I have been on statins for many years now and for about 12 months I have been feeling quite generally unwell occasionally. Mainly weak, achy, shaky & sometimes upset stomach. I’ve had blood tests & calcium levels are found to be raised. GP said that statins wouldn’t cause high calcium levels, but when I looked into to it (google) it said artovastatin can cause this 🤷♀️
I am seeing another GP next week for a review appointment. I was just wondering if there is anyone experiencing/experienced anything like this?
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I've just switched from astorvastatin to rosuvastatin to see if that helps with the tiredness and muscle aches/weakness. Did your blood tests also check Vit B12, Vit D, Iron and Thyroid?. I only mention it because I had a specific test for those recently and discovered my Vit D was below normal levels and GP recommended a daily supplement. Early days yet, less than a week but hopefully will mean more energy and fewer aches and pains.
Statins may increase the risk of increases in Calcium levels but much like other things that can contribute to you developing certain symptoms they are only a "factor" not the " cause".This is much the same when discussing Type 2 Diabetes as well. Statins may increase your risk but it doesn't cause Type 2 Diabetes . Various factors in your general health add together to cause a person to develop these issues.
Many other medications , effects of chronic illnesses that you may have , genetics, stress , age, changes in activity vitamin and mineral deficiency, family and medical history, diet, lifestyle, unmanaged Stress and uncontrolled inflammation, undiagnosed changes in the metabolism and digestion all contribute to the risks of various symptoms.
It is worth trying other makes of Statins if you find that you are having side effects or changes in blood test levels that are effecting your quality of life.
Statins are prescribed to people with various cardiac health conditions for an important preventative reason , not just to help control Cholesterol levels. Although the medication can increase the risk of certain issues for some the benefits of taking them outweigh those risks.
It's usually better guidance that we need about how to change our activity , diet and lifestyle to reduce other risk factors allowing us to take necessary medications whilst better controlling our risks of developing side effects and other health conditions.
I do notice that you mentioned that you are also Vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D deficiency causes Fatigue, Shakiness. Dizziness, Pain during physical activity, sore joints, brain fog. breathlessness, palpitations , stomach issues and headaches commonly.
This deficiency also reduces how well we absorb and metabolise and remove calcium from the bloodstream so it could be the cause of your symptoms.
It would be worth taking your Vitamin D supplement as prescribed after eating your fattiest meal of the day to maximise how much you absorb and requesting your GP to test your calcium after 4-6 weeks on the supplements to see if that was actually the underlying cause. Increasing your water intake will also help your body to eliminate any excess calcium.
You could ask your GP for the blood tests Hrty suggested as well just in case you have other deficiencies that are adding to your symptoms and request to change from Avorstatin to Rosuvastatin to see if this will improve your side effects.
Definitely try all the different statin options first , there is also the option of a non statin based cholesterol medication if you find that Statins are not right for you.
What was your Vitamin D result , and what dose of Vitamin D supplement have you been given?
Many thanks for your very informative response. You have given me food for thought when I have a review appointment with my GP on Thursday. I will ask if I can change my statin.
I don’t know what my Vit D result was, only that I was deficient. I was prescribed 800 u x 1 per day. I will try taking it after my largest meal of the day. At present I take it before I have had anything to eat first thing.
I’ve read and heard so much about being careful to notice any issues with taking statins. I’m ok on B12 and D…I just started taking magnesium. I only have a minor issue (but then you never know if it’s minor) where I have a pins and needles sensation in my hands like a few days, then it goes away.
Hi I have tried every statin going and cannot tolerate any of them fatigue and muscle pains with every one I'm reading Dr Aseem Malhotra's book a statin free life which is very interesting and I have followed a cardiologist Dr Gupta who is very excited about nattokinase which I have started taking. Had my bloods done Thursday so have not had the results yet but will try to keep you informed of any changes. I always try to find a natural way to do things rather than a tablet from my doctor as the side effects are more unhelpful than the benefits.
