Loading...
Statins have been characterized as miracle drugs against heart disease. By lowering cholesterol dramatically, these drugs are supposed to prevent heart attacks and prolong life. Some researchers believe that nearly all Americans between 66 and 75 should be on a statin (JAMA Internal Medicine, Jan. 2015). But what about severe statin side effects?
Many health professionals maintain that drugs like atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor) or simvastatin (Zocor) save lives without causing side effects.
A review of randomized clinical trials concludes:
“Only a small minority of symptoms reported on statins are genuinely due to the statins: almost all would occur just as frequently on placebo” (European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, April, 2014).
Rather than question the ability of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to detect adverse drug reactions, these doctors conclude that statins do not have side effects. What they do not realize is that these clinical trials are really designed to demonstrate effectiveness and achieve FDA approval. They are far less capable of detecting complications of drug therapy.
Doctors often feel aggravated when the media mention statin side effects. Danish researchers have found that negative news stories are associated with patients stopping their statins (European Heart Journal, March 14, 2016). Of course, anyone considering stopping a medication should consult the prescriber first. A full discussion of benefits, risks and the patient’s primary goals makes sense at such a crossroads.
Why Would Anyone Stop a Statin?
Many physicians have a hard time understanding why anyone would stop taking a statin. The medical community perceives statins as among the safest drugs in the pharmacy. Despite this, as many as half of the people prescribed statins stop taking their medicine by the end of the first year (Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Sept-Oct, 2012). In Korea, about 40% of those who start on a statin discontinue it before two years are up (Journal of Lipid and Atherosclerosis, Jan. 2024). Younger and thinner people were more likely to stop the drug, whereas those with diabetes or high blood pressure were more likely to continue with it.
If statins are truly benign, why do so many people discontinue them? Some doctors note that the actual incidence of muscle pain and weakness is far greater than the clinical trials indicate (PLOS One, online, Aug. 22, 2012). We have been hearing for decades that some people experience debilitating muscle problems when they take statins. If they stop, the complications often disappear with time. At least one study demonstrates that the longer people stay on atorvastatin, the worse their muscles do (JCI Insight, Feb. 22, 2024).
Muscle Pain Testimonials:
Here are just a few stories. One reader reported:
“I’ve been on simvastatin for about five years. The cramps and leg and joint pain were awful, but my doctor ignored my complaints. At night it was impossible to sleep because of the cramping.
“I finally had enough and stopped the drug completely. After about a week, the cramps subsided. Not only that, I have less pain and more energy. I feel better emotionally and physically.”
Another had a similar reaction:
“I have been on atorvastatin for high cholesterol for nearly three years. Recently I have had severe pain in my left thigh, mostly at night. This got so bad I consulted a physician and was sent for blood tests and an x-ray of my femur. I was also prescribed pain medication.
“I was then told to stop the atorvastatin immediately. I’ve been off it for three days and experienced so much improvement that I didn’t take the pain medication at bedtime last night. (I did have to get up at 4:15 am to take one.)
“Today I am pain free. I will not return to atorvastatin as I am attributing these problems to its use.”
Other Severe Statin Side Effects:
Besides muscle pain, studies have linked statins to an increased risk of diabetes, cataracts, peripheral neuropathy and cognitive impairment. Patients who want to stop their statins should discuss this with their doctor, and people doing well should keep taking them.
Dry Eye and Dry Mouth:
Some severe statin side effects are not well known. Here is a message about a serious though uncommon reaction.
Q. I am a physician. While on a statin, I developed severe dry eye and dry mouth. I did not recognize the association and my ophthalmologist had never heard of it either. Nor had cardiologists I asked about it. Eventually I developed a corneal ulcer.
On the NIH website, I searched “statin and dry mouth.” This is a known problem. After stopping the statin, my eyes and mouth are now back to normal. My quality of life is vastly improved.
A. A study of nearly 40,000 individuals found that those taking a statin to lower cholesterol were significantly more likely to have dry eyes (American Journal of Ophthalmology, Oct. 2020).
Others may be interested in our Guide to Cholesterol Control and Heart Health, which offers some nondrug approaches to getting cholesterol down and reducing cardiovascular risk.
Share your own statin story below in the comment section. If you have experienced no side effects we would like to hear from you. If you have a different perspective please let us know. And do vote on this article at the top of the page.
Heidi
My husband is considering taking a statin on the advice of his primary care doctor. She basically told him that changing his diet would be hard, while taking a pill is easy. What???
I’m troubled by how readily many people follow their doctors’ orders without question/research and by how much some doctors bully people to get them to do what they want. By the way, cholesterol is necessary for bodily functions. It can indeed be too low.
PAMELA J
Was prescribed a statin. After two months, I was irritable, impatient, short-tempered, and depressed. The only thing different was the statin. Took myself off it and the above feelings disappeared.
Gary
I took statins for a couple years. Because of the side effects my doctor tried several different statins and reduced dosages. Side effects were severe leg muscle pain and weakness–bad enough that I thought I would have to go on disability–and depression. I treated the depression with a variety of drugs, on my doctor’s advice. Eventually my cardiologist recommended I use an injectable instead. I now use Praluent or Repatha depending on insurance coverage. When I stopped statins the muscle pain went away quickly, as did the depression, allowing me to stop the antidepressants. The injectables have no disccernable side effects for me, as well as being more effective at lowering cholesterol.
Mike
I took Rosuvastatin for 2 or 3 days, and the muscles in my buttocks got so sore I stopped taking it but my rear end kept hurting for about 3 months after I stopped taking it.
Susan
My doctor insisted that I try a statin because my cholesterol was slightly high. She gave me simvastatin, and it lowered it quite a bit quickly. (According to her, it can never be too low.) After a few weeks, I started having trouble going upstairs, due to weakness and pain. But the most alarming thing was that I started having extreme GERD, or acid or something going up and down my throat every night when I laid down. It kept me awake and was really awful. Since the simvastatin was the only med I was on, I stopped taking it, and the throat issue resolved in 3 or so days, as did the leg weakness.
My mom had progressive leg pain and weakness also, and she too said,”enough.” That was when she was 65. Unfortunately, she did die… At 94! But not from heart problems or stroke. And she was remained sharp as ever mentally.
Jane
I don’t remember the details of the 3 statins I took. I know one was simvastatin. The last one was generic lipitor. This was years ago. I took a statin for 2 years, with no problems. Thus a clinical trial would have shown no side effects. Then I developed muscle aches and weakness. They went away after I stopped taking the statin. My doctor had me try another. Same thing. Then he put me on generic lipitor. The pharmacist said, “But this is the worst culprit of them all.” I went ahead and took it and figured, well I’ll stop this one too. Which I did.
But the muscle aches and weakness have never gone away, after years. There was some improvement right away. My legs no longer hurt unless I am standing or walking, so my sleep is no longer affected. And my shoulder and arm muscles are fine again. It’s only my legs who no longer want me to walk or stand for more than 5 minutes.
I also developed arthritis in my knees while taking the statins. Is that connected? But it’s much less of a problem than the statin side effects. The arthritis causes much less pain and disability.
Florida K
Thought I had read about all the statin side effects (and experienced most of them), but reading about the dry eyes opened my eyes to one more thing I can thank statins for. I had such bad dry eyes for years that I had punctal plugs inserted a number of times to try to produce more tears. I finally couldn’t stand the side effects and stopped the statins. I’m keeping my cholesterol under control with milk thistle supplements (4 a week), chopped walnuts, ground flaxseed and ground chia seeds, but I’m gonna try the dill pickles, too! Love them. And who decided that your cholesterol HAD to be 200 or less? Everyone is different. Look at body temp—mine is often 97.5 or less.
