I’m giving this strong consideration and definitely asking for reduction in dosage. My annual physical is in September so trying to gather some personal data and thoughts on this. I think my numbers, although look good, I’m unsure why they need to be where they are.
Mine said ‘stop asking. You will take them forever, and if you take them– your “forever” will be a really long time”.
So I don’t know why you want to stop- but that’s one datapoint. My numbers went from sky high to just below the top range of acceptable- and I’m only on 10 mg a day…. but he thinks that’s good progress on a low dose….
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I’m a little unsure about the last part of your post. Are you unsure why you need lower numbers - which is sounds like the statins helped you achieve??
I’m sort of on the opposite end. I just started taking a statin late winter. But my doc compromised on a lesser dose (3x/week) and we will see what that does. Honestly at this point I’ve had no trouble adjusting (basically no adjustment) to taking them so if she wanted to increase I’d be willing.
Point being, your situation or your doc may be willing to compromise - but one persons physical needs and results from a drug and dosage will be different from another persons.
This sounds like a question for you doctor. Ask why he/she is recommending statins and your concerns. That said, you can certainly review things on your own, which should allow you to be better prepared for the conversation.
What are the specific numbers, both before and after statins? Are there any other relevant considerations such as family history, other medical conditions, or having side effects from the statins?
Answering the thread title question, I have a familial hypercholesterolemia gene. Everyone on my mother’s side had ridiculously high cholesterol prior to taking medication. I am the only person in my family with this gene who does not have a medical need to take statins. Instead I am able to stay within normal lab ranges via diet and heavy exercise.
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OP- re: the why- what’s your family history? Mine is bleak…
I’ve had a lot of problems with my legs. I had assumed it was either my RA or OA, doctors say nope. Difficulty with strength, etc. I have no pain from my statin since I switched from Lipitor to Pravastatin but my doctor wanted my LDL below 70, its now down in the 50s. So I’m not sure that, although I don’t have pain, perhaps that is one reason I have trouble with my legs. I have been walking, and walking, and walking hoping it would help but it’s not making them better at all. It helps a lot of other things but the legs are still stiff and had to get into gear and never quite feel normal. Anyway, sounds like all are fine staying on them forever, I was hoping to cut back and see if that might fix my leg problems since my drs don’t know what’s wrong.
My father died of a heart attack at 59 and I know that is one concern plus I’m overweight and have high blood pressure, but it was never above 137 as far as I recall before putting me on BP meds. I am however, nothing like my father, an alcoholic who smoked 3 packs of non-filtered camel cigarettes per day. I was just wondering if anyone had done this.
Have you tried an aqua exercise program for your leg pain? Either Aqua Zumba, Deep water strength training, some form of dance/cardio in the water? I found it MUCH easier on the joints than the walking on land… and the leg pain went down significantly. And when I didn’t stop for a chocolate croissant afterwards- really helped with my weight!!!
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Yes, I do water aquatics all summer, almost daily. However, the walking actually is okay once I get going, and not painful and I do ride a recumbent bike, although easy ride, it is on tension 7 out of 10 you can feel it, especially on the hills. So I am getting some tension exercise. It’s just a very weird, odd scenario that my RA doctor even questioned whether I have an ‘odd sense of pain”, like I don’t recognize pain. I promised him, I do and I have no pain. I have had the circulation checked, it’s fine, I am doing self lymphatic drainage massage which I can truly feel the difference after doing. But, just worried about the heavy dose of statin 40mg of Pravastain and she’s added the Zetia tablet as well. HDL is at 84, still good although down from 97 since taking he statin. My weight is actually coming down, very slowly, but the walking helps. I’m at the point of thinking I’m afraid to stop walking because if I do, I will STOP walking. I’ll talk to my PCP in September during my annual and see what she says but appears to be a numbers doctor when it comes to the medication, not sure I’m all in on that.
Your leg problem may or may not have anything to do with your statin. Have you seen any specialist for your legs? Could it be a gait problem? What exactly happens when you walk. Is it a matter of putting one foot in front of the other???
My doc has me (right from the start) take Coenzyme Q10 with my statin. This is suppose to help with the statin side effect of muscle/joint issues.
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I think I asked my doctor about that CoQ10 when I started the statins years ago but if I recall she said I could take them if I wanted but she said it was not necessary, I got the impression she did not think it really does anything. You do lose the CoQ10 but adding it back in by pill form doesn’t go to muscle just to the bloodstream and woudn’t affect muscle issues. Couldn’t hurt though so maybe I will get some and try that for the next 3 months. The “gait” problem could likely be part of it. Because I was griping to my RA doctor he finally did an xray of my knees which shows moderate OA but should not be prohibiting my movement. When he had me lay out to check my legs, he said one is longer than the other! Not by much but definitely different. I wish I had thought to ask him if that has happened over time or I was born that way? Interestingly, I have notice over the last decade my left foot turning inward more as I walk, not a lot, maybe not noticeable to others but definitely to me. When I was 3-5 years old I slept with a metal bar between my legs where they were bolted into them so the feet were pointing strait - I had a foot that turned in. Here I am 66 years later and it’s turning in again. Odd.
