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How long do side effects from statins last once you stop taking them?

Posted by con123 @con123, Jul 30, 2024

I have been taking 20mg of Lipitor for almost 2 years and have felt yucky since shortly after starting. My cardiologist allowed me to go off one week and I did not see a difference. He also cut back daily to three times a week. I ache all over - neck, back, hips, knees, elbows, and legs are weak. Recently had a normal CK test, but PCP said we might consider a trial off statins since I am below 200 now. Has anyone stopped taking statins and saw a significant decrease in muscle pain, and if so, how long did it take?

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danelle9354 | @danelle9354 | Apr 3 9:38am
In reply to @nanny888 "@danelle9354 I was on Lipitor for 2 weeks on the smallest dose, and I experienced muscle..." + (show)
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@danelle9354
I was on Lipitor for 2 weeks on the smallest dose, and I experienced muscle pain that made me cry. Big pharmacy pushes these statins that lower cholesterol at a quick unir al level causing side effects.

I am trying what my grandmother did. She took a clove of garlic, about one third or or one quarter of one, crushed it to release its allicin. It lowered her cholesterol normally. However, it must be taken with food, and I recommend it every other day.

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@nanny888
Thank you for the advice. Garlic is very good for many issues and I definitely agree that Lipitor is not for everyone. I also couldn't take Repatha which is an alternative for lowering cholesterol. My surgeon recommended Leqvio which is a twice yearly injection which I had to be approved for and it has worked for me. My cholesterol level is completely normal now and I have had no side effects.

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19281928 | @19281928 | Apr 4 7:55am

It took about 3 months for the statin side effects to subside for me

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Janell, Volunteer Mentor | @jlharsh | Apr 4 7:27pm
In reply to @nanny888 "@danelle9354 I was on Lipitor for 2 weeks on the smallest dose, and I experienced muscle..." + (show)
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@danelle9354
I was on Lipitor for 2 weeks on the smallest dose, and I experienced muscle pain that made me cry. Big pharmacy pushes these statins that lower cholesterol at a quick unir al level causing side effects.

I am trying what my grandmother did. She took a clove of garlic, about one third or or one quarter of one, crushed it to release its allicin. It lowered her cholesterol normally. However, it must be taken with food, and I recommend it every other day.

Jump to this post

@nanny888 Garlic sounds like a yummy way to treat anything!

I would love to hear how well your grandmother’s garlic treatment helps your cholesterol. Please come back and share your results.

- How will you set yourself up to know how garlic impacts your cholesterol, have you checked your numbers recently?
- How long did it take for your muscle pain to get better after discontinuing Lipitor?

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Faith&Hope | @caringissharing | Apr 5 7:51am

Hi! Everyone. I am on atorvastatin currently. I was on other kinds of statins.I had muscle aches. I was told by a friend's husband to try CoQ10. I tried 100mg and it worked for awhile. When I noticed the 100mg didn't work I asked a pharmacist how much I could take to be safe and She said that She recommended no more than 200mg. I have been doing that and it seems to work for Me.

I Hope it was ok to post this.
If not I am so sorry.

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peugh314 | @peugh314 | Apr 6 11:46pm

Per my pharmacist, statins are coq10 depleted. He recommended 400 mg to me.

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bonniefielding | @bonniefielding | Apr 7 7:05pm
In reply to @llynch17056 "I can’t take statins or Repatha due to extreme side effects. I tried CoQ10. Had the..." + (show)
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I can’t take statins or Repatha due to extreme side effects. I tried CoQ10. Had the same side effects. I was told it was essentially the same as a statin. I was hoping I could tolerate it, but couldn’t. You’re right, my doctor totally denies the value of anything but statins. And, has an attitude that I somehow fail if I don’t take statins. He literally said “if you don’t take these medications I have nothing for you.”

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@llynch17056 Yes, that is basically what my doctor told me, as well. I stopped going to him for multi of reasons......I need to find a new one. Very frustrated!

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HomeAgainLA | @llynch17056 | Apr 7 7:38pm
In reply to @bonniefielding "@llynch17056 Yes, that is basically what my doctor told me, as well. I stopped going to..." + (show)
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@llynch17056 Yes, that is basically what my doctor told me, as well. I stopped going to him for multi of reasons......I need to find a new one. Very frustrated!

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@bonniefielding I did finally find a new one. He is very kind, flexible and smart.

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rinkevichjm | @rinkevichjm | 3 hours ago
In reply to @con123 "You are so kind. I was put on statins just because of a cholesterol spike to..." + (show)
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You are so kind. I was put on statins just because of a cholesterol spike to 296. It had been hovering around 200-250 for many years. No one mentioned statins because I am 126 pounds and super fit and active. This new PCP just called it in like it was nothing. My calcium score was 0, CT and MRI showed no plaques or blockages. I do have high BP, but it is controlled with meds. Previous doctors were very sensitive to side effects of those meds like ankle swelling and increased potassium levels, and adjusted meds quickly to find what worked without bad reactions. Yet, not my experience with statins. My last cholesterol number was 193, and that was with 3 times a week 20mg Lipitor. That was November and no one is even checking it. "just take your statin" I do take COQ10, A-D-K vitamins, omega oil - all the things. I am just so tired of being in pain.

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@con123 statins are a once a day medicine 3x a week is too little. You probably need to be on Vit D3/K2 (5000 IU) supplement with nattokinase at roughly 10800FU. If you were not using a statin you could consider red yeast rice (aka lovastatin) supplement. You probably need to get calcium for bone health.

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