Can anyone who has had muscle pain on ... - Cholesterol Support
Can anyone who has had muscle pain on statins describe the pain and was it in specific areas or all over?
I have often had muscle pain when taking various statins in the past, and now believe I am statin intolerant. My pain was first detectable in my legs: stiff, aching hamstrings, sore glutes, even painful shin-splint-like pain. I always have neck and shoulder tension, so don't think I can attribute that to statins.
A year ago I finally had to suddenly stop taking the statin-combo I was on as my aches and pains grew significantly worse each week, until I was in constant pain all over my body. It was dreadful and debilitating. Because it didn't clear up immediately after stopping the statins, the consultant I was seeing didn't think statins were the culprit. I disagreed, as the general and widespread aching had taken months to develop, and I didn't think it was reasonable to expect it to disappear overnight. I kept on saying (to anyone who might listen) that it felt like something was either being leached out of my bones/muscles or else something (like lactic acid) was being built-up in large quantities. This pain was in EVERY muscle in my body, even in my hands and feet, and I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
I went off the statins and started taking large doses of various vitamins and minerals, including E and magnesium. There was a measured improvement over a few weeks, but the REAL improvement came many months later when a reumatologist diagnosed (olive-skinned) me with severe Vit D deficiency. I was immediately told to supplement three times a day with meals, and was almost pain-free in a week. I have not looked back. It's worth having the simple blood-test to check your Vit D levels.
Hope my story helps someone.
First made conection when on cruise and mislaid tabs, was able to use steps instead of lift, husband noticed. Sai all i had done was mislaid tabs. Also later noticed when putting in tv prog., was bad sometimes and going to bed stumbled on stair. Noticed if took tabs when in bed suppose ok, but if took downstairs about1-2hrs before retiring they effected me. Took years for me to make connection. Also had brilliant memory, husband remarked on memory not as good, this didnt improve when I gave up tabs against my then gp advise. Was given think called Fibrates...gp (then) said no side effects. Well well well....side effect awfull after week...husband had to dress me as couldnt bend neck etc., NEEDLESS to say gave up tabs, didnt tell (then) gp. Also had brilliant memory which I lost when on statins never returned to same level. Now reluctant to take medication even for pain. Take calcium with vit d, asprin and low dose slow release heart tab. very wary of meds now..
Two bits of this which really chime with me are "Took years for me to make connection" (because most GPs seem to insist that it can't be the statins because they're all SAFE don't you know? Yet as I've found out, the white Bristol simvastatin tablets affect me but pink ones from Kent and Meidrich(spelling?) don't, so I guess even the non-active ingredients can get you) and "Now reluctant to take medication even for pain" because now I don't believe any med is completely without risk.
took several statins on gp advise. Suppose ok for some. The t.v. and stumble on stairs I couldnt work out, but once I understood the effect on me, no way was I going to continue them at bedtime or anytime. If it effected me then it could do so othertimes without me being fully aware. Reluctant to take pain tabs untill I am more aware as to problem. Pain has to be real bad before any meds, which is nearly found now, if so will be able to get some relief now and then.
I guess GP prescribed because of high cholesterol? Do you know if you have FH or not and have you asked for referral to a lipid clinic? Your profile doesn't say.
Don't put too much faith in doctors, they are only human ... they often make mistakes through egotism.
I have had muscle pain for a long time but not associated it with the atorvastatin (40 mg) until I read an article in the newspaper. The pain has been more extreme over the last 3 - 5 months - legs 'collapsing' when out walking. I asked my GP if I could come off the tablets and later have a blood test to ensure I really needed to be on them. I came off for 10 days and last 3 I felt better than I have felt for years. No blood test but put onto Pravastatin to see if I would be OK - Blood test in 6 weeks and then see the GP again. (I am diabetic and the GP wants me to keep my coloesterol as low as possble.) 7 days now and I have been in pain for 4 of those so I won't keep taking them much longer before I see my GP again. This time my legs don't feel cramped/ insecure but my neck hurts like it did after a whiplash.
I too found Vit D supplements (ultra D3 1000 IU) really helped my fibromyalgia-type symptoms. I took 2 of these high strength tabs per day for several months. It seems to have almost complestely got rid of my widespread pain and tenderness! Maybe worth getting a blood test for Vit D level if you have similar symptoms. If GP won't arrange it, an NHS lab is offering blood spot test online for around £25. Just google 'Vit D test'. I did this and found I was deficient. My last test which was done by NHS showed my levels were now good.
Unlike Mish, I am fair-skinned with a tendency to freckle so I believe it is not just darker skinned people who are at risk of deficiency.
I have seen several rheumatologists in the past and none of them mentioned this possibility. Vit D is now thought to be important for heart health and in preventing MS among other things!
Hope this helps!
Hey Mish, your story was very helpful to me. It was also very familiar. I know about muscle pain--I reached a point where it hurt me to blink. Within a few weeks my legs were collapsing under me. So much for my exercise routine--which I was doing to keep my cholesterol levels in check!
I take vitamin D3 every day but I will increase my dosage as you suggested and see what develops.
The ignorance among doctors about this condition is beyond belief. I may have a chance to change insurance and doctors in two months, and that may be all that it takes. Somebody new and hopefully, somebody better to "manage" my condition. So far, however there doesn't seem to be much information about recovery from neuromuscular damage caused by statins. Duke University is working on a genetic theory, and Mayo had "statin intolerances clinic." (Both are USA) However I can't find any useful information on recovery. Until, I hope today--from you!
Like you, the damage for me has lingered for a long time. At the moment I am "powering through" on my own, and getting better without medications and despite the gibberish they spout about "fibromyalgia" which is a dangerous catch-all diagnosis and an admission that seems to mean "hell if I know."
We have experienced muscle damage based a type of pharmacological poisoning. I believe, like you, that something I need to survive got sucked out of my system and if I can figure it out and replace it, that will be (almost) the end of it. I also believe that physical therapy and (temporary, non-narcotic) pain management would speed up the process. These are common sense conclusions, based upon years of life and professional experience. (I am a nurse).
To my amazement the two doctors I have consulted (since I left the first one behind) want me to continue with statins and to (rather that take steps to recover) sugar-coat the problem with other drugs, like Cymbalta. It may help people with unspecified pain from unknown origin. But it will not repair muscle damage. And nobody seems to want to talk about THAT, let alone attempt to treat it.
Since you posted two years ago, you are probably well and moving on to other issues and projects. I mean who would want to talk about this kind of misery once they get past it? Oh, that's right--people like you who are willing to help people like me. If you get this message and have time to reply, I hope to find that you are in good health, now. For the moment I am still a work in progress, stopping to tell you: thank you so much! Happy Holidays.
