stuff joints

[Stent2024]

finding my body is so stiff of a morning , especially fingers . Think it’s due to the statins . Can anyone recommend a good supplement for joints please ?

[Lowerfield_no_more]

If you believe you are suffering from a side effect from taking statins you should discuss it with your GP who, if it is likely, may be able to offer an alternative statin or, if you are found to be completely statin intolerant, another form of medication for lipid management should it be decided you need it. And any supplements should be discussed with your GP in case of interaction with any medication you take, especially since the supply of supplements is unregulated in a market that is worth £100m in the UK alone.

[Oldforge73]

Hi Stent2024, I have just recently been Prescribed Atorvastatin 20mg, I was so reluctant to take them but saw the sense in it that I should at least give them a trial run. I researched the side effects and found that statins can deplete the enzyme CoQ10 from the liver, one of the reasons that causes stiffness. I had been taking this anyway as it also helps AFib and so far have had zero stiffness or any side effects, maybe you could try this. I take 200mg a day and purchase them from Amazon. You could also ask your GP if you could trial taking them only weekdays or have a short break to see if it is the cause. The clinical pharmacist who advised me to start statins said that any stiffness would be treated as a red flag and must be reported immediately, so maybe you should have a word with a pharmacist or GP.

Regards Kathleen

[Lowerfield_no_more in reply to Oldforge73]

I assume you have told your GP/pharmacist that you are taking the supplement CoQ10 in connection with other medication and they are happy for you to continue.

[Oldforge73 in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

No I have not, I am my own advocate in managing my AFib. Neither am I keeping it a secret, I also take Magnesium Taurate which is absolutely recommended by cardiologists. I am not on warfarin where CoQ10 is contra indicated. For me I wanted to have the best chance of tolerating statins as so many on this forum have had huge difficulty with unpleasant side effects. Anyone who is on a raft of medication or has a serious heart condition would be of course advised to consult with a health care professional on their symptoms. They could be offered an alternative statin as there are many. Some time ago it had been thought by the pharmaceutical industry to combine this enzyme with a statin but I think cost intervened. We must all be proactive in managing our own health, questioning and researching ourselves, not just lying back and doing what we are told.

regards Kathleen

[Lowerfield_no_more in reply to Oldforge73]

I am 100% behind your statement....

We must all be proactive in managing our own health, questioning and researching ourselves, not just lying back and doing what we are told.

...and said this myself in another post only the other day .

However I don't have a degree in pharmacology and would guess that there are few on here who do. So in my view the wisest course of action for any comment about taking any form of supplement (especially when know to have an impact on the body) in addition to any medication, is to place a caveat on that for seeking guidance from a health professional for their opinion on whether is it OK to proceed or not. You obviously feel comfortable with your decision about taking this particular supplement with or without professional input (unless of course you are qualified) which is fine for you, but others might take different medication and their circumstances might be different, and so in my view any interaction should be reviewed by a health professional.

[Weetabixie]

I get stiffness also, but I have other conditions like fibromyalgia and arthritis. It's so difficult to know if medication a cause as some of what are side effects also exist before having had new medication. However you mentioned fingers, that's something I've been getting that I don't recall having had before I just kind of didn't realise. Hope the GP can shed some light on it, I would as Lowerfield_no_more suggested see your GP about it if you can. Please let us know how you get on and good luck with everything 🤞

[Stent2024 in reply to Weetabixie]

Thank you

[cavalover]

Hi. You need to talk to your Heart Team about this. You shouldn't take anything without asking them as whatever you take might react badly to your heart medication. We're all different and only your heart team know exactly what is wrong with you.

[Happyrosie]

there’s an arthritis forum within health unlocked too.