So i’ve been put on statins, turn 39 next week and a bit down about it.
I had a TIA or mini stroke depending on who you talk to, got son very minor damage to balance part of brain.

Am on other tablets which i didn’t mind as it was soon after the event but this feels a bit of a kick in the nuts. Colesterol is 4.6 but specialist wants it below 4.

Anyone on Statins? Its taken a good while to get back on top of things and muscle aches dont sound like fun.

Muscle aches are unlikely, and if you get them, you can always try a different statin or speak to your doctor about a different approach.

Been on them 2 years now, 20mg gave me no problems, had to go up to 40mg and I was feeling pretty beaten up most days. Lost 6kgs body weight and was able to go back down to 20mgs, I’ve lost another 13kgs since March, I’ve got my next test March, Doc is confident I’ll be able to come off them if I keep losing the weight.

They thought I had a genetic problem, but it’s ‘non alcoholic fatty liver’ or words to that effect. It’s shite anyway and hopefully a thing of the past. Good old fashioned diet and exorcise.

There was a recent study which demonstrated that muscle soreness is pretty rare. Statins don’t have more side effects than other drugs, they just had bad PR following suggestions that everyone should take them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37306736

Or alternatively

“Muscle pain and fatigability are not a figment of misattribution and public misinformation,” he says. “They are too prevalent and recurrent in people who desperately want to stay on statins.

http://www.bmj.com/content/354/bmj.i4992

Been on them for a couple of years. Not because of high cholesterol but type 2 diabetes and weight. No side effects that I can detect. They also stabilise the fatty plaques on the walls of the blood vessels so reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. Best one has just come off patent, so side effects should be even rarer. No need to fear them.

I’ve not taken them but I’m a Pharmacist. Like all drugs they have adverse effects. Those effects are pretty well established for statins but my experience leads me to think they’re no more prevelent than many other drugs and they seem generally well tolerated. Of course you’ll have outliers who have bad experiences but these drugs are taken by LOTS of people and so obviously gross numbers may seem higher even if the relative incidence is pretty low. The positive benefits are again well established.

As in the posts above you’ve just to try it see how you get on. There are a number of them that are off patent and other options from different drug groups if you do have any issues.

Oh that’s bad luck. Hopefully it will be a one off.
First thing I would say is Tia and mini stroke are the same thing.
Re statins and cholesterol level, it’s not really about what your cholesterol is, but about your risk of another tia. Having had one you are at high risk of another. Statins reduce that risk regardless of what your cholesterol is. And no other cholesterol lowering agent or diet has been shown to lower the actual risk of further strokes as much as statins, for the same reduction in cholesterol, so there is more going on than just cholesterol reduction. The media likes to bang on about the down side of statins in order to sell papers but they are really life saving drugs. Many many people take them without problems.

Been on them for last 3years just dropped down to 20mg….after dad had a triple bypass doc suggested a blood test which the outcome was pretty much “if I were you I’d get the statins tonight and start taking them”.

I’m 48 doing 100 to 190 miles a week on the bike and tend to put any fatigue down to that although any muscle ache and I’ll be off to docs but so far been fine.

Better taking em than doing the thing he loved most 🙂

No, there’s no need to fear them, but side effects do exist and they’re certainly no fun.
I had muscle pain and joint stiffness on Simvastatin and Rosuvastatin, but could tolerate a low dosage of Atorvastatin.
If you get aches, just ask your GP to change. Most are far more aware than they were 10 years ago.

No, there’s no need to fear them, but side effects do exist and they’re certainly no fun.
I had muscle pain and joint stiffness on Simvastatin and Rosuvastatin, but could tolerate a low dosage of Atorvastatin.
If you get aches, just ask your GP to change. Most are far more aware than they were 10 years ago.

I was on them and now I’m not.

Took them for 4 years due to diabetes, last year ended up barely able to pedal and exhausted after walking for 2 miles. Finally gave up and went back to the nurse after cutting a hedge with a small set of electric shears and not being able to move my forearms properly for 3 or 4 days.

Tried another statin but still had the same lack of any go in muscles and long lasting post exercise aches. It was difficult to notice as it was the aches you’d expect after exercise but lasting longer than it should and over time with less strenuous exercise.

I also lost any ability to wear a pack as I’d get chronic shoulder and back ache with any small amount of weight.

Finally came off them in Feb this year – under guidance of the docs. Given a choice between exercise and lower cholesterol the exercise wins.

