Has anyone reduced the dose and had any ill effects? Had spoke with the Dr and she said try not taking for a month to see how I felt. Feel slightly scared tbh.I have Leg cramps, hands ache and memory loss. Worried about the high dosage for long term.
Any feedback welcome 🙏
why not just change to rosuvastatin which has far fewer side effects
I'll be 5 years post HA and stent later this year. For approximately the last 3 years I've been completely medication free. Check with your doctor first, but I do not believe there are any known short term risks from stopping statins.
There was some research in Denmark published late in 2021. The key points were:
"Question Is statin discontinuation associated with a higher rate of major adverse cardiovascular events than statin continuation among older people receiving long-term treatment with statins?
Findings In this cohort study of 27 463 people treated with statins for primary prevention and 39 955 treated for secondary prevention, statin discontinuation was associated with a significantly higher rate of major adverse cardiovascular events for primary prevention and secondary prevention compared with treatment continuation.
Meaning In this study, statin discontinuation was associated with a higher rate of cardiovascular events than statin continuation among older people receiving long-term statin treatment, but more definitive evidence is needed".
The question is though, who sponsored the research!
Yes, indeed so. And also, what sort of numbers are they talking about? What does "a significantly higher rate" actually mean? I fell for that once...
It was done by the University of Southern Denmark and the "Funding" section at the end of the paper says "None". It's a document which is easily accessed from a Google Search which you can read if you like. I gave up Statins for a while at the beginning of last year. I have never had a heart attack nor stroke before or after but my Triglycerides went up to a level where I was concerned about getting acute pancreatitis. Since resuming medication, my Triglycerides have gone back to what they used to be. I'm fortunate that I don't have problems with statins. I just wanted to know what would happen and I do now. I am 75 this year and the problem is the medical community doesn't know much about the effects of statins on the elderly. There are a couple of big studies going on at present, one in Australia and the other in the States but they won't be publishing results for some time. The Australians make quite a thing about being independent of drug companies but I don't know about the Americans.
Someone has to fund study’s, Universities are given huge donations ever year by pharmaceutical companies.
Hi Had heart attack Nov 2024 was fitted with 2 stents and on 5 tabs morning and 2 at night.One artery completely blocked up until the ha I was the healthiest I have ever been .I'm interested in coming off the tabs like in a few years or sooner.Im not a big believer in meds up in till this happened. How did you get the doctor to listen that you wanted off the medication. Thanks
My doctor was no help whatsoever. I was having an absolutely awful time with the meds (probably driven by other underlying health issues). I'm certain that had I followed his advice I would no longer be here.
I did it all myself. Beta blocker, statin and BP meds stopped within a few weeks. I took myself off one blood thinner after 6 months remaining on the aspirin. I did see an improvement after several weeks but was still having issues. Then from about month 12 I started weening myself off the aspirin over many weeks.
I also undertook many lifestyle changes at the same time.
I'm in no way recommending anybody else go this route because what worked for me may not work for others, but for me I'd hit a brickwall and my health has deteriorating week on week, close to the point where life was not worth living. Fortunately I am doing quite well now.
And in the last 5 years, how many times do you think my GP has been in touch concerned that I'm not filling any prescriptions? Zero!!!
It is my understanding that current UK thinking is that post 'heart event' - HA /stroke etc- statin doses should be increased to the max as 'secondary prevention'. And so from what you have said that applies to you and so I would have thought that your GP should be exploring other statins first with you, of which there are several, which might not carry the same side effects, rather than asking you to stop , even if for a trial. Certainly an equivalent dose of rosuvastatin appears to have been well received by some members on here although success is not a given. And if you still get aches and pains then that is then the time to trial a statin free 'holiday'.
I had problems with the statins that I had After my HA and stents. It was changed to Rosuvastatin 5mg that was a lower dosage. My cardiologist said that this statin was the best. That was 4 years ago. No problems to report.🤗
You would probably be better trying a different Statin rather than stopping Atorvastatin altogether with no Statin at all.If you choose to go without a Statin , I would never recommend that people just go " cold Turkey" if they have used a medication for a long time unless there is an urgent medical reason to do so. Every medication and even certain supplements can cause side effects as you withdraw. You could reduce the dose over a month.