Hi Katzi,
Thanks so much for your interesting response which was so uplifting. I hope you are not listening to your doctors with regards to continuing to take statins. They are absolutely lethal and now it's out in the open that the original Dutch-based research which shot statin-use into the stratosphere was severely skewed and therefore flawed.
I'm still not totally free of muscle aches and cramps, but remain so much better and fully functional. I can exercise and move happily through my very active life without the debilitating pain I experienced after years of different statins. Like you, I am convinced that my muscles suffered damage (possibly irreversible) from some sort of trace element/ enzyme/ whatever depletion caused by prolonged statin use possibly blocking the 'normal' pathways of synthesis.
Vit D, magnesium and calcium really help. My pains and cramps and fibromyalgia symptoms get remarkably worse when I stop taking them. Interestingly I also find I'm much improved eating a largely meat 'n veggies diet, avoiding sugar and all refined carbs and processed grains.
Sugar, after all, is now known to be by far the worst culprit in our lives. Avoiding it in all it's hidden forms and eating food as unprocessed as possible should be our main (if only) focus.
I've purposely left out all links to the research that disproves the cholesterol hypothesis and the statin lie. They're easy to find nowadays, at long last. As is the truth about the real culprit: inflammation linked to over-use of sugar.
Wishing you all the best in your quest for a healthy and happy life.
Hi Mish! I am happy to read your post and find that you are in much better health. I haven't read all the new messages here, and am not quite sure what you mean about sugar (like specific info from a particular source). However, I think I get the gist of it--sugar can be toxic and is a big player in cholesterol problems and treatments. Am I even close?
I have a book reserved and waiting for me on the shelf at my local library, written by an MD from Walter Reed (USA) who was, at one time, Chief of Aviation Medicine Service, Kelly Air Force Base, USA. The book is THE STATIN DAMAGE CRISIS. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving (when I will prepare a large turkey and very small cookies) and after the holiday weekend I will get over there asap to read it. I also just picked up THE GREAT CHOLESTEROL CON by Anthony Colpo. The softcover edition of this book has 90 pages of references listed at the end the book, so I'd say the man has done his research!. Finally I have found online a PBS article featuring statin info in a helpful way and announcing yet a third book on that topic: ARE YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS KILLING YOU.
What I have been looking for most of all (isn't everyone) is a way to dig yself out from my problem without any help, so far, from doctors. What the PBS article mentions that caught my attention is the theory that statins (may) accelerate the process of SARCOPENIA, or muscle loss. There is a link to a site about the treatment of sarcopenia, which is (in part) physical therapy. I worked in PT for two years while I was getting myself through nursing school, and have believed all along that PT would be helpful.
Unfortunately, my doctor, a big player in US Public Health and epidemiology, told me two months ago that he would make a PT referral for me, despite the face that he also (for no particular reason) demanded that I resume statins and take NSAIDS for the pain, knowing that I couldn't tolerate either medication. So far there has been no further action regarding PT. But, as I said before, I will change insurance plans and doctors in a few weeks and that may be all it takes to find somebody kind and human, as opposed to a programmed automaton with a sadistic streak!
Well, I wrote to tell you and others about sources of information, not to gripe. However, a big part of what is going on at this site is what I have loved all my life--the start of a grass-roots movement that will first educate and then organize the public. I mean, once people know, popular demand may bring down the powers that be (that be hurtin' us,as they say in the streets) and promote something intelligent and humanitarian to replace the multi-billion dollar statin industry and the damage it does.
I'm sure you know that there was a movie made about this about 20 years ago, starring Harrison Ford--THE FUGITIVE. I am from Chicago and enjoyed watched the action chase through the familiar streets. It was a story about "provastin"--a statin-type drug and the cover-up. At the time I thought it was fiction. Sad to say, they were dead-on accurate in fortelling the future--and the truth. I don't know if we can make an action flick about recovery, but we can get the word out. Thank you, Mish, you are the man that started this site. Hope books, movies, and internet info help others to learn and recover. Katzi
Hi Katzi and Mish. Wow! I was taking artorvostatin to control my cholesterol. What a devastating drug. It was killing me, literally eating me up. I am a truck driver and 69 years old. AND I love being behind the wheel! The pains I have came on gradually over about eight months but I did notice that my shoulders were starting to disappear. The muscles in my butt and around my thighs also started to disappear. Now don't say it is my age as most of the time I was able to keep up with my mind. To me the pains feel like the muscles are being stripped. It feels like the fibres are being spread apart and bits are falling off them. When I exercise and try to ignore the pain, it is still really sore. I thought it was my active lifestyle and some old sports and worklife injuries that was causing this pain but it is not the same as pulled muscles. I know when I had pulled a muscle but this muscle pain just sneaked up under my wellness radar.
I told my GP "I'm off statins, they are killing me!" but he prescribed 25mg Nortriptyline and 50/12.5mg Losartan. I took the nortriptyline but it just laid me flat and I won't be taking the losartan either. Too many letters look like statin.
He did suggest CoQ10 which I am taking and I am going to give Vit D a go. After reading your posts and finding a name for muscle destruction I reckon I can be fully functional and pain free within a few weeks.
Thanks be for this site, so helpful. And I do believe the pharma corporations just give us stuff so we can get other dangerous stuff to fix the bad effects of their concoctions. Drverron.
Hello,
Yes, this site do give information from experience. My experience on station is very bad pain all over the body, stopped after three months. Trying to control cholesterol by life style change!, at the age of 67 it is very difficult. Do you have your cholesterol numbers from your last blood test? With statin my total cholesterol came down to 2.8 (UK units). Now the values are high but NOT feeling any different. Body is not telling me anything different! Over the last two years no indication of ant cardiac vascular problem! only time will tell
NSAIDS are as deadly as statins ....... there are now “Black Box” warnings required on the drugs by FDA. The body often uses the same compound for multiple uses in the body .... prostaglandins, which are involved in the inflammatory/pain process are also used in maintaining the health of the GI and cardiovascular system. Chronic use of NSAIDS can cause a 3 time increase in cardiac/vascular events ( thus more than negating the supposedly “protective” effect of taking a statin. Your GI tract health (including increased GI bleeding) is also threatened by chronic use of NSAIDS . High cholesterol is genetic in cause ...... eliminating cholesterol totally from your diet would only reduce blood levels by 10%. Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and it’s levels are determined by genetics. Try to eat a clean diet. Sugar causes inflamnation in the vessels and increased heart/vascular problems along with diabetes ( which has multiple negative effects on organ systems). Processed carbs should be avoided and natural carbs used I n moderation. There are multiple natural treatments for cholesterol including high dose fish oil (I’d recommend 3 grams of combined DHA/EPA content per day), immediate release niacin, turmeric, natural ginger (even Metamucil can bind cholesterol secreted into the GI tract by liver) and yes aerobic exercise such as walking. Dosages can be researched on the internet .... you may be able to find dosage information on Dr Sinatra or Dr. David Williams website but the info is out there. “The People’s Pharmacy” also provides reports on natural alternatives to replace prescription meds at a nominal cost (an audio programs listened to for free ..... also in the web.