Nancy
I was placed on rosuvastatin 10 mg and took it for 2 weeks. LDL went from 116 to 70. It was not low enough for the cardiologist. He wanted it less than 55. He increased the dose to 20 mg. After 2-4 weeks I was feeling weak, having less energy and leg weakness that hindered my daily exercise routine. He stopped it and within a week I was feeling much better with symptoms subsiding. We discussed changing to 2 other meds, an oral and injectable that lower cholesterol but are not statins. They were too expensive on Medicare plans. I am now back on rosuvastatin 10 mg to see if I can tolerate this dose. There aren’t a lot of options when cost is an issue!
Marilyn
I had to prove Crestor generic was not only causing severe leg pain but also causing tingling sensations in my arms. Many substitutes were tried with “iffy” results. Since I had to have heart surgery to remove a blockage, my solution is to adjust the meds to keep a balance between lower cholesterol and no pain. My totals stay low with 3 pills a week, backing off completely when pain starts. Thank God my heart doctor listens.
Gay
I was started on statins for cholesterol about 5 years ago. I developed muscle pain that I attributed to my morning walks. I became forgetful and really tired; then I became jaundiced – an odd shade of light dusty orange. My MD quickly admitted me to the hospital where it was determined to be a statin reaction. No more statins for me. Other methods control my cholesterol safely.
Jack
I was put on Rosuvastatin. It dropped the LDL very well. My HDL has always been high because I ride a bicycle about 4k miles per year and do CrossFit type workouts. After a few months I noticed a difference in my ability to do squats and couldn’t do my jump rope. I stopped the statin, and it took about two months for my squats and jump rope to come back. I am now trying a low dose of red yeast rice.
Jerri
This article was extremely helpful to me. My doctor finally convinced me to start taking a statin. My cholesterol was inching up there. It’s familial. One of the first things that happened was dry eyes. I thought it was just due to allergy season again, but it was more severe. When I stopped taking the statin, the severity of the dry eyes noticably decreased. I would never have connected this without your article (and my own experiment with stopping the statin).
John
I was taking Statins for over a year and then started to get muscle cramps all over my body, toes, arches, calves, ribs, and hands. Stopped taking the statins and in 2 days no more muscle cramps.
My Dr. was upset that I stopped taking them and said I have to because of my high cholesterol. I told her I’m not taking them anymore because of what they do to me. I did some research and came across some articles about “Dill” and how it can lower cholesterol and is good for high blood pressure as well. So for the heck of it I started to eat dill pickles every day. Then on my last blood work I looked at the results on my cholesterol and it was good. On my next visit to my Dr. I said how does my cholesterol look and she was happy that it was good. I told her what I did and showed her the scientific studies on Dill and Dill Pickles and a picture of the pickles I was taking. She got excited and said some of her other patients could not take statins either and was going to tell them about.
I eat 2 or 3 Spears a day and my cholesterol is now good.
Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Pickle Spears from Wal-Mart
Jane
I am disappointed, but not surprised, at the number of doctors, particularly cardiologist, who seem to be great devotees of “scienceism” but cover their ears singing la la la when it comes to looking at the actual data, ie statistics, meta analyses, latest research etc. I have read numerous articles in THIS column about how little good statins really provide. On the other hand, I have also read many articles about the MANY side effects linked to statin use. Seems the percentage of chance a person could have one or more of these serious, life altering side effects is a MUCH higher percentage than a fairly remote chance of any benefit. No thanks! Same to most other pharmaceuticals. I’m also saddened by how few people are willing to ” just say NO ” to drugs, prescription included.
Patricia
I had a creeping rise in cholesterol but my HDL was high. My previous doctor saw no reason to put me on a statin. A new doctor prescribed Crestor. I took it at night and seemingly experienced no problems. My first bloodwork showed a rise in glucose. On my own, I started taking the statin every other day, and next bloodwork showed slightly glucose less but still above normal. My doctor diagnosed me as pre diabetic and sent me for nutrition training for pre diabetics, and suggested a family history. But I knew of absolutely no one in my family who had diabetes, not parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts or uncles. So I told my doctor I wanted to completely stop Crestor. My bloodwork now shows glucose in the normal range and a slight increase in cholesterol. My HDL is still above normal. To me, the complications with diabetes is a much greater risk than high cholesterol. I am continuing to work on my diet and exercise.
Ann
Statins can also cause Dementia.
Both my parents took Statins, and both ended up with moderate to severe dementia. And as a Geriatric Nurse it was very common to see
David
I have opted to not take statins because of all the horrors stories family members and friends experienced, mainly memory loss and diabetes. Instead my doctor showed me the research connecting high cholesterol and inflammation. Why take a harmful drug when it doesn’t do anything about the cause of high cholesterol. Through a purification diet and eating foods known to lower HDL like beets and artichoke, I lowered my numbers by 100 points without the adverse effects, except for losing weight and feeling better. High cholesterol is not a statin deficiency disease! By not listening to Big pharma and focusing on causes not symptoms, we can heal ourselves. I’m starting to think that so many of our health problems stem from pharma-induced hysteria than anything else!
Kathy
I had been on 4 different common statins and had to discontinue each due to significant: dizziness, brain fog, loss of ambulation balance, short and long term memory loss, decreased activity tolerance and occasional muscle aches. I tolerate medications well…but not statins.
Rena
B.C.
I started Crestor a couple of weeks ago then experienced breast pain and a terrifying confusion with my speech- garbled speech , could not read a sentence on the t.v. either. I immediately stopped the statin because I had not had this occur until the Crestor.
I was forced to take this medication as my cholesterol was very high. Crestor radically dropped my levels however, now in a real quandary since I must keep
these levels. I am taking a blood thinner prescription to prevent a full blown stroke. I take flax oil, Mediterranean Diet, high fibre cereals, seeds, berries and very little chicken & fish twice per week. What else can I do?
Jan
MS
I have spent the last two months barely able to walk. It finally occurred to me that the problem was the statin I take. I am gradually going to get off this poison! I know my cholesterol will shoot up, and my doctors will swear I’m going to die, but I can no longer live this way. I have fallen twice and can stand only for short periods. I am afraid to leave the house for fear of falling. I appreciate all the comments I have read in this section. You give me hope.
g
I had a TIA in May. I don’t have high cholesterol, never have.
I am on Plavix and 80mg aspirin.
I sopped taking lipitor because I had nagging headaches that would not go away..every day.
Janice
I HAVE BEEN ON LIPITOR 40mg daily for 6months. Until I had side effects ,I did not look them up. I am a medical person , i don’t feel like I am psychosomatic. It started out as muscle pain in my back .oily hair and skin.and breast enlargement and tenderness. The doctors somewhat pooh pooh theses side effects since they feel like I need it. I had a mild MI and will have aortic valve replacement and 1 CABG soon. I have weight gain and feel bloated. Hopefully the doctors will lower the dose soon
Sheila
Houston Texas
I think I will never touch crestor again as long as I live and if I die because I am not taking it….it is better than the pain I am in!!!
Russell L
I think adverse effects are under-reported and too easily dismissed by doctors. Sometimes they accuse patients (maybe “accuse” is too strong, but they believe it anyway) of imagining side effects because of all the publicity. In my case I experienced several adverse effects, many of which resolved after stopping them. It took me a long time to figure out it was the statins because the only side effect I even knew about was muscle pain. All the other effects I thought I was imagining at first but eventually I figured they must be real. Was pooh-poohed by the doctor. Only then did I start reading up on side effects a found that mine were being reported at least anecdotally in a lot of places. So no, I did not expect them and therefore get them; I got them then later found out that I should have expected them. Mostly these were cognitive problems, but also neuropathy and TMJ earaches that came when I used Liptor and Crestor but did go away when I was on Livalo (but not on any statins anymore.)
