Having tried Atorvastatin at 80mg and then 20mg which worked great for my cholesterol levels but both caused abnormal liver function tests which now following a six week lay off without statins have returned to normal. My cholesterol is now back on the high side however with overall being 5.8 with non HDL at 4.2 and LDL 3.8. I am under the lipid clinic and they are looking to change me on to Rosuvastatin at a low dose to begin with.
Can I ask whether anybody has experience of this and was Rosuvastatin successful in reducing cholesterol levels to within target ranges specifically LDL < 2.0 and importantly did not cause a re-occurrence of liver function issues.
Brief history had a HA October last year I stent fitted got on reasonably well since then part from the statin issue.
Thanks for reading this and keep well.
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Lagun68
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Atorvastatin put my LFTs up and I was successfully switched to simvastatin. Sadly I have no idea what my lipid levels are now though - routine monitoring has disappeared since Covid! Quite scary when you think of the potential consequences!Good luck on the rosuvastatin.
Hi Lagun68. I started on Atorvastatin 80mg in July 2019 following a ha and 2 stents. All seemed well until a routine blood test last October which showed high levels of ALT and ALP. After many subsequent blood tests, during which time my GP was completely at sea over the rises, I was taken off Atorvastatin and put on Ezetimibe which is not the same as a statin, but similar apparently. My levels now seem to be falling after only a few weeks. I have a phone appointment with a chemical pathology consultant in a few weeks to discuss my cholesterol levels. My GP is keen to get me back into statins, but we will see.
How high was high, Nettekin, if you don’t mind me asking? Posted not that long ago that I’m in a bind atm - originally high ALT (160+), now know it’s also high AST (just over double), plus an abnormal marker for fibrosis. The abnormal fibrosis blood isn’t related to the atorvastatin (studies shows it lowers this particularly protein), but we’re wondering if the other two could be as the only change between enzymes being fine and enzymes being not fine is the introduction of the statin. We stopped the other likely culprits 8 weeks ago, but my enzymes are still deranged, so stopped 20mg atorvastatin today to see if that sees them start to fall. There are lots of variables in my case which mean no one really knows what’s causing what, including a previously diagnosed but unmonitored liver condition, but I’ve had to stop a tonne of medication in the interim including all my meds to manage autoimmune disease, otc NSAIDs like brufen, endocrine treatment, plus my statin, and the wait for my hepatology appt is 4 months. That’s a very long time to wait when you’re in pain and chronic illnesses are basically being left running rampant.
Hi Charlie G. Haven't got all my results, but I do know ALT was 34 last August (ie ok) up as high as 168 in December. Then started reducing a little to 146 in Feb this year and now down to 52. The ALP went as high as 340 in December and now down to 137. Will be staying on Ezetimibe for now, at least until my next appointment. Sorry to hear you are struggling, it is very frustrating trying to work out direct causal links isn't it?
I've had 3 app since last July 1st one phone consultation and 1 letter 're bloods 2nd letter 1 line with mri results 2nd consultation cancelled rebooked for 18th July cancelled day beforetried to get dr app ended up seeing nurse said there is a lump on she said oh best wait n see consultant but then app cancelled 3rd app 12th Sept can't get to speak to consultant can't get to see gp feeling worried severe constipation pain in side worse !!!!
I am wife of heart patient but under lipid specialist. I cannot take ‘usual’ statins and I was put on rosuvastatin which don’t affect my liver, he then added ezetimibe to get cholesterol down further. My husband is on 80mg atorvastatin which luckily he is okay on,as he has had two heart attacks plus getting breathless the other week which needed another stent, luckily before third ha. and few months ago he also had ezetimibe added. Lipid guy said rosuvastatin was much kinder on liver .
I had slightly raised liver markers on atorvostatin last year and my GP asked how much I was drinking. Not a lot as it happened, about 6-7 units a week, but I halved that and my last bloods were normal. On the up side a bottle of malt lasts for ages now!
Hi, I was on 80mg Atorvastatin and my lft went berserk, it got to a point where I was having weekly bloods all through pandemic. I had to have a fibroscan, ultrasound and biopsy. They thought I had autoimmune hepatitis as positive antibodies. Anyway it was the statins, I have now been put on ezetimibe and the lft has stabilised but now the kidneys abnormal, I have got other health issues so we see how I get on. The gastroenterologist has put me down for allergic reaction to statins on my health record so I don't get prescribed them again in the future. He said he sees only 3 or 4 people a year that has this reaction.
I’ve had exactly this experience...cholesterol came down from 6.9 to 2.35 on 80mg of Atarvostatin but LFT went crazy up to 146! Stopped statins about 5 weeks ago and LFT back down to 90 but cholesterol is now 6.2 - despite being on a “healthy diet” (basically lettuce). GP has put me on Enzetimibe and I’mHaving an ultrasound on my liver today...wish me luck!!
I was switched from Simvastatin 20mg to Atorvastatin 80mg as the Consultant said he wanted my cholesterol levels down to 1.8. I had been on Simvastatin for years and my cholesterol levels were within the accepted range. Now following a liver function test I’m having to have an ultrasound on my liver.The upset for me is : that I’ve never met or spoken to the Consultant who prescribed the Atorvastatin : that I had to demand a fasting blood test because a previous request was denied.
