RLS and Statins

[Mundesley]

Has anyone else experienced worse RLS symptoms since taking statins for high cholesterol? Are there any alternatives that don't exacerbate RLS? I've heard that taking Co-enzymeQ can help - any thoughts?

[Krappie]

Yes, I have a cholesterol problem but cannot touch any of the meds available. My RLS immediately worsens if I do. Have tried several of them. Fortunately my HDL/LDL relation is very favourable so I need not worry too much about it. All I can suggest is that you lower (or at least try to) your cholesterol levels with the correct diet. I found that the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water first thing in the morning helps a lot. It has MANY other health advantages too. I have my RLS under control (am awake for at the most 15 minutes per night) by taking four Arginine (L-arginine) (I prefer the Solal product) after breakfast. It takes a month or two of regular use before you will notice the difference. L-Arginine apparently boosts your blood flow to the legs, calming them. Hope this helps.

[Mundesley]

Thanks Krappie, will certainly give all these ideas a try and keep you posted!

[nightdancer]

I have been on statins for 6 yrs now. They have not made my RLS worse, but they CAN do damage to the actual muscles in your legs, causing a LOT of pain that is not RLS related. We had to get my mother off statins because of the leg pain, and she does not have RLS. You could simultaneous worsening of your symptoms, coincidental to changes in RLS and taking statins. It may seem like they make it worse, but it is really 2 separate things. Iyou can have am sure all of us have co-morbid conditions, or conditions that happen at the same time, but are not related. For example, you could have RLS and psoriasis, but that does not mean one caused the other, you just happen to have them at the same time. As far as Dr. Buchfuhrer is concerned on rlshelp.org, statins do not affect RLS at all. But, of course, I must include the disclaimer that we are all different, and what bothers one person may not bother the next. Keep a diary of your symptoms related to when you take your doses. I always find writing things down helps me and helps at the doctor's visit, too. My doctor used to cringe when I cam in with my piles of notes, but now she just says "what do have for me?" lol It does take a few months for the muscle damage to occur from the statins.

Donna/USA

[cumoneileen]

Taking statins has not made any difference to my RLS. Having suffered RLS for 50 years still believe its it's a circulation problem. Just recently in the evening I get my legs propped up (higher than my heart) and it seems to be working. Still taking ropinirole though.

[Hidden]

Yes, statins definitely make RLS worse. And there is growing evidence that statins are dangerous drugs that generally shouldn't be touched by anyone in spite of what doctors think. They may use scare tactics to try to keep their patients on them- "you'll DIE if you don't take this!" You have to educate yourself and not depend on what the medical community puts out there. Start here- chronicdiseaseprevention29....

You can find links to loads of information that presents the case against cholesterol as the cause of heart disease. The whole cholesterol scare is a money-maker for the drug industry, and lawsuits are now abounding. Nightdancer is so very right- these drugs cause irreversible muscle damage. I watched my mother deteriorate with this, along with memory loss caused by this stuff. Your brain HAS to have cholesterol to function. If you diligently "drop your numbers" you are in serious danger of messing up both your muscles AND your memory. Then add lovely side effects like RLS, and you have a royal mess. Your best course of action is exercise and going to a low carb diet. It's carbs that are killing us, not fat, and certainly not cholesterol.

[steverhnmn]

Yes, i am/was on Simvastatin and i had become a zombie. Tried so many different things, was ready to abandon Pramipexole which has worked well for years for me. Got off Simvastatin because a nurse told me how horrible they are for muscle damage and i am sleeping again. Was not sure if it was the statin until i saw this thread, i am now convinced. It was like a switch was flipped. Thank you for sharing.

[trents]

After being put on a statin by my doctor because my HDL/LDL ratio was not what she wanted to see I developed RLS, for which I was given a med to control that more or less worked. Independent of the RLS, I made the decision to go off the statin and my RLS immediately went away.

[txserenity]

Yes I have- it’s after about a week of taking. I use neupro patch which works pretty good for me. Another recently noticed trigger is milk thistle- go figure