His views on diet and health have been criticized by the British Heart Foundation as "misleading and wrong", and his public questioning of the need ever to use statins has been condemned as a danger to public health.
The General Medical Council is being sued for not taking action on Dr Aseem Malhotra giving misinformation about the Co*id va**ine.
I don’t consider Dr A Malhotra to be a trusted source of health information either. Although it is possible for some people to achieve good results by various lifestyle changes, there are more reliable (and free) sources of information available, such as the Portfolio Diet. Nobody actually WANTS to take medication, including those who have to and especially those for whom lifestyle measures haven’t worked, such as people with Familial Hypercholesteremia. It’s not a “failure” to need medication, nor is it a victory not to need medication. Sometimes it’s just good genes.
During my sojourn in Japan I feasted on natural natto which came in small packets; it replaced every other snack, especially while imbibing and I was all the more healthy for it. I haven't tried nattokinase yet but if it has half the goodness of the real natto go for it.
Is it not true that statins are trying to treat a symptom, not a cause.? The body uses cholesterol to protect the lining of blood vessels damaged through the over consumption of sugar or through smoking. . Sugar consumption and the resultant over production of insulin and smoking cause inflammation. I had a stent inserted just over a year ago for this very reason. As I never really put on weight I thought I could get away with not paying too much attention to my diet. More fool me!
The cardiologist prescribed blood pressure tablets, blood thinners and statins. I take the thinners and the blood pressure tablets but not statins. Dr Jamnadas, a cardiologist, has a You Tube channel and I've been following much of his advice. There are many others out there too
I now do intermittent fasting and am a lot more careful about what I eat. Processed foods and sugar consumption are minimised.
Statins help the inner lining of the blood vessels function better.
They help reduce inflammation and stabilise any areas of plaque which can break off and block a coronary artery causing a heart attack or cerebral artery causing a stroke.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women.
Endothelial dysfunction is thought to be the cause of obstructive and non obstructive coronary artery disease.
The BHF funded much of the orginal research into statins.
You are absolutely correct in your information/advice! My doctor has told me that my HA in March 2022 was very likely the result of plaque breaking loose and forming a clot, which interfered with blood flow. Since taking statins, my cholesterol levels have dropped, and I feel a little more “safe” about the plaque that I already have developed.
I was reading this week that the WHO (not the rock band) has added a new poly pill to its list of essential medications for humankind. It contains aspirin, a statin (Atorvastatin, I think) and a calcium channel blocker. This drug combination has been found to decrease deaths due to heart attacks.
Medication (even when we hate to take pills, or even just another pill) can truly be our friend! Not our best friend—that would be our doggies like my Izzy, or our kitties—but definitely a friend to our health.
A symptom is something that is felt in the body of an individual, such as pain, a temperature or a runny nose. Cholesterol isn’t a “symptom”. No one can “feel” their cholesterol levels in the body. Cholesterol deposits in the arteries occur over the lifespan beginning in the second decade of life for many different reasons. Genetics and lifestyle both play a role. The purpose of medication is to minimise the continuation of that build up, but it is extremely difficult to reverse what’s already there. Unfortunately the first “symptom” that occurs for many people is a cardiovascular event. People can choose to take medication or not to prevent such a “symptom” if they have been advised of their risk. So in many respects you could say that the medication is addressing the “cause” and not the “symptom” which can be too late for some people.
That isn’t to say that people should ignore lifestyle factors, nor is that to say that side effects aren’t real for some people. Everyone has a choice but it needs to be an informed choice. Maverick medics with a high online profile may have their ideas and there may well be a few grains of truth in their books and their videos. They may be a doctor, but they’re not YOUR doctor, so if you choose not to follow the advice of your own doctors who know your history and your test results in favour of the advice of someone who has no clue who you are, then by all means do so in the knowledge that they have no responsibility whatsoever for your personal wellbeing.
Perhaps symptom is not the correct terminology then and perhaps using that word detracted from the point I was trying to make.
