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hi there
After lots of side effects on statins my husband’s Consultant has suggested he try ezetimibe. His results are good without through lifestyle but obviously not nearly as good as they would be on a drug. His main symptom was depression tbh which switched off each time he came off them. Possibly through the v low cholesterol. All advice welcome. Thankyou.
I have taken statins for over 25 years due to very high cholesterol. But even on the max dose that wasn't enough, so about 18 months ago I asked to be put on ezetimibe as well , and the ezetimibe then reduced my total cholesterol by about another 10% to under 4 which I am happy with. All I can advise is I have no side effects from either the statin or ezetimibe. But as with all medication you won't know how you will react until you take it, so in your husband's case I suggest he trials it and sees what happens, hopefully all to the good.
Thankyou so much. That’s really useful. He’s likely to do that. And continue with the healthy stuff too. Wishing you good health too. X
I was on ezetimibe as had side effects from atorvastin,the only thing I found was it made me very tired,so now on rosuvastatin
Thankyou. How do you find rosuvastatin. Hopefully a bit better? Thankyou. X
There is a drug called Inegy which is an association of Ezetimibe and Simvastin. It has been available in mainland Europe for about 15 years and I have been on it for most of that period. I'm on a low dose 10mg/20mg which means 10mg Ezetimibe and 20mg Simvastin. I have had no side effects during that period and my cholesterol is in the recommended zone (about 3.5). I believe it is also available on the NHS. Might be worth asking your Consultant about it.
Good morning,
I had side effects from two different statins so was put on Ezetimibe. Been on it for about 3 months now and seem fine with it. Not had a cholesterol check yet though but mine has always been in a healthy range.
Hi Penoir53,
I have tried Atorvastatin, Simvastatin and Pravastatin. All affected my legs with pains when exercising which was counter-productive. My GP then decided to try me on Ezetimibe and over a year, during which it caused no side effects, it had absolutely no effect on my cholesterol which remained at my normal 4.4. Following consultation with a hospital pathologist, I was persuaded to try Rosuvastatin on alternate days. This gave me headaches for a fortnight, but I persisted with it and then it settled down. I was amazed at the results in a short period, with my reading going down to 3.7. I have been on 10mg daily for some time which maintains a reasonable level and I now consciously take care of my diet choices, though I do feel the medication affords me a bit of leeway.
All I can say is try Ezetimibe, but don't be surprised if it has little effect on its own, after all it is supposed to be a statin enhancer and without a statin to enhance, well....
I hope you get your issues sorted soon. There are alternatives to statins which your GP should know about, but may be reluctant to prescribe on grounds of cost.
Kind regards,
Gerald
Thankyou v much. That’s super useful. The fun and more fun of drugs. X
Yes fun indeed. Know your drugs and what they do. Use only NHS and NICE sites to research. And don't be ashamed you need them. Modern life is extremely stressful.
I've just spent a week on a cardiology ward getting checked out after a huge stress attack and they were surprised I knew so much about what I am taking. I've always been fortunate enough to have what is being prescribed me fully explained. Knowledge is good. I can't understand how people can just accept what is being prescribed without knowing what it does, let alone carrying on with side effects and not referring the issues back to the GP.
Hope you have a better week. I’m on a lot of drugs for heart failure since chemo so a different knowledge but when my husband had a heart attack in 21 it struck us that side effects were q awful. I hadn’t occurred to me before. Thanks for the advice. X
Sorry to hear about your situation. Chemo affected my best friend and the drugs left him with tinnitus (with which I sympathise as I have it) and other issues. Small beer in comparison to the overall scenario as he had bladder cancer and now has a stoma. Thankfully all good so far, but still having some problems.
My thinking: Medicine is supposed to make you feel better and improve your quality of life, not make it worse or add other issues.
Thankyou. I’m 16 years on from early stage BC and now 55 and entresto has really helped the heart numbers for me if not my overall enthusiasm 🤣 so was v lucky. I’m fine except the heart failure I say. 😂 x
A friend is on Entresto and Dapa. Wonder drugs. They have turned his life around and he is still climbing hills in his 70s. Thankfully I achieve it on less... maybe one day I will need them, but I escaped much damage when I had my HA.
I wish you all the best for the future and may you continue to enjoy life. 😀😀
Ditto. Well mild hills for me but serious reduction in other drugs so big smiles all round. Good luck to you and your friend and many thanks. X
I’m on Rosuvastatin and Ezetimibe, no issues at all and my cholesterol is down to 3.8.
I had adverse reactions to both Simvastatin and Atorvastatin with swollen ankles and serious joint problems.
Thankyou v much x
Does anyone know or have verified if cholesterol should be low after say age 70? What comes first diet, exercise or medication, low sugar? All the above puzzle me sometimes too much because you have to live a life.