..I'm stunned to see my symptoms described exactly...thank you for confirming what I have long suspected and can now stop taking Zocor with relief that I can eventually get better...I went off it a few months ago and didn't improve so figured statins weren't the problem...dumb.i should have trusted myself and stayed off but believed others that including my docter that it was a sciatica...I now know I couldn't expect my symptoms to start going away in just a week after taking them for a year...for months I've had gluteal and thigh pain and what I described to people as shin splints and deep muscle aching...I've been using a crutch from a limp and collapsing legs...this stuff is crap and you can only imagine what it would do to you taking it for years thinking your helping yourself...the label on these drugs only downplays possible sympoms and makes you feel that side effects are a minor problem...I can't wait for the truth to come out how the public has been screwed by statins witch are not doing what we are led to believe for huge profits...
Thank you for taking the time to write this. I have all of the symptoms that you wrote here! I will up my vitamin D intake ... are you taking CoQ10 also. I take 600mg of CoQ10 with all three meals which I feel has helped a lot. I also ice my muscles each morning -- not heat -- which seems to help also. Being a former athlete, my calf muscles were quite large -- I have lost most of the muscle mass on my right calf and most on my left. The doctors are wrong, statins are dangerous! Take care, Bill
Good,glad you found an answer! I empathise with your story and mine is a direct parallel ,walking pains in the feet so bad that I've stopped taking Atorvastatin against doctors advice(heart bypass 16 yrs ago) and with Vit D deficiency shall take your advice and try upping the dose, thanks for your guidance
I was diagnosed with high cholestrol 6.9. And GP ask me to take sinvastatin10mg daily and exercise more often and eat healthy(which i do even before)My cholestrol reading went down but My whole body had sharp and dull aches esp in morning and felt superbly lethargic throughout the day. I used to be strong and active. But noticed after takin statin, i couldnt carry heavier item and i get muscle injury very very easily!! I start to get infection and all sort of symptoms I never had before taking statin even depression!
After few years I couldn't stand it anymore and went to see other doctor and been asked to stop taking any statin. The whole body muscle torture in the morning stopped gradually. My life quality gradually improved after taking some magnesium, omega-3 and virgin coconut oil as supplemet prescribed by 3rd different doctor.
However, overall body strenght was still low and was still getting musle injury easily and i tend to be stressed out frequently at work which add to head and neck muscle strain, fever,gastro problem and insomnia. Been diagnosed as auto immune diseas by immunologyst.
However, things only improved further after seeing different immunologyst and did more blood test and found out I was hvg vitamin D deficiency. Taking vitD supplemet plus discarded my well paying job/career and now having less stress and feeling way better.
note: I started taking statin at my Mid 20's. Now early 30's. Hvg family history of heart attack and high cholestrol eventho nobody smoke, don't drink alcohol, hv generally healthy lifestyle and on the slim or thin side when comes to body type.
I had many of your exact symptoms. and was suggested to try CoQ10 in which statins rob your body of. that really helped the recovery time.
read up on it and decide for yourself.
Hi, I decided taking Q10 after reading the threads here. I'm only taking once a day for now as when i take more than tht, it makes me hyper and hungry very fast (increase my metabolism??) does tht happen to you too? Like sudden burst of energy after taking Q10 and leading u to be superbly hungry...
High blood cholesterol is due to genetics (liver producing too much) ..... not diet. There are natural substances that can reduce levels . Exercise helps. Avoid sugar and processed carbs and limit even natural carbs ..... see my post above .... good luck.
Not sure if related but I realize when I don’t take carbs(rice) at night for dinner and stop snacking on sugar (cookies to be specific) I realize my skin flare and pimples disappear. Thanks for the advice 
You’re welcome ..... diabetes is an epidemic in the US now and is associated with multiple cardiovascular organ damage and heart disease/attack .... its ironic the AHA is still recommending low fat/cholesterol diets when sugar/carbs are likely the real culprit ..... excess insulin production probably causing inflammation in the vascular system, plus even a strict diet cannot reduce blood cholesterol that much (being genetic in cause). Your body needs good facts ..... every cell membrane has them ...... 75% of brain is fat ,,,,, nervous system etc ..... no doubt corporate money has hijacked many so-called professional organizations. The need for good fats is why I recommend 3grans of high quality fish oil a day 3000 mg) in capsule form as most of us do not eat much fish these days. Unprocessed cocoanut “oil” ;a solid at room temperature and high heat tolerance ( good for frying foods) and olive oil (on salads or simply taken by mouth) are considered good fats. Unfortunately “real” food ( found on the outer walls of a supermarket), are becoming so expensive that people are eating carbs ( many processed) because they literally cannot afford to feed their families good food. It’s criminal in many ways.
I agree with coconut oil! Where I was growing up only two oils were available, sesame seed oil and coconut oil, the latter was cheep therefore frying and cooking were done on coconut oil. I consume 2 table spoons of coconut oil on a daily basis. Olive oil has is value as well.
Don’t know if people are still reading these posts since they go back six years but want to share my experience with pravastatin in case it helps others. Took low dose and no problems at first. After several weeks my right leg began to ache at the backside of the knee as did that leg’s hamstring muscles. Knee joint began to stiffen and pain kept getting worse. Heart doctor said to cut dose in half. A little better, then worsened. Said to exercise more to which I replied, “How can I when my legs are turning to stone?” By this time both legs were affected. Stopped the statin but pain continued. Third month with same pain. Started doubling up on vitamin D and Coq10 as some of these posts indicated and my daughter suggested I try tart cherry capsules - 2 times a day. She said athletes take this prior to and after strenuous muscle activity and it helps them. I took one at dinner time for the first time and by bedtime I could lift leg with nearly no pain. Can get up out of a chair without pain in my legs. So much better! Still some stiffness and a little soreness, but began taking 25 minute walks in neighborhood. Am waiting for all the pain to go - one source said it takes at least 6 months for pain to leave - but looks like not for everyone. What a crippling drug! Working on my health but never want to take this drug again!
Hi jerf
How are your aches now?
What has helped?
