Hello, I was on atorvastatin but it made me very tired and depleted my vit D levels. Lipid clinic said go back on it take vit D.Cardiologist said swap to rosuvastatin if I wish to
Unsure what to do retry the ato or try new. I don't want to get diabetes?
Has anyone any experience with these please.
I’m In Atorvastatin and also Ad-Cal vitamin D3 tablet. Been on this fir 13 years now since open heart surgery and never had any problems.
I have been prescribed three different statins over the years. The first was simvastatin which was prescribed when my high cholesterol was initially treated. No side effects. Then after stent procedure I was prescribed rosuvastatin. No side effects. A few years later the GP practice switched me to atorvastatin. I tried them for a couple of months but continually felt as though I had flu symptoms, dull aching joints, lethargy etc. GP agreed to switch me back to rosuvastatin and no problems to report since then. I hope this helps.
You say in your bio that you have been diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia. That does need to be treated.
No treatment for FH here in UK just statins .......
What?
I wrote something about statins on a post yesterday which you might find helpful.In short , the Atorvastatin is the ' first line' or most common statin prescribed but it doesn't always suit everyone and there are others available.
I changed to Crestor ( Rosuvastatin) because my husband was on it and I find I tolerate it well.
I also have FH.
If your Cardiologist suggested the change you've got more than enough right to do so as your GP should take your Cardiologists advice and change the medication if that's also what you want to do.
It can take some people a number of months to get used to it and have all the side effects to settle down.
Hope that helps , Bee
I’m same as some others, couldn’t tolerate Atorvastatin so switched to Rosuvastatin and no probs with it as long as I take it in the morning. Also you generally take less in quantity as it’s stronger ie 20 mg of Rosuvastatin rather than 40 mg of Atorvastatin. If that doesn’t work they might suggest the new drug Inclisarin particularly if you have that familial thing
I was on atorvastatin for several years and had worsening muscle pain until I couldn't even walk along my hall without holding on. Eventually taken off them and within about 2 weeks pain was gone! Now on a lower dose of rosuvastatin and cholesterol ok and no muscle pain.
HI. I was on simvastatin and it disagreed quite strongly, severe pains in various joints, now on rosuvastatin and no problem, so worth trying a different one.Good luck
Hi StarwishI couldn't tolerate Atorvastatin and unfortunately was taken off all ststuns for a while. Not taking anything increased my cholesterol without me knowing over the years and I ended with Coronary Heart Disease. Know I'm on the max dose of Rosuvastatin and although I had some legs cramps when I first increased to the max (you may not need that much) it's settled down now.
Taking statins doesn't cause diabetes. They can exacerbate blood glucose levels once you've got it though. However, the benefits of statins are far greater than the negstives of a slightly higher BG level. Eat a low carb, higher protein diet and exercise to prevent diabetes if possible.
Take care
Susie
Another vote for Rosuvastatin here. I couldn't tolerate Atorvastatin, Pravastatin or Simvastatin which all inhibited exercise to varying degrees. As has been said, the benefits for treating cholesterol far outweigh other concerns.
Rosu us the better of the 2. Taking none is even better. As you age you produce more cholesterol because your body needs more repairs. The human body has had more experience of what it needs than any doctor and limiting those needs is an act of self harm. You'll do more good by improving your diet than any cholesterol tablet will ever do.
Had me on them for 20 years ... still had 2 heart attacks. I call that a bad result. After the CABG I stopped taking them and surprise surprise I got my cholesterol back to normal numbers. No diet, no mad exercise fad, just better food choices and a health dose of defiance. The result of which has completely baffled my GP.
I sympathise with your dilemma. I tried atorvastatin 3 years ago but had weird dreams. I stopped them and tried diet and was willing to have another go ( as had been effective) but cardiologist suggested rosuvastatin after discovery that my cholesterol was even higher and he said is probably the inherited type. I tried them but had migraines so stopped and gp put me on estimbe (?) the alternative to statins but they upset my stomach. So back on trying rosuvastatin and not had migraines but more tired in morning BUT weirdly only taking 5mg statin every other day and after just three days my ldl down from 4.5 to 2.3 - only noticed because had a total blood screening test as been unwell(. It also says hypochromasia 10.6% which doesn’t sound good. )I can’t get an appointment to find out what could be going on. So it appears Rosuvastatin works well for me even at just 5mg and not taking it every day. Plus this time round not causing migraines.
