Statins again

[Qualipop]

How soon do statins generally start causing muscle pain ( If at all). I've lived with chronic pain; FIbromyalgia , adhesions and neuropathy for years. I 've taken oxycodone for 19 years. Had Fibro for 40 years and the rest for 20 so it's really difficult to work out what's making me so much worse. I can barely move for stiffness and pain until around 6 pm; shoulders, hands, hips, knees and ankles and pain up my shin bones. I've been on simvastatin for 16 months ( actually changed from atorvastatin) since a mild heart attack August 2018. I mentioned several months ago to my GP that the pain was getting worse and asked how to tell if it's the statin. He said I'd need to come off it for at least 3 months to be sure.

Is it likely to be causing these problems after such a long time? My husband took atorvastatin for 6 months and had to stop because of pain. I know opiates eventually lose their effectiveness and have to be increased but this pain now is different to anything I normally have.. I just hurt all over.

[Lonmayloon]

Hi Qualipop,

I was put on simvastatin first, no side effects.

Changed to rosuvastatin by cardiologist after I had my stent fitted, no side effects.

A year or so later my GP practice then changed it to atorvastatin to save costs. At the time rosuvastatin (Crestor) was still in patent period and was much more expensive.

Experienced side effects with the atorvastatin during the first few weeks of taking it. It’s difficult to describe as there was no specific painful site but it felt like the all over ache you get with flu.

Back to GP and he was happy to switch me back to rosuvastatin. No side effects since.

[Qualipop in reply to Lonmayloon]

I Just thought it was odd to start having problems a year after starting simvastatin. Yes I feel as if I have flu; every muscle hurts. shoulders, hips, knees even my hands. I don't want to stop taking it unless it really is causing this but if it takes 3 months to get out of your system it coud take that long to improve.

[Lonmayloon in reply to Qualipop]

Hello again. In my case the pain disappeared within a day or two of stopping the atorvastatin. Having followed similar discussions on the BHF page it appears that different people react to different statins. There is no obvious “bad boy” that causes side effects more frequently than others. There are quite a few people on here who have tried several statins before getting one that agrees with them. Might be worth discussing with your GP.

[Qualipop in reply to Lonmayloon]

Yes I know they are all different. I couldn't take atorvastatin. My question was simply could so much pain suddenly start after a whole year. I would have thought it woudl have started around 6 weeks or so as it did with my husband.

[Tinker2015]

I was put on simvastatin first took it for 6 weeks the muscle pain started well before this it was hard to get down stairs with pains in legs. Was switched to another atrovastatin. On,y took I my neck started with muscle pain. Came of them trying to lower with diet

[Qualipop in reply to Tinker2015]

Yes, I thought it would have started earlier if statins were the cause; not a year on. Thanks.

[COYW]

I think it is always hard to identify what might cause pain. Statins come in for some very bad press. When you consider the number who take them I think you are bound to get reports on the net about pain and some of that is bound to be exaggerated for all sorts of reasons. There are plenty of people on here who have confidence in statins including me. I Have taken 40mg atorvastatin for nearly a year now and as far as I know they have caused me no pain at all. A three month break probably won’t do any harm as long as your diet is heart friendly?

[Qualipop in reply to COYW]

Yes my GP Is fine about stopping them but I need to find out what's causing so much pain. If it isn't t he statin ( I don't take anything else that could do it) then my other conditions need investigating as they have got far worse. I'm struggling to even get out of bed.

[Gladwyn]

I was on Atorvastatin 80 mg for about 2 months and all my joints achesd. Gp switched me on to 40 mg and in 3 years I’ve had no problems.

[Hidden]

I've been taking 40mg atorvastatin for last three months since I underwent an angiogram prior to heart bypass surgery. Have not had any side effects to date though.

[Qualipop]

I couldn't tolerate atorvastatin which is why it was changed. Up to a couple of months ago I didn't suspect the statins at all but this has got so bad and it's new to me, I'm puzzled. Can't get GP for a couple of weeks.

[Kimberly07 in reply to Qualipop]

I was on 80mg atorvastatin I had terrible reaction from them. After experiencing same reaction on other statins they’ve finally found one that works well for me. My cholesterol was still rising on other statins but now I’m on Rosuvastatin 5 mg and cholesterol is now down and with no side effects. Just have to keep trying till they find the right one for you, which I’m sure they will eventually

[Qualipop in reply to Kimberly07]

If that's what's causing it. It may not be

[Kimberly07 in reply to Qualipop]

Of course I understand. Just that my pain was unbelievable and lucky for me they found out it was the statins. But you have the other conditions as well, I wish u luck and hope they soon get to the bottom of it for you.

[Crochetwoman]

Hi Qualipop, sorry to hear of your pains.

I’ve had fibromyalgia for around 12yrs now. Heart attack and stent a year ago. Put on the usual aftercare meds including Atorvastatin. Only 40mg because my cholesterol was good and because the effects they may have on ‘joints’.

The only painkiller I can take now is big dose cocodamol. Deep down I blame Tramadol + Naproxene I gave up 3years ago for my HA.