Cholesterol is not the cause of the problem, it is the body's attempt to rectify the damage caused to the blood vessels by over consumption of sugar among other things.
Cholesterol is, in fact, a very important substance and is used for many vital functions. The use of statins can impair these natural processes that occur and as a result can be harmful.
You mention that the doctors and experts on social media don't know me, but I have heard them speak a lot more than my own cardiologist, who performed the angiogram, inserted the stent and then threw a prescription at me.
I'm not blaming him, his time is immensely valuable and he is in the business of saving lives. But I do feel uninformed about my condition. I was given no advice on lifestyle choices I should make, for example. I had to do my own research, and that has led me to the choices I have made. I'd like to know why he thought statins were a good option for me. My dietary choices over my lifetime would rarely be described as healthy ones but my bad cholesterol is in the "normal" range. Good cholesterol was a little low however.
If you get good results on lifestyle changes, that’s great. Overconsumption of sugar is not a good idea for anyone, I agree. Some people need these medications because their genetics are predispose them to high cholesterol and a high risk of premature CVD. Lifestyle changes don’t help these people and the two people I know both have FH lived healthy lifestyles all of their lives. They don’t want to take the medication but they don’t want to put themselves at higher risk either. Nobody wants a diagnosis of anything. They both remain well. In their case the “root cause” was choosing the wrong parents and they can’t fix that very easily.
I suppose I'm fortunate that it was my stupidity rather than genetics that led me down the road I'm on. Must admit I'm still really conflicted when it comes to statins. Will continue to research
Please don’t blame yourself for your condition. You can’t change the past but you seem to be looking after yourself now, and that’s all anyone can do. Our food environment these days is awful, we have sedentary jobs and so many appliances that make everything so easy by hardly lifting a finger. It takes a real effort to choose to do differently. We’re all just doing what we can as we go along.
I wonder how long it will be before major food corporations will be brought to task in the same way tobacco companies were. How they get away with serving up so much ultra processed and harmful produce is a mystery
There’s a lot of recent awareness of the dangers associated with overconsumption of ultra processed foods that’s really coming into the mainstream now, which is a good thing. Whether this translates into these businesses paying attention and improving their product ranges is another matter. The profit margins on UPFs are obscenely high.
I listened to Robert Lustig on the Doctor’s Kitchen podcast last night and he spoke about working with a food manufacturer in the Middle East to improve their product range for better health outcomes by reducing the sugar content and also some of the other suspect ingredients. He hopes he can influence the likes of Nestle as a result. It’s fine to say people should cook from scratch etc etc, and I agree with that absolutely but many people don’t have unlimited time and resources to do that. People shouldn’t have to risk their health when they buy food.
There may be exceptions but in the main the food companies are only after 1 thing and its not the health and well being of their customers.
Things won't change until governments get involved and produce guidelines on food production over and above what is currently in place. Its a huge issue as modern food production means that food can be cheaper and more convenient. The side effect that its makes us more unhealthy and can lead to major health complications and even death is hidden.
I'm no conspiricist but I do wonder whether big food and big pharma are in league with each other. Big food ensuring there's a continual production line of people needing medication due to the food they've been purchasing. Keeping both parties profit margins healthy at the expense of the health of their customers.
I agree, these food companies need to clean up their act. There does need to be better regulation, and some additives need to be banned outright from being in the food chain in the first place. Navigating the modern food environment is a skill in itself and it’s a skill that has to be learned.
I don’t think the food companies deliberately set out to make people sick. I think these illnesses were the unforeseen consequences of using novel and cheap to manufacture ingredients that no human being in previous generations consumed. I’m not going on about cavemen in pre-historic times, I’m talking about as recent as 100 years ago in places like rural Ireland where my family are from. They may have had a very simple and basic diet, but they certainly weren’t eating trans fats or methylcellulose or polysorbate 80 or sunset yellow food colouring, and all the rest. I’m not romanticising people who had hard lives, just drawing attention to the fact that these ingredients are now consumed by humans on the daily and we have no idea what impact they have on the gut microbiome, or whether they cause systemic inflammation etc.
