Statin Drug Experience

[BlueSky]

My cholesterol level has hovered around 200, sometimes under, sometimes over. Several years ago I was prescribed simvustatin, brand name Zocor. I took it for about 3 weeks and I felt achy all over and sore so I quit taking it. Early this year I was prescribed atorvastatin, the generic Lipitor. I took it for 3 weeks and started feeling really dizzy. I looked up the side effects and dizziness was one of them. So, I stopped taking it. Recently, I decided to try it again and the same thing happened. After about 3 weeks I got really dizzy. So, it appears that the statin drugs don't agree with me. One of the other side effects of Lipitor is weakened tendons. FlyingFool, were you taking Lipitor before you ruptured your achilles tendon?

[RandyR]

Same thing here. I quit taking the statins and feel much better.

 

I have had to use a bit of diet / impulse-food control to keep my cholesterol down around 200. Mine was way higher.

 

So diet and a little exercise daily works. In moderation, of course !!

 

I'd forgotten about the weakened tendons symptom.

[Yammer Dan]

Proof. Drugs just ain't good for ya!!!

[bongobobny]

Question, what time of day were you taking them? The best time is at bedtime...

[steamer]

Question, what time of day were you taking them? The best time is at bedtime...

This is true, but the dizziness can still happen for the first couple of hours after waking up. I've been taking them for years and still get dizzy some mornings.

[BlueSky]

Question, what time of day were you taking them? The best time is at bedtime...

 

I was taking it at bed time and half a pill too because of what happened when I took Zocor to ease myself into taking the statin. And I wasn't just a little dizzy. I was almost nauseous.

[BlueSky]

Proof. Drugs just ain't good for ya!!!

 

We really need to educate ourselves on possible side effects of the drugs we take so we will recognize what is causing the side efffect if it happens.

[snyper316]

We really need to educate ourselves on possible side effects of the drugs we take so we will recognize what is causing the side efffect if it happens.

 

I do educate myself about my drugs when I start noticing side effects, ended up in E.R. Back in June and sent away with continue taking your Metformin and your having a panic attack proscribed me some Psych med So I did as I was told within 2 hours of taken it I felt as if I was lit on fire!! Took it the next week hoping it would go away, went back to E.R. Told same thing but this time I was supposedly dehydrated too and continue taken the Metformin. So I continue taken it for another week and still not feeling right, went to see someone else at Walk in Clinic get told this time I was having heartburn but other symptoms sounded odd and weird. After first week of Psych med I stopped taking it, this time after the visit to the walk in Clinic stopped taken the Metformin took about a week started feeling better but still once in a while I get these weird spells. My neighbor also took Metformin and advised me to get off of it, if i was still taking it. The lady that works at loan company I deal with also said she had to stop taking the Metformin. Now I ain't trying to say it does it to everyone because I have a couple of friends who haven't experienced side effects. My Mom believed me tho so when she was at Er a while back she asked them for a printout on Metformin side effects, Well I can only compare this print out to a Preachers bible because it was thicker then my History books in school.....So right now I am controlling my blood sugar with diet and exercise plus wonder foods for diabetes... I would rather take the natural way of things then put crap in my body that has 1,000's of side effects!!!

[Flyinfool]

Nope my cholesterol is wonderful to bordering on being to low. But my drug use was the very first thing every Dr asked me along the way. I take no forms of statins, and None of the meds that I take have weakened tendons as even an uncommon side effect. The first one everyone asked about was an antibiotic that has blown Achilles as a very common side effect.

 

When I first had my heart issue on of the meds that made my heart work did cause me a lot of dizziness to the point that I did not ride the bike for a full year. once my heart got stabilized and the dosage cut down to 25% of what it was the dizziness went away and has stayed away.

 

By the way I am now 4 days into walking on my foot with up to 25% of my weight on it but with the use of crutches and the boot. On Friday the 13th I start PT. Doc says it is looking good so far.

[slowrollwv]

I have to knock on wood. I just turned 65 in July and I can proudly say that I am not on any meds at all. And I am the only one in my family that is not. Thankful you bet your bottom dollar I am.

[Yammer Dan]

I remember ta take mine about once a week.....

[baylensman]

A close friend of mine and my girlfriend were both suffering from some stomach issues. My friend was to be hospitalized for scoping and other tests. He was told to stop his metformin till after the test. well the symptoms went away that day. The doctor called and said it may have been a virus start your meds back up and call me. Well the next day takes the metformin and has Massive explosive diarrhea to the point he can't leave the house. it recurs 7 or 8 times that day and continues. he stopped the metformin and it goes away.

 

My girlfriend the same issues with the metformin, going to the bathroom 4 to 5 times in the morning after breakfast, changed diet took out the coffee etc. no relief till she stopped the metformin in preparation for testing.

 

It was amazing in both cases it was like someone flipped a switch both of them are now painting normal blood sugar and only slightly elevated A1C 6 months later

[Woody]

I am taking atorvastatin and have to skip a dose about once every two weeks because of leg cramps

[snyper316]

A close friend of mine and my girlfriend were both suffering from some stomach issues. My friend was to be hospitalized for scoping and other tests. He was told to stop his metformin till after the test. well the symptoms went away that day. The doctor called and said it may have been a virus start your meds back up and call me. Well the next day takes the metformin and has Massive explosive diarrhea to the point he can't leave the house. it recurs 7 or 8 times that day and continues. he stopped the metformin and it goes away.