Your aching limbs , if they are only symptomatic because of the Statin will still ache whilst you make the reduction and can possibly continue for months afterwards until the medication is having no further impact in your body.
The stain alone may not be the only reason for your symptoms, often various medications used long term can change stomach acid and slowly cause a decline in B Vitamins and Folic Acid causing Insufficiency even if you have a good diet which are a common causes for the symptoms people get using pain and nerve meds , PPIs like Omeprazole, antacids and statins.
If they symptoms you have didn't start within the first month or two of taking Atorvastatin it is unlikely to be caused by being intolerant to statins including that Statin.
It's a good idea to request blood tests to rule out deficiency or Insufficiency of Vitamin B12, Folate , Ferritin/ Iron, Full blood count and Vitamin D if you haven't had these in the last 12 months or since your symptoms began, you can request these from your GP on the NHS if you take medications that can affect blood nutrient levels before making any big decisions about changing or stopping a medication.
You should request or look up a copy of the results even if the GP says they are normal , because people still become symptomatic with Low Normal , High Normal or Borderline results as that can be a sign of Insufficiency which needs treating to prevent it getting worse.
If figures are low or normal you could still change your statin brand and try that first.
Working from the figures you can choose between making just diet changes or you may need supplements which can resolve the pain symptoms and cognitive changes you are experiencing.
You don't want to stop Preventative Care treatments after a heart event or surgery unless it's absolutely necessary.
Thank you very much
You don’t need to tail off a statin. There are some meds that you need to do this with but not statins. I’m a pharmacist.
I also have pharmaceutical training . There are many medications were you don't " have" to taper according to the medication guideline , that still cause moderate side effects of rebound pain , temporary digestives changes, and fatigue when you come off them after having them as part of your body chemistry for a long time.You can reduce these effects on these medications by also taking some time to taper off them giving the body a slower adjustment period.
So , unless you are being taken off them for urgent medical reasons it can help you cope generally not just to stop them. This is equally true when discussing supplements and even foods.
Pharmaceutical guidelines often don't take this into account .
As a patient , from experience, and seeing the experience of patients , I give this as a piece of advice.
. I’ve had training to be a pharmacist which includes pharmaceutical and pharmacological training. And 47 years experience. And I will reiterate that you don’t need to tail off statins. And this includes my own anecdotal evidence of stopping high dose statins. I’m not quite sure what pharmaceutical training outside of a pharmacy degree actually means.
Although I prefer to identify as a professional artist on public forums ( which I still am) , I did also train and work in another profession for some years before ill health meant I could not continue.There are numerous Doctorates, Specialised Masters Degrees and IP Certification that require both pharmaceutical training and work experience prescribing and dispensing medications.
A Pharmaceutical Medicine Degree and Pharmacist training is just the most common of these.
Part of the reason many GPs have begun to recommend that people taper the dose or strongly recommend replacing the current Statin for another , especially if the dose of a Statin was high , is that it is often found that the person loses the side effects at lower doses helping them by continuing to be able to get the benefits of a Statin without the side effects , going " cold Turkey" doesn't allow the patient or doctor to see if that is the case.
You’re conflating stepping down doses to see if a lower dose might achieve the same outcome as a higher dose with tailing off to avoid possible withdrawal effects. Two different things. It’s very common to step up and down with statins. Or change them. Or use entirely different meds for LDL control but they’re very unlikely to cause withdrawal effects if stopped suddenly
I know they are two different things , I also know that in certain individuals withdrawal side effects can occur for whatever medication they need to stop taking , even ones that don't commonly cause them in like Statins. It depends on the individual.I'd write and continue the conversation more but I'm currently dealing with sick bed duties for my daughter whom has just had another INOCA and a Type1 Diabetic with a cold which is sending his blood sugar haywire, so I'm flagging a bit , I hope you understand, Bee
I’m interested about why Statins was considered essential from when they were first prescribed. I understand about the plaque issues etc but I have a friend who is on them for preventative measures and says she can eat everything rather than stick to a low cholesterol diet. Therefore are Statins prescribed more so for people who find it hard to stick to a dull diet and there must be many, many people . I can’t tolerate Statins at all as confirmed when in hospital after my bypass so I have to watch my diet all the time. It doesn’t help however that I read on this site that Statins are ‘essential ‘ to my future existence , Well after nearly five years I’m still here at 83 and play tennis .