I still have muscle aches despite stopping statins over 3 years now
Thanks
Alps
Getting my Vitamin 'D' levels to a proper level was the best thing I've ever done. I have osteoarthritis, everywhere! I used to take an NSAID a couple of times a day. Found out that stuff can kill you so I started a high dose of Vitamin 'D' twice a day. I took a few months but I haven't taken an NSAID in 15 yrs and almost NEVER have any arthritis pain. Let a blood test determine how much to take long term. MANY Doctors will stop you from taking too much. They're usually wrong. Do the blood test and read about Vitamin 'D' at [vitamindcouncil.org/] to get the best and most accurate information about "D". The very best tip I got from them was to STOP using SunScreen. You wouldn't drink the contents of a bottle of SunScreen and the fact is, putting it on your skin is just as foolish and dangerous to your health. They state, with authority, that a proper level of Vitamin 'D' in your body will reduce the risk of ALL Cancers by 50% and it does so much more. Good luck.
Basically it felt to me like my body was too small for my bones. Similar but not quite like having broken bones. Sickening. I think this might have been because muscles were in prolonged spasm and pulling everything taut and only the bones were resisting.
It was in specific areas but shifting. Only affecting a few areas at any one time and I remember it most acutely affecting limbs.
The pains from Rosuvastatin came on fast and were widespread. The pains from Atorvastatin gradually got worse until it reached the point where my legs were spasming so badly that I could not stand and I don't remember significant aches elsewhere.
I had full blood tests on Atorvastatin and no-one's mentioned any deficiency to me. I don't remember anyone drawing blood when I reported the Rosuvastatin problems (but I wasn't exactly thinking straight through the pain) but no-one's mentioned anything about blood problems after that either.
Wow, this is really not a happy thing to remember!
Mish, vitamin D deficiency is in the news in the UK at the moment as rickets is being seen again and a lot of people don't seem to be getting their required levels of sunlight.
My muscle pains were cramp like especially in my calves and the soles of my feet. I also had muscle "twitching" at night in bed and severe cramp in the calf of my accelerator leg after a long drive. Having not had anything like this for the 55 years I didn't take statins, I am concluding that these are related in some way to statin dosage....no matter what anybody else may say.
I have FH and have taken statins for about 20 years. I have had muscle pain in my upper arms and in my legs which came on gradually after I started taking them plus severe muscle twitching in my legs. When I reported this to my GP she took me off statins for 3 months and because the pains did not go away in that time she diagnosed them as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome even though I kept telling her I was nit fatigued. I went back on statins as my cholesterol was about 12.00 so I did not think I had a choice. I have just put up with the pain ever since.
That's a shame. Have you asked after alternative treatments and/or a referral to a lipid clinic?
Its been worse lately so have asked the GP to refer me to the hospital. They don't have a lipid clinic so I am due to see a chemical pathologist in March. marton
You could check where the nearest one is on heartuk.org.uk/lipidclinics... and try to get referred there.
Although I'm pretty sure my lipid clinic is overseen by a chemical pathologist so it might be fine.
Hi,
My 72 year old mum has just been taken off statins because of the severe, adverse effects they had on her. Everything seemed fine at first but after a few months of use her leg muscles became so painful she could barely walk, and she also complained of dropping things all of the time. In addition she developed lung problems and her hair started falling out leaving bald patches. Blood tests revealed that statins were causing her muscles to break down. Since stopping the simvastatin her leg pain has eased and her breathing is not as bad, though she gets exhausted very quickly. Her cholesterol was still very high even with the statins - we don't know if this is hereditary as she was adopted.
Hi Zorro,
Sorry to hear about your mum. Have you ever heard of Dr Andrew Bamji ? He is a retired rheumatologist who feels strongly that a lot of his elderly patients should not be on statins if they suffer side effects and their lipid levels are only slightly elevated. This is because he suffered side effects himself while taking statins.
However, he says that a lot of his patients were just too worried to stop taking them in case they suffered a heart attack so he couldn't advise them.
I do not know anything about your mum's condition however and needless to say, Dr Bamji's views are controversial ( he writes his own interesting blog on other matters ).
Thanks for the info. I hadn't heard of him. i will check out his blog. Mum's doctor has been very kind and understanding and has put her on some very expensive fish oil capsules. So we'll have to see how that works. Funnily enough my dad had to be taken off statins too a couple of years back. He only tolerated them for a very short time before they caused issues. The doctor stopped them sharpish when tests showed they were affecting his liver.
I am 73 and was put on a statin because I was 'borderline' for blood pressure and cholesterol. After about a year I began feeling pain in my thighs and upper arms. This quickly got worse so that it was agonising to get up in the morning and difficult to walk. I started dropping things. Went to the doctor and he said my blood pressure was fine and to stop taking the statin. After three weeks the pain began to get better. I think now that other solutions to the problems should have been tried first - e.g. more exercise and oatmeal etc for the cholesterol.
I think a lot of people had the similar experience. Now i stay free of statin and just exercise n eat more oatmeal... The only thing different is, i notice most posting is done by 50's or older.. But i started statin at 25 and i just entered my 30's lol
We are alike not only in age but how statins have affected us as well. I didn't know what was going on till my neighbor was affected so bad that he is now wearing leg braces. I to am powering through without my GP's blessing and statin drugs. I'm not on Vit. D yet but have found out on my own that we older folks are lacking in Magnesium. Am on that now as well as fish oil caps. Magnesium will give you loose bowel if too large of a dose is taken so you have to figure that out for yourself. I just had a blood draw and am looking forward to the results. My GP did try to prescribe another drug but this "board of medical advisers" said I couldn't have them until I had tried one of three other medications first. I have never met these "advisers" for any checkups or consultations so I have to say this is the infamous "death panel" that has been mentioned with this Obumer care. Be that as it may, I will take a whole lot more responsibility with my own doctoring from now on. I am interested in this vitamin D in addition to what I am already taking. Will add that after blood check. The medical profession is going to hell in a hand cart, all following the money.......or at least all that I have encountered. Beware.
Not 100% sure it's the statins, but I've had terrible neck muscle spasms resulting in almost unbearable headaches. Stopped the statins, had a professional massage, no more neck problem! Also, I was going to the physio for golfers elbow and tennis elbow, even though I play neither. They both went as well at the same time even though they'd been around for a long time (been on statins for about 2-3 years).
Yes Linda, I agree that a large part of my bone-ache was possibly due to Vit D deficiency, but I wonder if the large dose of statins I was taking (80mg) contributed to that deficiency. My lifestyle had not changed to warrant a sudden Vit D deficiency. It's well-known that statins work by blocking certain pathways, thus inhibiting production of various hormones etc which can affect many different things (eg sex-drive, feelings of well-being). Perhaps somehow they also influence the ability of the body to absorb or utilize Vit D? There are many things we do not yet understand about them. I feel so much more like myself: normal, healthy, positive etc since being off them completely. I have my life and energy back and feel so sorry for all those people still believing the Great Cholesterol Myth and being conned by their well-meaning doctors into taking large doses of statins.
