Has anyone experienced depression after taking praluent?

@jlharsh I’ve been on a roller coaster since last we spoke. I started with rosuvastatin 20mg, had terrible side effects then was proscribed praluent 75mg, 3 weeks and the same side effects. Changed to rapatha and the same thing all over again. I met with my cardiologist and they suggested 5 mg of rosuvastatin and 10 mg of zetia. It’s now been 3 weeks and I’m feeling the same fatigued and exhaustion I’ve felt with all the medications. At this point I’m about to quit taking any medications and go on an active observation basis.

I am so sorry @dlkreps . I do know it takes a while to get the PCSKis out of your system. I believe they have a half-life somewhere between 11 - 17 days so it will take two or three months.

Mayo Clinic has done wonders with my cholesterol since my downward spiral. After my Repatha experience I ended up getting every two week LDL apheresis done to remove cholesterol from my blood after all things drugs didn’t work. Cardiology has a Statin Intolerance Clinic in MN that may help you (I am not sure about other locations). I am back on drugs that didn’t work before, off the invasive apheresis treatment and my cholesterol is well controlled for the first time in my 59 years.

Here is some information:
For an appointment: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63
Cardiology Statin Intolerance: https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/statin-intolerance-service/overview/ovc-20442137

Thanks so much for this information @jlharsh! I will give this current drug combo a few more weeks to make sure I’m not experiencing half life issues from the rapatha. In the meantime I’ll do my research into mayo and the statin intolerance department.

thanks janell for message when i first took rapatha my cholesterol was 5.3 total bad cholesterol was 3.4 if i remember right so i took the first injection after a blood test the dr told me shel ring me the following week with results 48 hrs later the dr rung i thought something was wrong but she came accross all excited so went through the normal checks to show it was me then she said i got some amazing news for you and this is after 12 to 18 months on statins cholesterol wouldnt come down so she said my results were 1.2 bad cholesterol which i thought was amazing untill a cple of months later bad back pain water infections then my skin started to blister also the air sacs in my lungs collapsed and they wanted to give me a 5 hr operation as lungs were coated i said no but after 3 months then stopping my lungs cleared the dr that gave me the injection said its not the injection it was possible coincidence something else was wrong months then of skin tests blood tests from dermatology they couldnt find out what was wrong went back to the dr who gave me the injections and she said the injection probably changed my DNA ..So i then ended back on statinis just to keep things level even though im statin intollerant now 3 months ago they started me on prualent and water infections back and skin blisters yet again .Ive done what uve said directed it to the doctor who gave injections but its denied not the injections .and the only way i know the drug is helping is off the results they give me yea i have a log as i have to goto dermatolgy to get doxycyclin antibiotics for the blisters and i wish i could show you pictures of my skin as its not normal to have this let alone how bad it can get my one elbow looked like i had 2 elbows full of blisters and swollen .

thanks for replying

Oh, I am so sorry you are having these problems @keithy33 . Interesting that a three-month break helped. Not sure, but I think that’s what I remember my doctor telling me to try. @dlkreps is trying a break right now too.

Are you saying you respond differently to statins now compared to how you responded before ever taking Repatha? Am I correct that your doctor initially thought your problem was not Repatha, but now that you are having problems again they think it probably is? Sorry for all the questions.

I was taking stains and ezetimibe. I would take breaks from the statin, then go back on and be symptom free. It ended up that I couldn’t take statins because of my body pain and I haven't figured out if ezetimibe gives me slight leg cramps. I go off and on that one. I did start on Praluent. I didn’t feel well for about 5 days, then it lifted. I had brain fog, diarrhea, and very low energy. I am going to take my second dose today or tomorrow. I am going to try to hydrate a lot before the injection like I did with the COVID vaccine. Then, hope for the best.

I am so sorry people are having such awful symptoms. My Dr said it is usually well tolerated. Is anyone taking it and having NO symptoms?

Like Dkrepid, I am very active and have tried everything. My first statin was rosuvastatin and I was fine for about 6 weeks before the muscle weakness/pain started. Switched to atorvastatin but that wasn’t any better. My cardiologist then gave me praluent and told me I would have no side effects. Praluent was the worst of all. Extreme fatigue. So bad I went to urgent care thinking something serious must be happening. And it took about 10 weeks to “recover.” My doctor then prescribed nexletol. After 3 weeks the side effects appeared. Not as bad as praluent but enough to make exercise difficult.

I have a very healthy diet, and my LDL is 90 without any meds, but the goal is to be under 70. There’s a Harvard Medicine article about how 70 is the magical number to get the best outcomes. I’m at a loss for next steps. Unfortunately I have a 30-40% bilateral blockage in my carotid arteries. Otherwise I would not think twice about it. But I would rather sacrifice quantity of life over quality than be miserable. Exercise and feeling strong are too important for my mental health.

Hi janell hope ur well and thanks for messages and ask me anything it may help us both .The tree month break i had was after i was getting constant chest infections and my air sacs in my lungs were collapsing then they told me my lungs were coated and i would need a 4 to 5 hour operation to wash them out i said no so i stopped repatha and after three months my lungs were ok .My lipid dr who prescribed repatha said it wasnt the repatha causing the problem it was just a coincidence .My statins in statin intollerant even at low dose now im on prualent and my symptoms are back but my lipid clinic doesnt want to no as of yesterday im being sent back to dermatology as the blisters have started so in the last 6-7 weeks ive had to skin flair ups aches n pains my liver bleeds and i get uti infections last test showed blood in my urine so a second test has been sent off now .Im on doxycyclin antibiotics for my skin again now .I dont no if i can send pictures on here or have your email address i can show you the blisters also before i forget i was given a yellow card and a number showing that i had a reaction to repatha so it feels now as if ive gone round a one big circle .Message me anytime and ask me anything like i said it may help us both or others .

@poppy55 This entire situation has been a complete surprise to me! Being highly active all my life and at a very high level at 62 years I figured I had been doing the right thing. My blood work has always been within the parameters of good health in fact my LDL was at 72 last reading. My issue is more the familial and genetic factor as well as living with a high level of stress all my life. Inflammation is the silent killer and so I’ve tried to modify my life and start to take care of this aspect of my health.
Since my last post I contacted my cardiologist and they’re referring my to a lipid specialist. The saga continues on and so I will roll with the punches and see what they have to say. I know that if after meeting with them the treatment doesn’t work I’m going to discontinue any of the statins and enjoy quality of life along with annual checks.
I wish you well on your journey!

Hi @poppy55 I so, so dislike that your quality of life has dropped this much, I think because I absolutely do feel your pain. Once we quit exercising and not staying strong we begin to weaken. Hang in there! I agree with @dlkreps that it seems like it just shows up one day. The mental part is real.

I have genetically high cholesterol and have been treating since my 20’s. It has never really been under control until the past year or so, and I am grateful to my cardiologist at Mayo Clinic for that. I believe at one point my LDL was almost 300 and now it is 61. It has been an extreme roller coaster, one that I wish I knew then what I know now as to how to attack it. The right docs know how to figure out just what is happening in our bodies and match that to appropriate treatment. I am even currently on the statin I had discontinued when my physical symptoms all began. I am on other drugs for a second time I said I’d never take again. Like any problem, figuring out exactly what you’re trying to treat has the best chance of successfully treating it. The treatment shouldn’t feel worse than what we are trying to treat. Soapbox ended.

Poppy55, do you know what your doc thinks your LDL should be?
Dkrepid, Why did your cardiologist think you should pursue a lipid doc? It sounds like a wonderful idea. When do you see them?