Upset tummy with statins

[Fynndog]

Has anyone any advice on tummy upsets with statins. I was put on atorvastatin at first which caused awful tummy upset. It has since been changed to resuvastatin. Seems like it’s having the same effect on me

[Maisie2014]

Ask GP for something for your tummy. I take esomeprazole; although I can’t tolerate statins at all. There are many benefits of taking statins and usually your GP can find one to suit.

[Fynndog in reply to Maisie2014]

Thank you Maisie. I’m on lansoprilol at the moment but I think I might be like you unable to take statin. Did you have a very bad reaction to a statin?

[Pollypuss in reply to Fynndog]

I was taken off statins and am now just on aspirin. Every drug I took reacted and I had a bad time - running to the loo feeling sick etc. I control my cholesterol myself . The six month review by the cardio specialist made the decision I didn’t - to take me off statins after my triple bypass. My friend who takes statins has the same results as I do when she has her test, I will try again one day to take them and see if the reaction is the same. My doctors at home had lots of theories as to why I was suffering this way after the op but only when I came off the drugs did I feel really alive again. I feel ok now one year on.

[Fynndog in reply to Pollypuss]

Hi polypuss.very glad to hear you overcame that experience. I thought to myself this morning it seems as though my heart has been processed but now I’ve got a stomach problem. One Ive never had in my life,It’s very difficult I know to pinpoint which is causing the problem, cardiologist seems to think acid reflux is caused by prasugrel that’s the stent assistant or the aspirin. It quite possibly is. But the fear if changing the meds all over again and having breathlessness Along with burning isn’t pleasant.

They like to put you on a higher dose as possible to aid your heart (bisoprilol and candesartan) but if a person has acid reflux on a lower dose how can it be possible to up the dosage , surely that means more burning.

Anyway it’s good to talk and so nice that you people care enough to share your experience. Once again I’m very glad you have sorted your problems and wish you loads of good health. Regards Fynndog

[Pollypuss in reply to Fynndog]

Quite honestly I thought the op was nothing compared to three months of the misery of my stomach problem and to make matters worse it seems everyone I spoke to said my situation was unusual and people are more likely to be constipated as a result of the drugs. I couldn’t go out or live a normal life for fear of what might happen. But honestly I am back to fairly normal now . The aspirin I take plays me up sometimes and I drink lots of water. Don’t despair it will go

[Maisie2014]

Yes Atorvastatin was damaging my liver so I was taken off it. The others gave me diarrhoea, leg pains, cramps and sleeplessness.

[Fynndog in reply to Maisie2014]

Hi Maisie, have they given you something in place of statin. Cardiologist spoke to me yesterday about non statin alternative. Had a horrible name like most of them but he also mention an injection??? Not really up for that it sounds awful. I’m beginning to think that HA was really traumatic but the meds are just as devastating. Ok if you’re fine with them but if your like me I think my insides are talk g a bashing. Then there’s the liver and kidneys to worry about. I had HA is Portsmouth on holiday so I was out of my region. It seems that if you don’t have the event in your home town they don’t consider you on their books.

It’s like I’ve only been noticed here because of two ambulance admissions in the first month or I would just have slipped through the net .

My daughter has fought for everything else,

Rehab wouldn’t have existed abd it’s only been a couple of phone calls. No rehab classes which I understand are so necessary.

Anyway you take care and continue to get better. Regards Fynndog

[MountainGoat52 in reply to Fynndog]

I wonder whether you are thinking of Ezetimibe as being the statin replacement? I was on it for a while and it was proven to have zero effect on its own, at least as far as I was concerned. It is usually prescribed as an addition to a statin to enhance the effect of the statin.

[Fynndog in reply to MountainGoat52]

Hi GWP so you just had to rattle a bit more to no good purpose. How long before they realised it had no effect on you ? You are lucky that it didn’t damage anything else. Pills just can’t be handed out willy-nilly.We know some are necessary for our recovery but from what I read they are not policed properly. I get the feeling we are just sent away hoping we won’t reappear, sorry if I sound dejected.