So in summary I think it worthwhile trying something different. Start on small dose maybe? Everyone is different and depending what else is going on with you the effect of pills can change.
Good luck
I was on 40mg Atorvastatin seeing a specialist in treating cholesterol etc.
He swopped me onto Rosuvastatin 20 mg and also Ezitimibe 10 mg.They all seem to work for me.I had triple bypass age 31 now 77 been on all sorts of things in my time.Still playing Walking Football and riding my bikes so have all worked for me because I thought id never even reach 3 score and 10.My only thought on the manner is that all Doctors and Consultants get a commission I think for each new drug they use for customers.I my case I’ve no complaints.
Yes Rosuvastatin is the more palatable.Godluck
I've been on rosuvastatin for a few years now. It has given me no side effects whatever.
Hi, Starwish,
Your question seems to be one of six or half a dozen. At this point, it seems to be completely your choice as to which statin to take.
I have taken Atorvastatin since my HA in March 2022. I currently take 40 mg daily. I sometimes have odd muscle aches, but nothing serious, and I have not had the bad dreams that some people report. This drug has lowered my cholesterol numbers, so I am pleased with that result.
I do have joint pain and muscle pain from having osteoarthritis for several years prior to my HA. I also take about 8,000 IU weekly of vitamin D, but not because of the Atorvastatin. My doctor prescribed the extra vitamin D because I was diagnosed with osteopenia, and the doctor stated that vitamin D might help to slow the progress into having osteoporosis.
I am prediabetic, so I did ask my doctor about increased risk of taking Atorvastatin and raising my blood sugar levels. She indicated that there is no evidence to support this idea. Again, she stressed diet and exercise. My problem is that I do sometimes sin and eat something sweet that I know is not good for me, but in my last blood test (taken almost one year following starting to take Atorvastatin) there was no increase in my A1C level nor in overall blood glucose levels.
I have shared my personal experience as just one example, but we all are different, and we may have different reactions to the same medication. I would suggest that you discuss any concerns about your medications with your doctor. You can then make an informed decision for you.
I wish you the best in sorting out your medications! 😊
I have be en a Type I diabetic for around six decades. In 2010 I was started on statins after a diagnosis of PAD. In that time I have been on two statins, Simvastatin (that caused muscle pain) and Atorvastatin (dosage changed twice). In my time on statins I have never noticed it affecting my BG and if it does it is within the error range of my BG meter and Libre 2 sensors.
The only thing I have read is that in those with a tendency to diabetes it may appear six months earlier if no lifestyle changes (e.g. diet, exercise, smoking cessation, achieveing normal BMI) are made. As it is raised here often I also had a chat about it with one of my endocrinologists. His view is that if the tendency is there you can go into remission for many years but that the diabetes marchers on as by it is a disease of age and by 80 one third of of people will be diabetic. A friend's mother was diagnosed as Type II after a heart attack in 1978. She has never been in remission and is doing well in her mid-90s. Would she have got there without statins?
To further confuse the issue it appears the use of statins in Type II delays the progression of oral treatment (Metformin) to insulin treatment.
Hi, like Bigscar, I've been talking 20 mg Rosuvostatin and 15mg Ezetimibe. I started taking them about 28 years ago and have no problems with diabetes or any other side effects, but everyone reacts differently for example I had rhabdomyolysis after 18 months on Simvastatin whereas others get on fine with it. Like you, I have FH and also I need Repatha injections to sufficiently reduce my cholesterol . I hope you find a regime that suits you as statins don't just reduce cholesterol, but they stabilise plaque. This and my blood thinners is why, I believe, I have gone all these years without a heart attack.
Everyone seems to be talking about cholesterol level reduction….my levels are not elevated but my consultant wants me to take statins, I assume, to stabilise / protect the plaque build up in my coronary arteries. Preventing bits breaking away and causing a stroke/heart attack. Read this on British Heart Foundation site. Is there anything natural that can do the same? Would really value any advice please. x
Take high dose of Ubiquinone and then research Professor Sultan and Dr Kendrick on the dangers of Statins. Dr Aseem Malhotra on YouTube can be viewed also on the dangers of Statins. The Japanese have the highest cholesterol readings in the world but the lowest incidence of Heart and Stroke, I rest my case.
Ezetemibe v atorvastatin
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