John
Montreal, CA
61 years old. Started 80mg atorvastatin 2008 (age 52 after angio). In 2009 psoriasis appeared on the face and head, worsened in 2010. In 2011 toes began to feel numb. In 2013 severe psoriasis of the hands appeared rendering me borderline invalid for years. Was advanced to chemotherapy in 2015 (lifetime prescription) to treat psoriasis.
Numbness in the feet worsened (stinging pain, especially at night etc). Feet completely numb by 2014. Weakness in all limbs, muscle pain issues. Problems walking, difficult to stride, seem to weave and stumble.
On my 3rd cardiologist now. All dismissed statin as a cause, insist it is safe. Cause of symptoms remains to this day undiagnosed (after 6 years of them). Both cardiology and dermatology simply refused to discuss cause.
Began ketogenic diet Jan 1, 2017. Psoriasis clearing, in full remission with no cancer drug treatment, is almost completely gone now. Neuropathy in the feet improving but still serious, spreading up the legs. Cut the statin dose in half May 29. Had an immediate reaction – intense fatigue and horrible depression (rare for me). Stopped the statin completely June 4. Felt normal in 2 days. I will never take this drug again. Will use diet to replace it.
While I have read that patients often fail to recognize or report documented symptoms once statin is started … the doctors are much worse.
Archie
Nova
I have been taking Crestor for 11 years. Gradually, over time, I began to get muscle cramps, at first in my large leg muscles, then in the lower leg, my feet, my back and finally my shoulder muscles. I attributed this to the aging process. I am now 77. I have always been active and fit, and have a BMI of 23. I eat a very healthy diet, and am fortunate to seldom be sick.
In the last year the pain became intrusive. I found it difficult to go down stairs, catching my heel on the nose of each step. I had severe rotator cuff pain, which I had attributed to clearing snow after a particularly sever winter. I am a cheerful person, and try to live with what Mother Nature sends me.
But then I went on a holiday for a week, without taking Crestor, and discovered that all this pain and misery started to subside. On returning home, I consulted my doctor with this positive finding, and he agreed to let me stay off the Crestor for 4 months. He took a blood test to set a baseline.
Over the last 4 months, I have become a new man. ALL my pain has gone, my energy has returned, I can run up and down the stairs like a teenager, and life is good. However, I returned to my doctor for a blood test to see what has happened, and my cholesterol level has doubled since the base line test. I was advised to start immediately, and my drug was changed to Lipitor to see if my tolerance for it was better than Crestor.
Well, the sad news is that the general malaise, the over all weakness I had experienced on Crestor, and the muscle cramps have returned. It has been only 5 days. Today I have lost my energy. Last night I had a bad muscle cramp in my left leg that awakened me, (the first since I stopped taking Crestor), and my fear of going down a stair case has returned.
Possibly some of these symptoms are psychosomatic. But not likely. As far as I am concerned, Statins and I don’t get along. But I am a little bit despondent. A wise guy asked me why I would continue to take this drug when it causes me so much pain and limits my otherwise active lifestyle. He opined that it was crazy to live the rest of my days in such pain which restricts my normal lifestyle, only to extend my life at the other end for a couple more painful days?
He has a good point.
Ilona
Earth
Indeed I have taken 1 tablet of avorvastatin only 3x per week for about 2 years. About 3-4 months ago I developed extreme fatigue and of course went through a whole battery of blood tests which all came up negative, for which I am very grateful of course. Then about 4-5 weeks ago I began having extreme neck + lower back pain. I stopped the statin about 3 days ago and my pain is peceptably subsiding. AND: guess what…my fatique is also almost completely gone.
Indeed, doctors seem to have a blind spot when it comes to such side effects. It is almost like they are brainwashed….I wonder why.
Amanda
Speers point
My severe lower back pain was debilitating for 9 days. I connected crestor to this pain and stopped it on day 6 of pain. I had no incident to cause this pain previously. 3 days of no crestor and my pain has decreased to a dull ache. Will I have any long term muscle damage due to this drug – I don’t know yet. I had only been on it for two months. What would happen to users of many years? How many people could connect pain to use of crestor. I believe this a dangerous drug with unforgivable side effects which would impact on societal health. I have told my story and hope I can help others. My gp will be informed of my opinion in two weeks. I work in the medical profession and will make my views known.
maz
uk
Took statins a few years ago and within hours I was confined to my chair in absolute pain all over. I was like this for a week or so, family members thought I was a just trying to get attention. I glanced at the leaflet which was with th he packet in front of me and started to read. I read amongst other things that this medication should not be given to people with muscle or joint problems, I had been diagnosed by specialist Steve Sturnam as having Fibromyalgea. I stopped taking the statins at once, but I have never recovered. Doctor was and is still angry that I refuse to take any more of them, even shouted at me warning me that I would have a stroke. I am now 74 and no longer trust doctors because of it.
Carolyn
I also am experiencing joint pain and serious hair loss. However I have tried several times to half my daily pill of prevastatin and soon find I have shortness of breath. I do wonder if I’m having a panic attack at quitting or if the shortness of breath is genuine. But I hate the side effects.
Lynne
Portland
Well, I was put on Lipitor when it first came out. I complained to the Doc, and he said it was a very good drug. My symptoms were weak arm muscle, leg muscles, numb toes, and I could not get into a standing position if I was on the floor or squatting. I also could not get /pull myself up on a bus. Someone had to push my butt to get me into the bus.
I asked 2 women if they could help me. Well, they finally got me up, but a strong male person intervened. He came and grabbed my arm so hard as he pulled on my arm that I had to go in to hospital immediately when I got home for rotator surgery. I have frequent pain. It is now some 20 years going thru various statins that I finally just quit, at the suggestion from a new cardiologist, due to heart problems.
At 73 years old I now have a lot of problems. My legs are still hurting; I have no strength to lift; I am dizzy quite often and also fall. Plus, I am very forgetful and cannot remember anything without prompting. I used to be athletic and could walk 5-8 miles about 5 days each week. I loved it, and I never felt better. But now — I am almost an invalid and need help to do most household chores. I blame this all on Lipitor. In my opinion it ruined my life!!
Valerie
Santa Fe, NM
The cause of high cholesterol has been determined to be sugar and high-glycemic carbs, not fats. These cause inflammation in the body, which in turn create higher levels of cholesterol. Why aren’t doctors prescribing low glycemic diets and advocating foods that reduce cholesterol?
Nicole
PA
This is a wonderful question! Unfortunately, doctors get paid by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe their drugs to patients…the more patients the doctor prescribes it to, the more money the doctor gets paid.
I learned this in medical law class while I was in college for medical coding and billing. It’s really more about the doctor putting money in his/her pocket than it is about them helping you.
My mother had a doctor prescribe her a new medication that she was told was for her back pain. Before she would take it, my mother did research on it and discovered that it was a new antidepressant that had just been released on the market. When she questioned the doctor as to why she was prescribed this the doctor’s excuse was “I thought you might need it.”
A doctor is never suppose to give a patient medication not related to the diagnosis and complaints of the patient. My mother does not suffer from depression and never asked for medication for it, however the doctor prescribed it so she could get money for doing so. This selfish act is becoming a major cause of health problems in people due to being on medication that provides no benefit and is only doing organ damage.
I’m currently working as a pharmacy technician until I take my CPC certification exam, and the sad thing is we see many doctor’s prescribing people medications that have adverse interactions with each other or prescribe overdosing amounts of medication and we have to get ahold of the doctor to correct it to a safe level. Doctors don’t truly know all the side effects of medications before they prescribe them and people are putting their lives in the doctors hands.
Duayne
CA
Because no one is paying them to.
janet
California
What about the drug Atrovastin used to raise good cholesterol … verses just lowering bad cholesterol? I’m not sure if it does both. I take it to raise my cholesterol and it has been tough…After much research I’m positive that atrovastin raised my glucose levels and was also the cause of my low kidney count. I definitely want to ween from it altogether but my primary care physician believes different. I’m in the process of seeking a second opinion.
