Advice please

[Akf1953]

I have been recommended by my GP to take statins but I have an under active thyroid and take levethoroxine. He has said the risk is muscle damage but to me that makes no sense as your heart is just a big muscle. He has also claimed diet alone is not effective as I have a 10% risk of heart attack or stoke in the next 10 years. I am totally confused as to if I should take statins or not but the not very helpful GP has left the decision to me. Would anyone with under active thyroid and taking stations be able to give me some information on their experiences

[bluemoon572]

As long as your hypothyroidism is under control with levothyroxine (i.e. the TSH is in normal range) you're quite eligible for treatment statins. The adverse effects that some patients experience when taking statins is inflammation of skeletal muscle, not myocardial or heart muscle. The blood test, Total CPK, when elevated confirms the presence of muscular inflammation.

It's customary to periodically monitor statin's use by checking the liver enzymes and the Total CPK ( if muscle symptoms occur).

[Akf1953 in reply to bluemoon572]

Thank you, you have explained that far better

[Blearyeyed]

There is often a link between high cholesterol and an under active thyroid .The medical protocol is to get the thyroid issue managed with levothyroxine over a period of 3-4 months. In about 60% of cases this will be enough to put the cholesterol back within a normal healthy range.

In other cases , both to help in controlling thyroid function and manage the bad cholesterol levels, a low dose statin is recommended, especially if the person has a higher individual risk of heart disease or stroke , or is already being treated for a cardiac condition, or, changes in diet haven't reduced the cholesterol levels to a healthy range after testing.

Familial HyperCholesteroleimia is a common but little talked about condition. Often , your GP won't test for it or explain that it may be entered into your notes during diagnosis of other things. FHC is a genetic, usually symptomless, condition that means that you can still have high cholesterol levels despite making changes to your diet and it usually requires statins to reduce cholesterol and lipid values into a healthy range and reduce the risks of cardiac conditions. I have this condition and have to take a statin and another medication called Ezetimibe to control it alongside a low cholesterol diet.

If you are concerned about side effects , like muscle and joint pain , it might be a good idea to join the Thyroid forum and write a post asking which statins people with hypothyroidism have found best to take with the least side effects whilst on levothyroxine. Then ask your GP to prescribe that one starting at the lowest dose then titrating up to the one that is recommended for your needs.

( I would suggest that you include within that post that you just want to hear about statins that people are using with positive results with an under active thyroid and that you aren't looking for replies or opinions about whether you should take statins or not - this will hopefully reduce answers to what you need to know , otherwise, as we know, heated debates often begin because statins can be a controversial topic to many people)

I don't have thyroid problems but I personally take Rosuvastatin ( Crestor) . I've found none of the side effects to muscles or joints with it . I was originally on Atorvastatin but did have some stiffness and digestive side effects with that , and that also seems to be the statin that most people reply to have side effects from on various forums.

One way you can reduce side effects on various medications, including statins, and improve thyroid and cardiac function is to make sure you have enough Vitamin B12, Folate and Vitamin D in your diet as well as getting the recommended amount of water each day.

If you choose a Vitamin D supplement while taking a statin it's better to use a D3 spray or take oral supplements 4-6 hours after your statin, and after a meal with some fat content for the best level of absorption.

Take care , Bee

[Blackknight57]

statins reduce cholesterol. Hypothyroidism and cholesterol go hand in hand.

I was on high dose avorastatin over a long time upset my other problem, i have diverticulitis.

Now on lower dose of another one, so far no problems

[Mitchum]

I have hypothyroidism and take levothyroxine and statins. I actually have a blood test on Tuesday for cholesterol levels. I only take 20mg per day and if you read my replies previously regarding the efficacy of statins, you will see that I am dubious about the medical fraternities "claims". There is a strong school of thought within the industry that disputes the need for statins. It is a personal choice but after the test results I will seriously think about NOT taking them. If I do and aches and pains go away, I will never return to them!

[AuntyEdna]

Hi I have an Underactive Thyroid and take Statins and have a heart condition all watched by several specialists. I take my Levothyroxine at 5 in the morning and my statins at 10 at night . Have done for several years. Plus a plethora of heart pills . So far it works for me. I have scrawny arms now but my thighs are still big 🤪! So it is up to you , but as long as you are monitoring things and have your yearly thyroid bloods and heart checks maybe it would work for you too ?