My husband (in the UK) has wellman tests each year to measure cholesterol but even with his low cholesterol, the risk factors Inc age tip him into the required protocol ie statins. But quality of life and longevity is the balance sought. I’m on here for my husband as he’s got to try a new non statin for cholesterol atm. Xx
According to my wife’s cardiologist, LDL should be as low as possible. He is not a great fan of the NHS’ cholesterol limits which he believes are based more on cost saving than evidence based medicine. He told us that his cholesterol was ‘ normal’ but he started taking statins when he reached the age of 50 as the preventative benefits of statins on heart health are now medically proven.
FWiW, he also believes that NHS BP limits are also too high and based on a 10% increased risk of HA or stroke. He uses the analogy ‘would a parent be happy to put their children into a school which set its top standard at C for GCSEs’? He has put my wife on 2 BP drugs which has lowered her BP to 110/60.
Both my wife and I are on Rosuvastatin. My wife’s cholesterol was normal but paroxysmal AF and her age (75) raised her QRisk3 score.
Medication will better manage lipids compared to lifestyle ( diet, exercise etc) in my experience. However if you have a 'good' lipid profile to start with there might not be any need for medication. But if you are relying on lifestyle alone, as soon as you relax, perhaps your diet creeps back to where it was before, and/or you exercise less, your lipid profile will also creep back to where it was before, as I found out. Which is why I am on max dose atorvastatin and ezetemibe due to very high total cholesterol.
So I guess your exercise and diet have slipped as you say, it’s tough isn’t it.
I was diagnosed with a total cholesterol of >9 over 25 years ago. I was already fit and active and had a reasonable diet but embarked on a very strict miserable food regime which caused all sorts of problems in the kitchen for my family. And the best I ever got was 6.5. But life gets in the way as I found out and slowly it crept back up to about 8, so with the comment 'I told you so' my GP of the day put me on statins, and my count went down to about 5.5, which at the time was considered acceptable. So as I noted earlier, in my view, when needed and when tolerated, medication is a simple solution to modifying lipid profiles, and allows the individual to lead a more relaxed approach to lifestyle, especially diet for example, instead of worrying whether they are 'allowed' to eat certain foods, and completely cutting out things they previously enjoyed. Anyway I still practice lifestyle where appropriate but in moderation so it does not become a chore, and enjoy a balanced diet with 'naughty' foods in moderation including a regular glass or two of wine, and with statins and ezetimibe my total cholesterol in now less than 4 which I am happy with.
He exercises (walks briskly) like a dervish and is 90 perc healthy eating. There has to be a balance doesn’t there. If the statin is stopping enthusiasm for life it’s a v big thing and watching him is hard but he will defo try them all. You never know! X
You have a history of evidence and facts that supports your regime that’s brilliant
After heart attack and quad bypass was put on high dose atorvastatin. Caused many problems in leg muscles and tendons. Switched to lower dose Rosuvastatin with much the same result. They put me into the 'statin intolerant' group and set me up with inclisiran injections (v. expensive and restricted). In between waiting for the injection and coming off statins, I was put on Ezetimibe only and tbh this did little to reduce my cholesterol. The impression I get is it's more of a 'useful addition' to a main treatment as it acts upon a different pathway in the body to statins. I'm waiting for blood results from first three months of Inclisiran and still taking ezetimibe as a useful add-on, with no side-effects so far. In short, Ezetimibe is of some help in lowering cholesterol (especially LDL), but not a game-changer. Hope this helps.
Thankyou. I think he’ll try this one with the provision to stop and review. He seems v sensitive to reduction in cholesterol itself which I guess might cause the aches too. Hope injection goes better. X
You must give medication a period of time, it took me to three statins before I was satisfied and now on ezetimibe , now my cholesterol is very low, good luck
I was prescribed Ezetembe 2 years ago after my 6 month check up found my cholesterol had risen to 5.9. I took it for 4 months and I had no problems with it except constipation, but then the pharmacy had great difficulty obtaining it so my doctor prescribed Bempedoic Acid instead and was easier to get, which has caused no problems or side effects. My cholesterol six months ago was down to 4.8 so it's doing its job. It's a relatively new medication as my Cardiologist had never heard of it when I had a phone consultation last year, he was amused that I told him something he didn't know!
My hubby was on this foe 2 years due to side effects from others and then having had stroke. But had no side effects. Recently changed as his cholesterol was not low enough on that.
Thankyou x
I was prescribed Ezetimibe about two years ago after the usual statins raised my triglycerides. Two months ago I was prescribed Pitavastatin in addition to Ezetimibe and subsequent blood tests have confirmed that this new statin has not caused any adverse affect. There was an article in the newspaper a few days ago about the use of Ezitembi when used in conjunction with a routine statin, apparently results are good and supported by the majority of doctors.
Had my yearly heart review with GP,colesterol was a little up, so added Ezetimibie, I had a allergic reaction, covered in itchy red angry looking rash. Obviously I have stopped them, weeks later still itchy was told by GP it could take weeks. I wish I'd never been prescribed them. So I really hope your husband is ok on them as so many other people are.🤗
Thankyou. I hope the itchiness subsides. That’s really rough for you. Xx
Update 
Ezetimibe
