Atorvastatin

[bowler]

Since being diagnosed with a mitral leak and angina my Dr. put me on Atorvastatin, I have only been on them for a few months and find I'm not sleeping, is this just a coincidence, or has anyone else had sleep problems whilst on this statin ?

[skid112 Heart Star]

Hi Bowler,

I am on this wonderful medication too, not put down my sleeplessness to it as yet I do suffer other side effects which are listed for it, such as tiredness, muscle aches

[bowler in reply to skid112]

I do feel very tired but unable to get to sleep, wide awake at 2am, I can't even have a nap in the afternoon. I'm wondering if I could take it in the morning or late afternoon ? I was told to take them at night.

[skid112 Heart Star in reply to bowler]

the hospital i was at were running a trial, some taking nights some morning, I didn't hang around to get the results but will ask my GP

[stevejb1810]

When I first started taking atorvastatin about 3 years ago, I took it at night and certainly my sleeping got appreciably worse. At the time it was the only drug I took regularly, so I put it down to the Atorvastatin. I have no proof of cause and affect here, so it might be purely coincidental. Anyway, I did a quick look on the internet to find out if there was any reason why I could not take it in the morning - there wasn't, you can take it in the morning. I think in part it is suggested you take it at night as the muscle pain etc. would be a lot less of an issue. I am very fortunate in that I have not had that particular side effect.

Since being admitted to hospital ahead of CABG and then post surgery, my Atorvastatin dose has been substantially increased and again I was taking it at night. My sleep patterns are all over the place as I adjust to everything post op, but as I had had the issues with Atorvastatin in the past, I have just started to take it earlier - around 7pm. I don't know if it will help my sleeplessness or not, but figure its worth a try and its a low risk thing to try.

Cheers

Steve

[bowler]

Thanks for your interesting reply re Atorvastatin and your sleep pattern, there's no harm in trying, so I have just taken it now. Wish me luck for a better sleep.

So far I haven't had any muscle problem.

thanks

bowler

[skid112 Heart Star in reply to bowler]

Good luck

[bowler in reply to bowler]

Good morning,

just to say that I slept last night from 11 till 6.30 am, so taking the atorvastatin early worked for me, or was it mind over matter or the fact that I was really tired anyway through lack of sleep,? time will tell.

[Plum53]

Hi Bowler , I was on Atorvastatin 20mg and then had it put up to 30mg as the heart nurse said they like cholesterol blood test result to be 4 or below and mine was 4.63 . A few weeks later I couldn't get to sleep I would lay awake for hours befor I dropped off. I saw gp and reduced it back to 20mg. Now I'm sleeping again so I know it was that. Told Cardiologest and he said about skiing the senior consultant about me going

[Plum53 in reply to Plum53]

Ops sorry wasn't finish pressed send in error ...) he said he would ask the consultant about me trying a different statin . I saw copy of letter to GP and nothing was mentioned . Speak to Gp maybe a different Statin would suit you better. Good luck

[bowler in reply to Plum53]

Seems like it certainly messes up sleep patterns , I have just sent a post [see above ] saying I slept better by taking the statin earlier in the evening.

[Jaycey]

Ask to have the dosage reduced or switch to another statin. I had this problem with Simvastatin and switched to a lower dose of Atorvastatin. No sleep issues now.

[bowler in reply to Jaycey]

I'm on the lowest dose of Atorvastatin 10mgs. I know I have a problem with my mitral heart leak and angina, so I feel I should take it, but it does seem that statins are given out to readily.

[dickielex]

I've been on Atorvastatin for ages and it has not had any impact on my sleep.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

I was switched form Simvastatin to Atorvastatin because I refused to take Simvastatin because of the side effects I was experiencing and am unconvinced abut them - statins are nearly presented as a cradle to grave drug. When I was changed to Atorvastatin my GP told me to take it in the morning - Simvastatin had been in the evening.

I tend to wake up very early from a combination of dozing in the evening because my condition makes me feel very tired and the diuretic I have been prescribed. I am hoping some of the meds will disappear/be reduced after surgery.

[bowler in reply to MichaelJH]

As I have to take several meds, for other health issues, it was good to take the statin in the evening to spread the load so to speak, however I will in future take them early evening and see how my sleep pattern goes.

[Nicbrad]

I change my statin to the morning and then all day I had awful stomach cramps and upset tummy! I try and take it earlier in the evening now and that has helped abit with the sleeping.

[bowler in reply to Nicbrad]

it's strange how we all react differently with the meds, I usually get stomach cramps with meds as I have irritable bowel, diverticula disease plus gall stones, I also have stage 3 kidney disease amongst other things, the list goes on which I wont bore you with.

keep well

bowler

[Lolalacey]

Same here been on them for 8 months I sleep but very restless keep turning from side to side also joints very painful as well

[bowler]

I often wonder if the risk is worth taking and not to take statins due to their side effects, ? but then I would worry if my heart problems would get worse without them, a catch 2 scenario, It's like most meds there are always side effects,

My sister in USA said, the Dr's there seem to offer them to every adult over a certain age, Good business for the manufacture's of these tablets.

[ArtB]

Hi, I been having some mad dreams since my pharmacy changed the brand of these. No other problems other than the size of the tablets. My Dr said they should be taken at night as the body produces more cholesterol then.

[Johnnyb10]

I was on Atorvastin after heart op to replace leaky valve caused by lupus and and also did a bypass at same time, however the stain impacted on the liver so now off them and on a medication that doesnt impact the liver. Strange thing is since op in Aug 2016 I have cut all fats out of diet but my cholestrol result came back 6.1. I was baffled and asked for a break down of good and bad cholesterol but was told it wasnt in the results. Also the blood test was done on the day of visiting the consultant without fasting. He said can do a non fasting blood test, also told me diet cannot cut the reading by more than 20% and that cholesterol is produced by the liver which statin controls.

[bowler in reply to Johnnyb10]

I had a cholesterol blood test and it read

Cholesterol 6.2

HDL 1.41

LDL 3,97

Ratio 4.4

Serum non high density lipoprotein cholesterol level 4.79

I'm still non the wiser, however with these results the Cardiologist said for me to take the statins plus aspirin.

[indian7462]

Yes me to since having my angioplasty and pace maker fitted 6 months and 2 months ago i to have suffered from a very poor sleep pattern. I to have been taken the drug just prior to going to bed so will now give it a try by taking it early evening to see if it makes a difference.

[Scotty01]

Crikey now im getting the picture about my possible sleepless nights.

Im on 80g atorvastatin.

Hmmm

I hope the poster gets sorted though

[bowler]

I dread to think how my sleep pattern would be if I was on 80ms of Atorvastatin, I'm only on 10mgs. however since taking it earlier in the evening I have slept better every night.

sweet dreams.

[Tab1966]

We had a pharmacist talk during this weeks Cardiac Rehab class. She said that Atovostatin can be taken at any time of day because it works consistently over a 24 hour period. I take mine in the morning along with all my other meds and apart from aching muscles I have no other side effects, and definately have no trouble sleeping at night. So...might be worth a try? Good luck

[bowler]

Thanks for the info, Since I have been taking my Atorvastatin earlier I have been sleeping better. Makes you wonder how all the tablets we take react together in the stomach and then go there own way, the mind boggles. I did look up drug interactions and found some of my drugs do react but I need to take them.