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Repatha, side effects and what comes next?
Heart & Blood Health | Last Active: 17 hours ago | Replies (141)Comment receiving replies
Earlier this month after doing some research and then hoping the first Repatha injection would get me on my wat to a lower LDL, I picked up my rx and gave myself my first dose. The first week was uneventful although I noticed I was coughing more again (I have BE too). But as the second weekend approached, not only was I coughing a lot more, I was also coughing up significantly more mucous so that by Friday it was clear that I was experiencing a full blown exacerbation of BE. I checked in w my doctor and began my antibiotic rx. I also noticed I was experiencing dizziness/unbalance while hiking and thumb joints were becoming quite painful. Monday morning I suddenly found myself feeling like I was unable to catch my breath! That was scary. My oxygen level was fine and so was my BP. My Apple watch did not indicate any arrhythmia either. I immediately sat down and started my portable oxygen machine and just relaxed for a while. The sensation passed. So, I checked in w my cardiologist and said I think the Repatha and I do not agree. My cardiologist insisted my symptoms were probably due to a virus or cold but I replied that I did not feel sick in the sense of having a cold or the flu or for that matter Covid. The rx antiviotic kicked in after 48 hours and my coughing diminished but I was still coughing up mucous. So, I decided to make an appt with my pulmonologist to weigh the risks and benefits of Repatha. I certainly do not want to have these kinds of events on a continuing basis because my BE will continue to get worse, I will need to take a powerful rx each time and this time I am also taking a steroid inhaler to reduce the inflammation. Longer story short, for the last two days not just my thumbs but all my joints hurt and having had a bout with arthritis about 50 years ago, I know what that feels like and do not want this either! No fever at all.
So, just checking in. I will report these symptoms and will look for something else. Since my calcium score is in the middle for my age (81) and my Cholesterol/HDL ration is 3.6, I am hoping to try a different water based statin and maybe just aim for a total LDL under 100. We will see. I hope also that others have more luck with this medication which does appear to help.
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@desertdwellerjh I am still having repercussions from Repatha after stopping Repatha for 15 months. I was on it for four years. First two years were less symptoms, but the last two increased every time I gave myself an injection. The last two years were torture. It took a while for me to figure out what was causing all of my problems.
My Rheumatologist said that I do not have Rheumatoid arthritis, and that it was severe damage from the Repatha. She told me that she sees this a lot in all of the injectable cholesterol meds.
They finally figured out the rest of the long term damage that the Repatha caused after a year of tests. It caused significant vein leakage in both legs. I have to have procedures to correct the damage that was done.
Stick to your gut feelings, as my doctor did not think it was Repatha and told me to keep using it. After months and months of increased pain, inflammation, inability to move joints, snapping tendons, hair loss, constant bladder infections, fingers do not work like they should, dragging left foot and severe leg and abdominal edema to the point of not being able to function, he took me off of it. I was right. It was Repatha all along.
I am still in the recovery process from that drug.
Good luck!