statins

[Battis]

Any experiences, good or bad, with statin medications? I'm not having good luck with them.

[HWooldridge]

I take Rosuvastatin and have never had any bad reactions. It has dramatically dropped my bad cholesterol.

[Half Dog]

Mine seem to help.

[pworley1]

I have been taking Pravastatin for many years and have not had any problems. There is probably one that will work for you.

[Finster101]

I take Atorvastatin. I ocassionally get leg cramps from it, but not all the time, usually in bed at night. I can get up and drink some Gatorade and they seem to stop. I think it also give me a slight hand tremor. I am running my own self test as I have stopped it for about three weeks now. Going to try some bullseye shooting Friday and see if it has improved. Just from aiming and dry firing I think it will.

[1eyedjack]

Avorstatin caused leg cramps and fatigue Çrestor has worked well lowering cholesterol without side effects wife had to go to Repatha injectable every other week to eliminate the leg cramps and leg pain.Best to get prescription for only a short time until you find out how you tolerate the drug.

[DDriller]

I have been taking Zocor (simvastatin) for about 10 years with no problems.

[Battis]

I've tried two different ones. A few weeks into them, I get the problems. Funny, but the Dr (well, his nurse) doesn't believe me. Time for a new DR.

[MT Gianni]

I take Rosuvastatin and have never had any bad reactions. It has dramatically dropped my bad cholesterol.

I could have written this.

[DocSavage]

Taking generic version of Lipitor (10 mg) no side effects but I do take CoQ 10 just in case.

[Brokenbear]

Pravastatin for 10 years ..did have to cut back one notch from 80 to 40 as it made climbing steps tuff but once back to 40MG good to go
For you folks who get leg cramps 'BioFreeze" the stuff for joint and muscle pain INSTANTLY stops leg cramps
The wife could not tolerate statins and went on Repatha but be aware it is high dollar but also be aware that there are programs out there that with the help of your doctor can get it down to $45 every 2 weeks ..it will take diligence and patience but well worth the effort as most drug plans will not participate/list Repatha as anything but tier 4/5 which puts the cost out of reach

[scattershot]

Rosuvistatin for a while, but I couldn’t tolerate it. Body aches, and other side effects so bad I had to give it up.

[Battis]

Rosuvistatin is doing me in.
I mentioned CoQ 10 to the DR but he said it was a waste of time. Yeah, time for a new DR.

[Hogtamer]

After about a month on the latest statin 4-5 yrs ago I developed a pain in my left side that got worse and worse. Finally in the mirror I saw huge bruising and felt like muscle was torn from ribs. Pulled up my shirt for the pharmacist and she like to fainted. Dr. said it was the statin affecting muscle tissue. I asked isn’t the heart a muscle? Well, it only affects striated muscle. Not worth the risk or pain to me so I live with high cholesterol as the med is worse. YMMV of course.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Lisinopril?

DG

[fixit]

I've been on crestor, lipitor, and maybe another I can't remember, and it was TORTURE! MY cholesterol is currently high, but not horribly so. My good cholesterol is in a good range, but my bad is high, so my doctor wants me on statins, but I'm refusing, because of severe joint pain previously. I'm currently taking red yeast rice at the recommendation of my chiropractor, and I'm waiting for my next physical to see where that gets me. All my other numbers are really good, including B.P., which gets comments like"I wish I had your blood pressure" every time I go in.

[Kraschenbirn]

Generic Lipitor (avorstatin) here...for something like twenty years...medium dosage keeps my 'bad' cholesterol in the 130s without side effects.

Bill

[ulav8r]

Lisinopril?

DG

Not a statin.

Have been taking Simvastatin since April 2009. Started on 60 mg, reduced to 30 mg after 2-3 years. My cholesterol was near the top end of normal, but because of my blood clotting issues the statin was prescribed to help keeping clots down. Am on rat poison, warfarin, daily, to thin my blood as needed. Have been on arthritis and BP medicines about 40 years. Have had no side affects that I can recognize as such from any of them.

[scattershot]

In my case, the cure is worse than the disease. I have come to the conclusion that it’s not worth the PITA. Everybody dies from something, right?

[farmbif]

I better trade in the bacon and eggs for oatmeal. my grandfather would say that 2 boilermakers a day wash the cholesterol out of him.

[Battis]

I talked to my pharmacist late yesterday, and he told me that the bad side effects of statins are very, very common. He told me that you have to keep pestering your DR until they make changes. Last night, I skipped the statins, and 95% of the symptoms are gone today.