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When was your last bone density test?
My previous GYN was a bone density kook. He attributed most ailments to bone density (and maybe aliens, I don’t know). I didn’t leave the practice because of that- I changed jobs and insurance plans and that meant a change. But any complaint you had he’d find a way to talk about bone density and estrogen!!!
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About 3 years ago, all good but maybe time for another, she hasn’t said and I haven’t asked.
The question is, do you have any problems that could be unwanted effects of statins?
A relative had a common unwanted effect of muscle pain and went through a few different statins and eventually went off of statins in favor of a PCSK9 inhibitor. After dropping statins, their blood sugar / HbA1c also went down (higher blood sugar / HbA1c is another known unwanted effect of statins, which can be problematic for those with or on the edge of T2 diabetes).
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I doubt it’s your statin, because it sounds like you’ve been on a statin for awhile, and only fairly recently developed the leg problem. But I understand a lot of patients want to feel sure it isn’t their statin, so they go off of it for a couple weeks to see. If you go off of it and it does fix the problem, there are other cholesterol meds to try.
As an aside, pravastatin 40mg is not a high dose, because pravastatin is a relatively weak statin.
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I’m not sure what all that means, but my glucose and triglycerides are/have been very good. Dr doesn’t do A1C number because she said it is not necessary with my results, not pre-diabetic, good glucose and triglycerides.
I was initially on Lipitor and almost immediately had horrible pain. I do not have any pain at all with Pravastatin. The leg issue is just very stiff and heavy and seems more like circulation to me but that checked out okay as well.
The best way to describe it is like having my knees full of cotton and it just takes what seems like a lot of energy just to make them move. No pain, just a lot of exertion….weird. Sounds like OA but the Xray didn’t show that level of arthritis.
Thanks for all the input.
That’s me too. And some did ask if I needed to continue taking the statin. My PCP was amenable to be doing a trial being off these meds, and also gave me some dietary ideas that I adhered to very well. Imwas off for about 6 months. Well…my levels went way back up into the sky high range. I honestly have no side effects to the statins…so I’m back on them.
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Just adding…if you want to talk bone density and the side effects to those meds, just add that to the subject title…and I’ll give you an earful!
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I’m off statins this month because I was complaining about the aches in arms and legs and and overall fatigue problem. Doc said pains weren’t caused by the statins because those are usually severe problems immediately (my sister started them and almost immediately couldn’t walk) and I’ve been on them for several years and have tolerated them okay. However, I’ve felt over-medicated for a few years and I’ve been dropping medications and yet the fatigue and aches continue.
I go back to the doc next week to see how I’m doing but I’m not going back on them (I really am a horrible patient). I also got a letter that she’s leaving the practice June 1 so I guess that will be it for discussing medications. Not sure if I’ll stay with the practice as I liked her so put up with the ‘big brother’ aspect (it’s now owned by Amazon, but wasn’t when I started there) so it’s probably a good time to move on.
I’m just sick of doctors. Really tired of a new ‘problem’ they want to watch and medicate every time I go in.
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My husband has PA and a host of other issues. Some related to the PA and some maybe not.
It’s hard to know since PA affects everything. He had a heart attack at 47, which probably was part of the PA. Inflammation causes a lot of issues. He’s been on a statin since then to keep his cholesterol levels low so not to cause another heart issue.
My husband is on Humira (a generic now since that’s what his insurance covers) for his PA and now his Crohns that is part of the PA.
He recently started on Wegovy only for a month and says that his stiffness is less. It’s not like being on prednisone but the stiffness is less.
I was talking to a friend that has RA who went off her Humira (she didn’t want to try the generic and it’s still expensive when on Medicare). She finding that there are a bunch of strange health issues that are popping up because the Humira keeps the inflammation down.
I know! All this to say that although it could be the statin. It also could be a host of other factors because of the co morbidities. So hard to say. I feel like it’s whack a mole with my husband at times.
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My RA dr put me on an infusion that is covered by Medicare 100%, it was basically like Humira or one of the other injections but you have to go into their infusion office for 30 minutes for the infusion every other month for a few months then not but every 6 months. However after the 2nd early load up before going every 6 months, I was having quite heavy pains across the shoulder similar to the Lipitor but this was RA med….got off it and it went away.
Wack a mole is a good way to put it! I really feel quite good is just this whole leg thing that I stand up and have to think about taking a step before I can take a step and I’m a 95 year old lady just barely moving but once I do, I can go for a while although exhausting.