Take care and keep safe ☺️

[sandandkev]

Gp surgeries like statins, they want everyone over 65 to be on them!! But they have a lot if side effects - the liver being the main,so you have to have 3 monthly blood tests but there is another tablet called ezetimibe and this isn't a statin but lowers cholesterol!!

[sunlovah in reply to sandandkev]

Is this a 3 month test for everyone?I know someone who has been on statins for 10 years, they have an annual blood test.

[sandandkev in reply to sunlovah]

It should be 3 monthly as far as I was told

[Lowerfield_no_more in reply to sandandkev]

It's usually annually in the UK. Mine has been an annual test for over 25 years However the testing frequency is certainly a lot less when you are first prescribed statins (every 2-3 months?) to ensure everything is OK and when that has been sorted, the 12 month testing regime starts. However last year ezetimibe was added to my statin and i was retested about 2 months on, and following that I am back on the annual test. And I have to ask for my test since I started rather than get a 'reminder'.

[Winspam in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

I've never been told about a blood test and I also take lansoprazole never had a test for that either, when I ask the surgery about a blood test they just said id had a blood test for pancreatitis so that's good enough

[Lowerfield_no_more in reply to Winspam]

The annual blood test I am referring to is for cholesterol if you are taking statins . It is also usual in my experience to have a liver function test at the same time. And recently my surgery have added in an Hb1Ac test for diabetes. But as far as I am aware there is no test if you take a PPI, I certainly haven't had one in over 15years since I started to take them for gastric reflux disease.

[Qualipop in reply to sunlovah]

Mine is only annual

[Calypso76 in reply to sandandkev]

I resisted taking statins for a number of years but since being diagnosed with AF a few months ago, my doctor insisted I must bring my cholesterol down and she put me on ezetimibe, which I have begun to take. So far, so good.

[sandandkev in reply to Calypso76]

I have only taken the ezetimibe for 2 weeks,have blood test in 10 weeks,my cholesterol 5.7 but have mild coronary artery disease so better outcome if can get cholesterol down

[Silvasava]

Had my thyroid removed over 30 years ago and been on Thyroxine ever since. I've been on low dose statins for the past 4 years as a precaution as my cholesterol levels were good. Not had any issues

[Mrverycross]

I have been taking statins and levothyroxine together for the past 4 years- statins for better part of 20 years altogether. I have not experienced any negative effects.

[EMBoy]

I have hypothyroidism which is now under control, but when I was first diagnosed, my cholesterol was sky high and my prescribed statins by my GP. I refused to take them, as I think they cause too many side effects, and a few months later after I had begun Levothyroxine treatment, my cholesterol was back to normal. The only time my cholesterol has been tested since then was about 10 years later when I collapsed and needed a pacemaker, and it was still normal. I don't eat a particularly low cholesterol diet, but do watch what I eat.

If you join the Thyroid UK forum on H.U. you will probably be advised that statins should not be taken if you are hypothyroid, but at the end of the day, the decision is yours to take in conjunction with your GP. Have you had a recent thyroid function test to see if your T4 is in range?

[Shabana1974]

I have Hypothyroidism since 1999. And controlled by Levothyroxine. I started Statins 4 years ago. I take them at bedtime to minimise any immediate side effects like muscle aches and pains. Other than that advice I not noticed any side effects. I not even noticed aches and pains if they have been any.

Hope this helps

Best wishes

Shabana

[TheMiloKid]

I also have an under active thyroid and am on statins. I have been fine, I did resist for some time and managed to reduce it by diet alone in the past. Since Covid I have put on 2 stone and also just rejoined Slimming World and am already 12.5 lb down in 8 weeks. Good luck

[Silvertail]

I'm on Levothyroxine and have taken Rosuvastatin, along with other heart meds for years - no problems.

[polenta]

My GP saw that my cholesteral was on the rise last year with my blood work and gave me a chance to try and get it to come down with diet alone. I was given 6 months and then she tested my again, low and behold it went down and my HDL good cholesteral now over rule my LDL bad cholesteral. Ask your GP if you can be given some time to try and change it with diet, wont know for sure unless you try! I have heard of red yeast rice supplements to help some people as well, and its a natural source you can get from a vitamin store. I feel blessed to have a GP that will atleast try a natural approach BEFORE she prescibes any medications.

[FakeNews]

I am on thyroxine and on statins and have no issues whatsoever. My thyroid levels are stable and so is my cholesterol level.