My cardiologist said it was perfectly ok to come of a statin for a month as a trial as he said a statin only prevented a secondary heart event in 1 in 40 people over a 5 year period. He also said cholesterol is also not as dangerous as people think with lifestyle and metabolic issues being the biggest risk factors.
I echo this my cardiologist said the same. Dr put me on 40mg Atorvastatin for 5.6 total cholesterol and 3.8 LDL and the cardiologist reduced it to 10mg on the basis of lifestyle changes - he even said at those levels you do not really need a statin but its about reducing risk in the long term and see it like putting money in the bank for a rainy day
Have you had a heart attack or do you have stents , or arterial plaque?
No to first two, not sure about arterial plaque but i have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and am screened every year to 2 years.
Yes , well as your Cardiologist says it's about reducing long term risk , and delaying the progress of conditions , a preventative investment rather than a cure.There has been a lot of research about statins helping in reducing the progress of HC , and in people with risk preventing it's development.
Take care , Bee
Had a heart attack, then 2 scents fitted. Just thought 80mg was a high dose
Basically, when you are post HA or surgery they choose 80mg Atorvastatin because that it the dose and Statin that is considered most effective at helping to stabilise plaques and reduce oxidative stress at a time when the plaque etc. is going to be more at risk of breaking off after an intervention.They usually like you to stay on Atorvastatin at a higher dose for several months , or long term. if you can tolerate it or it's side effects for the same reason.
After your condition is stable and your have recovered some Cardiologists now choose to reduce the dose to 40 mg of Atorvastatin because it's nearly as effective as 80mg in stability plaque and reducing oxidative stress. The % difference in efficiency is very small indeed.
It's also why a more knowledgeable GP might reduce your statin dose by half first and also do the appropriate checks of your full pharmacy list and blood tests to make sure it's only the Statin that could be causing the symptoms or if other changes are more likely to be required to let you use a Statin and reduce the symptoms.
They have also researched Rosuvastatin 5 and 10 mg and they have shown equal efficacy as a dose of 40 mg of Atorvastatin, so again very close to the efficiency of 80 mg Atorvastatin, so it's another suitable option for people whom can't tolerate Atorvastatin at all.
I couldn't tolerate Atorvastatin, I have various pain and digestive conditions so it did have a negative effects within a few weeks , causing increased constipation and some increase in pain.
I have Familial Hypercholesterolemia, so I really needed the Statin as well as Ezetimibe to help control my cholesterol as well.
So I swapped to Rosuvastatin, I didn't get the same problem with that , I've had no side effects or increase in my usual symptoms taking that and it worked as well as the Atorvastatin.
My husband is also using it , it's brand name is Crestor.
Because of worsening pain and aching joints my GP took me off statins after a heart attack. I was surprised he did it for 3 months as he said it would take that long to see any improvement in the pain. it made no difference so I restarted on a different statin.
Is the new Statin better
For me it has no side effects at all and gP says it works just as well as atorvastatin. I'm now on simvastatin but apparently rosuvastatin has even fewer ill effects. It's more expensive which is why it's not their first choice. I need to keep my cholesterol stable and it also helps to stabilise any plaque. My heart attack was caused when a bit of plaque broke off and caused a blockage. The blockage was opened up by two stets but I do have two more blockages of about 65% so it's important that they don't get worse. By the way when I stopped the first one I had no ill effects at all and because I'd drastically altered my diet, my cholesterol didn't go up.
Yes , different doctors will say different things .Many doctors do that with many drugs they definitely shouldn't do it with as well.
But many doctors realise that even a medication like a Statin will caused other side effects in the body and that it can make it easier on the heart and nervous system to taper off any thing.
Obviously lifestyle can be the biggest factor , but your GP is presumably one of the small group of anti Statins.
As one of the 1 in 250 people in the UK with Familial Hypercholesterolemia, I'd have to disagree.
Most doctors realise that Cholesterol is important in stabilising arterial plaques , something Statin alternatives don't do well. And food or supplements don't do at all.
I also ask the question now , even though the 1 in 40 numbers are inaccurate, what if you are the 1 person in 40 whom didn't have a heart attack , wouldn't you think it was worth it?