Was put onto simvastatin in March 2012. But at the start of July 2012 I started to get pains in my groins. After about a week the pains had spread to my thighs, biceps & hands. I went to see my doctor who said straight away to stop taking the statin. This I did but within a week the pains had got so bad I could not dress myself or get in or out of a car without aid. I had to walk with a shuffle & it was agony getting to sleep & getting out of bed. I found it impossible to lift my arms above chest height. Then it got so bad I went to the out of hours doctors. Two doctors were present & sent me straight to hospital. I was there for 8 days & seen several doctors. No doctor looking at my case would say it was down to the statins. But a few doctors who were not on my case came to talk to me & said it was down to the statins. In the end it was said to be rheumatoid arthritis. When i was sent home I was put on 30mg prednisolone a day. To be decreased to 5mg at certain times.The doctor I was under as an out-patient just messed with my hands & feet. Even though I kept saying I have no trouble with my feet. 90% was in different muscles. I asked for a second opinion & got one. The doctor I see now even though he listens. Will have nothing bad said about statins. He says I am possibly suffering from polymyalgia rheumatica. But will not commit himself to say for certain. After being out of hospital for a few months I was prescribed atorvastatin. The aches & pains have never gone away but have been dulled. I was on 5mg of prednisolone for a short time Then several days ago the problems I first had came back. I was in bed & when I woke up I was in agony & could not move. My wife called the doctor who straight away said put his steroids up & stop his atorvastatin. Now after a few days of 15mg of steroids the problems are easing off. But I know they will never go away.
I was taking a small amount of statins (lostartan) and after about four years I suddenly developed terrible pain in the muscles of my arms and legs, pain so severe that it took me ten minutes to get out of bed in the morning. My muscles were also very weak, so that I couldn't take the lid off a jar or carry anything at all heavy (like a filled cup).
I am 74 and have been offered statins at the local surgery, when visiting the nurse for blood pressure tests. I refused to accept this offer, mainly because i do not believe that any medication that has to be taken for the rest of your life can be guaranteed not to have side effects. Lets face it, in the long run it is in the interest of chemical manufacturers to push the government to have everyone on statins, Today it has been announced that Statins are to be made available to many more people. Should Statins in the long term prove to have side effects, then millions of people could be at risk.
I have recently read an article which seems to confirm that statins cause problems with muscles, and as the heart is a muscle, eventually cause a weakness in the heart muscle, which needs medication, that then causes side effects, leading to other medication being prescribed to counteract these side effects, eventually it is all the side effects not the statins thet get you in the end. Consequently it is recorded that Statins are safe to take.
Are they!!
Regards.
All,
I agree on statin as a secondary medication not as a primary medication. At the age of 66 satin did bring total cholesterol down,
have stopped taking statin after three months due to side effect.
Life style change, better eating, going to the gym is helping me to stay in control, I am afraid modern medicine is a no no for me.
Your article helped me a lot! Thanks
I have been taking Lipitor for 10 years. I have increasing amounts to tenderness and stiffness. It has affected my ability to be active. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. My right hip was so tight my trigger point massage person could not get my muscles to relax. I started doing intense yoga a year ago, made some progress but muscles never really loosened. I went on a whole grain, fruit, vegetable diet (occasional fish) 3 months ago started losing some weight (went from 236 to 217 in 3 months). I read your article and went cold turkey from Liptior. I began feeling weird tingling sensations in the first week. After doing research I started taking Vitamin D and C, along with Ubiquinol. 4 weeks in I sense real progress. It seems there are different breakthroughs each week. Breakthroughs meaning muscle groups letting go. Blood test in two weeks, to see result of diet and no Liptor. I feel I am finally figuring stuff out. Years of doctor asking me if I had muscle pain. I wish he asked me if I had muscle tightness and tenderness. I am too literal. Wasted 10 years, but I am going to get them back
just found this when doing some research on muscle and joint damage due to Statins. I am 53 was put on them last August. After taking them for about 5/6 months I started to develop a pain in my knee. It was like I had twisted it, I had done that before years ago in the other knee, but I knew what I had done to cause it. This time I could not for the likes of me work out how I did it. Had a doctors appointment so mentioned it to him, he looked at it said it is a bit inflamed. Convinced I had twisted he said RICE (Rest, Ice, Compact and Elevate) take some pain killers and it should be fine in a week or so. Well it did not in fact it got worse and then other parts of the body started aching. I could hardly walk and the pain in my legs at night was really bad. Someone mentioned maybe it was your statins and wow was I shocked when researching it was a real eye opener. I stopped taking them things improved within a few days. My mobility is still not great, the legs some times feel like Jelly, and my lower back aches from being immobile.. I have been off them for 2 months now and about a month ago started doing aqua aerobics twice a week as physio to try and get the muscles fixed. It seems a very slow process and I sometimes feel as if I am never going to get my legs,working proper ever again. I really struggle to walk very far and I am trying to build that up. I must admit I would love someone to say that I will be fully recovered in a set time, but realise that is un reasonable. One of the good things to come out of it is that there are other people in the Aqua Aerobics class, in the same boat. Most were on them a longer time than me and one lady who was on a high dose for a few years stopped taking them a year ago and is still have problems with her muscles. Doctor has been quite good really when I went back and told him I have stopped taking them in fact he suggested swimming might be good, and after a few months I will have my bloods taken again to review.
Hi purple
How are your aches now?
What has helped?
I still have muscle aches despite stopping statins over 3 years now
Thanks
Alps
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Yes. I have had - and still do have dreadful cramp in my legs so much so the pain was so severe i had trouble walking for two weeks and even asked for an xray. The GP. after my complaining of pain has now reduced my Atorvastatin from 20mg per day to 10mg. Haven't started the lower dose yet. If there is no improvement i shall cease taking them
I have a naturally good muscle structure. But, apart of aches, I was no longer able to do the movements I always could.
I have stopped taking statins altogether, and my muscle strength has re-appeared. I still have the occasional cramp though, but not as severely.
I will not take statins again.
Upper arms limited use of arms after statins just constant soreness/aching if move arm backwards or lie on them .
knees struggling to bend down ,pins and needles in feet and toes ,loss of feeling if stung on a nettle or burnt on oven dont even know you have done it but get a bad burn ,but heals quicker than usual
You had exactly the symptoms that I was looking for suki!!! I have been taking Crestor (Rosuvastatin) for about eight years now. I was prescribed 5 mg. , but was leery about statins and only took half a tab for years, with great results. My cholesterol crept back up to around 200, so I upped my dose to the full 5 mg's. After about 6 months I started getting pains in my shoulders (just as you said while moving your arms and, I assume, lying on your side). I get the worst shoulder pains at night lying on my side. The pain quickly subsides right after getting up in the morning, but the arm motion pain never goes away. I'll see my physician about laying off the Crestor for awhile and see how it works out.
Here is my statin story.