[Wag]

I use Simvastation, 40mg a day. It's brought down my cholesterol and is keeping it down. Been taking it for about 12 years now and no side effects.

I tried the red yeast rice, diet, exercise, etc. etc. and nothing else worked. The Simvastatin did the trick.

--Wag--

[schutzen-jager]

been on Simvastatin since 1993, at 30mg till about 6 years ago when dosage was reduced to 20mg - no adverse affects at all - but do get blood tests every 3 months to check for any changes in systems -

[compass will]

I have been taking Zocor (simvastatin) for about 10 years with no problems.I take this also. They started me on 40mg, but after a couple of years i started thinking I had lymes dease. After finding on the internet that statins can do this, I got them to cut the dose in 1/2. Cholesterol is still good. And joint pain went away.

[fixit]

That is how I realized that my statins were the cause of my pain! I went on vacation and forgot my meds, and about half way through, I realized my elbows weren't hurting any more! Prior to then, I had been dealing with tennis elbow to the point of debilitation. I haven't taken a statin since.

[MrWolf]

I get the severe lower back and joint pains from statins, no matter the brand. Couple that with an actual screwed up back and the pain was ridiculous. My cholesterol is actually not that terrible now as they don't pester me about it. What i think helped was taking the daily fruit/vegetable pills as seen on TV. I take the Costco Kirkland ones which are WAY cheaper than the Balance of Nature pills. One unexpected benefit was the drop in my blood pressure from borderline high to basically normal (was always high due to pain and high blood pressure runs in the family). My NP says probably the beets is what is bringing it down. I do feel better since taking them as I know I don't eat right.
Ron

[Freightman]

I take a statin generic. Crestor they had me on. Simistation bad leg pain so far-the Crestor is ok. My heart dr. Is a picky dude drives me crazy but my GP is great and he is also a shooter so when I go to him it takes a hour ten minutes for the check up and 50 to talk guns.

[steveu]

One red yeast rice a day is working for me. It's a natural statin.

[Thundarstick]

I wouldn't touch a statin unless forced at gun point! Do some research, carbs and vegetable seed oil are the real heart killers!

[Big Tom]

Have been on 20 mg Pravastatin for 3 years now and have no problems/side effects with it.

[gwpercle]

Lisinopril?

DG

Lisinopril - This is for high blood pressure ... I take 1 - Lisinopril ea. day for high blood pressure ... no side effects .
It's not a "statin" type drug . Statins are usually used to treat high cholesterol .

I take 1 - Rosuvastatin a day for high cholesterol - with no side effects .
Rosuva "statin" ...has "statin" in the name ...dead giveaway .

Gary

[farmbif]

my doctor prescribed one for me. I guess it's a very common one, genetic was $90 at Walgreens, the same prescription online from cost plus drugs, $3.60. thats 1000 primers at todays prices or 2 pounds of varget.
unfortunately I dont think prescription drugs are returnable from Walgreens. I sure do feel ripped off.
https://costplusdrugs.com

[r6487]

some people who have bad exoeriences with statins switch to niacin (Vitamin B3) which also causes good chloresterol and consume the bad. Have to use the full flush niacin.

[farmbif]

I dont like taking any medicines. ive yet to take one of these pills the doctor prescribed, dont need my left hip or leg or any joints to cramp up.
I like the idea of red yeast rice. I'll cut out the ice cream and half and half and butter. the problem came from diet and it's got to be able to be fixed with diet.
although I cant imagine red beans and rice without smoked sausage in it.

[Battis]

According to several cardiologists, LDL (bad cholesterol) is hereditary. Triglycerides are controllable with diet and exercise. They have me on statins for the LDL. I had a heart attack in December (98% blocked - The Widow Maker). They put in a stent and now I gotta keep it from clogging up.
Go back a few years - I had a "vaccine" that caused my ears to ring (they still do) and my heart became enlarged. Eventually I developed a blockage. Never had a heart problem before.

[Finster101]

A vaccine for what shall remain un-named on this forum perhaps?

[P Flados]

About 4 years ago, I had a coronary artery calcium test & a little blockage was noted. My bad cholesterol was between good and bad, but my good cholesterol has always be lower than desired. I had previously tried diet changes, fish oil & some other stuff in futile attempts to improve my cholesterol numbers. With the identified blockage and having previously ruled out some other choices, the Doc put me on Atorvastatin. He started me on 80 mg where normal doses go from 10 to 80.

Next year, my cholesterol tests came back great. At the time we were happy.

About 10 months later I was doing some reading and came across something about statin side effects. I put 2 & 2 together and realized that some of my pain issues (It hurt going up and down stairs at times and it hurt to stretch my hands out flat) might be side effects instead of just "getting old" (what I had attributed them to).