Cholesterol actually has a part in causing negative metabolic factors as well.
It's everybody's choice if they take medications or not, even ones that save their life , there's no need to justify your choices . I just wish that people would stop quoting facts , often inaccurately to do so for statins.
Sorry I was doing 1 in 40 from memory, it’s actually 1 in 83.
thennt.com/nnt/statins-for-...
Based on that list , 1 in 83 Statins helped to prevent a fatal heart attack, 1 in 39 people were helped by statins by preventing a non fatal heart attack.Those are pretty good results for a prevention medication which is used to help prevent cardiac events, not a cure.
Pretty sure the people whom took there statins and were saved because of it would be flying the Statin flag all day long.
As Disraeli said , "There are three types of lies: Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics"
Everybody uses the statistics in any argument to further whatever side of the debate they are on , just as we have here.
The point is statins are more effective than Statin alternatives, and certainly supplements or certain foods in reducing cardiac and stroke risks alongside other prevention methods like changes in diet and lifestyle.
People can't just make their decisions about their self care based on general statistics. They need to base their own decisions on their own combination of health issues , medical history within their family and the risk that they have as an individual.
Opinions are great , statistics might be involved but at the end of the day it's really down to each person's need.
Many people , including myself , need them.
Agree, up to the individual but if you get a lot of side effects that affect your quality of life then 1 in 83 is not great. Don’t get me started on the other research that shows statins only increase life by on average by 5 days to to having a compromised immune system and other complications 😀
As I and Disraeli said , " Statistics!" . The 5 day calculation doesn't take in to consideration the full truth about the use of statins as a whole.As said, statistics be used in any way to further an argument .
I could include all the positive research findings here for statins. Including new research which shows the have a positive effect on reducing the risk and delaying the progress of Dementia and Alzheimer's. It would take pages but including it would not necessarily change people's oersonal beliefs or preferences.
Statins also decrease the things that effect a person's quality of life in the majority of people whom are tolerant to them. All medications and supplements have side effects , some mild , some more severe but with each the individual needs to balance whether the benefits of taking them out weight the side effects or risk of them.
I can point out again , that unless the side effects to a Statin arise within the first few days to a month of taking one , they are only rarely caused by taking the Statin alone. This is particularly true if a person has been on those statins for years.
Yes, statin intolerance can develop years after starting the medication, although it more commonly appears within the first few months.
🔹 When Does Statin Intolerance Appear?
1. 📌 Early Onset (Within Weeks to Months) – Most Common
• Many people who experience muscle pain, fatigue, or weakness develop symptoms within the first 3–6 months of taking a statin.
• If symptoms appear soon after starting and resolve when stopping, it’s likely statin intolerance.
2. 📌 Late Onset (After Several Years) – Still Possible
• Some people develop new or worsening symptoms after years of statin use.
• This can be due to:
• Cumulative CoQ10 depletion → leading to energy deficits in muscles and mitochondria.
• Aging or metabolic changes → making the body less able to tolerate statins.
• Medication interactions → Certain drugs (like Ticagrelor) can increase statin levels, leading to late-onset side effects.
• Underlying conditions (e.g., hypothyroidism, vitamin deficiencies) → can increase the risk of statin-related muscle issues over time.
3. 📌 Silent Intolerance (Gradual Effects Over Years)
• Some people don’t notice symptoms at first, but over time experience:
• Fatigue or weakness that gradually worsens
• Subtle memory or cognitive decline (brain fog)
• Mild muscle soreness that becomes more noticeable
• This is because statins slowly deplete CoQ10 and affect mitochondrial function, which may take years to become significant.
Where did you get these facts from in this bullet point form , I'd be interested to read it , or is it based on your own reading and opinion.
ChatGPT
Opinions and suggestions only, Statins lower inflammation and reduce cholesterol in the body, they reduce the progression of plaques and harden the plaques so they are less likely to rupture i.e. a heart attack. No one can answer your question as having a heart attack of this nature is a statistical event, i.e. someone can live their whole life with huge amounts of plaque and not have a rupture ( they would be lucky to do so), however statistically it would be unwise for you to just stop statins, this decision would be better addressed by a cardiologist, even if your cholesterol is low , Statins are pleio tropic a fact that some GP's are unaware of and act through multiple path ways to reduce inflammation, and not just cholesterol lowering. Would it not make sense to reduce the amount, or change to another Statin?
