1. < Heart & Blood Health

How long do side effects from statins last once you stop taking them?

Posted by con123 @con123, Jul 30 9:31am

I have been taking 20mg of Lipitor for almost 2 years and have felt yucky since shortly after starting. My cardiologist allowed me to go off one week and I did not see a difference. He also cut back daily to three times a week. I ache all over - neck, back, hips, knees, elbows, and legs are weak. Recently had a normal CK test, but PCP said we might consider a trial off statins since I am below 200 now. Has anyone stopped taking statins and saw a significant decrease in muscle pain, and if so, how long did it take?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Sep 28 10:34am

There are multiple injectables which a not statins, but serve to lower cholesterol. Repatha is one of them, I cannot remember the others. Repatha is also used for some people who need more help that the statin provides in lowering cholesterol.
Usually, under most insurance plans and Medicare, this expensive drug requires "Prior Approval" and one must demonstrate "failure" with 3 or more statins or have had a heart attack or stroke to get approval for this medication .

REPLY
1 reply
con123 | @con123 | Sep 28 2:51pm

Well I have tried two stains so far, and my pharmacist recommended another one. We shall see. Thanks for your input.

REPLY
missey | @missey | Sep 28 3:23pm

I could not take any of the statins as the pain was so severe I could not function. I have hypothyroidism, which is one of the reasons as it affects the pain levels. I am on Repatha now 2 1/2 months and none of the side effects that I had with statins. I cannot believe the difference, my LDL. Is down to 20

REPLY
dizzyprizzy | @dizzyprizzy | Oct 5 2:19pm
In reply to @con123 "Thanks for confirming my issues. I am not a complainer and am usually quite tolerant, so..." + (show)
@con123

Thanks for confirming my issues. I am not a complainer and am usually quite tolerant, so it upsets me when I am not taken seriously. I hurt everyday, and I'm a very active 65 year old. I want to be able to play with my grandkids and dance without pain. I have a message in to my cardiologist so just waiting for his response. These pains are no joke. I've heard of the injectable. Sounds promising.

Jump to this post

I can't tolerate statins so I went on the LDL diet and lowered my LDL by 28 points in 2023. In 2024 I got to normal reading of exactly 199 with HDL and LDL combined by diet and exercise. Cardio still wants my LDL to be lower so I am still using the diet, exercise and added a supplement Q10 that is sometimes prescribed by cardiologists to lower LDL for those intolerant of statins. It is working for me. I also lost 20 lbs with walking daily and eating less. I wasn't obese but am now at better weight.
Good luck you should be able to dance and play with your grands. That lowers stress and therefore lowers LDL.

REPLY
carolinlv | @carolinlv | Oct 6 3:10pm
In reply to @con123 "I have been on my statin break almost 7 weeks, and within the first month, I..." + (show)
@con123

I have been on my statin break almost 7 weeks, and within the first month, I felt my muscle pain and weakness getting less. Second month better than the first. I have had huge challenges like a 10 hour flight and driving back and forth 2 1/2 hours one way to tend to a sick mother and I do not have the severe pain and disability I did when on statins. I was having to apply heat to my back almost every morning when getting out of bed, doing stretches and just walking around before I could walk stairs or exercise. Sharp shooting pains down my leg, PT for hips and back, OT for my elbow and hand. If I drove in my car for 30 minutes plus, I could barely walk when I got out. To be honest, the pain is still there sometimes, but it is minor - no grabbing the Advil, heat or ice. I still stretch several times a day. I think what the statins did was made what bit of "aging" pain I was having MUCH worse. I just wonder if it will continue to improve. So hang in there and give it time. Sounds like you are doing Great with your numbers. Mine was 196 and I complained about atorvastatin side effects and they dialed it back to 3x/week. Went up to 208 and pain did not improve much if at all. So, I'm with you - I'm dealing with it. My pharmacist did tell me the new statin that I can't recall has a better side effect profile.

Jump to this post

I appreciate this information! I don’t suppose the new statin was one of the injectables like Repatha or Praluent? Doctor is trying to get me cleared for Repatha but 1-2 injections a month are a little scary to me. I mean, if your body doesn’t like it, you’re stuck with it much longer than a day! I don’t have a lot of luck with meds.

REPLY
carolinlv | @carolinlv | Oct 6 3:18pm
In reply to @deniseheart "I heard that there is an injectable for folks who suffer side effects from the orals...." + (show)
@deniseheart

I heard that there is an injectable for folks who suffer side effects from the orals. I also had serious side effects with oral statins.

Jump to this post

Those are the two I posted regarding….Repatha and Praluent. Both are quite expensive if you are able to get them approved

REPLY
carolinlv | @carolinlv | Oct 6 3:19pm
In reply to @sueinmn "There are multiple injectables which a not statins, but serve to lower cholesterol. Repatha is one..." + (show)
@sueinmn

There are multiple injectables which a not statins, but serve to lower cholesterol. Repatha is one of them, I cannot remember the others. Repatha is also used for some people who need more help that the statin provides in lowering cholesterol.
Usually, under most insurance plans and Medicare, this expensive drug requires "Prior Approval" and one must demonstrate "failure" with 3 or more statins or have had a heart attack or stroke to get approval for this medication .

Jump to this post

You are correct. The second one I know of is Praluent and I haven’t found an insurance plan that covers them yet. Even with approval they’re pricey.

REPLY
1 reply
carolinlv | @carolinlv | Oct 6 3:24pm

I weaned off my rosuvastatin as of June 9. It is now October 6, and I can honestly tell you I don’t feel a lot better still. Not sure why, but brain fog, neuropathy, and general unwellness continues. I have read bad symptoms can continue in excess of months. Don’t know if something else is suddenly going wrong with me, but this is how I felt when I was taking it, which is why I stopped. Zero improvement.☹️

REPLY
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Oct 6 3:49pm
In reply to @carolinlv "You are correct. The second one I know of is Praluent and I haven’t found an..." + (show)
@carolinlv

You are correct. The second one I know of is Praluent and I haven’t found an insurance plan that covers them yet. Even with approval they’re pricey.

Jump to this post

In many cases, these drugs require "prior approval" based on failure with multiple statins. has your doctor tried appealing the denials? Are you on Medicare?

REPLY
carolinlv | @carolinlv | Oct 6 4:13pm

My cardiologist is submitting the drug right now. I think I was meaning more to answer that for others as I know most have been unable to have it approved. My doctor has three statins I have tried to present for its approval. I have Tricare for Life. I did not sign up for a supplemental Medicare program so I have no prescription coverage through them. Tricare has been dropping a lot more medications within the last couple of years☹️

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.