Distolic heart failure

Posted by dancer1967 @dancer1967, Jun 12, 2017

I am taking Atorvastatin for high cholesterol. Last week I started having joint pain in my knees and at times can barely walk. Could this medine cause this and what medicine is better for high cholesterol?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

@catgic

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.

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Greetings @predictable :... In the interest of "Full Disclosure," I have Engineering & Biz "Pile It High & Deep" Bona Fides, but I do not have an M.D. However, I have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express a time or two. 😉

Let me clarify that my first bout with the Statin Allergy/Hives reaction was to Brand Lipitor, and occurred when I was put on a Statin for the first time in my life. The rest of the Allergy/Hives reaction for me, were to the Generic Crestor Statin, which gave me hives. The Crestor Brand (Astra Zeneca) @ 5mg has delivered very HIGH on the "Good" cholesterol, and very LOW on the "Bad" cholesterol numbers to me.

FYI: My wife’s Zocor (simvastatin) reactions were to Brand Zocor. Her hives-allergy reaction was to Generic Crestor (rosuvastatin), but she has experienced no problems/side-effects from taking Brand Crestor (rosuvastatin) @ 5mg, and her HDL/LDL/Triglycerides numbers are wonderful.

My “Dr. Catgic” suggestion would be to consider putting atorvastatin, simvastatin & et al statins in your rearview, and go with rosuvastatin (Crestor). My wife and I are sourced from different Caucasian DNA Gene Pools, but we both do well, and have excellent HDL/LDL/Triglycerides numbers using Crestor Brand (Astra Zeneca) @ 5mg.

Good Luck with your research. Remember, all medicine contains “A Little Poison.” Pick your “Poison” well. Happy Independence Day 4th Of July to you and yours.

REPLY
@catgic

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.

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@catgic, Hello and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community where people can talk with other patients, ask questions and share experiences. I enjoyed reading your post and am happy to see that you were given a fortunate "DNA dice roll".

You may also be interested in reading this thread on supplements vs statins http://mayocl.in/2seKZje.

REPLY
@catgic

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.

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Greetings Jamie Olson, Connect Moderator (@jamienolson) – Thank you for the cordial hello and welcome aboard the Mayo Clinic Connect “Heart & Blood Health” Group, and the other groups to which I recently signed on. I assume you are a medical professional, unlike most of the rest of us on here who must rely on sharing good or not-so-good anecdotal experiences with an infusion of “Smarts” from occasional stays at “Holiday Inn Express.” 😉

If you read my Max 500 Characters “About” @catgic, you know my wife and I are patient-supporter “#1 Fans” of Mayo Clinic’s 153-years old unique, signature “Patient-Centered Care” medical care delivery culture, and system.

This is my “Spirit Of 76” year of life. Clearly, I am certifiably a “Gray Beard” who has dodged a few bullets, slings, arrows, and ratholes along life’s “Rabbit Trail.” Anyhoo, I decided the other day to expand my areas of e-presence and participation on Mayo Clinic Connect because I thought my experiential, vintage, and anecdotal “2-Cents Worth” might be worth a “Buck Or Two” to someone who is scratching their head about a medical question, malady or problem that they or a loved one may be experiencing.

I am pleased to have the moderating eyes of you and your moderating colleagues looking over everyone’s shoulder on Mayo Connect to assure we all stay between the ditches as we travel down life’s path in our pursuit of good health, well being, quality-of-life, and beating the numbers in the actuarial tables.

Have A Barbecue-licious, Patriotic Independence Day 4th Of July Celebration. – The @catgic User-Pseudonym Family

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@catgic, Thank you for your reply to me. I want to be clear that I do moderate conversations in the group and make sure members are safe on this social platform. However, I am not a medical professional. Our community is for people to meet and share medical experiences- part of my job is helping people find each other :).

I'm very glad you have found us and decided to be part of this fascianting community.

REPLY
@jamienolson

@catgic, Thank you for your reply to me. I want to be clear that I do moderate conversations in the group and make sure members are safe on this social platform. However, I am not a medical professional. Our community is for people to meet and share medical experiences- part of my job is helping people find each other :).

I'm very glad you have found us and decided to be part of this fascianting community.

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@jamienolson - Since you are not a "Medical Professional," I shall just dub you a "Moderating Angel."

FWIW FYI, vintage me was around as the http://www.dot.com was emerging from the primordial techno-mud, and you were likely still just a gleam in your Mother’s eye. As a result, the @catgic Knowz Social Media, and will do my best to make the Mayo Clinic Connect e-Destination is a productive one.

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