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Inflammatory condition even after ceasing Statins anyone else?

Posted , 10 users are following.

kelly1965
kelly1965

Last July I was started on a cholestrol lowering drug.  I have no other risk factors for heart disease.  I am a fit and healthy 50 year old who exercised 4 times a week ran the odd 5 km fun run etc.  After taking the lowest dose of statin for about 8 weeks I started to get progressively worse aching sore legs and lower back.  I couldn't get out a bed without groaning and walking up stairs or up a hill was agony.  It seemed to be only around my pelvic girth groin, hips and bottom of buttocks. I could no longer exercise as I was doing so went back to the Dr and told her I could not longer take them as it was interferring with my life.  She agreed I stopped and now 7 mths later still have the same degree of stiffness.  I started taking over the counter anti inflammatory tablets so I could function relatively normally as they gave me some relief but couldn't rely on them forever.  SO back to the Dr for more blood test which all came back pretty much normal my Rhuematoid Arthritis levels were alittle high but not skyhigh like someone newly diagnosed with RA. She then used Prednisone a powerful steroid and anti inflammatory drug for a 10 days couse as a diagnostic tool as mlow and belhold INSTANT relief completely back to normal.  I couldn't believe it and the relief was even evidnet on my face.  For me being active and fit it was really strting to depress me.  A refrral to Rhuematologist is dow the track BUT it cannot be a coincidnce that all this began same time as beginning the statins.  What I'm interested in is hasthis happened to anyone else and is there a solution??? please I don not want to take steroids, tehy have far too many side effects. Can anyone offer some advise??

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  • kerryanne01439
    kerryanne01439 kelly1965

    Posted

    To be completely honest the Ibuprofen did take the edge off the pain but I had to stop taking them as they caused so much stomach trouble. At the moment I`m taking Co-Dydramol as I suffer from ain caused by a neck injury sustained a couple of years ago. But these aren`t as helpful as the Ibuprofen was. As you said the wait for the rhuematologist will no doubt be a long and expensive route, but I`m looking into alternative routes. If I find anything that works I`ll definitely be posting it here for people to know. 
    • kerryanne01439
      kerryanne01439

      Posted

      Well, it`s almost seven weeks on since I stopped taking the statins and the pain in my right leg has disappeared. The blood tests taken last month have shown an inflammotary factor, which the GP has immediately jumped on as an excuse  for all the pain I`m in, but I`ve been suffering from arthritis for 10 years and I know without a doubt what is causing the pain and what isn`t causing the pain. He refuses to even consider that statins could have caused any problems, which means he`s refering me back to the rheumatologist. Hopefully I can get some sense via that route. He refuses to prescribe anti-inflammotary medication and has prescribed different codeine based painkillers. But the pain is easing slightly, and has gone from my right leg, although my legs still feel heavy and I`m experiencing difficulty in walking. The back pain changes daily and can be in my lower back or further up nearer my lungs-it`s as if it has a mind of its own. But it`s no longer a stabbing pain as it was. It still makes life difficult but now I feel that after only a few weeks, there is a definite improvement. 
  • regina86086
    regina86086 kelly1965

    Posted

    It is a matter of deciding for ourselves whether it is more important  allegedly reducing cholesterol or decreasing the quality of life.  After about 6 years on statins because of hereditary high cholesterol I find myself with muscles pain and weakness and neuropathy in my legs and arms and I do not know whether these complaints will go or whether my muscles and nerves have been compromised forever.  I stopped  taking cholesterol lowering medicines at the beginning of April and am doing my best to keep my lifestyle as healthy as possible. I am still taking UBIQUINOL and other supplements .  Good luck 
    • bill80656
      bill80656 regina86086

      Posted

      Statins were poison to me as well with muscle weakness in my arms, leg cramps and sweats at night, and now I am pre-diabetic. Muscle issues, leg cramps, and sweats are a thing of the past.It took several months to get well. I am still pre-diabetic. My cardiaologist is an idiot. He never prscribed CO Q 10. and told me to stay on the stains even with all my symptoms.

         This was a year ago. Since then I have done a lot of research and in my humble opinion I now think that cholesterol levels have little to do with heart disease. My belief now is that, refined foods, suger, enriched flour, and many processed foods cause the arteries to clog,

      not cholesterol. This has been very difficult for me to believe because I have been brainwashed about cholesterol for over 50 years. I remember when I was 14 years old a friend of mines father was in the original Framingham Heart Study. That is a lot of brainwashing since then. I suggest to everyone to find the newer studies on diet and nutrition regarding cholesterol and heart disease.

