Some 15 or more years ago, after moving house, new GP decided that because of family history, (father died age 51 & brother at 42 both from heart attacks ) I should take statins. No forums etc then so I did as I was told. Felt dizzy etc within days, I felt faint after a bath & fell, result? Total prolapse of 3 lower discs, a particle of one went into my spinal column & it was too risky for operation. Years of back & sciatic pain. Also had all the side effects that I now know to be statins.
Fast forward 10 years. On 40mg of Aorvastatin, plus other meds as I have a "sponge kidney" ( exactly what it says on the tin!)
Continually going to my GP as I was finding it increasingly difficult to walk because of bad aches in my legs and not able to feel my toes.
To cut a long story short I was told it was
A) age,huh! I was only 60.
B) my back pain - no it was a different pain
C) probably the statins but I had to keep taking them.
His answer was to keep dolling out different painkillers.
In desperation after 3 years of this I insisted on a second opinion.
I had such advanced PAD I was in hospital within two weeks having a Bi Femoral Aorta Bypass.
My GP merely said " well we're all human & mistakes can be made, thanks a bunch for that.
Post op I stopped taking statins cold turkey for a few months merely as an experiment & still not knowing all the side effects. When I started taking them again I thought the op had failed as all the muscle & leg aches returned.
Very worried I googled statins. YES the side effects relating to leg muscle aches were very similar to PAD.
I no longer take them at all, although have never told GP. All the other associated side effects have long since stopped as well.
Just please be careful anyone with an underlying heart/cholesterol problem who is taking statins, listen to your body, and read all the excellent advice given in these forums.
Pester your GP if you think anything else is wrong.
Take care everyone.
Thanks Bigleg for your kind words, I am very much a "glass half full" person & rarely feel sorry for myself over my health problems.
It has, however, taught me to question every medics advice tho & I'm never afraid to do so nowadays.
My now x GP made yet another of his "human errors",concerning my kidney ,18 months ago. Happily this resulted in my brilliant renal consultant writing to the surgery reprimanding them on handing out drugs to me without first consulting both my medical history , and confirming with the renal department. What a result!
Anything that could be remotely linked to kidneys or heart & my car is on it's way to the hospital - yes it knows the way!
I will go to Dr Kendrick's site, thanks for that info and take care