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Medication linked to Peripheral Neuropathy

Neuropathy | Last Active: Jun 17 4:25pm | Replies (31)
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@dickjoan

I am new to this site and find it very informative I have had issues with radiculopathy{cervical discs] for 10+ years helped somewhat by therapy pain minimal muscle loss. Non diabetic neuropathy tingling in toes 15+ years progressing to ankles and recently past 3 yrs to below knees.. also caused by discs compression (age related) based on MRI and EMG testing....No pain at all in legs or feet only tingling/numbness..I Am an active 85 yr old, walk 4-5 miles daily, only med is atovastatin 20mg for past 15 yrs..I would be interested in knowing if anyone has had adverse reactions from long term use of statins, or any info on how to slow progression of neuropathy.
thanks. DickB

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Replies to "I am new to this site and find it very informative I have had issues with..."
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jun 6 10:19am

Welcome @dickjoan, I think walking 4 to 5 miles daily at age 85 is pretty awesome and is a plus for helping your neuropathy. Like you I don't have any pain with my neuropathy that started in my late 40s and gradually progressed into my legs. I shared my neuropathy journey in another discussion here - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/310341/. I'm 82 now but can't walk very far due to lower back issues more than the neuropathy. There are quite a few members who have mentioned long term use of statins if you want to scan through their comments - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/comments/?search=long%20term%20use%20of%20statins.

Not sure if you have seen the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy site, but it has a lot of good information that you might find helpful - https://www.foundationforpn.org/living-well/

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Ray Kemble | @ray666 | Jun 6 12:34pm

Good morning, Dick (@dickjoan)

Allow me also to welcome you to Connect! I think you'll find, as I did, this to be a most rewarding site.

I'm 80. I have idiopathic large-fiber neuropathy, so no pain but lots of balance problems. I was diagnosed in the summer of 2022, but once I knew why my balance was going all-wonky, I realized the onset of my problem had begun many yeas before, easily 10 years before, when I attributed my increasing wobbliness to age.

I applaud your walking 4-5 miles a day! In my book, that's astonishing. I used to be able to walk long distances, but no more.

For me, it's a combination of leg weakness (which I work on to improve) and shortness of breath (thanks not so much to my neuropathy but to a septic infection I had last year).

I, too, take atorvastatin, but only since last year (because of the septic infection). Only the other day I set a message to my primary doc asking if I would have to continue taking atorvastatin or could I one day be taken off of it. I haven't heard back from her yet.

As far as slowing neuropathy's progression, my only advice (based strictly on my own experience) is to keep moving (which it sounds like you already do). My life is largely sedentary, sitting at this laptop, but I've a kitchen timer just off the side of the laptop a-ticking away to remind to get up and move around every 25-30 minutes.

And as it is about to signal for my next git-up-and-move, I'll end this, again saying, Welcome to Connect!

Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)

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