Marie - Sweden
Sweden
My guess is that you mean – atorvastatin (=Lipitor).
I am not in the medical field and have never taken statins.
Several relatives did and that`s when I started to inform myself on this issue.
My suggestion is that you read many different books, articles, patient stories and look for videos on u-tube in order to try and make up your own mind about the whole “cholesterol issue”. Here are some suggestions.
David Evans – Statin Toxic Side Effects (2015)
Duane Graveline – The Statin Damage Crisis (www.spacedoc.net)
Malcolm Kendrick – Doctoring Data (www.drmalcolmkendrick.org)
Uffe Ravnskov – Ignore the akward (and other books + http://www.thincs.org)
Barbara H. Roberts – The Truth about Statins
Justin Smith – $29 billion resasons to lie about cholesterol – making profit by turning healthy people into patients.
Alan Cassels – Selling Sickness + Seeking sickness. He also writes interesting articles in http://www.commonground.ca under “drugbust” (a Canadian monthly).
Google the names of the authors and I am sure you will find more information.
Google;
“A sorry little patient tale” by Dr. Kendrick. There are nearly 160 comments as well.
“The Lipitor Paradox”, an interesting, sad and funny cartoon.
“The Wonder Drug That Stole My Memory” (The Telegraph 2009, many comments)
“Stopped our statins” – You will find lots of information including a statin quizz
Visit askapatient.com and enter atorvastatin (or Lipitor) and read many patient stories.
Peoples Pharmacy has also had many interesting statin-articles and comments through the years.
joan
Milwaukee, WI
Has anyone ever had an experience wherein statins were connected with the onset of gout?
clc
Richardson TX
My doctor agrees that my muscle pain and weakness are due to statins. I went off them for two weeks two times but found no pain relief. Would like to know if that is long enough to test the statin reaction. I wonder if the pain/weakness are going to have long-term effects.
Marie - Sweden
I have never taken statins myself – my relatives did.
Because of that I have read many books, articles and patient stories since 2004 and as far as I understand people have different experiences. Some get better rather quick, for others it takes longer time and a few might have permanent damage.
In 2015 EMA/PRAC, a drug safety department within the EU, ordered all statin makers to add text in the package inserts etc. about “constant muscle weakness”.
Steve
Colorado
Get tested for Rhabdomyolysis. That could be why the pain hasn’t gone away.
Chris
Wausau, WI
I was prescribed 10mg Lipitor in 1998, which I tolerated well for 3.5 years, when in July of 2002, I began to have horrible headaches, the likes of which I have never experienced before. In August, the headaches began to be accompanied with episodic confusion and profound lethargy which caused me to remain in bed up to 16 hours/day.
I missed several days of work between Aug and Oct 2002. The episodic confusion was increasing in frequency. One night in particular, my wife woke to find me in the kitchen digging through the trash, when she asked what I was doing, I responded “I’m looking for some milk”… this caused her concern. She took me to the doctor in the morning, to which he told her, I was having migraines, gave me a prescription for Imitrex (Injection), which I could not figure out how to administer it, despite my past 12 years working as a Critical Care and Emergency Room Registered Nurse.
Over the next few weeks the frequency and severity of the headaches, fatigue and confusion worsened. And on one Sunday morning, after my wife woke to find me walking down the middle of the street at 2am, when she approached me, I did not know who she was, what I was doing etc… she was able to convince me to come back home. And in the morning she took me to the ER, as my confusion/lethrargy/headaches were unabated. In the ER, she pleaded with the Dr to do an MRI scan, which she was told was not indicated. (34 years old, profound headaches, accompanied by confusion and fatigue is a pretty good indication for an MRI scan) And I was sent home with a diagnosis of Atypical Migraine.
The following morning, my wife called my primary care doctor and asked him to order an MRI scan, to which he agreed. And was done the next day. When the results of the MRI were called to my doctor, he in turn called my wife and told her that the MRI revealed multiple lesions in my brain, scattered throughout the white and grey matter, and he referred me to a neurologist. When we saw the Neurologist, he told use he thought it was Atypical Multiple Sclerosis. We decided to seek a second opinion, and we called the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and made an appointment with an MS specialist. When we went there and I was evaluated by the specialist, to which we were told “I don’t think it is MS, though I am unsure what is going on” we went home to follow up in 2 weeks for additional testing and further evaluation.
Over the next few days, I took my Lipitor as usual, and I continued to worsen with headaches, confusion, and profound lethargy. My wife called the MS Specialist at UW Clinics, and he recommended I be evaluated as soon as possible. My wife and I dropped our 2 year old son off at my parents and we headed to UW Hospital where we were met by the Neurologist we had seen in clinic prior. Upon a mini mental exam, which I failed miserably, he admitted me to the hospital, Where I spent the next 28 days, akin to a 90 year old with advanced Alzheimer’s disease. I could not walk, nor speak coherently, I was incontinent of bowel and bladder, I did not know my wife, nor my parents, brother or sister.
I had a brain biopsy which showed the lesions to be Apoptosis, (Programmed Cell Death), and an Electron Mictroscopy which revealed Mitochondrial DNA abnormalities consistent with Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy and Lactic Acidosis with Stroke Like Episodes (MELAS). A muscle biopsy corroborated these findings. Serial Lactic Acid levels were grossly elevated, consistent with MELAS. I was to be transferred to a nursing home to live out my days, when I was evaluated by a visiting professor from Harvard, he suggested starting me on a mitochondrial Cocktail (essentially 13 vitamins, amino acids and one KEY NUTRIENT, CoQ10).
It was within 36 hours of starting this cocktail, that I could now answer simple questions, I began to walk with assistance, I could feed myself with assistance, I could now recognize my wife and my son and my parents and siblings. I was able to discharge home with aggressive rehab therapies. Within a few weeks of being home, my wife and I watched Good Morning America one day, and Diane Sawyer was interviewing Dr Beatrice Golomb MD PhD, of the University of California San Diego. They were discussing a Statin Effects Study, Dr Golomb was to be doing.
My wife urged me to enroll in the study, to which I replies, “Honey, my job as an RN was to know full well what the drugs I gave to my patients could do as well as any adverse effects.” But she was persistent, and I enrolled in the study, and had all of my medical records sent to Dr Golomb.
When the study had finished, I received a call from Dr Golomb who informed me that I was one of several patients in her study with similar courses of illness and similar Brain and Muscle Biopsy findings, she told be she referred our cases to Dr Doug Wallace at UC Irvine, who she referred to as one of the top Mitochondrial Disease Experts in the US, and it was his opinion that my use of Lipitor was the Causal Contributor to the Mitochondrial DNA mutations, as well as the holes (Apoptosis) in my brain.
Since discharge on 11/7/2002, I have Peripheral Neuropathy, I still struggle with profound fatigue, muscle pain in my legs, severe cognitive deficits as evidenced by an in depth Neuro-psychiatric Evaluation. It has been 13 and 1/2 years since my disability began. I have poured thousands of hours into researching the effects these dangerous drugs can and do have, more often than admitted by the doctors who dole these drugs out with callous disregard to the profound risks these drugs can have
Wendy
I only take statins about 3-4 times a week. I noticed cramps in my hands and legs, but lowering the times that I take the meds has helped. I take the generic of Lipitor. I have noticed also that my AIC seems higher in spite of not really changing the way that I eat over the years.
J. David Auner
Springfield, MO, USA
Statins are the strongest prescription tool the combat vascular disease. For high risk people or people with proven vascular disease, statins are one of the important 6 to 10 tools which should be tried in patients.
From Mevacor/lovastatin in the 80’s to Crestor, many of my patients tried these medications. 50% of patients had side effects which required discontinuation of a statin and the majority of that 50% could not take any statin.