I intend to read Ultra Processed People as well as Unprocessed by Kimberley Wilson, who looks at the impact of UPFs on brain health.
The overuse of antibiotics has had unforeseen consequences on our health too, and it’s absolutely frightening that we are seeing so much anti microbial resistance now. The use of antibiotics in the food chain is very concerning, I agree.
I want to read that too. And the microbiome is so important and so little understood. I'm learning so much since I started to find out more about healthy eating. I'm even fermenting veg now as a result
Only tried two same as first one I ended up in a and e as felt I was having heart attack that bad 😔 not good .tried another one non statin ...not for me that one seems that I felt bit dizzy and nauseous on that two ..did speak to cardiologist first time since moved from south west back to east who explained my condition easily fir me to understand...I've reaccurant pericarditis... bit unusual condition...hope this helps he said not all can do tablets and there is other options..🙂
Having also been on various statins for 10 years, they all affected my ability to sleep, I had OHS just over 4 weeks ago, off the statin now and sleep is so much better.
For my consultant the statin is greatly controversial in medical circulars, good luck with your appointment and you find the right statin with no side affects.
Statins have raised my blood sugar levels to such an extent that I am now prediabetic, cardiology will not give a non statin medication, send on diabetes prevention course, they give you statins which raise blood sugar , , and put you you on a course of diabetes prevention, not logical
Statins do cause discernible side effects especially over the long term; that's the trade-off you make for maintaining your cholesterol levels. I kept off statins for a six-month period while doing Google research on this matter and found my lipid levels going high and went back to them. There were no other issues. I did not feel any better either during the six months. And my fatigue, insomnia, rheumatic aches and pains, sciatica etc. cannot be blamed on statins. Thankfully my digestive system is quite OK but my dose of atorvastatin is still 10 mg over long years. I am not sure at all that these comments help except to add that there's now some new thinking on cholesterol levels among powers that be who seem OK with seeing higher levels in older people.
Yes I do, and getting no where with GP or hospital over this, I posted on here before regarding this problem. Exactly the same as you. And I take the same meds. I don't sleep well as both my arms spasm and ache alot and I feel generally unwell. This all happened randomly 6 months ago
I have a friend who swears by Nattokinase. I thought I would try it myself so took it for three months, testing my blood pressure every morning. I found that even after three months my blood pressure was no lower than before. It may work for some people, of course........
Good Morning! I thank you for raising such an interesting issue. Ive been on statins for years and have most of the symptoms you describe and Im due for annual review of my medication early next year. Some great responses too which will be of interest to many of us.
I asked my GP to test for various vitamin/mineral deficiencies and she told me I would have to have them done privately. I did this a couple of years ago and it cost me £120 just for a GP to authorise them and extra for the tests. Think I will have to go privately again,
there is always a more up market state of the art medication under the G.P.S.desk my sister-in-law is great friends with a retired nursing sister.she told my sister statins were terrible things and not to take them when going to the doctors she refused to take them telling her what the old nurse said after tooing and frowing ,the doctor gave her a perscription for the upper class ones saying---- well take these then i was on 20mcg on atorovastatin and now on 40 mcgs but i started having nightmares so i dont take them xxx
I have no idea what an “upper class” medicine is! There are PCSK9 inhibitors that can be prescribed in tertiary care for some people who have either familial hypercholesteremia or have been unable to tolerate statins. They’re not the first line of treatment though, but hardly “under the desk” whatever that means!
What exactly is an “upper class” medication? What are the names of these medicines? For example the proprietary name /generic name? Otherwise this makes no sense.
High calcium and low Vit.D can indicate parathyroid issues, so I would ask your GP to investigate this further, particularly as some of your symptoms are similar to those of hyperparathyroidism.
