Side Effects Of Statins.

[jaffa1 10]

58 minutes ago, forgeman said:

I gave in a few years ago after my GP continually asked me to take statins. Within a week I could hardly walk for the pain in my knees. Went back to the GP and he changed them for a different statin. This one gave me swollen ankles so I stopped. I even tried a third one and this gave me intolerable acid so stopped them too. Have not taken any since and I,m fine so far.

Doctors themselves say that most tablets give side effects and my doctor always said stay off tablets for as long as possible, only take them when really necessary. 

[Ms Macbeth 70]

Diet and exercise don't work for people with the inherited condition in the link below. It runs in my husband's family. Early death, early heart attacks, including his at 49.  Because one of his brothers died in his forties and the other (a keen sportsman) had an attack in his early forties, my husband was eating a diet of mainly fish, vegetables and oatmeal, and had cut out nearly all saturated fats.  He was very slim, but none of that helped.  He's been on statins for about 25 years now.  However, he has had side effects, and our GP has changed the specific type more than once.  He's now on one that seems to cause fewer side effects.   I'd be very wary about telling anyone to come off them.

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/familial-hypercholesterolaemia

 

[pattricia 574]

6 hours ago, Ms Macbeth said:

Diet and exercise don't work for people with the inherited condition in the link below. It runs in my husband's family. Early death, early heart attacks, including his at 49.  Because one of his brothers died in his forties and the other (a keen sportsman) had an attack in his early forties, my husband was eating a diet of mainly fish, vegetables and oatmeal, and had cut out nearly all saturated fats.  He was very slim, but none of that helped.  He's been on statins for about 25 years now.  However, he has had side effects, and our GP has changed the specific type more than once.  He's now on one that seems to cause fewer side effects.   I'd be very wary about telling anyone to come off them.

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/familial-hypercholesterolaemia

 

Yes, good advice here Mrs. M.

[El Cid 210]

11 hours ago, Ms Macbeth said:

Diet and exercise don't work for people with the inherited condition in the link below. It runs in my husband's family. Early death, early heart attacks, including his at 49.

 

Too much fatty food is a cause of high cholesterol for many of us, but for about 250,000 people in the UK, it’s all in the genes.

Around six million people in Britain take statins – which can be as cheap as 3p a day – but for many, the risk remains dangerously high.

Half of those prescribed the cholesterol-busting drugs did not achieve a healthy blood count within two years and patients failed to take the correct dose, according to a study.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47933345

 

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1114816/statins-users-risk-lives-Three-million-fail-take-proper-medication

[Daven 10]

19 hours ago, zach said:

Interesting. My legs don't half hurt in the morning and my right knee causes pain all the time. I'd not put 2 and 2 together until reading this thread. I'll go and see the GP first as I was put on them because my heart missed a beat...well, missed a lot of beats! It could be coincidence but the leg/knee problems started about 10 days after I got out of hospital, on various medication and statin is one of them.

 

Like I say, GP first. I don't want to go through the heart attack thing again, it hurts!

Your doctor wouldn't have put you on a statin for an irregular heart beat.

My advice would be to never stop taking any medication until consulting a doctor or nurse practitioner.

Raised cholesterol will not give you any symptoms until the first heart attack or stoke.

Not all raised cholesterol is cause by poor diet or lack of exercise - it may be due to a genetic disposition which statins will assist with.

Also, not all statins are the same. If you have been put on statins it will be for a  good reason. If you are having side effects go back to see your GP and ask to change the statin to a different one or reduce the dose. Don't just stop taking them.

Regards

[zach 233]

On 20/01/2020 at 15:15, Daven said:

Your doctor wouldn't have put you on a statin for an irregular heart beat.

My advice would be to never stop taking any medication until consulting a doctor or nurse practitioner.

Raised cholesterol will not give you any symptoms until the first heart attack or stoke.

Not all raised cholesterol is cause by poor diet or lack of exercise - it may be due to a genetic disposition which statins will assist with.

Also, not all statins are the same. If you have been put on statins it will be for a  good reason. If you are having side effects go back to see your GP and ask to change the statin to a different one or reduce the dose. Don't just stop taking them.

Regards

I didn't say I had an irregular heart beat. It was a heart attack, a stay in NGH and a stent fitted (Amazing technology!)  

 

I fully agree with what you say about the GP, anyone who's had a heart attack will know that it's not something you want to go through again. My last line did state that it would be GP first, if he says "tough, stick with them" I stay on them...he's the doctor, not me. One thing I will say about my GP is that he listens to me, I'll ask and mention some of the comments in this thread, it's then down to him and maybe another visit to Dr Barnby at NGH for the final word.

[Baron99 772]

If you read the literature that comes with the stations, muscle cramps are one those side affects that MIGHT occur in certain individuals. 

 

I've been taking than for a good decade without this problem but I do have a small red patch on my chest as a result of taking them.   

 

When I was first prescribed them my Dr went through the side affects & said I should think about increasing my potassium input to combat any muscle cramps & suggested I eat a couple of bananas a day.  Maybe because I get through around 3 bananas, (apparently the greener the better), I don't suffer from muscle cramp

 

One of the problems I can see for an increase in the number of statin takers suffering, is that there is an increasing number of people being prescribed them.  At one time it was only those who were genuinely suffering from high blood pressure or whose family had a history of heart attacks & strokes.  Now it seems that statina are the go to panacea for anyone who's a bit overweight & advancing to possible high blood pressure. 

[lottiecass 17]

I have been on statins for over 10 yrs now, I have had 4 heart attacks, three of them while on statins. I had problems with them at the beginning but changed types and have been ok since . The chesterman at ngh have kept me going so far. My advice would be to take them because heart attacks are very painful.

[jaffa1 10]

5 hours ago, Baron99 said:

If you read the literature that comes with the stations, muscle cramps are one those side affects that MIGHT occur in certain individuals. 

 

I've been taking than for a good decade without this problem but I do have a small red patch on my chest as a result of taking them.   

 

When I was first prescribed them my Dr went through the side affects & said I should think about increasing my potassium input to combat any muscle cramps & suggested I eat a couple of bananas a day.  Maybe because I get through around 3 bananas, (apparently the greener the better), I don't suffer from muscle cramp

 

I'm  diverting  a little here but I've  also been told bananas are also good for restless leg syndrome. 

[Ridgewalk 92]

On 19/01/2020 at 11:49, pattricia said:

My best friend has been on Statins for years. For the last two years she has had cramp in both hands and in her hips. She decided to come off them  to see what would happen.Within one week the cramp in her hands and hips had disappeared and has never returned. She explained this to her GP who told her to stay off them.

Has anyone else had this experience ?

Not sure what you mean by " cramp in the hips" ?  I've been plagued with hip pain for months now and i'm also a Statins user. Your friend clearly made the link between the Statins and hip pain.

Is your friend able to describe the pain ? I'm obviously intrigued.

 

[zach 233]

I was back at the GP yesterday and mentioned the legs/knee pain and it's possible link to statin. His reply IMO was very sensible, he first pointed out that people can react in different ways to them, secondly he does want to see if they are causing a problem with me and booked me in for a blood test.

 

I will reply when the blood test results are back. Until then, still on them.

[onewheeldave 22]

Does anyone know of any evidence that statins reduce overall mortality?

I know statins have been shown to reduce mortality from further stroke and heart attack (for those who have had one already), but the studies I've seen seem to show that overall mortality is not reduced (i.e. the improved stroke/heart attack mortality is offset by increased mortality from other causes in stain users).