At my next annual exam, I talked to my Doc & he lowered the dose to 40 mg. Some of my symptoms went away entirely and others got a lot better. After a year at 40 mg, cholesterol was still good.

After the year at 40 mg, I talked to my doc about trying 20 mg. He agreed that it was a reasonable idea. We came up with a plan. Early next month I am due for my annual labs. Six weeks ago, I started cutting my pills in half. If cholesterol is still good, I will drop down to 20 mg as a standard dose for now. If cholesterol is worse at 20 than 40, it will be back to 40. If 20 is good, I might try dropping to 10 mg in 10 months.

It amazes me that the Doc did not even discuss dosage choices and options at the beginning.

[hoodat]

I had a physical, and blood work. Cholesterol was 288 total. Doc wanted to write me a scrip for a statin, I said let's hold off for awhile.

I was told by several folks to eat oatmeal every morning, and did. After one month, had another blood work, and my number was down to 166. Eighty points off of the LDL. (bad)..

I'm gonna get another blood work pretty soon to check it again, but so far it looks like the Oatmeal was a miracle, at least for me. jd

[T-Bird]

I don't like oatmeal, but I decided to get off statins (cholesterol was in high 200's w/o them) and began to put soluable fiber powder in my coffee every morning (has NO taste). My numbers stayed where they were with statins which was around 200 total with 80+ of it "good". I dropped the fiber for a while and cholesterol went right back up. Got back on it, cholesterol went back down. Been down for 5 or 6 years. The fiber in oatmeal is the "active" ingredient

[myg30]

I also take Generic Lipitor at 80mg /day. It lowered my 'bad' cholesterol in the 140-150 without side effects.
I was told I needed cholesterol meds back in the 80’s but I figured I could eat better and get it lowered myself.
So getting 3 stents and still have 3 smaller blockages, and taking meds now,
I pretty much eat what I want but in moderation.

I wished I listened in the 80’s

Mike

[shooterg]

Haven't tried any that had no side effects . Currently take half the dose of avortastatin prescribed every other day . Any more my joints hurt when I move and cramps every night(Theroworx really works on them ). Numbers down in 130's so no need to tell the Doc !

[firefly1957]

My total numbers have not been to high but the bad cholesterol is 6 times higher then the good so a doctor tried me on Lipitor in 2005 right a way I had trouble nose bleeds , terrible muscle spasms , and my hair got brittle .
A couple months ago a new doctor put me on Ezempi (sp) and my Cholesterol has gone up quite a bit I have a appointment soon . I also seem to be getting more muscle spasms .

[Battis]

Yesterday, I had an extra crappy day after trying a different statin the night before. I had trouble going up the stairs. Then, today, I read a report of a study done by Dr Malone. Here is his summary:

"JAMA Internal Medicine has published our new systematic review and meta-analysis on 21 statin trials involving 143,532 participants.
Despite the widespread view promoted by public health, our new study found no consistent relationship between lowering LDL-C and death, heart attack or stroke, following statin therapy.
Doctors are not effectively and transparently communicating cardiovascular risk to their patients, thereby not allowing informed decision-making.
We concluded that the benefits of statins were minimal, and most of the trial participants who took statins, derived no clinical benefit."

[Rapier]

My internist said every medication has side effects, the trick is to find a combination that works for you. It is not one, but all that work together and still works as one. Worse part is at a time down the road you may develop a rejection of a previously established normal med. So the maintenance of your medication regiment is a continual thing.
If you wonder about such things, a good heart expert is a big plus, my primary physician is an internist with a secondary in cardiology, worth her weight in gold. My cardiologist has a secondary in internal medicine, they are like book ends. My heart surgeon, is the head of cardio vascular surgery at UAB Med Center. It is of major importance to have a selected medical team as we pass 70 or we have complications to our health. You select your doctors, do not wait for them to be assigned at random in an emergency.
Had 11 heart stints, now have 0 as I traded the stints for a very long chest scar.
I am on 3 cholesterol meds and have a reading of 78 and my doctors want to see 70. So they keep moving the goal post. :-)

[Battis]

Sometimes, you have to play the odds. In 2003, I had a large, malignant tumor removed from my leg, followed by 35 days of radiation. They also suggested chemo, which, they said, most people would take. I asked how much the chemo would help over just radiation - they said the chemo improves the success rate by 4%. Only 4%? I passed on the chemo. With that, they gave me a 60-40 chance of living five years. I'm still here.
I walk 1 1/2 - 2 hrs a day without statins, in the woods, up and down hills. While on statins, I maybe do a slow 1/2 hr walk. George my dog is confused by the short walks. Statins are nasty. Now they want me to try injectable Repatha. My insurance covers 0% of it, and they quoted me a price of $660 per month. There are organizations that will help with the cost, maybe all of it, but there seems to be alot of hoops I gotta jump through first - denial letters, Dr letters, income verification. I'll do it but even that drug might have some bad side effects.
That's why the study by Dr Malone that I noted is interesting.

