Statin discontinued due to neuropathy. What are some alternatives?

I haven’t stopped taking it. I continue with symptoms….paresthesia in feet and hands go to sleep while I’m sleeping IF I lay a certain way. I’ve slept on the couch for a week, so it prevents me from laying on my arms…..and no waking up with numb hand! (Saw hand specialist last week.). Anyway, I had B12 deficiency and long covid….so, not sure what is the cause, but statin could also be causing it. I really must take a statin due to Type 1 diabetes. All my doctors say so. It’s a biggie for type 1. And, if you stop taking one it immediately increases your risk of cardiac event. My doctor told me this and I’ve read it too.

Not sure what I’m going to do.

Hi, SteveSH -- I recently joined this group as I am in a similar corner and wondering how you resolved your issue of 2022?

I just finished reading the book, "A Statin Free Life" by Dr. Aseem Malhotra, that was mentioned by someone in this group. I'm still confused whether statins affect small fiber peripheral neuropathy, but I'm now convinced to stay away from statins if at all possible, According to Dr Malhotra, low cholesterol is not related to heart disease, and will not lengthen your life. I'm going to try a healthier diet, starting with banning ultra-processed foods.

I went off statin for three months and it made no change for me or my neuropathy. I have eliminated so many things over these past 20+ years. I do floor/stretching exercises, rub /massage my own feet, ibuprofen, and currently Vicks vapor rub at night along with an ambient to help me slip

I stopped taking statins long before I developed neuropathy because the statins were creating problems with my liver. My cardiologist started me on a new medicine called Praluent. It is a self injectable drug. It does not go through your liver and it improved all my cholesterol numbers immediately and my liver enzymes were back to normal. I highly recommend this.

I find that so interesting.

Please. Malhotra is a clown who specializes in misinformation. Go read his Wikipedia page. He's a dangerous quack - period.

Praluent can also raise liver enzymes. That is a documented side effect. Luckily it worked out great for you.

thanks for your input!

I was a perfectly healthy person when I retired. Three months after retirement one of the cervical discs in my neck moved to rest on a nerve that caused pain you cannot live with, thus the need for surgery. the neuropathy in my shins and feet started five months after my ACDF surgery to fuse three discs in my neck. It takes up to 6 months for those discs to fuse, oddly coincidental. My surgeon shrugs and puts me on gabapentin. I have tried many things for this neuropathy. Some creams and sprays give you relief for a short while. I sleep with flexible ice packs on top of my covers every night because the COLD from them deadens the burn some. I also use sleep aid occasionally when I need a good 6-hr sleep.
I've had all the neurology and circulation tests there are available. They were all negative, nothing shows up 'wrong'. But my 'ON-FIRE' legs and feet are very real every night when I lay down to sleep. I'm usually very active all day and wear all the correct shoes. The neurologist increased my gabapentin even though all my tests were negative. I took myself off of gabapentin shortly after. All it does is mask the burn a little and make me feel so drugged that it changes my lifestyle. It also adds so much cramping in my calves, feet, and toes all night long.
The timing of this neuropathy is odd, and somehow related to my surgery five months prior.
So.... next I have an appointment to start going to a clinic called "New Promise Neuropathy" for treatments that have shown results for some people. I'm only 70 years old, not diabetic, about 20 lbs overweight since my surgery, otherwise healthy my whole life. After several weeks of treatments, my next thing to try might be a low-does anxiety or antidepressant drug to see if stress is a factor or trigger. I can't imagine living with this for the rest of my life, so I am not willing to give up researching a way to make it better. I still feel so young.
Good luck to all of you with neuropathy, it's not fun! But also, by comparison to some others' issues, I don't like to complain much!