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Are statins and blood pressure meds affecting my exercise

Posted , 9 users are following.

aaron91414
aaron91414

I've been cycling for 8 months and experiencing more and more muscle fatigue than what I'm used to. I'm currently taking 80mg of Lipitor and 25mg of metoprolol, I've had a double bypass almost three years ago, and I'm on some psych meds. Anyone know of a sports medicine doctor that can help?

Thank you

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • lee12629
    lee12629 aaron91414

    Posted

    80 mg is a pretty high dose. I think within the past few years statins have had to put side affect warnings in their litature. You might want to google it. The added warnings were for the higher doses.
  • lee12629
    lee12629 aaron91414

    Posted

    FDA says added risk of muscle injury at that dose. I just googled it.
  • KevB5
    KevB5 aaron91414

    Posted

    I've had side effects like your saying and have reduced mine in half. The worst one was the burning tongue, fatigue. I'm also on psyc med's following a TBI. For me interactions with the med's the doctors say they haven't heard of. Story of my life on that topic. I have become less of a fan with statins with research. May be fine if I wasn't on the other meds one of which, has been shown to raise cholesterol levels.
  • wayne1962
    wayne1962 aaron91414

    Posted

    Hi Aaron - I'm assuming you have been on statins for three years since your bypass op. I was on Lipitor 80mg for two years after stent inserted 2013. Aches in leg muscles, back, ankles, wrists - very difficult to sleep - are just a nip of the plethora of snowballing problems caused by that drug alone. I have been off for about one year after firing the quack (who denied statins were th cause) and am still getting back to normal, but all symptoms have diminished.

    Muscle damage due to statins is well documented. It can lead to Rhabdomyelosis, a muscle wasting disease that is irreversible. All organs produce cholesterol and it is important for health. The brain is 35 % cholesterol. "Bad" cholesterol can be regulated with diet. An inherited condition not so easy.

  • jane14277
    jane14277 aaron91414

    Posted

    Hi aaron do you know if blood pressure meds have similar bad side effect as statins, i stopped statins about 18 months ago and I feel no better. I'm still taking Atacand for blood pressure?

     

    • lee12629
      lee12629 jane14277

      Posted

      Hi jane,all meds have some side affects this is where google can come in handy. Google the med then patient reviews. Also just google the side affects of the med. Statins side affects sometimes take quite awhile to stop. Dont know if its the case with you though.Xx
    • richardbramwell
      richardbramwell jane14277

      Posted

      Depends on which " blood pressure meds" you mean Jane!

      Beta-blockers like Atenolol suddenly went out of "vogue" when they decided that some of the side-effects outweigh the effects of lowering the blood pressure.

      I stopped only because my Doctor also stopped taking them and we both moved to Ramipril (ACE inhibitor) which inhibits the body's need to increase blood pressure (why the body wants to increase it's own blood pressure I know not yet!)

      So far no symptoms although now got DVT and need an angioplasty

      Ramipril also comes with a raft of side-effects

    • jane14277
      jane14277 lee12629

      Posted

      I've been off statins for nearly 2 years lee, don't think I've seen much improvement, in fact I feel worse that's why I was wondering if the blood pressure meds have similar side effects. thanks
  • josh36388
    josh36388 aaron91414

    Posted

    want my advice get off the statins seek an alternative, they are very bad drugs for you.
  • richardbramwell
    richardbramwell aaron91414

    Posted

    Well finally started with statins after a lot of reticence and scary literature (this blog?)

    My angiogram revealed 3 blocked arteries, one completely.

    Bisoprolol now prescribed, a beta-blocker supplemented my Ramipril and the heart is beating welland blood pressure further lowered. Feeling better.

    Also started 40 mg of Atorvastatin  – not sure why I am taking these as my cholesterol has not been measured and when it was 2 years ago was low for the bad and high for the good cholesterol.

    So far none of the usually side-effected are been felt. 

  • job2016
    job2016 aaron91414

    Posted

    Hello aaron91414

    I was running a lot when my doctor first prescribed Lipitor. But when I started taking it, I quickly noticed a tight feeling in my liver, a depressed feeling of lethargy, and like you pain and fatigue in my muscles when exercising so I stopped taking them. Since then, I have found that statins are well known to cause muscle fatigue and even damage, especially if they are not taken with Coenzyme Q10. This enzyme produced in the liver is a powerful energy house for cells which promotes the development of healthy muscles including the heart. Many doctors prescribe Coenzyme Q10 along with statins to decrease the risk of liver damage and promote muscle health. Personally, I do not take statins because I feel the small amount they decrease the risk of a Heart attack in people with a history of coronary disease is offset by the higher mortality rate for people who suffer a heart attack with low cholesterol leves and low lipid fat levels. Since cholesterol helps the body heal and is essential for battling disease and mental acuity,  it just makes more sense to me not to take something that will drop these levels so much artificially. Eating red apples, beats and carrots can reduce cholesterol without the potentially harmful side affects and garlic and onions are great at lowering blood pressure and increasing the bodies immunity. I hope you get better.  

    • josh36388
      josh36388 job2016

      Posted

      i took one statin 40 mg, simvastatin, and it caused short term memory, angina at rest, muscle spasms, ectopic beats, and a high heart rate, exercise intolerance. The symptoms have not stopped in a year, my body is now operating differently and I have a somewhat chronic, dysfunction, throughout my body.

      Im 25, I took one because I was worried about my cholesterol, and havin lots of anxiety, my grandfather, offered me one, because he didnt know any better, and in my anxious stupor I took one thinking I could now relax if it was my cholesterol, how stupid of me, but I wouldnt have even known what a statin was, if my grandad hadnt offered it to me, and so nonchalantly he clearly hadnt been informed of the dangerous side effects.

      the symptoms have not resided and its been about a year, trying to get anyone to take this serious is impossible and im left with infirmities, that are barely treated. I was taking into hospital for tests with an inverted t wave and high heart rate, to which my stress test I struggled to get through and maxed my heart rate out, which was not normal for me im used to training 5 days a week, used to do heavy boxing training and sparring, after this my muscles burned, i have no real strength in them and the sweating was delayed.

      It  was deemed I had "minor rhythm problems" Although they state in the reports they do not know the significance of the abnormal ecgs. It was confirmed by my gp at the very least that my white t cell count was raised and that my kidneys were functioning hard, at the time of the statin being took which to him indicated it effecting me unforutntaely, nobody believes the severity to which it has effected me and I now have to go to a private cardiologist, in order to move forward with some diagnosis.

      Which I feel from the exercise intolerance, and high heart rate upon standing is more than likely a POTS syndrome/dysautonomia.

      Please believe this, if a statin can do this to someone, they are bad drugs, and nobody should be taking them.

      An awful awful drug

  • job2016
    job2016 aaron91414

    Posted

    Just to add to the discussion, I have taken Valsartan 80 and 160 milligrams and found this medication to be outstanding at lowering blood pressure without the adverse side effects I had with beta blockers which included a dry cough. This along with garlic, onions and exercise is a great way to keep the blood pressure down. I also got this dry cough with statins. That's yer another reason I don't take statins.    
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