[Electrod47]

I have been taking Zocor (simvastatin) for about 10 years with no problems.

Me too.

[Thundarstick]

Yesterday, I had an extra crappy day after trying a different statin the night before. I had trouble going up the stairs. Then, today, I read a report of a study done by Dr Malone. Here is his summary:

"JAMA Internal Medicine has published our new systematic review and meta-analysis on 21 statin trials involving 143,532 participants.
Despite the widespread view promoted by public health, our new study found no consistent relationship between lowering LDL-C and death, heart attack or stroke, following statin therapy.
Doctors are not effectively and transparently communicating cardiovascular risk to their patients, thereby not allowing informed decision-making.
We concluded that the benefits of statins were minimal, and most of the trial participants who took statins, derived no clinical benefit."

Y'all can't figure out this **** is poison???

[sparky45]

More side effects that it's worth. I'll NEVER take any Statin drugs.

[Shawlerbrook]

20 mg of generic Lipitor for probably 20 years. Seems to work and no side effects.

[GregLaROCHE]

My cardiologist wanted to put me on a statin, but after a lot of research I decided I didn’t want to take them, because of side effects and new studies show that, for those taking them only had a benefit of a few more days of life. Statistically that’s no difference. Perhaps if you have had a heart attack, they may help. Everyone should do their own research and make your own decisions.

[Wayne Smith]

Who is Dr. Malone? Yes, JAMA published his research, well and good but just a name with no affiliations or qualifications is questionable to me.

[Battis]

I've been following Dr Robert Malone for quite some time. I like him, I trust him and I'm listening to what he says. It's somewhat coincidental that his study came out now, when I've been researching the statin subject.

[GONRA]

Generic simvastatin verks Just Fine for Mr. & Mrs GONRA.

[gc45]

Lisinopril?

DG

Lisinopril is a BP Med, not for cholesterol.

[rintinglen]

20 mg of generic Lipitor for probably 20 years. Seems to work and no side effects.

17 years for me.

Both of my grandfathers were dead for years by the time they reached my age. Both died of cardiovascular diseases. I take my generic lipitor and potassium tablets as I recently (last year) started having cramps.

[GONRA]

Mr. & Mrs. GONRA been takin' SIMVASTATIN for decades.
Seems to verk, no side effects, etc .....

[almar]

i saw the title in the recent posts and had to have a look, i recently listened to an interview between Joe rogan and Dr Aseem Malhotra and alot of it was about statins. I definitely think that anyone taking statins should listen to it.

[Battis]

I tracked down another interview that he did (not with Rogan), and what he said about statins is basically what Dr Robert Malone said that I posted earlier. I'm done with statins, and probably won't try the Repatha if it's approved.
I never had a heart problem, or ears ringing problem, before I got jabbed.

[dale2242]

I take one 20MG Atorvastatin once a day.
It brought my cholesterol down from the 250s to 160.
I have no side effects.

[GregLaROCHE]

I just spent a few days in the hospital because of a gallstone that didn’t want to pass. I never had problems before. When I researched, I read that one of the side effects of Statins is gallstones. I’m glad I’m not taking Statins.

[Battis]

They do have some bad side effects. And those studies that are coming out that claim that statins, or lowering your LDLs, have no effect on heart problems, really make me question the statin push by DRs.

[JimB..]

Yesterday, I had an extra crappy day after trying a different statin the night before. I had trouble going up the stairs. Then, today, I read a report of a study done by Dr Malone. Here is his summary:

"JAMA Internal Medicine has published our new systematic review and meta-analysis on 21 statin trials involving 143,532 participants.
Despite the widespread view promoted by public health, our new study found no consistent relationship between lowering LDL-C and death, heart attack or stroke, following statin therapy.
Doctors are not effectively and transparently communicating cardiovascular risk to their patients, thereby not allowing informed decision-making.
We concluded that the benefits of statins were minimal, and most of the trial participants who took statins, derived no clinical benefit."

My Dr. just prescribed 10mg of Crestor, it’ll be my first ever statin, so I’m doing some digging. The meta-analysis you refer to is also discussed at https://www.e-jla.org/pdf/10.12997/jla.2022.11.3.308 which you may find interesting.

