I have had PMR since October and now down to 10mg Pred. Feeling ok although have put on 1/2 stone and sleeping badly.
Got new GP, she’s a registrar and very enthusiastic and detailed.
She has put me on Statins as my cholesterol is borderline and has been for 5 years, I also have strokes and heart attacks in family history. ( Also put me on a Pre Diabetes course as type 2 diabetes in family history as well) Are Statins comparable with Pred? Are there any side effects I should be aware of, GP said just extra muscle ache probably in legs, get that anyway so may not know difference!
Any advice wise ones or any experience of Statins in group?
Thanks,
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GrannyJane
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Which Statin has she put you on & what is your Cholesterol Level?
Statins have a bad reputation for affecting the muscles & it has always been my ‘Medication to Avoid’ but it became necessary for me to take one following a diagnosis of Angina & a slightly raised (in my opinion) cholesterol level, however l am now taking them with no ill effects & my cholesterol has fallen into the normal range.
I also went on a pre diabetic course & l lost two stone in 5months. My story is in FAQ
I will attach you a link that you can cross reference Meds against Prednisolone.
"Are Statins comparable with Pred" - do you mean compatible with pred?
If my cholesterol were only "borderline" while on pred I'd be very reluctant to take statins - but that is me and I don't believe the cholesterol story as presented anyway, never have done. There is also plenty of evidence that they don't have a protective effect in a woman with no previous history of cardiovascular events (not the family history, her history). To be fair, I DID take a statin for about 10 days - by which time I couldn't walk up the slope to get into the hospital from its back door without almost collapsing. It made PMR look like the poor relation!
Some statins are implicated in actually developing PMR - so if you have problems, insist on trying other brands, some are worse than others and sometimes
For the weight problem: cut your carbs, especially processed ones and added sugar. Limit fruit, berries aren't bad, bananas are, and cut root veggies of all sorts (even sweet potatoes -no better than ordinary spuds). You can lose weight while on pred - I have lost 4kg since the beginning of Lent. It is generally slower but it can be done and there are lots of posts about it. It also helps keep the Hba1c level in check - you can't regulate the release of glucose by the liver from the body stores which is triggered by pred but you can control the dietary carbs. Sugar and simple carbs are also pro-inflammatory and a lot of people find too many carbs can cause symptoms to worsen,
I took statins with Pred for 4 years, no particular issues……but it did take 3 attempts to find the type/brand that suited ( way before GCA/Pred).
Came off then after GCA in 2016, GP started me on same type couple of years ago - couldn’t take them this time around, so records now show - NO STATINS TO BE PRESCRIBED.
The jury’s still out on whether women actually need Statins….
My Cousin had a stroke and the clinic advised her to change her breakfast to porridge and a whole orange (not just the juice) within around six months her level was down and has stayed down.
Morning GrannyJ, I've been on statins for a few years now, couldn't tolerate the first three makes, gave me worse joint pain than my OA. The fourth one Rosuvastatin (5mg/day)was fine and has, as far as I know, given me no problems at all. Think it's a question of which one, if any, is suitable for you. Whether they do any good is a question well above my pay grade though!!
It’s not just about having high or low cholesterol, it’s also about good and bad cholesterol. I have a high overall cholesterol level, but extremely high level of good cholesterol, which is achieved by diet. I took statins many years ago, long before PMR and could hardly walk after a few days. The doctor should tell you the break down of your cholesterol test results? not just the overall result.
Hi GrannyJane, I'm no expert on these matters and others more knowledgeable have already given you some very good advice.
However, I have had PMR for just over two years and I'm also on statins so I may be able to provide a little insight.
Firstly, I would say that if your cholesterol level was borderline 5yrs ago and still the same now, I'd probably initially be reluctant to start taking the statins until such a time as the blood test really necessitated it. Unfortunately, with PMR, there are other considerations to be mindful of before making that decision.....steroids definitely come with a known, increased risk of developing high cholesterol and diabetes, so you would have to think carefully about whatever decision you make.
Before diagnosis I was already on statins for hypercholesterolemia and my cholesterol levels were excessively high. I had no choice but to continue taking them and I did experience aching legs from time to time. I don't seem to have developed any further side effects or issues since taking pred though and continue to be ok.
Just a quick point about weight gain... it's likely but not inevitable.... a good low carb diet will definitely make both weight gain and steroid-related diabetes far less likely.
Dear Wise and very helpful fellow PMR sufferers,Thank-you so much for all your good advice.
I have been creeping up with my bad cholesterol levels and my surgery have been trying to get me on statins for a long while but I have refused. However, I seem to feel the time is right. No idea about levels, blood test result HbA1c value or FPG value HbA 1c. 45 mol/mol whatever that all means.
I am on Atorvastatin 20mg 1 every night. First day a bit achy but today, 2nd day, feel fine. Done 10,000 steps and puppy training class!
Not been on many carbs for over a year but sugar ( that cake with morning coffee and afternoon tea) has been creeping up and I don’t really have a sweet tooth!
I blame COVID. Also try and limit alcohol to only 4 days a week, spread out and not excessive, but could cut down as life gets back to more “normal”
Looking forward to Pre diabetic course, especially as the lovely Mrs Nails lost weight on it, I live in hope!
Because I have reactions to statins, my cardiologist put me on Praluent. It is an injection that acts like a statin. I take it every other week. The results were quick and unbelievable.
Thanks baxternoni, I don’t have a cardiologist, just my GP who I am very lucky to see in person, most people in UK still having telephone appointments. The pills seem to be suiting me, no ill effects yet so I’ll stick with them. She is reviewing me in 3 months, meantime I still get my monthly blood test for PMR blood count so I can continue to reduce the Pred. Hope you keep feeling well and take care. 🙏😊
You will need to know your Hb1Ac as you start your PreDiabetic Course & they will ask you to have it repeated at about 3months. Mine was 47mmol/mol just one point off Steroid Induced Type2 Diabetes 😳 that’s what galvanised me into action but l got my blood levels back down into the 30’s. They may also ask you for your Cholesterol Levels too, so worth getting the info before you start the course.
Thanks Mrs Nails, I’ve booked my course and have my first interview one to one on Thursday with a healthcare professional. My course starts next week.Quite excited about it, a new start and a chance to reload at my diet and lifestyle. It is easy to develop bad habits, especially during lockdown.
Hi Granny. Statins have a negative effect on your immune system. With prednisone on board you are at risk for shingles. Consider ezetimibe? It is not nearly as effective as the statins but it might do the trick until remission, but with fewer side effects.
"Both of these studies had one major limitation. Patients taking statins were more likely to have serious underlying diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, COPD, neurologic disorders, or kidney disease, compared with patients not taking statins. So the poor response to flu vaccine and the apparent greater risk of flu-like illness in patients on statins could have been the result of their high burden of chronic disease, and not their statin therapy."
Whilst your suggested alternative may be an option in the USA, GrannyJane is in the UK. And the Shingrix vaccine is also not an option there either unless you pay for it privately - at a considerable cost that is out of the question for many.
I have had Shingles 3 times since October and the start of PMR, however I had the Shingles jab when I turned 70, so the Shingles attacks are less painful than they would have been, just very sore.
I think it’s a balancing act of managing all these problems and keeping feeling fit and relatively healthy. I want a long life, my mother died at 69, my sister at 63 so I am trying to keep as healthy as possible despite nasty little things like PMR cropping up to sabotage my best efforts. Not to mention COVID lockdowns which turned me into a cake eating gin drinker which I wasn’t previously and must now lose these delightfully bad habits!!🙏😇
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