I was only on that same statin for a month, 40mg and suddenly developed excruciating muscle pain in my back, I could hardly get out the chair, I also had an upset stomach. I have never suffered with my back , even during and after 3 pregnancies. I looked it up and it said it could cause muscle problems, and to contact your doctor. I called and the duty doctor said “ no I don’t think it’s the statins “ 🤦🏻♀️😳 so I’m going to get an appointment to see my own gp . I’ve stopped taking them in the meantime 😬
Who knows what these can do long term. I have been on statins for years. I know they are protecting against coronary heart disease but maybe at the expense of other conditions? 🥹🫣
I answered a similar question recently so have just cut and pasted the reply. Have you tried other statins? My symptoms on atorvastatin were very similar to those you describe.
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.
Thank you for your response. I finally got gp to change my Statins which I pick up Monday so will post the results after a month, see if the arm spasms go away. And if course a decent night's sleep lol
Good morning Heartmatters1,My own personal experience with Statins dates back to my diagnosis of a severe stenosis of the LAD February 2021. Prior to my Bypass operation September 2022 I was advised to start taking Statins (Simvastatin ) at 1st I felt fine but after 5-6 weeks I began to experience similar symptoms that you are currently experiencing. I stopped taking them and the symptoms went.
Post Bypass my drug regime includes Atorvastatin. After 4 months to my relief I was given the all clear to drop all but a daily Aspirin & Amoprozal. My GP wished me to continue with the Atorvastatin but on dropping my medications and starting to feel like my previous self he agreed reluctantly to my kicking them into touch.
Just had my 12 mth follow-up appointment with my GP practice nurse, and my cholesterol levels have doubled since stopping Statins. However, I've never felt better. I no longer feel nauseous on a daily basis.
So, I find myself facing the same dilemma that we all face. Proponents of lipid theory say take the statins those of us who don't do well on them lose sleep worrying over the consequences of not doing so and spend hours poring over any information we can get hold of to confirm our decision.
Sorry I can't give you more advice re. your current predicament but you're not alone.
Thanks for your reply Denis. It’s such a dilemma knowing what to do & wondering if it is the medication causing the symptoms. It’s seems we’re damned if we do take them & damned if we don’t 😖.
Sadly this dilemma is never far from my thoughts 😕. I'm probably totally wrong but the way I see it is: except for those individuals who are genetically inclined to over produce cholesterol most of us create enough for the bodies needs. As we age the cells that make up our bodies replicate at slower and slower rate. In turn this leads to our aches and pains of the ageing process. As cholesterol is in essence the bodies repair men and the veins and Arteries are in constant need of repair along with every other organ in the body it's inevitable the get clogged up over time. My worries over statins are what happens to those cells that are screaming out for repairmen when their truck is off the road due to statins preventing them getting on the road to where they are needed?
People who say they are only alive because of statins when it could be despite statins?
Will I regret not having taken statins in years to come?
Who knows!😅
All the very best for your future health and I would think that we are in the majority when it comes to statins but most of us don't want to put our heads above the parapet!
I had problems with simvastatin abs livalo rousavastatin doesn’t give me the same problems. I take 5mg rousavatatin and 5 mg zetia combo and it works well. Ensure that you also take ubiquinol, and possibly GG
I had a kidney function test for a cat scan, all was normal. After catscan, I was put on rouvastatin. 6 months later, I had stage 3 chronic kidney disease ( e GFR 53) stopped statin and a month later eGFR had improved to 59. Having another test in November. My bit D etc all good. Doing some research I did find that Rouvastatin has caused kidney damage in the past.
I too am a statin ‘patient’. I was put on 80mg of Atorvastatin and my liver readings rocketed. So the dosage was reduced to 20mg but the readings are taking their time to recover. Eight months in I am prescribed Dapagaflozin with the words (cardiologist) ‘if you take this I can guarantee that you’ll never ever have a heart attack again and you may be able to come off the avorastatin. He warned me that one of the common side effects was that of urinary tract infections. I haven’t start it yet because of an upcoming holiday etc. I confess to be worried about taking them and slightly put off by the fact that there seems to be only one other person on this site taking them. I would welcome some input on this.