[Battis]

Interesting article. I was just denied coverage for Repatha by the insurance company, so I'm going to jump through some more hoops and see what happens. Apparently it's not a statin but does what a statin does. I am done with statins.
Drs are part of the problem - "take these drugs or else. Why? Just take them." I had the heart attack on Dec 1, they put in a stent, then they told me to find a DR closer to my house (the DR that did the stent was 20 minutes from my house). Basically they booted me out. I saw a local cardiologist (well, his nurse) and she said keep taking the drugs and come back in three months. In three months, I requested that I see the actual DR. He said, Keep taking these drugs and see my nurse in nine months. OK.
My dog hurt his shoulder and the vet that treated him called three times a week to see how he was doing. I should grow a tail.

[Wayne Smith]

JimB that is an interesting analysis. It may be difficult for many to follow, so the basic results are that meta-analysis of studies in not the best way to evaluate research results. It is a good basis to look at studies, but needs to be used with other values as well.
At 70 and diabetes 2 I am on a statin, and have been for over a year. I have recently have been having leg cramps so I dropped my dose to every other day two weeks ago. I am seeing my MD next week, had blood work done today, so we will be having a conversation about my current use of the statin. I have been controlling my diabetes with exercise and diet for almost 20 years, so my MD understands me. She once told me that I was her only client who controlled his blood sugar over the holidays - and I have been doing that for the 20 years. I was originally resistant to statins when it was said that everyone with diabetes should be on one, but she convinced me that my cholesterol needed attention, so I started a low dose of a statin. It did drop my bad cholesterol. We may have an interesting conversation next week.

My blood sugar has been high the past week, but that is because I have a tooth infection. Seeing my dentist tomorrow.

[Finster101]

I had a heart attack in 2014. Seven stents. I have been on 80MG Atorvastatin daily since. I do occasionally get leg cramps, but it is generally associated to when I have been out in the Florida heat and humidity a lot that day. Gatorade works wonders on that for me. While I don't like being on the statin, I don't like what the outcome might look like without it.

[Battis]

Meta-analysis of studies might not be the best way to evaluate research results, but, over the past few years, I, and many others, have come to understand that questioning the medical profession, and Big Pharma especially, is in our best interest. Those statin studies should not be ignored. I have a great deal of trust in Dr Malone.

[JimB..]

My problem is that everything crept up on me all at once. BP 150/85, sugar 114, a1c 6.1, LDL at 105. Cardiac calcium thing came back at 25 or 30 in one artery and 1 or 2 in the others. Bought a blood glucose meter, but apparently within 20% is good enough, so while it says 95 almost all the time, it could mean 116. Just a lot of problems all at once and no way to question/challenge all the advice. Gotta wait for the stress test in a couple weeks to start exercising, but already working on the diet. Think I’ll start the amlodipine for blood pressure but hold off on the Rosuvastatin for a couple weeks just so I can distinguish side effects. LDL has been flat for a decade, another couple weeks probably won’t matter.

Sorry for the thread drift, just a little overwhelmed and rambling.

[Battis]

My BP is always high when I'm in a medical setting (dentist, dr, etc) and they have determined that it's White Coat Syndrome. At home, it's normal, at the Drs, it's very high. I told my old Dr once that if he stood behind me at a urinal, and I couldn't pee 'cause he was watching me, he'd probably tell me I had a urinary problem. He laughed.
I've had several really bad medical "mishaps", where the so-called "professionals" messed up badly, some in life threatening ways, to the point that I don't trust someone just because they have an MD after their name.

[Thundarstick]

Dr's push what there taught to push! Big pharmaceutical, big agriculture, and big MD egos have been driving both research, medical guidelines, and medical school teaching for decades! It's amazing how much that's taken as irrefutable gospel by our Drs has NO true research to back them up. If you start digging it's amazing that research that has shown results showing negative outcomes, or results against the accepted treatment protocol, that are suppressed, or "just not published"! Why? Because it will cut into the money generation ability of a company, or the ego of some MD!

Money and power has so infiltrated every aspect of our wellbeing from government to the products we use, that we are ALL fools to not research every aspect of what we believe to be true in all aspects of our lives.

It sad to think, your government and Dr works for someone's bottom line, and not for YOUR wellbeing! After all, there's no money to be made if your cured!

[ACC]

Any experiences, good or bad, with statin medications? I'm not having good luck with them.

I have had pancreatic cancer so I am on two statins. At first they are terrible but as your body gets used to them they settle down quite a bit.

ACC