d rather live less time but happily than a long but miserable life.

[Anniecath in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Yes it seems to be such a gamble. I feel that surgeries are too tied into the big drug companies.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Anniecath]

Couldn’t agree more. Especially with the ‘targets’ they have to reach and for which the benefit financially for prescribing things like statins.

[Poobah]

I declined statins when my GP suggested them and I changed my diet instead. Had new blood tests and now all OK and still working on it. Friends (male & female) had bad experiences with statins and that was enough to convince me to avoid them despite having a family history of heart problems. I do have one friend who has had high cholesterol for decades and it's genetic so they can't control it by diet so have to have statins. I must admit it was a wake up call when my GP said my cholesterol was too high.

I'm not convinced that males don't experience the same level of side effects from statins as females though. I usually report my experience with my meds on webmd.com as it is a useful source for actual patient reviews. Here are the reviews for Lipitor webmd.com/drugs/drugreview-...

[Anniecath in reply to Poobah]

Thank you Poobah. The information is very welcome. I was doing ok with diet, but with no help from surgery. Then lockdown and everything went to pot. Trying to climb back out of the obsessive cocoon of food, bed etc.

[Poobah in reply to Anniecath]

Yes, lockdown didn't do me any favours either! Cocoon is an excellent way to describe the experience. Time to be a butterfly. 🤗