If its eventually found you are Statin intolerant, then PCSK9 inhibitors would be appropriate or why not ask your cardiologist to try a low dose statin + ezetimibe , which gives similar or better results than a high dosage statin alone.
You have lots of options here, so many medicines now available to lower cholesterol AND reduce inflammation.
PCSK9 do not lower inflammation and There’s growing evidence that inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and oxidative stress are the true drivers of heart disease, with cholesterol being a secondary player in the body’s repair process.
Inflammation: PCSK9 inhibitors may reduce inflammation by interfering with the IL-6–mediated inflammatory pathway
Oxidative stress: PCSK9 inhibitors may reduce oxidative stress by promoting autophagy.
I agree with the other parts that potentially Inflammation is a greater driver than cholesterol alone, hence why Statins are useful beyond reducing cholesterol.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/295...
This is however a relatively new area of science so its possible to hold different views on them, and the debate goes on.
PCSKinhibitors can also lower elevated lipoprotein (a) by up to 25% although not licensed to be used for that. But very useful to those of us with elevated lp(a) and on PCSK inhibitor.
I believed my 80mg artovastatin was contributing to many side effects post nstemi and quadruple bypass July 2023. Brain fog, zombie episodes, aches/pains in hands legs , periods of the day I couldn’t function., GP said to give it a trial stop, I felt fantastic for about 8 weeks. Didn’t get an option for lower dose, was put on pravastatin 40mg and got symptoms back within a week. Spoke to pharmacist and she wrote to GP and I was put on Rosuvastatin 10mg and had no problems .
I would think your Dr has told you to stop for a month to see if leg cramps etc go away ? It's perfectly safe to stop this statin with the permission of Dr. I'm statin intolerant sadly & have had to come of them. No lower dose & no ill effects. The best side effect was no more muscle & joint pain.
Do you know your cholesterol level?? You could always chat with the local pharmacist,or there should be one at drs surgery
I don't know my levels, and wanted to test it before I came off and then after
Have you had to swap ? I’ve been on Atorvastatin since September and have had to stop due to bad muscle aches everywhere. I’ve just been prescribed rosuvastatin , but haven’t started them yet.
I went from 80g to 40g Atorvastatin approx 2 yrs after HA & 4 x CABG with no problems at all. But as you can tell from the replies, we're all very different! Hope you find a way forward that helps.
Hi. Following STEMI and stents I was discharged with the usual meds including 80mg atorvostatin. It was upsetting my stomach so I did some research and discussed with my GP. We agreed that the relative risk of reducing the dose to just 10 mg was acceptable to me. That was ten years ago. I had no problems on that dose but after 8 years my cholesterol crept up so I agreed to take 20 mg. That dose has controlled my cholesterol and not caused any side effects.
Pl
Hi
1 year after my bypass (2020) my 80mg was dropped to 40 mg by my cardiologist because my cholesterol was well controlled . The change made a small difference to my results but I am still well under the desired level.
We all react differently to these medications and hopefully working with your doctor you can transition to something that suits you.
In the last 18 months I've reduced Atorvastatin from the initial 80 mg, which made me feel lousy, down to 40 mg and now down to 20 mg. I certainly feel better and the aches or considerably less
I was told that post heart attack you take the most appropriate dosage of statin which gets your cholesterol to the lowest level possible.
This is a NICE relatively recent recommendation. The cardiologist increased my atorvastatin from 40mg to 80mg. I don't notioce any symptoms.
I stopped taking it for a week and did not notice any change to any ache and pains or anything else
I went from 80mg to 40mg six to nine months after my double bypass, but that was because the consultant had suggested that it might be right for me. So, my GP did before and after tests, and concluded that the lower dose was effective in my case. I've not had any side-effects, nor am I pressing to come off medication.
That change was five years ago. I did come off Bisoprolol on consultant's advice, as I seem to have natural low blood pressure and I had an episode of syncope.