64 years old. 10 years on statins (lipitor for 2 years, simvastatin, and then pravastatin). Changes made to save on copays (USA insurance).
GP prescribed to lower the cholesterol below 140. Mine was 175 to 180 with no statins because of parents who had high blood pressure.
The first 9 years of being on statins I only noticed some minor aches which I attributed to aging. 1 year ago leg weakness increased and after sitting for a while I was very stiff. Again, thought it as part of aging. I was treadmilling 1 hour a day for cardio fitness. I started getting more and more aches (back and legs) after exercising. So I stopped with treadmill work. In the fall I started getting periodic cramps in the left buttock when lying down in bed. Then, I had some cramps in my calf and foot. I tried all kinds of stretches but in December of 2013 I was awakened in the middle of night with excruciating stabbing pain in my left buttock that woke me from a dead sleep. I called the GP and made an appointment. His diagnosis was sciatica and he sent me off to physical therapy for 2.5 months. It got better with massage and the percusser working out the cramps then we went on to strengthening core muscles. The physical therapy and muscle strengthening caused more pain then relief and I tore up my right knee which required more PT for the knee. I had a MRI and doctor who read the MRI simply said the knee was not damaged but worn from being 64 years old. He said lose weight and exercise. So, with ice and heat the knee healed. I still had cramps in my buttocks and calf muscles so the GP opened up another prescription for PT for what he now thought was not sciatica but piriformis syndrome that was causing the problem. After 6 months total in PT I stopped and visited my pharmacist and asked him if any of the medications I was taking could be causing my cramps, and excruciating pains. He said it was probably the statin (pravastatin). I called my GP and he doubted it was the statin drug but OK'd going off the drug. He said it would take 2 to 4 weeks to see any improvements. He was right while I felt a little better for the first couple of weeks but still had periodic cramps in my calves after walking more the 10 steps. By week three of no statin drugs I felt much better and only had one time when my calves cramped. By week four I had no cramps, stabbing pains or the like. It is now 5 weeks and I am pain free except for normal arthritis aches and pains. STATINS will never be used by me again. My only challenge now is to rebuild my leg strength and stamina.
To summarize, coming off of statins takes time to get out of your system if the statins are the root cause of your aches, pains and the like. For me, the statin drugs were the root cause of my excruciating pains and debilitating cramps. I was sitting on Lacrosse balls, softballs, massaging the cramps to relieve the pain. Now I have to start exercising and doing strength training.
Hope this helps others.
I have also sat on balls under my ham strings to help massage the crud out of my legs for pain relief. I just started exercising and am going to quit statins today and get more militant about the diet.
Confused! I suffer from mild CP which as I near 70yrs the symptoms worsen as the muscles around the deformed feet weaken.Am now re-taking Atorvastatin and after 5 weeks the weakness and pain in both feet is severely hampering my walking,when I get up from a chair I have to wait,stretch and hold on to a support before attempting to walk.,so I've taken the radical decision to stop the statin again against doctor's advice as he is bound by BRitish Medical Board's orders that I should take this drug as I had a double heart bypass 16Yrs ago and have raised chol=around 6.9
I now await a week to see if my symptoms improve
Hi I made a post last week on "Statins". I had muscle and joint pain in my ankles, knees and elbows besides generalised aching throughout my body that I attributed to 2 years of Statin medication. I have made the decision to stop taking Atorvastatin (only 5mgs) after visiting my GP. To me, the painful and debilitating side affects out weigh the reduction in cholesterol levels and slightly lower "heart attack and stroke" risk. I shall of course try to manage my cholesterol levels by improving my diet, reducing my weight and exercising more. The irony is that by taking statins, one feels much less able to exercise with a resultant increase in weight. Most importantly, I want to take care of my own situation and not leave it to the doctors!
It may help people to describe my own experiences, although I apreciate that everyone reacts differrently to statins. I had ben taking Simvastatin for some years, suffering from occasional pains in the muscleas at the top of the butocks. I attributed this directly to the statins. But I was able to cope with them, because a hard massage of the muscle giving pain followed by a walk seemed to dissipate the pain.
However when I ran out of Simvastatin in Portugal, I was descrubed a Porttuguese statin named Sinvastatina. This rapidly had very dire effect. I now had pains all over mu buttocks and down the back of my thighs. My buttock muscles became so tight that they locked uop the joints at the top of my legs. I was prevented from walking without pain, bending down and even climbing in an out of cars or baths mecame a real nightmare. I was unable to sleep at night since I repeatedly awoke with crippling pains in my legs. which persisted all night.
I stopped taking the statin - my cholestorol reading is currently normal - and the pains gradually disappeared. Physiotherapy and exercises to all the buttock muscles eased the ondition and freed up the locked leg joints, which I believed had seized simply because all of the muscles were so taut that they had jammed the joints.
I am now at my GPs suggestion on a more modern statin and waiting to see how much the pain reduces. My message, therefore, to other suferers is try switching statins and try physiotherpy on whichever muscles are causing pain.
My doctor decided to switch me to Avorstatin. After just a week on this drug my pains returned, rendering me almost incapable of walking. I am now entirely off statins and waiting for the effects to wear off.
I read the manufacturer`s instructions on Avorstatin. This had a full column on side-effects including dizziness, diarhoea, tingling hands and many more.
I was experiencing about two thirds of these side effects. I wish I had read the instructions rather than putting my faith in my doctor.
There are other ways to tackle cholesterol.
What are your ways to control cholesterol?
We all need cholesterol for our body to function properly!, therefore do we need to control it as our is working on demand and supply!
Because I am not a doctor I would prefer that you put this question to you own doctor. But you can do a lot with diet and I have now been prescribed a non-statin which works in a different way but will I hope achieve the samee result.
There are two types of cholesterol on of which is beneficial but the other can lead to clogging of arteries. We do need cholesterol but not too much of the bad one.
Hi jamessensor
How are your aches now?
What has helped?
I still have muscle aches despite stopping statins over 3 years now
Thanks
Alps
I was getting night cramps 3/4 times a week, couldn't walk more than 10 yards before suffering shortness of breath and severe backache, felt so weak I couldn't get the top off a bottle of sauce. I couldn't do any housework or go shopping because of the pain, or even have a shower because of it and kept getting numbness and tingling in my hands. Then I stopped taking the statins: within a week I was running round the garden, doing all the chores I couldn't do before, and was racing round the supermarket. I've been off the statins fr five weeks now and have not had one single episode of night cramps, which were so bad I was frightened of going to sleep at night. I feel better now than I have done for years!
Matters got much worse. The statin poisoning turned into something called polymyalgia.This means pain everywhere in muscles. The doctor was unable to diagnose it nor was a sonsultant neurologist. So I went to hospital. The admissions registrara young Chinese rejected me without askig any questions at all. I was back within a week and then spent tw weeks in bed having every test imaginable.
