Statin side effects are lasting

burningpain · 05-03-2005, 04:51 PM

Am I the only one who was messed up after taking statins for cholesterol? I had pain in my thighs a couple days after starting. I told the doctor and he switched me to another. I had pain in my thighs after that one and he switched me to another. And again. He wanted to do it again but I wouldnt do it. I waited day after day to see if the pain would go away like it did before. No. I asked him to send me to the neurologist. He ordered a mri, emg, and ncv. The test showed no nerve damage. The dr. said that i have diabetic neuropathy, without the diabetes? All I know is I have burning, tingling, tender to the slightest tough, areas with sharp shooting pain in both outer thighs and I did not have this before the statins. I have been of the statins for 5 months now. Now I am on cymbalta, for nerve pain- nabumentone, for inflamation- hydrocodone for stabbing pain. Just curious, there has got to be more people suffering. Anyone else? What can we do?

sorepaw · 05-03-2005, 06:48 PM

What statins did you take if you don't mind me asking and I am sorry to read that you have ended up with painful complications. Just today, my doctor prescribed me Lovastatin 10mg and I am apprehensive about taking it. I got my total cholesterol down to 170, but the docs want my numbers even lower since I had a quadrupel bypass 2-1-05 at age 47.

MALMAN · 05-03-2005, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burningpain

Am I the only one who was messed up after taking statins for cholesterol? I had pain in my thighs a couple days after starting. I told the doctor and he switched me to another. I had pain in my thighs after that one and he switched me to another. And again. He wanted to do it again but I wouldnt do it. I waited day after day to see if the pain would go away like it did before. No. I asked him to send me to the neurologist. He ordered a mri, emg, and ncv. The test showed no nerve damage. The dr. said that i have diabetic neuropathy, without the diabetes? All I know is I have burning, tingling, tender to the slightest tough, areas with sharp shooting pain in both outer thighs and I did not have this before the statins. I have been of the statins for 5 months now. Now I am on cymbalta, for nerve pain- nabumentone, for inflamation- hydrocodone for stabbing pain. Just curious, there has got to be more people suffering. Anyone else? What can we do?

YOU SOUND LIKE ME! I HAAVE PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY IN MY FEET AND AT NIGHT IT TRAVELS UP AND DOWN MY LEGS AND ELSEWHERE. THEY WANTED TO GIVE ME CYMBALTA AND I SAID NO! DOES IT RELIEVE THE PAIN?
I TOOK 40 MG PRAVACHOL FOR 18 MONTHS WITH NO PROBLEMS. I WAS SWITCHED TO 20 MG OF LIPITOR AND MY PROBLEMS STARTED IN 3-4 WEEKS!

I STOPPED THE LIPITOR AFTER 3 MONTHS. I HAVE NO IMPROVEMENT 7 MONTHS LATER. THEY NOW TELL ME IT PROBABLY IS DIABETES SINCE MY NUMBERS WERE AROUND 130. 126 IS CONSIDERED DIABETIC. I ASKED WHY LOW GRADE SUGAR #'S WOULD TRIGGER THIS AND NOW THEY SAY THAT'S THE ONLY ANSWER. MY GP SAID LIPIOTOR "ABSOLUTELY DID NOT" CAUSE THIS. I HAVE READ POSTINGS FROM ELSEWHERE THAT INDICATE A LOT OF US ARE GETTING THIS TYPE OF A REACTION. PN IS HARD TO EXPLAIN TO ANYONE, SINCE THEY THINK YOU LOOK OK. IT HURTS LIKE HELL!!

GOOD LUCK!!

MALMAN

JJ · 05-03-2005, 07:32 PM

I know what U folks are going thru, as my husband has severe neuropathy in his feet, legs and is now spreading to his hands. He was on Lipitor for almost 7 yrs., kept getting all sorts of pains and aches, pulled muscles etc. etc. We never questioned the statins till they put me on them in 2000. I got extremly sick, GI problems, then the pains and aches within 3 months. They switched me to Baycol and it got even worse, but the dr. said it "was me". ..

I barely could go get my mail and walk back to the house, and prayed I would make it up the 8 stairs to get back in the house. Needless to say I ditched them.

Hubby now has type 2 diabetes, but not until 3 yrs after taking Lipitor. Whether it brought it on or not, I don't know, but the pains and aches started long before the diagnosis of diabetes. He was on Lopid for 2 years and had no problems, but the dr. insisted he take the Lipitor, it was his cardio man that finally took him off Lipitor and now, he will take nothing. Like he said, enough is enough, and now he takes so many meds, this place looks like a pharmacy.

Yes, there are people who can take these things and do just fine, but there are those of us who just can't tolerate them. I see alot of folks post about taking COQ10, which drs. should tell U to take if on a statin, but very seldom do, and the folks that take it say it has helped since going off statins. Maybe U could give it a try and see if it helps.

Best of luck, I know what your going thru, and it isn't fun.

Lady50 · 05-03-2005, 07:58 PM

I was on Lipitor and pain started in my shoulders and spread down to my legs and feet. Woke up one morning and could hardly walk. I honestly went to the doctors office in tears. This happened when I was getting hypothyroidism from taking radioactive iodine for Graves disease.

They took me off of it and told me to try it again in a month. No way I threw the crap away.

It effects hypothyroid people in a very bad way, but my doctor didn"t know that or did not tell me. Who knows???

Betty