 

My girlfriend the same issues with the metformin, going to the bathroom 4 to 5 times in the morning after breakfast, changed diet took out the coffee etc. no relief till she stopped the metformin in preparation for testing.

 

It was amazing in both cases it was like someone flipped a switch both of them are now maintaining normal blood sugar and only slightly elevated A1C 6 months later

Yeah that.... And I usually had no warning but that went on for a year and bad stomach cramps. The issue that got me I would start walking and felt like I just popped over them hills you know the one where I used to say i just lost my stomach.. Falling sensation... Then what took me to er was some strange sensation like the breath kept getting knocked out of me you know say your afraid of heights and look over the edge of a 200 story skyscraper....

 

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[XV1100SE]

It's scary when you listen to the disclaimers on the commercials...."taking 'X' may cause....suicidal tendencies....death.... kidney/heart failure...."

 

Sometimes the "cure" is not worth the "pain".

[baylensman]

It's scary when you listen to the disclaimers on the commercials...."taking 'X' may cause....suicidal tendencies....death.... kidney/heart failure...."

 

Sometimes the "cure" is not worth the "pain".

 

Saw one the other day for an Asthma medication...may cause shortness of breath!!

[Sfahey151]

If you Google statins you'll find an increasing number of people (including medical professionals) that are saying that statins are unnecessary and actually harmful. In addition to that, there is no direct link to cholesterol levels and heart issues.

[BlueSky]

John Stossel discussed this on one of his shows. According to him, high chlolesterol alone will not clog your arteries. But, with high blood pressure and high chlolesterol it will clog the arteries. High blood pressure damages the arteries by stretching them and then the cholesterol sticks in the pockets or something like that.

[Condor]

I've been taking Atorvastatin once a day for about two years.... Maybe that's why I'm always loosing my balance?? I think I'm going... like Dan.... to once a week...

[RandyR]

Eat more veggies and less steak and prime rib is my plan. No more statins.

 

I have started making stir fried vegetables for dinner most days. The grocery stores have a dozen or more flavored sauces and the Veggies used can be varied. Add some rice or noodles or other filler to it. Add some varied leafy veg like cabbage, spinach, boc choy, etc. Lots of variety, and tastes good too. imo.

 

You have to give up the hot dogs, though.

[Condor]

Eat more veggies and less steak and prime rib is my plan. No more statins.

 

I have started making stir fried vegetables for dinner most days. The grocery stores have a dozen or more flavored sauces and the Veggies used can be varied. Add some rice or noodles or other filler to it. Add some varied leafy veg like cabbage, spinach, boc choy, etc. Lots of variety, and tastes good too. imo.

 

You have to give up the hot dogs, though.

That's it!! I ain't givin' up no Hot Dogs...!!!

[Flyinfool]

Nope me either

I am a carnivore, this old body was designed to eat meat.

 

Cutting meat out of my diet will not make me live to 100, but it will feel like it.

 

Besides I still need to get over by @cowpuc for one of those hot dog shindigs, and make a LOT of dogs disappear, maybe even before the flies.

[bongobobny]

Everything in moderation! Try to limit red meat to only once or maybe occasionally twice a week! Fish and fowl are good...

[leroy]

Yep, Lipitor and Zocor are know for the reactions described.

 

I had bad luck with Lipitor so when I changed doctors for other reasons I told him no Lipitor. He put me on Zocor. It was fine for a while. I complained to him for over two years about my legs hurting.

 

I finally stopped taking it. My leg problems went away. I told him. He then put me on Pravastatin, claimed the body processes it differently. It was good for some time. Now I have the same leg problems and have been diagnosed with restless leg syndrome. The med for RLS helped for a while now it doesn't. I believe I will stop the pravastatin to see what happens.

 

I'm not sure which is worse, the bit or the treatment.

 

I have also heard of dementia as a long term side affect. No firm source on that info.

[BlueSky]

Diet will help a little in reducing cholesterol. Probably if a reduction in weight accompanies the diet change it will help a lot more.

But, exercise is much more effective in my experience. In 2005 I was working at the Kewaunee Nuclear Plant in Two Rivers WI. Due to the cold winters and my laziness, I didn't exercise during the winter. My chlolesterol was 238, the highest I ever remember. I started walking as fast as I could maintain and worked up to 54 minutes 3 times a week. My cholesterol dropped to 188 in 3 months. I weighed the same and ate the same during those 3 months. Weighed 255lbs, 25 more than now.

 

A coworker at the plant said his cholesterol was 300 when checked and the Dr scared him bad enough that he started walking more than I did and he went on a as he says a "leaves and twig" diet and got his cholesterol down. Then walking after work in the dark, he twisted his ankle. He couldn't walk but he maintained his "leaves and twigs" diet and his cholesterol went right back up to where it had been. This guy was an interesting character. He said he was the Ft. Hood heavyweight boxing champ while there and he spent a tour in Viet Nam in the middle of the fighting. Tough guy who according to him grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in St. Louis.