Bempodoic Acid

[Bu_ddh]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has been prescribed Bempodoic Acid for those who are unable to tolerate statins and if so, what were their thoughts on them ?I am being offered these after years of being prescribed every statin going, and even ezitembe. My body just doesn't cope with the associated side effects and I have become very sceptical about the whole efficacy of lowering my cholesterol via medication.

[Cruising2020]

Hello Bu _ddh

I have been taking this drug since last October, after years of trying probably every statin on the market, which unfortunately led to having muscle tests & Myopathy. I eventually got my GP to understand I am unable to tolerate them. Wind the clock forward - I was eventually referred to an Endocrinologist a few years ago as my cholesterol would never be under 9 & again I repeated my history of statin intolerance etc, etc only to be told that I was ‘too old’ (I had to be under 40) to be put on this drug! Even though I had Familial Cholesterol & risk factors were fairly high due to heart disease in my family & I’d had the typical blue around my eyes, which my optician spotted many years ago.

Obviously I didn’t take this lightly & persistence in the end paid off, as once again an appt for the Consultant. This time I was aware of another possible negative outcome, so was armed with a lot more information about cholesterol & my family’s history etc etc. I was given every bit of information about this drug & a clear description of all side effects & told that I had to have 3 monthly blood tests at my GP’s. I also had bloods taken for genetic testing, as the Consultant thinks I may be carrying the gene. The actual drug also contains Ezetimbe, apart from the Bempedoic acid.

I have my follow up appointment next Wednesday, so I am very interested to see if I will be able to continue with the drug. I have had absolutely no side effects, other than it seems, more tiredness, but that could be pure coincidence.

Incidentally, my own GP hadn’t heard of this drug & had to Google information about it & told me that it was very expensive!

I always have copies of my blood results & my cholesterol has reduced since last year.

In case you’re wondering I am 72 years young!

I’m always inclined to think - give things a go, you’ve nothing to lose.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

X

[DakCB-UK in reply to Cruising2020]

It's cheap at about £55/month, compared to the £330/month PCSK-9 inhibitors Repatha and Praluent which are the other main alternative for statin-intolerants!

[Bu_ddh in reply to Cruising2020]

Hello Cruising 2020,Thank you so much for sharing that information. Like you I am 72( almost), and my cholesterol levels hover around 7-8. My family history is similar to yours, but the myopathy the last lot of statins I was encouraged to take was awful, and I swore I would rather live with the risk of raised cholesterol than lose my mobility.

I will take your advice on board and probably give the Bempodoic a try, have to collect them from the local hospital tomorrow.

Many thanks again.

[DakCB-UK]

My natural total cholesterol level is over 9 and I've failed off of all statins with pain (and memory loss in one case!), then had an adverse reaction to Praluent injections, then some time off, but I've been taking bempedoic acid for maybe 6 months now. First month prescribed by the hospital as soon as their NHS trust approved it, then an interruption while my local NHS dragged their heels approving it (NICE told them to approve it about a year ago, with a three month deadline!) and now OK. One-month blood test was promising. Should know more after another test in about a month.

I know what you mean about scepticism of drug-based lowering and if you can get it down through diet and exercise, then great for you, but some of us simply have faulty cholesterol collectors and will never achieve that without adjusting some body chemistry. Ezetimibe slows the transport of cholesterol from food, like a super version of those stanol/sterol products, so is relatively low risk if your digestion copes with it. Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, but that may affect things other than cholesterol production in some of us, which is probably why some of us suffer intolerable side-effects. PCSK-9 inhibitors (Praluent and Repatha) affect the cholesterol collection process, while ACLY inhibitors (bempedoic acid aka Nilemdo) affect another branch of the cholesterol production paths, so you might have different or no side-effects from them. I thought them worth a try.

[Bu_ddh in reply to DakCB-UK]

Hi DakCB+UK, Thanks for all the information, that's brilliant. My family are urging me to give the Bempodoic a try. My concern is when I looked at the common side effects top of the list was aching joints, something I am only too familiar with at my age and with the beginnings of osteoarthritis in my knees !

[DakCB-UK in reply to Bu_ddh]

Where are you still seeing that? The most common on the pack leaflet are anaemia, gout, hyperuricaemia and extremity pain. The first three mean that you should have an extra blood test soon after starting and kidney function should be added to your regular tests. The last is pain in arms or legs more than joints specific. I had joint pain among my laundry list of statin problems and nothing similar on this.

[Bu_ddh in reply to DakCB-UK]

I saw it on the NHS website for Bempodoic Acid, thanks for sharing the information from the leaflet.

[Batty1]

I found this little blurb

Bempedoic acid may cause swelling or tearing of a tendon (the fiber that connects bones to muscles in the body), especially in the arm, shoulder, or Achilles' tendon of the heel. This can happen within days or months after you start taking bempedoic acid. Tendon problems may be more likely in certain people (older adults, people with kidney disease, or people who take steroid medicine or certain antibiotics.

I have PSA which attacks my tendons so this would be a no go drug and Im like you every statin I have taken is poison to my body.

[Bu_ddh in reply to Batty1]

Hey Batty1,Thanks. I am in my seventies and the last lot of statins caused problems in my shoulder, amongst other things, and took 5 months and 200mg daily of Co Enzyme Q10 to get better.