Doctors in general are not paying enough attention to side effects and drug interactions. Big Pharma does testing but not in real life situations where other medications are in use or being introduced periodically. (antibiotics)
Joe
Portland Oregon
My cholesterol was terrible, in the upper 300’s. It runs in the family. I started taking a statin and it worked. After a while though I started experiencing lower leg pain. My legs would just ache all over. In addition, I would wake up in the morning and my back would be so sore, like I slept on a bad mattress, which is what I thought. The pain was really bad and I could not figure out why I felt this way. I ended up taking Oxycontin and kept my legs elevated and it still hurt. I started doing some research on the internet and discovered my symptoms were in line with what some people were reporting. I stopped taking the drug and the problems resolved.
I know this is a common story but I wanted to post for those who are experiencing the back and other joint pain. I had to lay in bed, every morning for about 10 minutes, flexing my joints (starting with my fingers and working to my back) to limber up. I called my sister- who has a Master’s degree in nursing- and she also affirmed what I was experiencing. She said she would wake up and feel like her back “was 80 years old!”. She had to go off of it too.
I wonder if those who have extremely high cholesterol numbers due to genetics are at higher risk for adverse statin reactions. It would make a great study.
For those of you who are experiencing joint and back pain (especially when you wake up in the morning) due to statins, your not alone.
Cathy
Western New York
The above article was in the Buffalo News today. Wed. 1/20/16. I have been taking a statin for a while. When I first got it filled the Pharmacist gave me a bit of advice that none of my Doctors mentioned. CoQ10 100mgs taken at same time as statin. I had one period where my mail order was late about 4 days and I was hurting badly & was never so happy to take a medicine. I hope you can get this out to the medical community. Thank you
Joan
Texas
I tried all the statins which brought my cholesterol down, but gave me hip joint pain. My sister, who is a nurse also had the same effect from statins. My doctor told me to take Zetia (5 mg) cut in half for 7 weeks & my cholesterol went from 256 to 203. So far I haven’t had any side effects. I also changed my diet and am trying to exercise more. I am now trying a full 10 mg of Zetia a day to see if there are no adverse side effects.
Carol
WV
I was a strong hiker about 40 years ago–the West, Austrian Alps–while taking statins. About 15 years ago on a hike in upstate NY I could not climb the mountain and had to turn back. I was afraid that would happen the next time so that ended my hiking career and I stopped the pill. I could feel the strength in my upper legs leaving me iprior to that incident but I didn’t pay attention. I can only jog 1 mile at a time now, on level ground.
Nancy
Ohio
I have been taking statins for years. My cholesterol came down, but never got as low as it should be. I recently changed my diet, wethile still taking Pravastatin, and my bad cholesterol was cut in half. While my other cholesterol numbers came down a bit, it is not enough. My sugar numbers came down to normal as well. The changes were primarily lowering glycemic index intake and increasing fiber intake. I will not be working on lowering my total fat intake to see if that will bring the good cholesterol down. I may be able to reduce or stop taking the statins. Don’t know yet. I don’t believe I’ve had any negative side effects from taking Pravastatin. It’s a cheap generic, available on the “$4 List” at most major pharmacies.
Marie
Buffalo, NY
I found your article very interesting. I took Lipitor for a couple of months a short time ago for high cholesterol. While it did lower my cholesterol about 100 points, the side effects were not worth it for me and I stopped taking on my own. I had muscle weakness in my legs and was very tired all the time. I would wake up feeling like I ran 10 miles the day before. I use the treadmill and I was so weak I was unable to exercise. Age under 55 with no other medical problems. Within a week after stopping, I was back to normal. I was worried as they say effects can be long lasting. The Dr. would not agree the side effects were because of Lipitor, said chances of these types of side effects was very slim. Seeing all the other comments, it appears these side effects are more common than reported. I dread the day I have to go on a statin again.
rick
The only miracle about statin drugs is that they where approved for sale by the FDA. Those of you that are suffering from neurophatic pain or neuropathy from taking statins pharmacy has the answer
JuneBug
Houston, TX
My doctor prescribed Lipitor and by the second week I was practically bedridden with joint pain. Next he wanted me to go on Crestor and by the second bottle the weakness and cramps and pain were inhibiting me from doing any exercise at ALL. By my next visit I had lost 5 lbs and was exercising and basically felt great as my cholesterol had come down about 10 points. But he wanted it lower so he put me on Zocor. After the first bottle I was really struggling to keep going and numbness was setting in. The day that I was holding my grandbaby and felt my legs numbing and I took a step and fell that was IT!!! I held her tightly to my chest so she was fine.
Then the doctor wanted me to take Lovaza 4 x’s a day so I thought I was finally getting something natural. The indigestion was excruciating and my stomach became so swollen I looked 9 months pregnant, he wouldn’t believe it was the Lovaza, but scheduled an ultrasound on my abdomen. I have gall stones and might need surgery, but since stopping the Lovaza I lost 8 lbs in 2 weeks. I also think that I had hemorrhagic diathesis from the fish oil because the week after taking it I bumped my left calf on a chair at a restaurant and a vein broke so badly that my doctor had my leg ultrasounded for a blood clot. It wasn’t a clot, it was bleeding deep down. I go to see the surgeon tomorrow, and I must tell him all of this and show him my leg, too. I am sick of doctor’s and their prescriptions, but I must get this gallbladder taken care of first.
Twid
Oklahoma
When my physician put me on Zocor, my joints in my fingers started popping
out of place. It would cause pain when it popped out and again when I physically
popped it back into place. When I complained to my doctor about it, he said it
wasn’t from the Zocor because it only caused muscle problems. But he took me
off of it and within a week the problem went away so go figure!
Stella
Canada
I’ve been on atorvastatin for 21 months due to a stent placement, also irbesartan for HBP, my hips and thighs began to ache and just kept getting worse. My doctor took a test for reaction to that statin and found none but my condition was getting worse. Began CoEnzyne 10 as well. Thought I would need a wheelchair. I loved hiking and this year couldn’t even go XCountry skiing. Can only shop for 1 -2 hrs slowly and with rest. Stopped statins 2 weeks ago and so far there may be a little improvement but how long does it take to get better?
Cheryl
Just a few titles of articles in peer-reviewed journals related to the risk of developing or exacerbating myasthenia gravis with intake of statin drugs:
*Statin-associated exacerbation of myasthenia gravis
*Statin-associated myasthenia gravis: report of 4 cases and review of the literature
*Statins may aggravate myasthenia gravis
*Reversible ocular myasthenia gravis or mitochondrial myopathy from statins?
*Statins, fibrates, and ocular myasthenia
*Progressive myopathy with up-regulation of MHC-I associated with statin therapy
*Statins can induce myasthenia gravis
*More evidence for the association between statins and myasthenia gravis
*Medications and myasthenia gravis (In 5 of the 6 patients the
symptoms resolved following discontinuation of statin therapy)
The incidence may be rare, but myasthenia gravis is a progressive and often fatal auto-immune disease. My brother developed MG after a year of statin therapy. I stopped statins when I developed ocular myasthenia symptoms (ptosis of the eyelids).
Diane
The Dalles, Oregon
What about the possibilty of reduced, even diminished, libido? Have found a couple of comments associated with this possible side effect. If, indeed, there is an association, can it be generalized or is it specific to an individual? Or am I imagining things?
Deloris
Milwaukee
While I was on simvastatin, I was never able to have an orgasm. It’s not your imagination, Diane.
Chris
Wausau, WI
Diane, you are correct, Sex Hormones Testosterone and Estrogen are produced in our body in the same Mevalonate Pathway that Cholesterol is produced, Statins inhibit the Acetyl CoA Reductase Enzyme (an early step in this pathway) and by blocking this enzyme, you are arresting every other step including Vitamin D, Dolichols, Squalene, Estrogen, Testosterone, Steroid Hormones, CoQ10 and dozens of other essential to life molecules.
