Atorvastatin 80mg – Pause for 4 weeks

[Hearty21]

Hello all fellow hearties,

I was told by cardiologist to take a break from Statin for 4 weeks

My history is mild MI in Feb this year, one stent in LAD. Since then 6 A&E visits for chest pain which always turned out non cardiac. On 6th admission, they done one more angioplasty and put a 2nd stent in one of smaller artery. But the pain I was experienced never went away. It is always same pain, which come with any upper bidy exercise or walking. But when I use bicycle or exercise bike, I am completely fine.

Yesterday, on my 2nd visit to private cardiologist, he studies my CD's of Angiograms came to conclusion that this is not angina and hence asked me to gradually come of Nitrates and Ranolazine.

He also asked me to take a break from Statin 80mg for 4 weeks to see if this is the culprit for any nerve / muscle pain around chest.

He said no point trying new cholesterol lowering drug until we find our Atorvastatin is the culprit.

He also prescribed me medicine to control nerve pain - Amitriptyline 10mg

Anyone else, taken break from statin and what are your experience ?

[Hidden]

Like you I get chest pain frequently (almost daily) especially after upper body exercise. Even mild stretches seems to bring on exaggerated delayed onset muscles soreness. I've ditched all meds other than aspirin. I had a 95% blockage in the CX artery fixed by a stent. All other arteries clear. GTN spray doesn't touch it, if anything it seems to make it worse. Had bloods and xrays done during one of the more painful periods and was told it isn't my heart but they don't know what it is.

I only mention this because it could be the statin, but it might not be. My saving grace is that the pain feels nothing at all like my heart attack, so it no longer worries me. It is more of an annoyance than anything because any upper-body exercise becomes problematic, whereas power walks and light jogging cause no trouble. I suspect my problem is caused by histamine and defective mast cells, but I have not been diagnosed.

[ChoochSiesta]

I was on 80mg statins with no known side effects.

[Curlyman83 in reply to ChoochSiesta]

So was I…no external side effects, but my liver went berserk. Now on enzetimibe and rosuvastatin

[MountainGoat52]

I tried three different statins to find one that suited. No break between and when none suited, I stopped altogether. No issues with stopping... just relieved to get rid of the side effects. Hopefully stopping will provide some results, but why you are on Amiltryptiline at this point, I don't know. Would that not just mask the result of dropping off the statin?

[Hearty21 in reply to MountainGoat52]

Cardiologist told me to try Amitriptyline first to see if that helps. If that doesn't help, then I will stop Statin.