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#21 ·
Doc here.... not primary care, but eye doc. Talk to your medical provider about the muscle soreness issue. If he/she won't listen and give you suggestions, find another doctor. Typically, a statin holiday is not detrimental at all to see if the soreness is really statin related. You'll have to stop for usually about six weeks and continue your normal activity level that you were on during statin use and see if the soreness resolves, then restart the statin while maintaining the same activity level to see if the SAMS resolves without the statin use and then unequivocally returns following re-institution of statin therapy.
Again, I AM NOT YOUR DOCTOR. Talk to him prior to doing this, but if he doesn't suggest it, I'd get a second opinion. I assume you're seeing or have seen a cardiologist for the cardiac issue identified on CT, if not, you might want to request a cardio consult. Most docs take reported muscle soreness with statin use seriously and will want to evaluate it.
 
#22 ·
Hi all

I'm a clinical exercise physiologist with nearly 25 years experience in cardiac rehabilitation. Statins do two things: first they lower cholesterol which tends to decrease plaque formation; second, they toughen up the fibrous cap on vulnerable, liquid, lipid rich plaques making them less likely to rupture. Plaque rupture, not chronic occlusions, are responsible for most heart attacks. Even though my cholesterol numbers are OK, I still have increased risk because I had a parent die of a massive MI before the age of 55. Because of that risk, I take a daily low dose statin to guard against plaque rupture.

Even though all statins do pretty much the same thing, they don't all get processed down the same metabolic pathway in the liver. That's why some people have side effects with one statin but not another. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is usually the first statin of choice by physicians, but it does seem to cause issues for some people. Statins that seem to have fewer issues include pravastatin (Pravachol) and rosuvastatin (Crestor). You might want to ask you physician about these.

Finally, as someone else mentioned, Co-enzyme Q10 seems to help offset some of the side effects of statins. (Sorry, a study with only ~ 510 total subjects and just 64 in the intervention group is nowhere near adequately powered to detect a significant difference in groups, especially since some (most?) in the non-intervention arm would not have had issues with the statin to begin with.)

Since it's not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration you do have to be a bit careful. Not because it can be dangerous, just because being unregulated means strength and efficacy can vary not only between different brands but even between different lot numbers of the same brand. Choose a reputable brand or ask your physician if they have any recommendations.

Good luck.
 
#23 ·
Good info. I agree about the Co Q10 comments. That study lacks the power to make any clinical decisions. I take Co Q10 with my statin use. I certainly can't say I notice any benefit, but studies have indeed shown that Co Q10 is beneficial and certainly not detrimental. It is very true that not all statins have the same side effects in all individuals. I started with pravastatin (lower risk of SAMS than atovastatin) and experienced some muscle soreness. Switched to atorvastatin and had less soreness. Everyone is different. Some have SAMS will all statins, others have no soreness with any statin. Talk to your doc.
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
JKA said:
Doc here.... not primary care, but eye doc. Talk to your medical provider about the muscle soreness issue. If he/she won't listen and give you suggestions, find another doctor. Typically, a statin holiday is not detrimental at all to see if the soreness is really statin related. You'll have to stop for usually about six weeks and continue your normal activity level that you were on during statin use and see if the soreness resolves, then restart the statin while maintaining the same activity level to see if the SAMS resolves without the statin use and then unequivocally returns following re-institution of statin therapy.
Again, I AM NOT YOUR DOCTOR. Talk to him prior to doing this, but if he doesn't suggest it, I'd get a second opinion. I assume you're seeing or have seen a cardiologist for the cardiac issue identified on CT, if not, you might want to request a cardio consult. Most docs take reported muscle soreness with statin use seriously and will want to evaluate it.
Click to expand...
I need to make an appointment Monday to discuss with my doc. We exchanged messages yesterday but that was all.

I read a lot about this issue and I like the statin vacation idea a lot.

Here are the basics:
-heart CT was done about a year ago after discussing a family history - father had a couple stents Put in before he passed from a non-hear issue.
-CT came back with a higher than expected calcium score.
-PCP put me on Rosalvastatin as “preventative”, gave me the option to see a cardiologist.
-i didnt see the cardio till march 2024. with him we did a nuclear stress test, echo and all that.
these all came back good, no noted issues.
-Cardio put me on Vesepa to help reduce any buildup. At the time the statin Issues were not near as severe as now.
-through the last several years my lipid panels are good, with the exception of high triglycerides.

so thats the whole story.

I appreciate all the feedback on this!
 
#25 ·
There are a few studies with mixed results on Vitamin D3 helping with muscle soreness while on statins. As with many things, I suspect it's less an issue of "it works / doesn't work" vs. there's a genetic or some other (yet unidentified) factor that influences whether or not it does.

Personally I found it made a difference - I'm indoors and not getting a lot of sun exposure so I take 5,000 IU 2x a day during winter. Tried to cut back to 5,000 IU this spring (as I've done in the past) and had soreness that popped up and then went away after a few days going back up to 10k. Only change from prior years was adding in a statin. Note that you want to keep an eye on blood calcium levels if you take higher doses of vitamin D (mine were fine with 10k,so I just decided to continue taking that year round).

Dose is also worth looking at - if you look at many of the studies for cholesterol medications you'll find that the difference in a half dose or a dose every other day is something like an average of 25% reduction vs. a 26% reduction... but the side effects become less likely and less severe.
 
#27 ·
I didn’t get muscle soreness but got liver damage (AST&ALT elevation). My doc changed me from one to another (Crestor to Lipitor or vice versa.)
I asked won’t it be the same and he said that different statins can be tolerated differently.
 
