[xcaligirl]

Originally Posted by blueash

A new study published in Lancet, one of the world's leading journals, reviewed all the published data on statins and muscle pain. You can read the original study, no paywall.

HERE

The simple summary of the findings, looking at a series a studies all of which had over 1000 patients each and lasted at least 2 years:

Those on statins are very slightly more likely to have muscle complaints than those on a fake drug, about 1 in 100 patients. 27.1% of statin users complained of muscle symptoms. But 26.6% of people NOT taking a statin had those same complaints over an average of over 4 years of follow up. Almost all the difference is during the first three months of statin use and more common with intense medication [higher dose].

Take home message is that you should not be avoiding statins because of muscle complaints. You should not be automatically blaming statins if you have aches as they are so very common in all of us.

The study concluded that the known benefits of statins on cardiovascular health far outweighed the small increase in muscle pain or weakness.

Now one note of caution. This Lancet article reviewed clinical trials of statins. It is almost always true that entry into a clinical trial requires that the participant pass some screening criteria. I did not review the many studies included. It is however likely that exclusion criteria may have included taking multiple other drugs, uncontrolled diabetes, renal or liver failure etc. So this conclusion that statins have minimal impact on muscle complaints should be limited to the range of patients that were able to participate in the statin studies.

I am sure that several people are going to be here absolutely certain that their pain was statin induced and that they are "allergic" to statins. No way could your pain be the result of age or activity or serendipity because you got better when you stopped and got pain again when you tried another statin. Argue with the authors and the data. Do what you think is best for you. I am just the messenger of this important contribution to the medical literature.

I took statins years ago and had major pain in my hands/fingers/thighs. Period to the statins, I was completing many marathons and half-marathons with normal aches that went away within a week after the event. I moved here and the doctor insisted that I go on statins due to being diabetic. I told him the history and he insisted I try again. For some reason I can barely walk because my thigh has turned to jello, rhe muscle is so bad. I complained and complained but for the same chat “not statins”. After talking to a good friend in CA, she said her husband just got back from the doctor after not being able to walk even to his workshop due to leg pain. The doctor took him off the statins for a month and he felt 99% better! I told my doctor I needed to stop the statins and was completely ignored. I’ve changed doctors, can’t wait to see what this one says. What else can it be! I used to train for half marathons almost all year and then I can barely walk since I started back on statins. Sorry not all articles and companies are correct! I live in pain every day, I’m just starting to be able to walk a mile again! Far cry from where I was at prior to statins!

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

What did the study say about statins causing alzheimer's? My cardiologist admitted that it does.

Wow new one on me

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Wow new one on me

Perform online search for further information.

[dougawhite]

5 months after starting on adovorstatin I could barely roll over in bed and could not play softball anymore. Dr took me off and aftet a few weeks started to recover. Now 6 months later am 95% back. Dr did a heart mri to evaluate placque build-up and found I did not have any, so am staying off cholesterol meds. My numbers are only a tiny bit above guidelines anyway.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Aces4

Perform online search for further information.

I did earlier and say something form Mayo clinic that statins can cause memory loss but nothing about causing dementia.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

I did earlier and say something form Mayo clinic that statins can cause memory loss but nothing about causing dementia.

Try again with “Statins Used to Lower Cholesterol Linked to Doubled Risk of Developing Dementia”.

It appears a certain type of statin may be the bigger culprit.

[Sabella]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Have you noticed the death rate substantially lower?

The number of deaths from Covid ONLY are well hidden .

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

What did the study say about statins causing alzheimer's? My cardiologist admitted that it does.

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Wow new one on me

Use the old Boolean search method to find the studies by going to Google and typing in the following words: statins and dementia or Alzheimer’s.

That will bring up lots of info, including a study of the studies. You are going to find studies on both sides. There are many that say it is possible that statins might reduce the risk.


Statins have been prescribed for so many for so long that it seems like their correlation to risk for cognitive impairment would show up to be a whole lot stronger as cause and effect……..

But you know how it goes with so many things and the damned internet……you can find validation for whatever you want to think.