You have to take something for a period of time to see if symptoms settle abd during that time you can feel so awful , it’s not easy getting to a doctor these days abd even worse to see a specialist.

Anyway good health to you abd thanks for your input

[MountainGoat52 in reply to Fynndog]

We have to realise that GPs see many people and cannot know how people will react. Only we, the patients, know how the various medications affect us personally. Therefore we have to be pro-active. If certain medications don't suit us, then we need to say. I know many people who suffer side effects yet are unwilling to refer the issue back to their GP. Some get headaches every day.... imagine that, what a life!

As far as statins are concerned, I was started on Atorvastatin after my HA. My GP changed it to Pravastatin, then Simvastatin and finally prescribed Ezetimibe. I only discovered that this was having no effect when my medication was analysed by the pathologist at the local hospital. She persuaded me to go onto Rosuvastatin and after a bedding in period of around a month, I found that I could take it and it has been proven to be beneficial, even though I have never had high cholesterol.

[Fynndog in reply to Maisie2014]

Hi Maisie again.May I ask you if diarrhoea started immediately you started taking the statin or did it start after a short while and get progressively worse?

Cardiologist said he doubted it was the statin upsetting my stomach because it would have started immediately. And since I’d been in them for 10 weeks he thought it unlikely

[Pollypuss in reply to Maisie2014]

I still think as far as Statins are concerned there is a lot to learn. My sister had a terrible time on them and a few years ago she just stopped taking them. All her pains went

[MountainGoat52]

I take 10mg of Rosuvastatin on alternate days without any issues. I tried three other statins and they caused serious side effects with aches and pains. However, at no stage did I have any stomach issues. It does seem that your stomach is sensitive, so I would discuss this with your GP.

[Fynndog in reply to MountainGoat52]

Thank you for your interest. I will see my GP . I’ve understood from several messages here that GP s dont often like to alter meds that have been ordered by cardiologist. I hope this is not the case. Everything just seems to take so long. Abd then you worry that whatever they change it too will cause something worse. I had awful breathlessness on a higher dose of bisoprilol.

Well I just have to soldier on as we all do hoping that someone will have my best interest at heart ( no pun intended)

Regards Fynndog

[MountainGoat52 in reply to Fynndog]

Well I had to be pro-active to get my medication right. We are all different, so there is no "one prescription fits all" out there. What you start out with will be what is normally prescribed by the consultant. It will vary depending on the consultant. I wasn't prepared to put up with the side effects and so worked with my GP practice to get the balance right for me. It may take some time, but hopefully you will be able to achieve this.

[Maisie2014]

Hi Fynndog. The diarrhoea started immediately but the cardiologist asked me to persevere but make sure I took my esomeprazole daily. It settled down a bit but the other symptoms got so bad I asked GP for a blood test which showed the liver damage. I’ve tried various ones and tried various diets but my cholesterol is not very high. I was referred to endocrinologist in March but that referral has been cancelled because of COVID. I’m just sticking to my balanced diet. With regard to cardiac rehab: there are sessions on YouTube by BHF. Take care.

[Bodyp]

Hi, I was same with Atorvastatin & also had awful joint, muscle pain. I have just been prescribed Nilemdo 180mg not sure how I will fair with this, will keep you posted. As this is not a Statin. Maybe you are intolerant of Statins as they thought I was. Good luck with seeing your GP again.

[Fynndog]

They have prescribed estemibe. Because I’d had such a bad time with rosuvastatin and atorvastatin ( muscle wastage ) I said I’d take a break for a while. I’m feeling better now six months on and was getting ready to start esetimibe but when I looked at contraindications ( can cause ck muscle wastage( what I had) it’s made me wary again.) I know that most meds have side effects but these look worse than the normal ones.I hope you do well on Nilembo. It’s a fine line you tread if you are sensitive to meds.