Statins and body aches

bargainsgirl · ‎01-13-2012

Has anyone stopped taking statins (simvestatin) due to often occuring body aches mostly in lower extremeties?

SaveTheTurtles · ‎10-09-2023

@bargainsgirl I would ask my doctor about this side effect. There may be other medications that won't cause you to have a side effect such as this.

Icegoddess · ‎03-19-2010

I stopped taking Crestor due to severe body aches. Later, my Dr. put me on Simvastatin and I've had no problems with it.

PamfromCT · ‎05-22-2014

Body aches are not uncommon with statin drugs. And some people still suffer even when going off the drug. My DH and my DB are both on Repatha. It is a needle injection you administer yourself once a month. Very small needle, easy peasy. Cholesterol levels so low you would not believe!

The problem? It is very expensive, and you must have a cardiologist willing to fight the insurance company to pay.

Both my DH and DB have different cardiologists who obviously made the efforts for their patients. Neither have any side effects at all from their new drug, taken for a while now. Very unfortunately, my DH still suffers with pain in his feet developed by taking statin medication initially prescribed to him when it first came out.

I am curious as to why these statins were approved in first place, and reports of side effects were brushed off by many doctors.

NEvans2 · ‎01-15-2017

I was on Lipitor for 25 years with no problems or side effects whatsoever. About four years ago I started getting the most horrible pain and weakness in my legs. It got so bad that I was having a hard time walking. Then I remembered my neighbor telling me a few years prior about the same problem she had, and it was the Lipitor.

So I quit taking it. By day five all the pain and weakness was gone. I stayed off of it for 2 weeks. I felt wonderful! I started taking it again and within three days the symptoms started coming back. Talked with my doctor, she switched me to Crestor. Was fine for three months and then got the horrible pains in my arms. Could barely lift my arms to blow dry my hair. WTF?

Now I'm on Zetia. Not classified as a statin, less chance of muscular pain and weakness. But, guess what? Starting to get muscle pain in my arms and legs. Been on it for four months, going to give it a couple more weeks. If it doesn't get worse. I don't know what else is out there. Maybe something more holistic?

Sorry this was so long. This has been a very frustrating experience.❤

redbird · ‎03-24-2010

Both my husband and I have been told by our doctor take the supplement COQ10 to stop the foot and leg pain and some numbness from our statins. We take 100 MG once a day. I take Simvistatin and my husband takes Lipitor. My nephew and my sister in law both in other cities were also told to use the supplement with statins. I first bought a drug store brand but have since switched to the water solubile name brand. It has been more effective.

elated · ‎06-09-2010

When my doctor first put me on statins I had pain so bad I couldn't sleep. I called and she switched me to a lower dosage and a different drug. I do take COQ10 from Andrew Lessman. There is an ad on tv with a doctor who states if you take statins, you should take COQ10.

on the bay · ‎03-09-2010

@NEvans2, @bargainsgirl,

And all, there is discussion on statins and high cholesterol and alternatives on the thread titled Flaxseed and cholesterol.

I have the genetic kind of high cholesterol and I have lowered it with garlic or ginger capsules.

Several family members take Berberine which has been shown to lower cholesterol, high blood pressure, and regulate blood sugar. They all have had great sucess with this.

I don't take berberine because I usually have a lower blood pressure to start with.

Flaxseeds that I tried years ago just in some bread to eat gave me a rash.

There are alternatives to statins that do not cause the painful side effects. Doctors need to start listening and acknowledging the dangers and side effects of any drug they prescribe. And not negate any alternative treatment.

I said in the other thread one of my favorite primary care doctors said he would never take statins and would never prescribe them for his family and he had high cholesterol.

There are wonderful doctors out there in conventional medicine who keep up with many types of treatment and do know about supplements and/or vitamins that can be just as beneficial as some rx drugs.

As always, it is always good to look up about any supplement and vitamin to see side effects, or interactions with other meds and who should not take.

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"

Icegoddess · ‎03-19-2010

Yes, if you take a statin, you should be taking CoQ10. I was already taking CoQ10 before taking a statin, and it didn't keep me from having the body aches, so I don't buy that. However, my doctor did say that I should be taking it with the statin. He siad nothing about body aches. Your body makes it's own CoQ10, but statins deplete that so you need to supplement it.

I do credit CoQ10 with getting me out of the periodontist's chair though. That's why I was already taking it before I started a statin.

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

I stopped taking my statins b/c it made my A1C go up and my doc was going to put me on a second drug, metformin, to lower that. I never took metformin but I ditched the statins and started taking berberine which took care of both.