No flare-up happened with Atorvastatin nor zombie sleeping 😁

Maybe I’m nearing the end of fibro as i now xtrain 30min x2 and walk 2 hr x2 a week. Yesterday I walked 21km around Loch Leven 🥳. I mainly use cocodamol when I’m active about one every 90 mins seem to work.

If you’re not already on Amytriptyline low dose for deep sleep tissue repair, it is Not a sleeping tablet, have a chat with your GP.

I remember your pain and fatigue and days lost by both. Don’t give in and keep visiting your doctor.

[Qualipop in reply to Crochetwoman]

Gabapentin and amitrip have been tried and tried at least 10 times to no effect at all. Amitrip turns me into a zombie even at half dose and so does nortriptylene. I'm dangerously suicidal on Gaba. I was diagnosed with fibro over 40 years ago before I had my son and never took anything at all for it except exercise . Sure, it hurt but I just ignored it . But 19 years ago my spine collapsed, neck level and mid back (T12) . I was bedridden for a year before I was finally admitted to hospital. They couldn't operate so they worked through every possible pain relief. The only thing that had any effect was morphine ( oramorph) but I got a rash , itching and difficulty breathing so they rapidly took me off it and swapped for gabapentin. I also have severe abdominal adhesions which are tethered to my spine and a partial bowel blockage. Believe me the pain from that makes Fibro totally insignificant. Now add peripheral neuropathy, pudendal neuralgia,, scoloiosis and advanced arthritis to the mix and you see why I struggle. I need knee replacements and my hips and one shoulder are heading that way but because of my spine I couldn't stand up to do the physio so they are reluctant to do anything. i didn't take my statin yesterday and, maybe wishful thinking, but the all over ache isn't quite as bad today. A few days should tell. I'm only on a fairly low dose because, like you my cholesterol was pretty low. If you have fibro you will understand the strange and nasty reactions to drugs. My GP had to swap every single heart med and stopped two of them before the year was up because of side effects or reactions. His greeting to me is usually "Hello trouble". The latest problem is what to replace ranitidine with because I'm allergic to PPIs.

[Crochetwoman in reply to Qualipop]

Mercy me. I can suggest no more. Sounds like you have so much on your plate.

Any medicine ending with “il” is avoided with me cause of their reaction.

How do you find joy and or peace?

I started crocheting to blank my pain by making intricate or simple blankets. Nowadays I don’t sit too long in order to keep the old blood flow moving 😏. I’m no way suggesting crochet, only interested in how others try to blank some of their pain.

[Qualipop in reply to Crochetwoman]

I took up painting and went semi professional. I knit, (complicated stuff like fair isle) and have about 200 tiny clothes I need to get to the baby care unit for the premmies. I sew, I do quilting, I tried felting but stabbed myself too often. LOL . I garden when I can and for the past few months I have been learning Norwegian and I have my dog. I rarely get out of the house so I do what I can to keep me busy and feeling fulfilled. Oh and I edit two magazines and write weekly news about my dog breed for the breed Club and online. I can no longer show my dog but I can keep up with what's happening. Hopefully I can finally start some cardiac "seated" rehab in a couple of weeks if this pain settles enough to get there.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Qualipop]

Qualipop

You are an absolute inspiration. I started painting again thanks to your suggestion.

Just started some embroidery, more painting tomorrow.

Knitting in progress I like aran patterns.

Digging out my jewellery making stuff too

Nothing like keeping your hands busy to stop your mind ruminating about your pain 😊

[Qualipop in reply to Milkfairy]

Aw thank you, how sweet. YOu just reminded me I also do embroidery and I too love doing Arran. I find it has to be something complicated to be able to get really involved in it for it to help with pain ( and depression). I just started a pair of socks for hubby but the leg part is utterly utterly boring. I won't get involved until I get to the shaping where I really have to think. I do two rows and put it down and do some Norwegian lessons. I can no longer stand up to cook or bake and can't show my dogs so I have to find other things to do but there has to be a reason. I have so many paintings stored around the house that I didn't sell, I had to take a break.

[Fortepiano]

It doesn't seem likely after so long.

You could ask your GP for a Creatine Kinase test, which shows muscle damage - it's recommended to stop statins if this is 10 times normal; also for inflammatory markers ESR and CRP which would suggest a different process.

But it also seems with your pain medications and numerous other conditions there are plenty of other suspects.

I hope things improve soon.

[Qualipop in reply to Fortepiano]

Many thanks for the suggestions. I did ask my GP months ago about the statins and I guess , when I think back, this has crept on gradually for months so they could be the culprit but I agree it's unlikely to have started after so long, My painkillers are not a problem, not after 20 years and the only other things I take are aspirin, ranitidine and furosemide which I've also taken for about 14 years. The tests are a good idea. I've never had raised inflammatory markers before for such things as rheumatism or rheumatoid arthritis and apart from large bakers cysts behind both knees I have no swelling. Unless I've now started with something else, the only likely culprits are the statins. This is not something I've ever had before so I'm stumped. My knee will probably be arthritis but the rest of it is a puzzle. EVERYTHING hurts, , my shins, my legs, my hips, across my shoulders and even my hands.