PMR and statins

[Hollieby]

My hubby is the PMR sufferer and is five years in. He has had many ups and downs in that time but for the last four weeks he had come off Prednisolone altogether. He was then put on statins, and every week for the last three he has had a flare, not sure if it’s coming off them, even though he has come off by slow tapering, or could it be the statins? Hence he is now back on 2mg daily. Wondered if anyone else has had any problems with statins?

[SnazzyD]

Yes they can cause muscle pain sometimes and he should speak to the doctor especially if started after he was prescribed them. It might be a flare but a doctor needs to decide what’s going on. Have a read of these.

nhs.uk/conditions/statins/s....

healthline.com/health/what-...

[Hollieby in reply to SnazzyD]

thank you

[Marcy47 in reply to SnazzyD]

After reading your attachments I am wondering if statins might be the cause of my left hip problems.I was put on 80mg Atorvastatin in November 2018 after suffering aTakotsubo cardiomyopathy, in 2021 it was lowered to 40mg.I have had weak left hip and thigh muscles since 2022.

The Dr's say it is caused by the Pred. and referred me to Physiotherapist for exercises, I have now developed nerve pain in groin and left thigh, caused by a trapped nerve in my lumbar spine.Could all this have been avoided by not taking Atorvastatin in the first place? I am seeing another Dr at my practice on Tuesday and will have a few questions for her. Do you think I should stop the statins before I see her to see if it has any effect?

[SnazzyD in reply to Marcy47]

Difficult to say, but it does sound rather specific and localised perhaps to be solely down to the statin. The trouble with hip issues is that all you need is one bit to be tight or inflamed and it sets off a snowball of events and before you know it, it is a complicated situation. Even the way we change how we walk with the initial pain can set up problems. So, exercises with a good (!) physio is often a good option. In my experience there are some physios who aren’t critical thinkers and just follow the initial diagnosis and use a standard approach. At this point I’d hope they would be starting to consider other approaches. It is worth pressing them for ideas to see how they tick. However, it also requires exercises to be done diligently outside the session too. It is probably worth going back to the doctor for a second opinion and to discuss stopping the statin to put that idea to bed one way or the other.

[Shandylowe in reply to Marcy47]

My pharmacist is changing my statin to one that bypasses the muscles. I would ask about this.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

One of the most common side effects of statins is muscular aches and pains.

So with your husband only just finishing Pred, it may be difficult to know whether it’s PMR, statins or a combination of both.

Think you probably need to discuss with GP and maybe stop statins for a couple of weeks and see if that makes any difference.

[Koalajane in reply to DorsetLady]

I take statins and wondered if missing them for a few weeks would help my PMR. It made no difference at all. I still give them a break to see as my cholesterol is good

[Hollieby in reply to DorsetLady]

thank you

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I tried 2 different statins - the first nearly had me in a wheelchair, not so much pain as just weakness. The second time I developed a massive PMR flare after about 3 weeks so I refused to take any more. My rheumy just made a note on my file and gave me ezetimibe and I;ve been fine with that.

[Hollieby in reply to PMRpro]

thank you

[Blackcat1M in reply to PMRpro]

On reading the side effects of Atorvastatin once again I find that i have quite a few and hopefully my GP will give me ezetimibe as my rheumatologist requested.

Hope you are keeping well and thank you for all your advice which you have given.🌼

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Blackcat1M]

Hope the GP gets over himself - anybody would think he was paying personally ...

[winfong]

No problems with statins here

[Polygolfer]

I take statins and have no problems. The more basic statin, Atorvastatin, is known to cause muscle weakness, the newer version, Rosuvastatin, less so.

[Hollieby in reply to Polygolfer]

He is on Atorvastatin.

[Polygolfer]

My GP switched me to Rosuvastatin as, according to her, it is more efficacious in reducing plaque build up, cholesterol and inflammation markings. It’s a newer generation of statin as well. Of course it depends what your husbands levels og physical activity is and how much statins he is taking. The switch worked really well for me so worth your husband discussing with his GP. Good luck!

[Pixix]

atorvastatin for years. No problems at all. No side effects. Familial high cholesterol, which doesn’t respond to diet changes.

[Sufferinginsilence]

I recently changed from Atorvastatin to Rosuvastatin because my PMR flared up badly on the former. I have had no issues on the Rosuvastatin so it may be worth your husband asking for them to be changed.

[sampete]

I was changed to Rosuvastatin and was told there was fewer side effects.

[tealtime]

alternative to statins which i did not tolerate. it IS RED YEAST RICE. it is natural and since i have been on it things have gone well... i get it from AMAZON

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to tealtime]

Red yeast rice contains the same substance as lovastatin ...

[tealtime in reply to PMRpro]

i did not say lovastatin. RED YEAST RICE is a natural substance that i take which functions as a statin.

i have taken it for years. it works and no side effects.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to tealtime]

And what I said is that the natural substance in red yeast rice is the same as the substance in lovastatin which is carefully monitored and measured during manufacture. Just like the substance in willow bark is the same as aspirin.