I no longer have a specified Doctor at my surgery but can choose from a team or pay £49 for a 15 minute video consultation. However none of the doctors on the team will override the consultant and I can’t see the consultant due to the continuing public health situation.
This means that I have a choice of 1) don’t take the Atorvastatin 2) cut the tablets in half but I can’t return to Simvastatin as that’s no longer prescribed for me.
Monitoring is a nightmare because a doctor has to authorise a blood test and clearly there is a cost difference between tests.
It was because I insisted on a fasting blood test that the problem has been identified. Now I’m being prescribed Amlodopine as my blood pressure isn’t coming down.
My apologies for this rant I’ve let my frustrations get the better of me.
Please don't cut the tablets in half, from what I read on this forum they are specially coated so they dissolve in the intestine, if you cut them in half you will be in agony. Only going by what I read, all the best😊
For more than a year I cut Rosuvastatin in half without any agony or other sideeffects. The ratio of HDL is 1:3, that is good, so why risk liver damage by high dose of statins?
My ALT levels have sneaked outside of the norm but thankfully not by much. I am on atorvastatin 40 mg. Does make you wonder though as I haven't had a single drop of alcohol in 2021. Just a thought which is hopefully not misleading: You might be able to buy 10mg simvastatin over the counter or online. I think the generic version is quite cheap (84 tabs for £20) and you could take two a day to put you back on your old dose until you can sort a more scientific way forward. Safer than halving pills, I imagine. Just a thought?
The posters here are lucky. At least they have a GP who takes some interest in their meds. Out of desperation I ended up seeind a cardiologist at Papworth hospital privately. He changed the dosage of various meds and added some. The GP refused to prescribe them and now will only do exactly what the NHS cardiologist tells him. It's as if he is unwilling to take any responsibility for my well being.
I had unstable angina had 2 stents last july was put on artvastatin could not tolerate them put on rouvstatin 5 mg had cholestral test in april overall 3.1 hdl 1.9 ldl 1.2 so this was good.Hope this helps
I had exactly the same situation with Atorvastatin . I was referred to lipid clinic. I was put on Ezetimbe, which worked quite well. They added rosuvastatin and that made a big difference. Brought my cholesterol down from 6.9 to 4 in just a few weeks. My LFTs are normal and the awful muscle pain has stopped. I only take rosuvastatin 3times a week and Ezetimbe daily. I am due another blood test soon, I think they might increase the dose of Rosuvastatin if my cholesterol hasn’t dropped under 4 .
My liver enzymes raised and ferritin been on atorvastatin and amlodipine for years also prednislone and amoxicillian and was originally on simvastatin had NESTEMI in Dec 2020 put on bisoprolol and apixiban after being diagnosed with AF have not seen dr or cardioligist,had one phone consultation with liver consultant beeeen sent for ultrasound blood test showed raised liver enzymes diagnosed with NAFLD sent for mri one letter back no further lumps or bumps found weaned myself off prednislone only had 1 copd exacerbation took amoxicillian cleared it up weaned off amlodipine lost over 1 1/2stone but also muscle due to change of diet dont drink alcohol which consultant was surprised but not been sent for further bloods so no idea if enzymes altered just not sure if anything changed trying to get more bloods done to compare got another phone consultation end of June just not getting any answers as yet
Thanks for your reply good to hear that rosuvastatin is working for you without the abnormal LFTs. Hopefully it will do the same for me. Ezetimibe has been mentioned but not looking to prescribe at this stage.
As the posts show, I think a lot of people can't tolerate high doses of Atorvastatin which need to be carefully monitored by blood tests in the initial stages. Any changes to medication should also be followed up by blood tests and poss a liver scan. I also had a 'deranged liver' in response to 80 mg and have been OK since being changed to a low dose of Pravastatin. My last serum cholesterol level/HDL ratio was 2.8 & liver enzymes within normal range.
Thanks for your reply. I think from reading all the other replies you have summed it up quite well in that high dose Atorvastatin is/has been an issue for quite a number of people. Low dose Rosuvastatin does seem to have been a solution for some so keeping my fingers crossed that it will work for me. Just find that it is enough dealing with the post HA recovery without having to deal with these secondary issues.
How long were you on Atorvastatin before monitoring commenced? My GP just does not want to know though I know blood tests should take place to check Liver damage.
Thanks for the reply. I had my first blood test about 8 weeks after starting Atorvastatin primarily to check cholesterol levels but also liver function tests. Whilst it had worked really well on Cholesterol levels the LFTs were all high. Tried a lower dose of 20mg Atorvastatin but same result. GP then liaised with the lipid clinic and agreed to come off statins for approx. 6 weeks. LFTs have now returned to normal but Cholesterol high again so lipid clinic have suggested low dose rosuvastatin.
Wow 8 weeks, they have left me for 8 months without any tests even though I called the Doctors they did not want to know. I think I will be changing to another practise they are hopeless.
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High Liver Function update 
Atorvastatin + Asprin
Atorvastatin
I need your experiences please on high liver function results whilst on statins 
