Statins and Cholesterol

[Mazxstitch]

I have been told that my blood test shows that my Cholesterol is 6.9.Are statins and prednisolone compatible?

Not enthusiastic about adding any medications into the mix.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Many people take both together, Some people (me included) are intolerant of statins but it is nothing to do with the pred.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Now you’ve written this - you’ll see related posts…. but can be taken together..

Bit of a “marmite ” topic though….if you read post on here. 😊

[Bcol]

No problems with Pred and Statins but you will find very mixed feelings regarding Statins per se on the forum.

[Kendrew]

Hi Mazxstitch,

I have been taking statins for a very long time and the addition of prednisolone 4yrs ago was without any consequences or contraindications.

I'm still taking both medications... (Pred after breakfast and Lipitor at bedtime).... and everything remains fine.

[Koalajane]

I take statins (atorvastatin) and it doesn’t interact with my prednisolone

[scrambledegg]

I too take Atorvastatin with prednisolone with no problems

[Pixix in reply to scrambledegg]

me, too, & have done for many years as my cholesterol test result was 11 (Mum was 12 & my Aunt 10..familial cholesterol issue)!

[Broseley in reply to scrambledegg]

Me too.

[Mazxstitch]

Thanks to all who have replied. I am going to gather as much information as I can and study previous posts already on here. Hope to have a telephone consultation next week with a doctor too. Will let you know how I get on.

[diana1998 in reply to Mazxstitch]

Over the years, my husband's cholestral levels have gone from 6.6 to 4.6 purely through a careful diet. A lot can be done through diet. He'd never take a pill anyway as very stubborn, but he can only eat what I cook! Hence the improvement.

[Kendrew in reply to diana1998]

Hi diana1998,

If you read my bio and some of my posts, you'll see that I too avoid taking any medication without evidence to support the need for it, so over the years I did much research on statins and my own cholesterol issues.

I discovered that everyone has their own normal, natural level of body cholesterol that is very difficult to alter....although not entirely impossible to achieve.

When first diagnosed, I changed my diet and exercised more, and within 3mths my cholesterol reading had reduced from 6.7 to 4.3. However!.....I was incredibly disciplined and after 3mths of such a regime I realised it was completely unsustainable as I was not socialising anywhere that involved eating or drinking for fear of jeopardising or compromising my 'special' diet and exercise ws takin up all of my free time.

Most people would probably not choose to be so disciplined and it can take an awful long time for the necessary changes to emerge when just cutting out or adding food items to address the problem. For the majority of people, a faster and more immediate resolution is usually required.

I'm pleased you've experienced success with your husband but I do feel you're in a fortunate minority.

Most others will find it very difficult and challenging to affect a significant change and maintain it without having to eventually take statins.

Well done though on your own personal experience.

[diana1998 in reply to Kendrew]

He has to stick to a similar diet to me poor chap, but he still drinks beer and eats ginger biscuits! Knot me!) He's never taken meds and thinks the body heals itself. Some hopes. I'm on an anti inflammatory diet to help me drop pred more easily and it's surprisingly easy to do with substitutions which I don't give my husband... he gets the real deal. We do what suits us. Horses for courses and diet is working for me.

[herdysheep]

Before you ring the doc have a think about your lifestyle and see if there are things you can do to lower the cholesterol levels. I negotiated with my GP to give it 3 months to see if I could get levels down with diet change and exercise. When I couldn't, I felt more comfortable about taking the statins.

[Mazxstitch in reply to herdysheep]

Thanks for replying . I don't drink alcohol, I don't smoke, my weight is the lowest it has been for years despite being on Prednisolone for 4 years and I walk as much as I can.

[herdysheep in reply to Mazxstitch]

Sadly, although I can not confess to not drinking, I was in a similar position but it was worth a try. When my cholesterol levels were much lower on a stable basis, I came off the statins for a while but ended up back on them. C'est la vie

[Polygolfer]

My GP had no issues with continuing statins and taking Prednisolone

[Zebedee44]

Hi Mazxstitch, I suspected simvastatin prescribed for familial hypercholesterolaemia to be responsible for the aching and stiffness in my body before PMR was diagnosed. I was popping so many pills for pain that I stopped taking them and did not resume when pred was introduced with pronounced effect.

So for the six years I have been on steroids I haven’t taken any and now recent blood tests have highlighted my cholesterol at 9.7 and the young GP has prescribed them again. The Atorvastatin 40mg made me quite unwell and the Rosuvastatin 5mg is making me feel constipated and bloated. I didn’t take one last night and had a terrible night getting up to pee so maybe there was also some water retention.

My feeling is that my body doesn’t cope well with the introduction of any new drug and I would rather try and manage my cholesterol through my non meat diet and lifestyle.

[Nominem]

I took statins for four months (atorvastatin) whilst taking prednisolone. I was advised to stop as I had some abnormal liver function blood test readings. I will take another blood test in the near future. I would have been content to carry on with statins but for this.I am not quite sure what happens next. I am still reducing prednisone this is just my personal experience.

[Purpleprimate]

Taken off my statins by NHS rheumy as he thinks they are contributing to the inflammation in my legs (showing up in an MRI). Might do a biopsy from a leg muscle. Have been taking statins for a number of years but rheumy says you can have a bad reaction at any time & maybe the PMR had been a catalyst.