Atorvastatin

[JoJoDimm]

I am on 20mg of Atorvastatin. Have been taking them for just over four weeks. I have a hiatus hernia for which I am on Lansoprazole. My reflux symptoms were under control, but they seem to be bothering me, my digestive system is also out of sorts, some joint discomfort. I do know that some of these symptoms are statin related, what I would like to know is do these subside?

[Lowerfield_no_more]

It sometimes takes a while for your body to get used to new medication. If I were you, and the aches and pains haven't subsided in another three or four weeks, or get worse, I would be seeking a review with the GP. There are other statins out there to try including rosuvastatin which is often used as an alternative to atorvastatin, and your GP should hopefully be willing for you to trial an alternative. And if you are seriously statin intolerant then other medication is available too.

[JoJoDimm in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

Thank you for your quick response. I thought I would get away with side effects, when I first stared them, everything was fine.

[Happyrosie]

As Lowerfield says. In the meantime, so that you can get some background, it would be worth consulting a pharmacist. Most GP surgeries (I understand) employ a couple of pharmacists in a group with other surgeries. You could have a phone consultation, one hopes. Speak to the receptionist.

[JoJoDimm]

many thanks, I will do that tomorrow.

[Qualipop]

I've had peptic ulcers so I have to be very careful with meds. Are you taking something to protect yoru stomach like a PPI? I found atorvastatin very bad on my stomach so it was changed to simvastatin. I have no problems now but I take famotidine to protect my stomach instead of PPIs. I believe but haven't tried it myself that rosuvastatin h as even fewer side effects

[JoJoDimm in reply to Qualipop]

Many thanks for your reply. I am in Lansoprazole PPI. I have an app tomorrow with a clinical pharmacist, see what they suggest. It seems to be a round of drugs to do this, one to counteract the next one and so on.

[Qualipop in reply to JoJoDimm]

I suffer badly with side effects of drugs and it annoys me so much to have to take something else to counteract those I need. There's usually an alternative. I even have to take enteric coated aspirin because soluble aspirin really upsets my stomach. Atorvastatin was the first thing I had to change after a heart attack. I ended up having absolutely everything changed that they'd given me. I can't take omeprazole or lansoprazole at all. Famotidine works differently and for me, it's better. I used to take ranitidine but it was taken off the market.

[Ironfloor173]

I had the same problem before being diagnosed with a silent heart attack. Been on Atorvastatin on 80 mg for nearly 2 years now and not had a problem to date.

[JoJoDimm in reply to Ironfloor173]

Hopefully like you, the symptoms will subside and it will settle down.

[BSA20]

Regret to say the Lansoprazole made me so ill my husband had to call an ambulance and I spent the day in A&E.

[Topper60]

I'm 3 weeks into 80mg Alvorstatin - luckily no side effects so far. I had heard about the aches and pains - so first thing every morning I do a 20 minutes stretching routine - whether that's helped I don't know. Good luck.