Mary
Go to spacedoc.com for more info on the dangers of statin drugs.
Dr. Graveline has had his own nightmare problems with Lipitor.
lorraine
Median, Oh
I stopped taking simvastatin in Nov of 2015. The pain in my hips (muscles) and thighs were excruciating. My doc acted like I personally attacked him. Told me I needed to get back with the program. I refused. I get calls once a week to come back in to be put on another statin. My pains is much less without the statins and I do feel better. I am switching docs and also went to a naturopathic doc. She helped more in one visit than th “real” doc did in a year.
Maryann
Michigan
Statins negatively impacted my life – and I still have not recovered. I feel my life has been destroyed by statins. Muscular – and neurological damage. The doctors I have been treated by – do not recognize the dangers of statins.
Chris
Wausau, WI
Maryann, I am sorry to hear of your statin problems and equally so, the complete and utter disregard to acknowledge your problems may have anything to do with the golden child, Statins. Dr Beatrice Golomb of the UCSD Statin Effects Study, Reported this Under Recognition of Statin Adverse Effects in her publication titled “Statin Adverse Effects: A Review of the Literature and Evidence for a Mitochondrial Mechanism” and she states “As others have observed, “finding potential drug-safety problems requires skillful observation by clinicians who are attuned to the possibility of drug-related adverse events.”890 and (according to FDA officials) “physicians need to think ‘adverse drug reactions’ when encountering unexpected symptoms in their patients.”891
Even for the most commonly reported AEs involving statins, patients state that physicians often dismiss the possibility that their AE may be statin related.432 Failure to recognize drug AEs can prevent needed reassessment of the risk-benefit profile for statin treatment – and where appropriate, modification of the treatment regimen, in the face of possible or probable statin AEs. This may reduce quality of patient care, reduce medication compliance relative to a modified regimen, and place patient safety in peril both for morbidity and mortality from not only the AEs, but also perhaps from the conditions the medication is designed to treat.
The converse is also true: awareness of statin AEs is vitally important as it may improve recognition of these effects when they arise, enable more informed treatment decisions by patient and provider, improve the quality of patient care – and reduce patient suffering and morbidity.
It has been observed that “as more information is learned through the results of clinical trials, LDL-C goals become more stringent and difficult to attain. Large doses of high-potency statins, sometimes given in combination with other lipid-lowering agents, are frequently necessary to achieve these goals. As a result, the frequency of AEs from statin therapy may be expected to increase, and less common AEs may occur more often.”734 This increases the importance of recognition of statin AEs.
As reviewed here, AEs on statins may signal a mitochondrial vulnerability, which may alter or perhaps even reverse an otherwise favorable impact of statins on cell energetics. And AEs may signal occurrence of a net prooxidant rather than antioxidant effect of statins53 with possible unfavorable implications for a range of statins’ proposed pleiotropic effects.892” What I find terribly disturbing, is how so many people with adverse effects, hear “Statins Don’t Do That” from their prescribing doctors. When, in fact, it is proven, that indeed, statins can and do, do that.
Kristin
Arizona
I was on statins for 2 1/2 years, had HORRIBLE side effects: muscle cramping day and night, memory loss, bad balance, dizziness. They did lower my cholesterol, but it wasn’t worth it. I stopped the statins, and changed my diet: stopped eating as much sugar and carbs as possible, and INCREASED my olive oil and coconut oils three-fold, plus take a lot of Omega 3s twice a day.. My bad cholesterol dropped a bit, my good cholesterol went way up, and my triglycerides dropped to 1/4 of what they’d been. Better yet, I have my memory and balance back, have no muscle cramps, and am never dizzy. I will never take a statin again.
Jean
Bradenton, Florida
My use of statin drugs, which was only for a month, led to liver failure, the emergency room, and poor health for 2 months. During that time (something I seldom see mentioned, but has been documented), I also had a loss of memory for about 5 hours which was really scary! I was told I might have a second, though shorter period of memory loss, but never did.
No more statins for me! At 86 I’ll just take my chances with existing high cholesterol numbers. And for those who doubt the memory loss problem, read STATINS: THIEF OF MEMORY, a true account by one of our astronauts [Dr. Duane Graveline] who suffered two very frightening episodes.
Susan
North Carolina
Why in the world would a doctor put an 86 year old woman on a statin?
rick
Yes what a joke prescribe a statin to help an 86 year old woman live a long life she apparently had been doing very well with out the statins
Norma
Indiana
I was on Simvastatin for several years and experiencing severe pain in my legs. I had been a daily walker, but I couldn’t walk very far anymore. The pain was so bad and the cramps at night! The Dr. put me on prevastatin and it started up again. I went off on all of the statins, but my legs seem to have permanent damage. The statins also caused me to have some memory problems and other issues. I will now try to control my chol. by watching my diet better.
Val A.
San Antonio TX
Re. Pain with statins
Over the last 15 years or so I’ve tried every station on the market. All, except one, caused debilitating thigh and hip pain. Walking was uncomfortable and riding my bike was impossible. I just had no pumping strength in my legs. All my lab reports were normal.
I finally told my doctor I won’t take any more statins unless he can find one that causes no pain. (My elevated cholesterol was generic).
He found one: Livalo. I’ve taken 4mg of this for over ten years with absolutely no painful side effects. I also take CoQ10 as a precautionary measure but had no pain without it.
Arlene.
New york
I have been taking statins since2001 ,due to the fact of open heart surgery, taking high dose. 80 mg. I am some what bald because of it associated with muscle cramps& & trouble walking. I was on Lipitor & a genetic statin. My cardio gist never put me on q10, I asked said I did not need. It. I am not taking anything now. My hair is not growing back. My blood pressure pill also causes hair loss. I really don’t know what todo. I am 78years young. li
Martha
Bartow, Florida
I have been on different statin drugs for a long time. They do bring down my high cholesterol but they make me very fatigued and my legs especially felt the worst. The last visit to my doctor I was prescribed Zetia and pravastatin. My levels came way down but I got so fatigued I couldn’t tolerate it. So I quit a while and tried going back on just the pravastatin. After feeling better off the drugs I became tired again, so I am off them again and starting to get my energy back with much effort.
Claudia
My husband was prescribed atorvastin following the insertion of a stint. Over the next 18 months, he became an old man. He lost muscle strength, coordination, and what I would call “engagement.” When his glucose levels started increasing, I said this is enough! He stopped the statin and within two weeks was back to his old self! It was wonderful. He walks three miles a day and is working in his shop again. What a joy! We have changed his diet to reduce blood sugar spikes. When you have to take a second or third prescription to counteract the side effects of the first, it is definitely time to consider life quality, not just life extension.
sandra
florida
I have been on one stating or another for at least 20 yrs. Had horrible foot and ankle cramps on the last one Crestor. Dr put me on Livalo and have had relief. Only problem is I just found out stating have caused my neuropathy. I do not have diabetes. Would love to stop stating altogether.
Edwinna
San Antonio, Tx
My doctor prescribed 20mg of pravastatin a few years ago. I did okay on it until a year ago. The pain in my legs got so bad I couldn’t sit still or sleep. The dosage was lowered to 10mg, but that didn’t help the pain. My doctor said he has several patients who had been on pravastatin for several years who suddenly had pain. He wonders if it can be attributed to some of the bad generic drugs from India.
As a result, he recently switched me to Crestor. The side effects after just two doses of 5mg made me feel awful. I had a horrible headache that nothing would alleviate. My eyes and mouth were so dry I was miserable (I have Sjogren’s Syndrome). I had trouble breathing because nasal passages were so congested though I had no allergies, no cold and no mucous. My steroid nose spray did not affect the condition.
I felt so disoriented it was hard to think and driving was scary. It took three days for side effects to go away. Had I continued the Crestor, I would have ended up unable to function!