Pfizer’s Lipitor was introduced in 1997 and their patent did not expire until 2011. Then came the generics. (I said in an earlier post here that I once had an issue with one of the generics, then switched, and the next generic was OK. I am not a fan of generics because who knows how consistent the quality control is in all those places they come from, but — that’s Risk v. Benefit.)

For us…..so far, so good, after years on statins. So…….there it is — like so many things in life — Risk v. Benefit.

Boomer

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Boomer

Use the old Boolean search method to find the studies by going to Google and typing in the following words: statins and dementia or Alzheimer’s.

That will bring up lots of info, including a study of the studies. You are going to find studies on both sides. There are many that say it is possible that statins might reduce the risk.


Statins have been prescribed for so many for so long that it seems like their correlation to risk for cognitive impairment would show up to be a whole lot stronger as cause and effect……..


“But you know how it goes with so many things and the damned internet……you can find validation for whatever you want to think.”


Pfizer’s Lipitor was introduced in 1997 and their patent did not expire until 2011. Then came the generics. (I said in an earlier post here that I once had an issue with one of the generics, then switched, and the next generic was OK. I am not a fan of generics because who knows how consistent the quality control is in all those places they come from, but — that’s Risk v. Benefit.)

For us…..so far, so good, after years on statins. So…….there it is — like so many things in life — Risk v. Benefit.

Boomer

Do you mean the validation of the original post? If so, I agree.

The site which I found regarding the Alzheimer’s association to these drugs and with that headline is from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, hardly a fly by night organization with an ax to grind.

I’m sincerely happy these medications help alleviate your high cholesterol readings. We all need to evaluate the associated risks with medication and decide which path to take from there. The problem is when some medication issues are suppressed.

[KAM+6]

Statins suppress the production of cholesterol but it also suppresses the production of CO Q10 both are necessary and vital in every cell in the body. The problem is platelet size, not the "number".

Many people have high numbers but do not have heart disease. Also, many have heart disease but have low numbers.

EU and Canada physicians that prescribe statins also put patients on COQ10, vital for every cell especially for muscle and brain function. That doesn't seem to be the norm in US.

I had a friend who was on lipitor over40 yrs. His last 5 yrs he was in so much pain and could hardly walk because his legs were so week. They took him off statins gradually, however, the damage was done and never recovered. Ironically, his cholesterol numbers never went up. He just gave up and past away rather than live in pain.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

I did earlier and say something form Mayo clinic that statins can cause memory loss but nothing about causing dementia.

And the memory loss is reversed when you stop taking statins.

Sign
Paul Harvey

[Babubhat]

Could we get a more misleading headline? The only meaningful number is found on an advanced screen. Most doctors too lazy to do it. A doctors wife had 300 as the general number. The advanced number was perfectly normal. Demand better from your doctor and do your own research

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by Santiagogirl

Need to rephrase. Many people (up to around 60% per some studies) report muscle complaints after beginning statin therapy, but in only 5-10% of these cases do muscle symptoms appear to be a result of statin therapy. Remainder of my comments unchanged.

How can it be determined that the muscle pain was not caused by the statin?

[jnieman]

Hubby had terrible pain with generic statins. Tried several. Switched to Crestor brand name and he does fine. It's probably some of the ingredients they use to make the generics that is not in the brand name. Brand name is much more expensive though but he gets it through mail order and much more reasonable.

Originally Posted by Boomer

Been on a Lipitor generic for years. Doing fine. Except for one bout with a new-to-the-game generic Lipitor. My numbers went haywire, but I had not been doing anything differently. I did have a few aches that I had never had before, but as soon as I saw the numbers, I tracked down the previous generic, switched back, and everything was fine again.

I do not think all generics are created equal. I suspect quality control varies a lot........

and DAW does not do much good because the pharmacists often cannot locate the branded or if they do, it costs a fortune.

Pharmacists are pretty much held hostage by the contracts their employers, the big box drugstores, negotiate with the wholesalers. Those contracts change on a regular basis; therefore, the generic versions you get can change.

I will continue to take a statin. The numbers show they work for me, but I will continue to pay attention to which generic I am getting.

Boomer