Last six months have been brilliant. Getting back on the bike has been tough but made loads of progress and can actually ride for more than 20 minutes without feeling dead and average speeds have been going up rather than down. I’m no longer looking at e-bikes 🙂

Anecdotally I know a few people who have reported similar problems with muscle weakness and a decreasing ability to do anything strenuous.

I certainly wouldn’t recommend the internet woo woo of just giving up tablets, but if you do get any weakness or post activity pain I’d go back and discuss with the docs.

Thanks everyone, i’m not exactly overweight at 6’6″ and 15st but trying to get the body fat percentage down. Going to start on 20mg of Atorvastatin so we’ll see what happens.

It’s for the best BigDean, 20mg is only a “quarter dose” according to my consultant. I have no problem on 20mg.

OH is 37 and has been on them since suffering a stroke last October. She’s just had to change as she was feeling fatigued fairly often, especially since starting back at work on reduced hours. No other side effects than that and the new ones seem to be agreeing with her.

I’ve been on Simvastatin for knocking on 10 years. Type 1 diabetes and family history did for me.
I’m not sure about side effects, I just put aches and pains down to age, 57 on Sunday. 😕

Following AF and a TIA, I think I’m on my fourth variety. At first I didn’t think of the problems as side effects, now I know better. So muscle aches after three or four minutes work with a pick and shovel, then night-time cramps damaging the calf muscles enough that I limped for half a week.

I’ve just made an appointment to ask for another version.

So my comment is – be aware of the possible side-effects, and go back and ask for another one. And I was recently told that it’s a known that cramp can come on after a year or two of the previous one I was on, Prava, perhaps.

I don’t mean to sound negative, I can accept if I’ve been unlucky but these things happen to some people, so be ready to ask to change.

Then there’s cold hands from the beta-blockers.

done a lot of statins as above they are a standard response to stroke and cardiac events.. i m a 53 yr old, tia survivor.. went blind for 15 mins then had the worst balance issues which has steadly and slowly improved over the following 6 years.. without out prior knowledge i certainly had muscle discomfort ( pain would be too strong a description) perseverance can be rewarded though as its often that 6 weeks or so discomfort in my case waned for some time. Alternative statins though were immediately more comfortable .. so id advise them.. stick with the prescription for three months before seeking an alternative..

Micro vascular disease which can you be fixed so I now live with Angina on a daily basis and doubt I will ever sling a leg over a mountain bike again, I can barley tolerate statins currently on Rouvastatin? low dose and I am typing this at 6 in the morning as I can’t sleep due to aches and cramps in my legs – I have tried them all and on a proper dose o can’t walk 250 yards. If you have a problem with them you will know about it but most folks are ok on them and it’s the only drug I have a problem with (currently take another 8 drugs) it’s all a bit shite at 53 years old I can do virtually nothing other than my job and wander aimlessly around the garden – moan over

Oh and ****ing beta blockers they are the devil’s work, they simply remove 50% of your capacity to do anything

Trump takes them and he feels as good as he did when he was 30 years old so they can’t be that bad.

Been on atorvastatin and clopidogrel since having a full on stroke over a year ago and have to take them for the rest of my life. Don’t think I’ve sufferered any side effects from them at all. It’s a bit of a grind getting prescriptions all the time and costs a sodding fortune, but if it reduces my chances of another stroke, I’ll do anything

Get an annual season ticket for your prescriptions £104 from NHS prepayment

https://drmalcolmkendrick.org/

Bl88dy hell why didn’t the NHS tell me about the prepayment scheme? Thanks oldmanmtb

In your situation I would certainly want to be on statins. They improve your odds of not having a stroke hugely.

My GP wanted to putt me on statins – I refused. Why? because I believe the predictor tool they use is far to general. While my cholestorol was a bit high there is no cadiovascular disease in my family, I am a healthy weight, I exercise a lot and thus I believe my risk is much lower than the predictor they use showed as it takes no account of exercise

Malcolm Kendrick does admit that they cut the risk of another HA or stroke if you’ve had one already, but don’t improve your mortality though.

https://drmalcolmkendrick.org/

Yeah, frustrated GP takes up a career in public speaking and publishing aimed at gullible sceptics. Has some valid ideas but rather than target them into research and stuff that benefits people. He instead whines on the internet and makes a mint in books.

David Icke, Deepak Choprah or any other loon who can sell book to give people answers to questions they didn’t know they had will welcome him into their club.

Even though I’ve had statins for side effects I would still say the best thing for the OP or anyone who is given them is to try them and work with your health care team if you get the side effects. Just be aware that the side effects can come on slowly so you might not notice an immediate reaction.