I was on 80mg Atorvastatin for 2.5 yrs after my triple bypass. I started to get "brain fog" etc so my GP told me to stop for a month as a trail. Problems disappeared. Dosage went down to 40 mg and now 20mg but with Ezetimibe 10 mg added. I am waiting for next blood test to see iof this is the right level for me. In answer to the original question - no negative side effects for reducing the statin dosage - only positives - and my cholesterol levels are still "good".
I was on 80mg atorvastatin after having a heart attack and 2 stents. Reduced to 40mg as was suffering from constipstion. Had a second heart attack. Was put back yp to 80mg Slight constipation is a small price to pay. I think for me it's psychological. 80mg kinda helps keep me alive.
i can’t tolerate Statins , I get so much muscle pain and my liver blood tests get very elevated. So for years I was taking high dose omega 3 and ezetimbe ( not sure I spelt that right ) and Vit E. I was put on Apixiban blood thinners and the pharmacy advise to stop the omega as it also acted as a blood thinner, after a heart attack years later the hospital prescribed rosavastatin once a week just to help keep the arteries flexible and the Exetimbe daily . Amazing cholesterol levels and triglycerides down to normal . So every Tuesday I get a bit more aches . As long as you can take it once or twice a week lit still works I have been told . Oh my heart attacks are without blocked arteries called ANOCA . I still take Vitamin E as it works as an anti inflammatory for my heart and helped me through the menopause as well .
Hi,
I had all the same symptoms as you after 2 years of taking it, stopped for a month and then changed to rosuvastain 5mg for first month then up to 10mg after that. Brain fog has definitely gone away and most pains in knees and hips,
I was scared about just stopping but it was actually ok. Good luck.?
There are other statins, and other meds for that matter, that you could try. Definitely worth talking to your GP, Cardiologist or the Clinical Pharmacist at you local GPs if they have one. I too was put on 80mg of Atorvastatin after my NSTEMI in late 2022. That was halved by the cardiologist after a few months to reduce the statin load as my Cholesterol levels had reduced significantly. I started to experience leg discomfort and was switched to Rosuvastatin but, unlike others on here, I didn't get back to it. I'm now back on 20mg of Atorvastatin and I seem to be ok on that although the GP suggested I also take a COQ10 supplement to help with any side effects. Touch wood all seems to be OK. I queried the lower dose with my Cardiologist and was told the effectiveness of each didn't halve with each reduction so 20mg isn't a quarter as effective as 80mg.
I was on just about every Statin, at least 8 or 10, before the doctor declared my Statin intolerant. All had same effects to various degrees. After a few months I would get unbearable muscle pain, some --extreme tiredness, and most the listed side affects. I even had one cardiologist who told me to take the 5 mg pill I was one and cut it in half (2.5 mg) --but I could not avoid side affects even with that small dose. I am currently on Repatha, which lowers all my lipid numbers within weeks, to be very favorable, in end of normal range.
I was on statins for 30 years, then I started to research them. I took myself off them 16 years ago and went on to niacin (Vit B3). My cholesterol level stayed at 7, same as it was with the statins.
I came off it altogether and am taking a herbal substitute. Stopped about 1 1/2 years ago and my blood tests show no change. I consulted my Dr when I did it.
Not sure tbh. Preventive is typically, 10mg ( with no CVD), as soon as you have CVD it ramps up to 40mg and if on the back of an event it is usually 80mg. Unless you have serious side effects, I would assume they will keep you at the highest dose, as you're at the highest risk and need the LDL to stay low and also benefit from the anti- inflammatory properties of statins. I could be wrong, but that was my understanding.
My husband has had 5 stents and was on high dose of statins for a while which were reduced by the GP as his cholesterol was low. Several years later he had 2 heart attacks and needed a triple bypass. The consultant said he needed to go back on a high dose and stay on it as there is some evidence high dose stations reduces the atheroma. Fortunately the second staying he tried suited him. The first gave leg cramps. If you have side effects there are several different ones. As mentioned rosuvastatin is reputed to have less side effects. May be a conversation with a cardiologist or cardiac nurse would help you weigh up the pros and cons.
Driving after a heart attack
After 2 stents fitted my husband has had 3 UTI’s 
Panic attacks and high anxiety 2 years after heart attack and quad heart bypass
Husband had a heart attack aged 38....
Loss of confidence after a heart attack