#29 ·
hdave said:
I’ve been on a statin - rosuvastatin for about a year as a preventative after a heart CT. The issue seen on the CT has since been proved a non issue.

my legs are constantly sore this riding season. Much worse that I can remember. Im 56, spin and snowboard all winter, MTB all summer. I have a dozen rides done in May, and I am not feeling any more fit than I did on the first one and the soreness caries over even with a couple days rest.

A noted side affect of statins is muscle soreness. And some articles say intense exercise should not be done while on them. My doc wrote a script for a different statin, but the listed side effects are pretty much the same. My cholesterol is not really that high and wasnt before I started the statin. I feel like i may just try not taking it for a while and see??

anyone have experience with this side effect issue Or know anything about it? Many thanks!
Click to expand...
What dosage? And are you taking CoQ10 also? Add a 200mg-400mg daily dose of CoQ10.
 
#30 ·
levity said:
To: not quite.right?
Re: the article linked

“. . . When the authors compared the survey responses of 64 CoQ10 users versus those of 447 non-CoQ10 users with statin-associated muscle symptoms, CoQ10 supplements did not improve their muscle symptoms.”

”Conclusion: CoQ10 was not significantly associated with the resolution of SAMS.”
Click to expand...
I can find 10 studies that will say the opposite as well. All I can tell you is that with Biotin + 400mg CoQ10, I have zero issues anymore with Rosuvastatin side effects. And it most certainly has not been a placebo effect.
 
#32 ·
I'm not going to say anything one way or the other about Statins or Cholesterol. Or your liver.....
There are 2 places in the world where they eat more beef than Americans. Argentina, and Australia. They don't have the epidemic of obesity and clogged arteries that we do.
So what's the difference?
Cows eat grass, not corn. We feed corn to cows to fatten them up for slaughter. Guess what happens to us when we eat that beef. The same thing.
So my suggestion is this. Switch to grass fed beef. if it's more expensive it probably won't hurt to eat less of it anyway. The same for butter.
Also using Coconut oil, Avacado oil, and Olive oil for cooking and dressings. Seed oils are just as unnatural for us as corn is for cows.
The same goes for farmed fish. They feed them all kinds of crap. Wild caught for me.
I will say something about your brain. Do a search "is Your Brain Made Out of Chelesterol?"
 
#33 ·
I'm 71. Years ago I went on Lipitor. I also had elevated cholesterol. I never had problems from taking it and my liver enzymes were always normal. About 10 years ago I had an elevated calcium score. That provides good info. My doc put me on Rosuvastatin and more recently Zetia as well, to get my cholesterol down. Still fine on liver enzymes and normal levels of soreness. I took a statin holiday that lasted about 4 months (years ago) and saw no difference. I've also been taking NAC for liver health (my doc cleared me to take it, but I think he's agnostic on the benefits).
 
Discussion starter · #34 ·
William P said:
I'm not going to say anything one way or the other about Statins or Cholesterol. Or your liver.....
There are 2 places in the world where they eat more beef than Americans. Argentina, and Australia. They don't have the epidemic of obesity and clogged arteries that we do.
So what's the difference?
Cows eat grass, not corn. We feed corn to cows to fatten them up for slaughter. Guess what happens to us when we eat that beef. The same thing.
So my suggestion is this. Switch to grass fed beef. if it's more expensive it probably won't hurt to eat less of it anyway. The same for butter.
Also using Coconut oil, Avacado oil, and Olive oil for cooking and dressings. Seed oils are just as unnatural for us as corn is for cows.
The same goes for farmed fish. They feed them all kinds of crap. Wild caught for me.
I will say something about your brain. Do a search "is Your Brain Made Out of Chelesterol?"
Click to expand...
100% agree On the meat! Both corn fed beef and farmed fish are well proven to be unhealthy to consume. We only use olive oil as well. Food choices are a bigger deal now that my wife and I are getting older and we are surely adjusting our diet.

Did the search on “is your brain made out of cholesterol?”…fascinating reads. Thank you!
 
#35 · (Edited)
Olive oil has a very low smoke point (as low as 320*F), so it's not really good for frying things. Avocado oil (500*F) is much better for that and has less of a strong flavor. Unrefined Coconut oil still has the coconut flavor and is in between for frying ( I think refined and unrefined causes confusion about this). Using a frothing wand I add it to Lattes, and Capuccinos for the flavor. I blend it in with the milk, not the coffee.
But if i'm frying Mariquitas it's going to be coconut oil.
 
#37 ·
_CJ said:
Statins are a scam. They only prevent 1 in 200 heart attacks, and the side effects go far beyond muscle soreness.
Click to expand...
mlx john said:
Just a quick note everyone...
Listen to your medical provider, not CJ
Click to expand...
Two things can be true. I believe both of you btw.

My Doctor had to have a scan to qualify for life insurance for his practice. He had clean pipes but also “high LDL“ similar to mine, about 120, but with great ratios (HDL >90 and triglycerides <90). His Cardiologist pushed him to take statins anyway, saying he still has some long term risk based on his LDL, but my doc pushed back citing statin’s increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and dementia.

What matters, the bottom line, is improved quantity and quality of life. For many (not all of us), statins might slightly decrease your relative risk of cardiac issues, but without significant impact on longevity. Relative cardiac risk reduction is a “soda straw view” of your health. Zoom out and look at the bigger picture, keeping your eye on absolute all-causes risk rather than relative risk for a single issue. Find a Doctor you trust with the same big-picture perspective.
 
#40 ·
Didn't see it mentioned above, but having a cardiac calcium scan helps determine if your elevated cholesterol is leading to plaque buildup. If your Agaston score is very high or very low, this can guide you decision as to whether to consider statins, dietary changes, etc...
 
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