I need your experiences please on high liver function results whilst on statins

[Norton]

Hi

Following MI in November and stent I have been progressing well on my journey, today Gp advised my liver function tests are ridiculously high, ten times normal values,they are being repeated and depending on results she may require to stop the statins or investigate liver function further for compromised blood supply following the MI. (I drink alcohol infrequently).

The statins are doing their job cholesterol is 1.3 and I don’t have muscle aches or pains.

I am taking Atorvastatin 80mgs

Questions for fellow hearties

if you had to stop statins completely did you manage to keep cholesterol levels low?

Did you manage to tolerate a different statin?

Has anyone had their liver blood supply compromised following a MI? What was the outcome?

Any advice / signposting appreciated

Thanks

J

[FakeNews]

I’m so glad that you have posted this question as I’m going through the same. I had my heart attack 2.5 years ago and had one stent. I’ve been on the same statin since then and my liver function tests are abnormally high. One locum GP tried to suggest I was drinking too much - which I wasn’t. My next set of blood tests are next week. He now wants to check my vitamin D levels and bone density.

I haven’t got any answers for you other than I feel your concerns. But, you are not alone. Fingers crossed we both get sorted.

[Norton in reply to FakeNews]

Morning

I have had a look at older posts on the forum and several members have had this issue and had their statin changed several had liver scans as well with no negative outcome so I feel better about it now.

[Deejay62]

Hi Norton I was on simvastatin for about 3 years, about 10 yrs ago. I was in so much pain I thought I had arthritis so I just carried on regardless. My heart failure doctor did a full blood count on me after a visit. When I went back he told me he’s taking me off the statin as it’s showing it’s affecting my bones. The pain subsided. I’ve been trying to keep my cholesterol down by watching what I eat. It’s hard as I get older and I think I’m edging up because they keep talking about putting me on one again and I keep changing the subject. I don’t hear much about simvastatin I think it’s been replaced by new ones. I think if they insist I would try one but look out for signs of increased pain.

[45sue]

I had the same experience. Your GP should stop the statin and retest. If liver then OK, you can change to a different statin. Also, the body does need cholesterol & 1.3 is rather low.

[Kotec]

Hi All

It’s very common side effects of atorvastatin 80mg.Once you stop them for 4 weeks or more the liver enzymes will come back to normal

You can then start with lower dose or change like I did to Rosuvastatin 5mg.

Don’t worry at all

[Qualipop]

My liver values went up on atorvastatin so it was changed to simvastatin- no problems at all except surgery forgetting to call me in for my annual bloods check.

[Maisie2014]

I had to be taken off statins because they were damaging my liver. I had Atorvastatin 90 mg. They reduced the dose, changed me to Rosuvastatin low dose but it still didn’t agree with me. I have recently been trying Nustendi (not a statin) but had to stop as side effects were too much for me. There are lots of things to try. Good luck.

[Ken6]

Hallo

I had a mild heart attack in November 2019. I have one stent. All blood tests are now normal. My sugar levels were a little high. But since avoiding all foods with added sugar my last blood test hba1c was 41 - only just in the normal range.

On leaving hospital I was prescribed numerous meds, including aspirin ivabradine atorvastatin and an ace inhibitor. In the middle of the pandemic it was difficult to see a doctor. The pills took all my energy away.

I do not advise anyone to do what i did. But i experimented with the dose of medication to see which was affecting me most. I told my doctor I had stopped taking the ace inhibitor. I broke the 80mg statin into four so i was taking twenty mg per day plus 75mg aspirin. My doc suggested i take ivabradine. So i now take aspirin 75mg statin 20mg ivabradine 5mg.

With regard cholesterol levels. Twenty five years ago my cholesterol was 6.9 and after changing my diet i got it down to 5.1 and then 4.7. I still had a heart attack, but perhaps it would have been years earlier without the change of diet. My cholesterol taking 20mg statin is 3.1.

I still get tired but not as bad as before. Some days are good and others not so good. Sometimes when i go to town I find myself walking really slow at 10am and then quite normal at 10:30am. Another day it will be the opposite way around.

Best wishes from Ken

p.s. My asthma nurse had a fit of the giggles when she read my notes saying i broke the 80 mg statin into four pieces.

[TCX57]

Frustratingly, I have had similar problems.

Keep having to have repeat blood tests. GP and practice nurse keep asking if I drink a lot. Whilst I drink, I don’t drink excessively. I have to keep asking them if this could be an issue with Atovastin. I am on 80mg a day.

I have never been offered an alternative statin. Seeing another GP on Thursday. 😂