Barry
Wisconsin
I’m a semi-retired physician (M.D.). Several years ago my cholesterol and LDL levels were found to be too high, and my personal physician prescribed Lipitor, which did a fine job in lowering those indices. But, after a while, I developed myalgias (muscle pain) and temporarily discontinued the Lipitor. Result: the myalgias resolved, but my cholesterol and LDL levels rose to pre-treatment values (which I felt was not good).
I’m now on a lower dose of (generic) lovastatin, which is working very well for me. People need to realize that medicine is part science and part art, nothing can be guaranteed (because our knowledge is incomplete), and that there are no perfect medications or medical procedures. The practice of medicine is a balancing act, balancing the so-called “risk-benefit ratio”. If the potential benefit is large, and the potential risk is small, then – and only then – it makes sense to proceed. But not otherwise. And we must remember that life itself is not risk-free.
Barb
Illinois
I have been on Zocor for years and been struggling with
Nurothophy and stabbing pains in my feet and toes and numbness.
Finally convinced my Doctor to try another type of statin to see if my symptoms would improve. I started Crestor 10 mg. and after a month the cramping and numbness continued but I also became extremely nauseous.
I stopped the Crestor and was put on Pravstatin which after only a couple of days the nausea became worst. I stopped all statins for 5 weeks and see what my my next blood test results will be. I’m very concerned about keeping my cholesterol under control if I can’t tolerate statins.
Kathleen
San Antonio
I too have had muscle problems with statins (Lipitor, Crestor). I took Pravastatin for 5 to 6 years and was ok. The doc then changed it to Crestor and was unable to walk period. I discontinued and PCP put me back on Pravastatin at a lower dosage and the same muscle weakness. Now she has prescribed Fenofibrate but I get leg pains and diarrhea – not sure what is worse! I have stopped it for now – I want to think clearly and be able to walk at least to the restroom!
Barbara
Florida
I have been taking a low dose of simvastatin (10 mg.) for more than 15 years. Though I have muscle pain due to fibromyalgia (diagnosed more than 20 years ago), I saw no increase of muscle involvement upon taking the statin so I plan to take it for the rest of my life. My fear of a heart attack outweighs that of any other health event.
deloris
Milwaukee, WI
I’ve been disabled from taking 10 mg simvastatin for a year and a half. The basic side effects, muscle pain and cramping, haven’t stopped after over 4 years. Among the other AE’s I have or had are extreme fatigue, joint pain, shortness of breath, balance problems, peripheral neuropathy, denervation atrophy, a cataract, and calcification of the coronary arteries. I feel that the drug also triggered my rheumatoid arthritis. Right now, I have shingles and it’s located right along a nerve/muscle in my leg that often cramps at night. I wish I never took that drug and always inform my doctors that I won’t take another statin, no matter where my cholesterol levels go.
Kat
Florida
I was on simvastatin 20 mg for high cholesterol for a number of years with no discernible problems. My cardiologist switched me to atorvastatin last year for some reason, and after about two months I began having muscle soreness for no reason. I started taking the atorvastatin 4 times a week instead of daily, and the soreness went away. I also take 200 mg COQ10 and 250 mg magnesium daily, and have no leg or foot cramps at night (which I’d had problems with for many years, even before I began taking statins). My total cholesterol is up slightly to 218 (I’m 67 years old), but I feel good otherwise and sleep well at night. I had a TIA when I was 51, but was on estrogen replacement therapy at the time. My OB/Gyn stopped the ERT immediately and I’ve never had a problem since. I also take one low-dose aspirin daily.
Margie
Wimberley, Tx
When I was on Lipitor, my legs and arms became weak and I constantly felt pain. I could not remember names and numbers, or have thoughts long enough to type them into the computer, and also I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic. My doctor insisted these symptoms had nothing to do with Lipitor. When I quit taking the medication, I felt better. I no longer go to a doctor or take any prescriptions. My health is much better now.
Jimbo
Bradenton, FL
Although I Have no problems with my heart function, my internist put me on simvastatin-poison just because my cholesterol and triglycerides were slightly off. He had me on 30mg. a day for several years. Now, I have type 2 diabetes, neuropathy and vascular parkinsonism. I am convinced that I got these irreversible conditions from simvastatin. To many, statins are poison and the risks far outweigh the benefits, especially for asymptomatic people like me. If someone can get ALS (and many other chronic maladies) from these poisons they should be taken off the market NOW.
Brett
Greenfield, WI
Took lovastatin for 1 month. Blurred vision, shakey, tired, memory loss, anxiety, indecisiveness all occurred. I stopped for 1 month and am back to normal. Am starting Pravastatin to see if I can tolerate it.
J. David Auner
Springfield, MO, USA
Brett, Be glad you are off Lovastatin. The drug affects REM sleep negatively which is why memory is harmed. The sleep studies were never done by Merck which cynically kept this cash cow on the market despite knowing the problem which happens in 100% of users. I guess doctors just forgot why most people were switched off lovastatin/Mevacor in the late 80’s.
Joan
St Petersburg Fl
My husband was on statins..lipitor for a few days. He started having leg cramps and could hardly walk. After 3 days he had chest pain and could not move. He had had a small heart attack. Of course he went off any statins beliving that the heart is a muscle and if he had leg pain he could have had the heart attack from the statin. Our Dr of course stopped the statin. This happened 15 years ago. My husband’s cholesterol was over 300 for the rest of his life. He passed away last year from a brain bleed believed to be caused by warfarin. Even though his warfarin levels were carefully monitored and he had been on it for about a year.
My thoughts are ….why? Why do Drs insist on giving statins when there are so many problems with them and the amount of good they do is very small. They are supposed to protect you against a heart attack but instead cause one. I believe when your Dr gives you any medication, look up the side effects and weigh those against the good those meds will do.
geoff
sussex UK
I have an unfortunate cardiac history (4xMI, 4xbypass, stroke, AF, Regurgitation) and have taken statins for some years. My first statin (Lipitor) related problem was an attack of transient global amnesia whilst flying a glider, all ended OK. Then, later on Rosuvastatin, I experienced multiple symptoms, muscles aches, cramps, dizziness, breathlessness, syncope, facial problems (peripheral neuropathy ?) and blurred vision.
The Heart Failure Clinic nurse suggested stopping statins and, within 4 days, all of the symptoms were significantly less. Now, 12 weeks later, they have gone. It may be that a large proportion of folks taking statins are particularly sensitive and display these side affects. Quality of life is more important than quantity so |I’ll stay off of them.
Angie
St. Louis, MO
I was on simvastatin for about a year. In that time I had terrible gas and bloating. The bloating was so bad at times my stomach would hurt because my skin was stretching. The gas would keep me awake at night and the belching was so forceful and loud. I had seen a couple of doctors and had no relief.
I don’t watch Dr. Oz regularly, but happened to have it on and he was saying that statins cause the very symptoms I was having. After talking to my doctor, I quit simvastatin. The relief came in a couple days. It went away completely.
I suffered for a year because doctors don’t know what the side effects are for the medicines they prescribe. This is not the first time I have had this problem. I am tired of taking medicine, having side effects and the doctors don’t have a clue as to what is causing my problems. With the help of The People’s Pharmacy and my own determination, I am becoming a very informed patient. I might be making the doctors mad by questioning everything, but it is MY health and MY life.
Karen
North Carolina
After several years on 20 mg of Lipitor I suddenly lost my sense of taste. Found an obscure reference to this from a patient online and then saw the medical term for same in packet insert. Went off Lipitor and sense of taste came back 6 weeks later. In retrospect minor mental fog lifted as well. No other prescription drugs taken.
Hacatur
I had been on Lipitor for many years but I developed muscle pain and weakness, when I stopped the med, I felt Ok, so now I take I tab per week with one CoQ 10 capsule, my cholesterol is within normal limits and have no side effects.
pj
I just started taking a statin, 5mg. a day. What dosage have others been taking that caused these side effects?
