FWIW FYI to Gathered Mayo Lovers & Statin Users – Let me remind you that while every human is nominally the same at the top-level, at the bio-chemical, DNA-CTAG level we are uniquely “One Of A Kind” different.

Let me share a couple of anecdotal “Statin Use Data Point” examples. In preamble, let me say my wife and I are both in “Excellent Health," with no real medical maladies, but as we are quick to say, “While We Are In Excellent Health, We Are Also in ‘Old Health’.”

My wife of 55-years is an über healthy and beauteous woman who was 5’6’’, 108 lbs when I married her, and has nominally maintained her wedding day weight within plus/minus five (5) pounds ever since. She currently sports a BMI of 17.5, and has always eaten healthy before it was “The In Thing,” and has always exercised regularly. My bride currently is a “Power Walker” who typically power walks 4-miles in 48-52± minutes, daily. That is the good news. Unfortunately, her DNA “Dice Roll” gave her high cholesterol, which between her exercises, diet & statins is well controlled with “Excellent” HDL/LDL numbers.

When my wife took Brand & Generic Zocor (simvastatin) [10mg], as prescribed by her non-Mayo Primary Care M.D., she experienced lumps in her legs accompanied by pain, stiffness, swelling, and tiredness-weakness. She was then switched to Brand Lipitor (atorvastatin) [10mg]. After getting on Lipitor, all the Zocor-use associated side-effects disappeared. When our insurance carrier’s approved pharmacy formulary caused her to go to Generic Lipitor, she immediately began experiencing arthritic discomfort, joint stiffness and aching. She was then switched to Brand Crestor (rosuvastatin) [5mg] by our Mayo Clinic Florida Cardiologist, and my wife is doing well on Brand Crestor with no noticeable, statin-use attributable side-effects from taking the Brand Crestor.

Now as for me, the chauffeur, bodyguard and love-slave-for-life to my bride, I am at a BMI of 25, and only moderately exercise. I started taking my first statin in 2015 at age 74. The good news for me is that throughout my life I never had high cholesterol, thanks to “Heredity & An Excellent DNA 'Dice Roll'." However, now, in my dotage, I have slightly elevated HDL/LDL numbers. Therefore, I was initially put on Brand Lipitor (atorvastatin) [10mg]. After taking just one (1) pill, I immediately (over night) broke out into full-blown hives. Of course, I immediately stopped taking the Lipitor, and the hives ran its course. My Mayo Clinic Florida personal cardiologist put me on Brand Crestor (rosuvastatin) [5mg], and I had no allergic, hives or any reaction from the Brand Crestor statin.

About two (2) years later, my medical insurance carrier’s approved pharmacy formulary no longer carried Brand Crestor. Therefore, when they executed a renewed third (3rd) year filling of my Brand Crestor prescription they, unbeknownst to me, gave me Generic Crestor [5mg] instead of the Brand (Astra Zeneca) Crestor I had been taking for two years. After I innocently took just one (1) Generic Crestor 5mg pill, I immediately broke out into full-blown hives. Of course, I immediately stopped taking the Generic Crestor, and the hives ran its course. After fighting and winning the “Medically Necessary” bureaucratic battle with my medical insurance company, I was again back “Flying Flat, Straight & Normal” on Brand (Astra Zeneca) Crestor.

The only comment I will make is in reference to a “Data Point Of One”…me. I am of in 1941 vintage. I served a career in Naval Aviation with three combat zone tours in Vietnam. The rest of my life I lived and worked as an Information Technology & Communications Systems Engineer and executive. Through these now extended decades of my life, which included some “Rough & Tumble,” I lived without any arthritic problems, stiff joints or related aches, pains and stiffness. I attribute this to “Good Genes,” and a modicum of “Good Luck.” Having said this, after being put on and staying on the Brand (Astra Zeneca) Crestor @ 5mg statin, I seemed to begin experiencing a subtle bit of joint stiffness.

END NOTE: I am, by lifelong profession and thinking, a scientist-engineer who has lived by the truth revealed from hard data and measurement. Therefore, it is not clear to me if the subtle bit of onset of joint stiffness I report that I have noticed in the two years, from my ages 74 to 76, during which I have also been on Brand Crestor, is the result of the coincident two years of the toll of old age changes finally creeping up on me and my vintage bones-joints, or is it a slight, but very tolerable, reaction from my being on a Brand Crestor Statin, which works very well in keeping my HDL/LDL/Triglycerides in the “Five Stars With A Bullet, Clean & Green” zone.