PMR and statins

[reschen]

I was recently diagnosed with PMR in January and I’ve been on statins for at least the last three decades. Does anyone know if there is any correlation between the two? How many in this group are on statins?

[Rimmy]

You can probably do a search on this forum re statin use - I recall some people here ceased taking statins altogether as they believe they CAUSED PMR type symptoms - if not exactly PMR itself. I don't take them (and never have) although they have been offered to me particularly because my cholesterol has risen since I started taking Pred. But following what I have read here I personally think the (potential) 'negatives' seem to outweigh any 'positives'.

Rimmy

[Hidden in reply to Rimmy]

I agree with Rimmy... I have been offered statins many times over the years, but just don't trust they are the "wonder drug," they're made out to be. I have enough problems and weird side effects from medications and have heard they come with they're own unique set of side effects. I guess if you've taken them for decades you don't have a problem with them... so it comes down to the question of if there is any type of negative interaction between them and steroids. (?) Best of luck... it's a tough question really!

[Hidden]

I had leg muscle aches with Simvastatin. Atorvastatin suits me better. Been taking them for about 10 years due to high cholesterol. Seems a contentious issue about cholesterol.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Atorvstatin killed me lol

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

What brought you back from the other side?

It was atorvastatin they gave me - I refused simvastatin as it actually LISTS PMR! Then I discovered that under the system here I had to pay the full cost myself as it wasn't on the "covered" list unless you qualified under the exemption system. Either I needed it or I didn't I decided very quickly and in fact with a family history of raised cholesterol I got the exemption - but events overtook my annoyance. Nothing would persuade me to try it again. Or any other.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Satisfaction brought me back. Lol

I do take pravastatin and it's never SEEMED to have given me problems. Every night I wonder if I should stop. My cholesterol was sky high last year. Booking a blood test next week so if it's still high ...whats the point? I may stop for 4 months and see what that blood test says.

[reschen in reply to PMRpro]

Do you have a URL/reference to the simvastatin/PMR link? That would be very helpful to show my doctor. And thanks for all you do on this site.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to reschen]

rheumatologynetwork.com/vas...

reports a link between statins in general and PMR.

This paper from the Mayo includes PMR as a risk factor for steroid intolerance.

tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10....

But this one

bpac.org.nz/BT/2014/August/...

has a VERY interesting statement:

"Concurrent use of oral corticosteroids: increases the risk of developing muscle complications by three-fold in females and two-fold in males."

which would be enough to put me off taking a statin!

[reschen in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for the quick reply. My rheumatologist and GP are going to get a little reading homework.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

I took them for a good number of years, along with others for raised blood pressure prior to GCA raising its ugly head. Whether statins, or any of the BP tablets had a bearing on my GCA I couldn’t say.

I think sometimes we’re all looking for a reason why we got PMR and/or GCA, and maybe it’s easy to say it’s this tablet, or that tablet- when actually we really don’t know!

Unfortunately, there isn’t always an answer to why. It’s just LIFE!

Like Pepperdoggie it took a few attempts to find a statin that suited, but I’m still on that one now. Cholesterol tested last week was 3.6.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

There are a lot of people who are sure the statins may have been the cause of their PMR and it is listed in the data sheet as a potential adverse effect of at least one statin.

I had not been on statins prior to PMR developing and I was, much later, put on a statin by the general physicians at the hospital after I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Within a week I was almost in need of a wheelchair - I could barely walk 100 yards and if there was a slope involved, far less. I felt awful. I stopped taking it, I was only on half a dose, with the blessing of the cardiologist (atrial fibrillation is not classed as a cardiac event and there is no evidence that statins benefit women with no history of heart attack/stroke). It took months to recover to where I had been with the PMR when I had been discharged. Never again.

I never did subscribe to the anti-cholesterol discussion and have been shown to have been correct in what I thought right from the start - and there is plenty of evidence to show too low a cholesterol isn't good for an aging brain.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Hi Pro. All very confusing as is so much medical science! They cannot measure sensory experience of patients scientifically & how it effects outcome. The old" Heart V Mind" & Money Tealeaves I think!! Respectful I am of your knowledge & personal experiences of dealing with medical world.

[Celebrant]

I have been on every statin known and they all caused me problems. My cardiologist put me on a new and expensive medication called Praulent that is supposed to be for those who can't do statins. I believe it tipped me over the edge and here I am--getting to meet all you lovely folks!

[reschen]

Thanks for all your replies... I appreciate your collective wisdom.

[Lanakay]

I had taken statins for 30 years. I stopped about 5 months ago and there is not a significant difference in my HDL, LDL or triglycerides.