Ladybug
Virginia
I have high cholesterol. My doctor prescribed 20 mg of Atorvastin daily. I noticed that I was having trouble with balance and memory soon after I started taking it. My memory problems were characterized by general spaciness & forgetfulness. I stayed on it for 3 months, hoping these symptoms would go away. They didn’t. So I stopped taking them, the symptoms disappeared within 2 weeks.
Then I tried them again, only at half the dose, same issues appeared. So currently am not taking anything for high cholesterol.
I also take Lexapro for anxiety & mild depression. I have been taking this for about 8 years. I wonder if the combination could be causing these side effects? Stopping Lexapro is not an option for me right now, so can’t test that out at this time.
Wayne
Tampa
My wife and I both suffer from a genetic issue that results in elevated LPa. Both are very active and we had severe muscle problems within 2 weeks with Lipitor and Crestor. I went on a vitamin regimen and it took over a year to recover. We are both now on the injectable antibody Praluent. No side effects and superb results so far.
Rob Smith
Atlanta
My Dad took statins and had severe muscle weakness. He finally brought it up to his doctor who switched him to a different statin & the problem seemed to be resolved. So, that’s one possible solution. I think these drugs are vastly over prescribed. My Dad was given statins just because his cholesterol was at 220 at 75 years old. That, to me, is just paint by numbers medicine, not real analysis and treatment.
Gerri Ford
I have started… and stopped… taking statins so many times. In spite of my complaints about leg cramps in the right leg my cardiologist said to stay on it and she increased the dosage. When I stopped taking statins the leg cramps stopped. One day I saw a (plant steroid) cholesterol lowering vitamin at Walmart. When I started taking this vitamin the leg cramps resumed. Diet and exercise is the best way is my belief. I read that statins destroys muscle tissues.
rick
Doctors are paid well to prescribe statins and that is in repeat business alone!
Harper
I remember reading somewhere that our brains are about 90% cholesterol. Could taking statins have any long-term effect on cognitive function? Have any studies be done to determine if there is a correlation between taking statins and various forms of dementia? I quit taking a statin after three months because it made me weak and lethargic. I felt fine after being off of it for about two weeks.
Carl
Tx
I first started taking the Lipitor generic and after just a few weeks I thought I was developing an ulcer because it felt like I had hole burning thru my stomach. I stopped taking it and it went away after a couple of weeks.
Then I started the Zocor generic and took it for several years…. I began developing dementia type symptoms and as my work as a busy Real Estate broker required keeping numerous balls in the air at all times, I had to retire (at 60) because I could not continue to adequately function mentally. After retiring I stopped the Zocor for and my memory came back!
After being off of it for nearly a year, I went for my annual ck up and my dr was not pleased! I went back on the lowest dose of Lipitor (10mg) and take 1/2 a pill. No stomach problems. I also told my dr. That MY cholesterol # was that anything around 200 is acceptable as the Dr. Continued to raise the acceptable threshold. agreed. My goal is not longevity for longevity’s sake alone.
I also later read the article in PP about the dementia research a Dr was doing that included a vitamin regimen and elimination of flour and sugar from the diet and exercise. I went to a nutritionist Dr. And got on the vitamin regimen and have been sugar and flour free for nearly a year and I feel better than I have felt in a very long time. (I am naturally thin so there was no weight reduction).
Rick
Dallas
I was prescribed Crestor in 2008 a low dosage of 10mg per day. Within a few days I could not fall asleep for 2-3 hours each night but did not associate this with the drug. I also noticed a personality change where I became short tempered and irritated all the time. This happened within a week of taking Crestor, I knew it had to be the drug since it was the only prescription I was taking. I stopped taking the drug immediately without my doctors knowledge, I’m 60 currently on no meds and would not take that type of drug again. I feel your body is a good way to become wary of prescriptions. They may perform nicely for some people but watch out for the mentally changing aspects these medications and how they may affect you.
Catherine
Black Hills of South Dakota
I am a lawyer. I write briefs. On statins it was a struggle to organize thoughts, sentences, and paragraphs; match evidence with legal standards; and avoid formatting errors. My thinking was not fluid. I never could get in the zone. My bridge-playing was mediocre-minus. I was switched from Simvastatin to Crestor and got worse. This went on for years. None of my physicians offered a clue about a statin side-effect that impacted my professional competence. Why? I’ve mostly recovered, six months after quitting all statins. My confidence in physicians remains eroded.
alxzba
NC
would like to receive comments by readers
thanks.
DeeDee R.
Calverton, NY
I suffer severe muscle problems from statins. I have great difficulty going up and down stairs; standing up when sitting, and more. I used to take the statin every day and I could hardly walk. Stopped taking statins for several months and all muscle problems disappeared. My cardiologist insists, “some statin, is better than no statin”. Now he has me taking Zetia and I take the statin every third day. As I stated in the beginning, the muscle problems are bad, but I can walk.
George
Lakeland, Fl
Have been on Statins for years, most recently Crestor. Generally feel “tired” all the time. Also, legs do not seem to want to “work” and feel very heavy. Enjoy playing golf but could barely walk from my golf cart to the green and back. Went off Crestor for a month and felt somewhat improved. Talked with Dr and FINALLY he agreed that my body was intolerant to Crestor. Prescribed Livalo and have been using for 6 weeks and am improved, but not to the point I would try to walk any real distance. Have been prescribed Praluent, have NOT tried, too expensive(over $1000 for 30 days supply). On stopping Crestor, cholesterol went from 140+/- to 236. With Statins controlled very well. Do know that quality of life with Statins is intolerable. I am 75 years of age.
Gracie
I have had several hear attacks and have been prescribed different statins for many years. Every one I have taken (Crestor, Lipitor, simivastatin, etc) has eventually caused leg and foot cramping. This occurs at night making it impossible to sleep and the next day my legs feel like bags of cement. I had no energy and was extremely moody. After stopping statins all symptoms disappeared. I have now refused to take any statins,fully aware that I am at high risk of a future MI. My quality of life is so much more important to me! I am using a plant based diet to lower my cholesterol numbers.
Sue S.
England
I have been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy two years ago. I stopped taking simvastin 8 years ago when walking become very difficult (I could only shuffle along very slowly). I had been on simvastin for about l8 months. My neurologist says my poor mobility (I use a stick or mobility scooter to get about outside the home) cannot be due to statins as it can affect muscles not nerves in my legs. I am 69 years of age . Because they cannot find any reason for the neuropathy (many blood tests and spine MRI) no treatment is forthcoming.
Donna
Westminster CO
I took symvastatin for about 18 months. I had some trouble with muscle pain — mainly long muscles — but the worst was the lightheadedness that would make my head swim without warning. After it happened a few times while I was driving, I began to worry that I wouldn’t come out of it in time to avoid a crash. I quit symvastatin and it has never happened again.
Rozanne
Sanborn, NY
When I learned that statins reduce the amount of CoQ 10 enzyme, I added the supplement to my statin regimen. The result? No more leg cramps! The depletion of CoQ 10 causes muscle cramping. Why aren’t doctors & pharmacists made aware of this complication? Such a simple solution!
Laurie Matson
Waseca, MN
I’m having to go back on statins because of my high cholesterol and triglycerides and having serious Non alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ( NASH) and my Neurologist told me today about taking COQ 10 if I develop muscle pain!! I was happy to hear that!! But I did not know that Statins deplete the COQ 10!! Great information to know!!
Rozanne
Sanborn, NY
When I learned that statins reduce the amount of CoQ 10 enzyme, I added the supplement to my station regimen. The result? No more leg cramps! The depletion of CoQ 10 causes muscle cramping. Why aren’t doctors & pharmacists made aware of this complication? Such a simple solution!