I had crippling pains in shoulders andthighs and was unable to sleep for mor than an hour at a time. Eventualy a young rheumatoligist came up with the correct diagnosis and put me onto steroids. The symptoms cleared in a fkas and I am n0w back home, 20 kgslighter and with half my muscles wasted. But at least without pain.
I have been on them for a little over year! Its crept up on me! But now my knees hurt, top of my legs, sore calves, and lower back! Pain killers don't even touch it! Dr. took me off of it yesterday! Can't see any difference yet, I pray that is what it is!!
I have mixed feelings reading these stories. I'm now 65 yrs old & was put on Lipitor about 8 years ago. Within 2 weeks I developed deep muscle pain in buttocks and thighs. One night I awoke with the most incredible leg pain. I thought I needed to 'walk it off', but when I tried to get up, I couldn't stand on that leg. I actually lay in bed trying not to cry. I didn't tell my doctor, though. Instead, I thought it would get better. I had the pain for almost 6 months before I told my doctor. I was immediately taken off the meds. My doctor agreed that it had been caused by the statins. BUT...the pain hasn't gone away. I'm absolutely convinced that permanent damage has been done.
My original doctor moved to another state and my new doctor doesn't believe the statins caused it. I'm in constant pain & feel like a hypochondriac because I'm not believed. The other thing that happened was my cognitive skills. There are times I can't make a sentence...can't remember a simple word. I know that always happens to everyone but it became too frequent as soon as I began taking those drugs.
I think the problem is that when they tested my cardiac enzymes, they're just fine. So the doc doesn't think there's any muscle damage. It's frustrating not being believed. But there are times when I can barely walk because of the deep muscle pain. And it's hard to describe, because the pain is so deep.
So I guess I feel better knowing others have the same symptoms...misery loves company? Now that I've read these stories, I'll start with the vitamin D to see if that helps. I took Lipitor for about 6 months, 7 yrs ago. And I still have the pain. This really sucks!
There is no such thing as bad cholesterol..its all good.Stop taking pills of any kind...You have been scared into thinking you are going to die if you do not take statins......we are all going to die but you will die nice and slowly with statins and consume more drugs in the process...wake up...
True. I was diagnosed for high cholestrol (6.9) at my early 20's when I just started working and GP ask me to take statin. I was very healthy/strong/active and after I started taking statin, i had muscle pain/lethargicness/hvg immune problem and this caused me to be on medical leave often and frequent visits to hospital. Leading me to a lot of stress and in the end I even left my high paying job. Statin really changed my life for worse. Recovering very slowly after stopping statin, Itecently started taking vitamin D after been diagnosed with low VitD ,taking Q10 supplement and fish cod oil and my body pain and aching seems to improve
Now I'm in my early 30's..
Simonsimon is right. To combat the build-up of cholestoral, that can block the arteries, drink a moutful of Olive oil and Rape seed oil (must be both) daily, drink a glass of red wine with your chiken or fish, buy a bycyle or ergometer and basically, if you can't wash it, peel it or need to cook it (TV dinners etc) then don't eat it. We all die eventually so don't worry, stress kills more than anything else.
A woman cannot concieve without cholestoral.
Food and drink intake control, regular exercise, no packaged food, fresh!
This can give us a healthy life. One life enjoy it.
I took statins for around six monthe and stopped as I could only walk 80 metres before having to cease due to pain from my gluteus maximus all the way down to my calves (the pain was only at the back of my leg muscles- not the front), the same went for climbing stairs to my apartmen- 45 steps. I could only make it to the second (3rd USA) floor as my muscles lost power.
Its been six monthe since I stopped taking statins, the pain has not decresed.
The pain, by sitting or walking is similar to muscle bruising (no bruise marks as with blood thinners). If you have ever bumped in to some protuberance (a door handle) and bruised your arm and when you touched/pressed on the injured area... well, that is what it feels like all the time. The only relief is lying flat on a matress --- or/ and pain killers.
In other words, it's a pain in the ****-
I am 66 years old and have been taking statins for 26 years. ( am 5 ft.3 inches and weigh 147pounds - I believe that is 66.6kg and 160 cm) My right-upper-arm is losing muscle and I have been to many doctors trying to find out why. When I was in my 40s, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia (which I now believe was statins). The muscle deterioration started in my 40s and then stopped. The past year it has gotten much worse and some days I can't lift my arm above my shoulder...it looks like it has 'dents' in it. Now the left arm is starting to hurt. I am frightened to quit, but also frightened to keep taking them. I have had two TIA (small strokes) and have high cholesterol. I believe I will have to go on a zero tolerance diet and get very strict with exercise. I take 300mg of COQ10 and I take vit D3 everyday...can't remember how much D3. Will check. My legs ache like they did in my PMS days!! Anybody notice any REAL difference in Cholesterol after quitting taking the statins?
Stop taking them w/Er permission & ask Dr about Repatha injection
I want to share my mum experience with statin as I got so many great guidance from these forum vs her gp. My mum had been on statin for 10 plus years. The ache all over her body seems to catch up in the past 5 years so it was not instantaneous with the drug. She suspects it was age but her peers don't experience any of it. Then she saw on some tv program that this could be the case so she mentioned to me about it. I started reading up and by that time her legs started to collapse when she walks. My mum is an active 65 year old. I asked her to stop taking the drug. The pain didn't go away immediately for about 3 months; at first she wasn't sure then if it was really statin. Then the pain starts to subside gradually. There were bad days and good days. In the meantime she started q10 and other supplements. Now it's been 6 months, the dull ache in the morning and legs collapsing has disappeared. Still 2-3 topical muscle aches but more manageable and getting better over time. There's hope also her cholesterol level didn't get worse after stopping statin. Now I get her l-carnitine, vit D, and krill oil supplements. She still keeps taking Q10. Hope this keeps getting better.
Hello i have recentley been put on these atorvastatin 20mg and the pain i am in is really bad i already suffer frm degenerative disc in my lower left lumbar and arthritus the pain is a very pinching sharp pain in my bum cheek the pains in my back are so painfull i feel like i am in labour i have only been taking these tablits for 3 weeks now im short if breath and generally feel unwell i am contemplating weather to call my docs bk because i cant cope with this pain intop of my normal pain x
My advice would be stop taking them .
I took them for 3.5 months following a stroke in Dec 16. Stroke was very mild thank god but this medication is killing me , I've been off them 4 weeks but still burning legs , painful Calfs , twitching muscles , pain up keg into hip and lowers back...even had night sweat last night
OMG, I have been on 20mg of Atorvastatin as well for years and just realized my back, butt and hamstring pain is from the statin meds. I have been on statins (lower dose) for nearly 13 years and have struggled to find a cause of my terrible back pain. I went off them for just 2 days an felt like a new person. Would like to find a "natural" way to control my cholesterol so I can stay off them for good!