      I believe this so firmly now that I no longer have blood tests to see what my cholesterol levels are. I don't care anymore. I eat super healthy. NO junk food, no sodas. I eat only spelt organic flour bread, pancakes etc. I don't worry about eating fat as in cheese and dairy.

      I eat lots of nuts and fruits as well. I exercise everyday. 

      Screw the doctors. I have had only bad experiences over the years with them. I have stories of incompentence and even abuse.

       

    • lee12629
      lee12629 regina86086

      Posted

      Dont give up hope,took me three years,but my muscle and nueropathy issues have resolved.
    • kelly1965
      kelly1965 lee12629

      Posted

      3 years seems such a long time to keep up being active in pain but thanks at least it gives me hope that it's not forever.

       

    • lee12629
      lee12629 kelly1965

      Posted

      Well the first 6 months were the longest after that things got progressively better.
    • kelly1965
      kelly1965 lee12629

      Posted

      thanks alot, it has been 7 months already for me so fingers crossed it starts soon.  I'm not taking anti inflammatories every day so seeing that as a plus.
    • kerryanne01439
      kerryanne01439 kelly1965

      Posted

      I`ve been without the statins for just over a month now and have been taking supplements (Ostecare) as well as Omega 3 oil and can actually say this week I have noticed a positive effect. Although my legs still feel heavy and sore, the agonising pain in my lower back has faded to a feeling more like intense pressure. Very uncomfortable but not as disabling as it has been. So there is a light at the end of the tunnel, don`t give up !!!
    • kelly1965
      kelly1965 kerryanne01439

      Posted

      Thanks Kerryanne I have also been taking supplements.  I am now on my second bottle of  Curcumin (tumeric) and ginger capsules 2 a day and 1 daily of the celery seed 4000mg capsules ( 2 weeks in) and the symptoms have not gone all together by any means but I am functioning without a volaren tablet every morning.  I am also managing stairs and am bck doing some exercise mostly upper body still.  But a small improvement.
    • Portacrean
      Portacrean kelly1965

      Posted

      Actually , most of these post sound like good news. Believe it or not , I've been on stations since 2004 after heart bypass surgery . Started hurting throughout my chest , both sides and under the rib cage. Cardiologist said it was scar damage and possibly nerve damage from the surgery.my gp said the same. Nothing has ever helped the pain. Nothing has ever shown up in any test pointing to a reason for the pain

      Quality of life has been rock bottom for years on a daily basis for 10 yrs. My original gp left so now I have a new one. He immediately took me off the statins. Only been off for 1 month. Pain hasn't gotten any better , but I'm hoping. He's convinced the statins have probably been the problem all these years. I'm 70yrs old now but MAYBE my final years will be better.anyway , good luck to all and a word of advice. Your doctor isn't always right.

    • lee12629
      lee12629 Portacrean

      Posted

      Wishing you days of feeling much better soon!! You are so right,the doctor is definitely not always right.
    • Portacrean
      Portacrean lee12629

      Posted

      The biggest problem , as I see it , is doctors not listening to the patient and believing , without ny dubt , that pharmaceuticals, would never ever lie to them or with hold information. As is the case with cholesterol meds. My new doc. did his own research not only on cholestrol meds. but several others including b/p meds. Wish I had found him 6 or 7 yrs ago. But , like he said it's never too late to try something new.
  • marie0125
    marie0125 kelly1965

    Posted

    So sorry for your pain.

    over a month ago I went on statins because of chlorestrol 

    immediately my body rejected this med.  Pain in muscles,legs and feet became unbearable.  I had no idea that statins would do this and was not informed of side affects by my doctor.  After a month and half I still have problems walking.  I use to ride my bike 10 miles every day and yoga 3 times a week.  Now I am not able to do any of this.  I do have arthritis but that never kept me down.  

    Thanks to you Kelly and this site I feel there is hope even though it may take 3years.

    However at my age 75 years young losing 3 years can be depressing.

    We all have to learn to take charge and not always take the advice  of a doctor.

    Thanks to everyone for this information.

     

    • lee12629
      lee12629 marie0125

      Posted

      Hi marie,yours might not take that long to resolve,i had been on them a year and a half. My symptoms just came on suddenly after barely an issue before. You were on them for a shorter time,fingers crossed your symptoms resolve fast. Personally I think all doctors should be responsible enough to educate themselves about the drugs they prescribe and inform the patients of possible side affects before a med is used. If we can use the net,so can they. Plus they have pharmacutical people visit them. So no excuse.
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