"(cardiologist) ‘if you take this I can guarantee that you’ll never ever have a heart attack again and you may be able to come off the atorvastatin. WOW , if only it were true, it sounds like malpractice to me, there is no chance that he can guarantee that. I think he is scaring and manipulating you into compliance. If it were true everyone around the world would be on it. Headline News since heart death is one of the leading causes of death. I would be very interested to see the data on this one.
Dapagliflozin is now one of the "big four" drugs for the treatment of heart failure but as for a guarantee that if you take it you will never have a heart attack again - I don't think so!! Apparently some people do suffer from thrush infections on this but it hasn't caused my husband any problems in the year he's been on it.
Thank you so much for replying. I am so glad to have found somebody who’s on it. I feel very guilty that I haven’t started it but will do so now.
As far as the remark by the cardiologist I think that these consultants see me coming. I had a colonoscopy three days ago and as I moved into position I told the consultant that I was very stiff because I was on statins. He replied ‘come off them, have you heard of anybody dying from not taking them’. Well I suppose not - but I don’t think it was a flippant remark on his part.
Lastly, my ex GP told me that she’s given up on statins because of joint pain. Unfortunately, she has now been diagnosed with polymyalgia.
Tried Simvastatin and Atorvastatin and I have had adverse side effects with both. I've been on Rosuvastatin since my OHS 9 weeks ago (early days I know) and I've had no adverse effects since.
I did not think about this, I too have been sick, weak, shaky & at times an upset stomach. I never suspected it could be my statin. But I am seeing a neurologist too. But you raise an interesting question. I really hope you can find answers from your next appointment!
Like you I have been on statins since 2015 (tried them all) and suffered very badly with the side effects. I spoke with my GP and was refered to a Lipid consultant at my local hospital who recomended I change from my daily dose of statins to a fortnightly self injection of a drug called Evolocumab brand name Repatha. It works differently to a statin but still lowers your LDL-C and without the side effects. Since being on this program I feel so much better and no longer suffer from the excrutiating pain I'd get when taking statins. Speak to your GP about this it may help.
I cannot do statins . Tried a few . Range of side effects as others mentioned. However I do know CoQ10 reduced some of them before I gave them up and made some lifestyle changes. Read Dr Malcom Kendrick’s Blog or books. Very informative. Supported by many medical professionals. Make sure you are in charge of your health decisions based on quality research and your symptoms. Good luck .
I can tolerate statins now (80/10 atorva-/ezetimibe) but I wonder sometimes if now and again my body just says "take a break." I do have episodes of fatigue and achiness, but I'm also on bisoprolol and aspirin, so it's hard to tease out what might be the case. One somewhat interesting thing I've found is that the more I exercise the less the side effects seem to be (to a point). If I do 45 minutes of moderate (zone 2) exercise a day I feel much better.
Make sure to take a vitamin d3 k2 supplement this can help make that calcium go where it should be at....the bones!!!! Also take in adequate magnesium .....magnesium bysglycinate and citrate two best forms and avocados wouldn't hurt either....I refuse any statins myself
I got numb, hot feet and ankles three weeks after a stent plus various medications. At its worse it was a slightly too hot water bottle applied to my feet and ankles Stopped the statin, the feelings went. Cardiologist said stop for three weeks if improve start another statin. Started another this week and got the same symptoms eight hours after taking the first dose. Tried it for two days and stopped. The hot feelings are slowly fading. The cardica nurse recomended a referal to the lipid clinic. I await for the GP to see the letter from the cardiac nurse and see if they will action the recomendation.
I also had horrible feelings of feeling faint and really bad fatique. The feeling faint stopped after I stopped the first statin but the fatique is still there. That may or may not be related to the statin. The nurse thinks it might be or that it could be other things and it is unlikely to be my heart.
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