Hi,
Is you medication for primary or secondary medication ,,,,secondary medication is after a heart procedure?
Ask your doctor for a different type of cholesterol lowering mediation.
I'm on 2 different blood pressure meds and the statin. I've called my doctor 4 times to get the receptionist. Now I'm waiting for an answer from them. They are not very responsive. Thanks for your advice Sandy.
I have taken statins for years, one-leg pain, another type- muscle pain, another type -pain. Like so many of the comments, the doctors just blew it off saying it wasn't the statin. Finally a new Dr said I was allergic to all statin pills and prescribed an injection w/Repatha every two weeks and it worked.
But now a year later I am up every night w/severe pain-very little sleep. It is only when I lay down (the pain). Am now taking 600mg of Gabapentin an hour before bed and it is the first time I have slept thru the night without pain-but have just begun.
Hope this helps
I can't believe what I am reading! I am 54. I had a heart attack 4 years ago. Changed my lifestyle, lost weight, got into the best shape of my life and felt fantastic! I was off all medications other than an aspirin and atrovastatin (40mg). I had occasional cramps in my feet while sleeping, but I dealt with them. 6 months ago, things changed. My legs hurt so bad, my hip hurt, my right knee felt twisted, my shoulders hurt, my hands were stiff and weak, and I lost all energy. I haven't been able to move like a normal person most days and felt even worse after exercising. My doctor did lower my dosage to 10mg, but also sent me to a rheumatologist thinking I had psoriatic arthritis (small patch on my elbow). I looked at the blood work that came back. I'm not a doctor, but whatever they were testing for looks to be within normal ranges. After reading 6 years worth of responses, I am starting to think it was the statin the entire time. Here's the thing....I am TERRIFIED of going off entirely because of my extremely high risk (my mom was disabled and eventually died from strokes, my dad's family is plagued with heart disease an diabetes). Not sure if I can change my diet enough to protect myself. I read about all the things I could take, but it makes my head spin. I don't have much knowledge about supplements and vitamins. Where can I go to educate myself? A nutritionist? My local health food store? I love my doctor, but I don't feel like he will have the information. Plus, I need someone who will see my situation as really high risk. I still have blockages that were not "severe" enough to stent. I can't afford to have ANY plaque build up in my arteries. I know I'm sounding desperate. I'm so thankful to all you wonderful people who have posted here.
You will undoubtedly hear from many people who want to give you their ideas, ranging from keto diets to guzzling coconut milk. This is my answer to your question. Simply look at his results. Nobody else has had so much documented success. He's getting on in years (82?) so his presentation is slow, but his mind is clear and his information is priceless. Good luck! youtu.be/6GPo8Ir0yn4
Vitamin K2...read up on this! Studies have shown it is very helpful for preventing osteoporosis AND for preventing plaque buildup and stiffening of arteries. NOT vitamin K1 from leafy greens...K2 is different and found naturally in fermented foods (natto being best, but most americans don't like it). Typical best form is Mequanone (sp?) 7, though studies have been done with M.4, but 4 needs to be taken maybe 3x day...7 only once. Try looking at Life Extension for info on studies and other.. Talk to doctor if on blood thinners. I'm reading conflicting reports on how it may or may not interact with them and it may depend on type. Some studies showing use of Vitamin D3 is actually harmful for arteries IF NOT ALSO used with K2, but combo can be very effective. Best wishes.
I took Simvastatin for 3 years, and for most of that time I suffered no obvious side effects. I felt extremely positive towards this drug, because although I have not had a stroke or heart attack, anything that reduced the risk seemed like a good idea.
The side effects started rather suddenly – with extreme cramps in my right leg, which was weakened by polio when I was a child. I naturally thought I was getting Post Polio Syndrome (PPS) – a problem that I understand has no specific test. Because there was some delay before I could see a specialist, and I was struggling as my symptoms got worse, I decided to stop my Simvastatin as a precaution because I remembered that it could cause ‘muscle pains’. By that time my leg was extremely painful in the muscles and the knee joint, and it had weakened further so that my right foot would drop as I walked – potentially causing me to trip on it.
By the time I saw a polio specialist, I was not diagnosed with PPS because the symptoms were receding – I got no specific diagnosis. As I continued to improve, I decided to restart my Simvastatin, assuming that it had had nothing to do with my problems, and within a week I could feel the symptoms returning.
All in all, I stopped Simvastatin 3 times, and each time the symptoms started to reduce after a delay of about a week, and returned after I restarted the drug!
Had I not realised that Simvastatin might be causing my problems; I think I might have ended up confined to a wheelchair in considerable pain, still taking this wretched drug! As it was, once I gave up on Simvastatin, I recovered completely over a period of about 9 months.
I would suggest that if your pain does not go away completely when you stop, it may be helpful to do what I did - take painkillers so as to exercise - since muscles generally improve with exercise.
I noted that someone above mentioned that switching from the pink tablets to a newer brand of white tablets seemed to cause the problems. The chemist switched me to the newer white tablets (the prescription did not change) shortly before my problems started.
I had horrific pain in my lower extremities even for 9 months after I stopped taking statins. My pain was so bad that coming home from a trip I almost had to call an ambulance to get off the plane, I could hardly walk. After stopping statins the pain continued no matter what I tried and I pretty much tried it all. It wasn't until I started taking CBD oil that the pain subsided. I've been pretty much pain free for the last four weeks or so thanks to CBD oil. You may want to give it a try. Feel better.
What is cbo oil???
Are you referring to this? "Cannabidiol (more commonly known as CBD)"
I have been on statin meds since my Quad-Bypass surgery in 2007. My lower back pain and hamstring tightness had gotten so debilitating that I was forced to give up a College Track coaching position because I was unable to walk back and forth and stand for hours at a time. I also had to give up my morning and evening walks with my dog. My life had really changed. Just recently I tried an experiment. I stopped my statin and to my surprise I was pain-free! I honestly felt like I was 40 again. Tried to reach my doctor to see if there was perhaps another statin that would work well but without pain. Of course they didn't get back with me, so I'm still trying. If I could find a safe alternative, like diet I would consider staying off them completely. I'll update my situation.
I, am no longer taking a Statin medication and my new doctor has it in my chart that I, am allergic to it. When I, was taking it I, did have muscle pain. The pain I, had was chest pain.
Now a long time ago my nerves use to act up and I, would have chest pains from that. My nerves are under control because of different living situation. I, knew it was not due to my nerves. I, decided to call my Pharmacist and explain everything to her and then I, asked her to evaluate all of my medications which she did. She then said it was Muscle Pain due to My Chloresterol Medication the Atorvastatin.
Both shoulders left worse than right,left one was really painful,had to stop the statins
