Has anyone else had rare reactions to statins?

toomanyquestions, I'm not on a statin today. My overall cholesterol is a little high, however, I had an Lpa test which came back very high. My PCP wants to put me on atorvastatin. My Cornary Artery Calcium (CAC) score was zero. So I'm educating myself on this and very interested in what others have to say re atorvastatin. Sorry to hear about your experience. I hope others respond with their experience on atorvastatin.

I had a very similar experience when prescribed Lipitor about 20 years ago. I was in my mid-forties running about 30 miles a week and doing other exercise as well. After about a week on the drug I started to experience exhaustion and could barely get around a 1/4 mile track once. I also gained about 15 lbs in the 3 weeks or so I was on the drug. Since the drug was obviously the cause I stopped it and within a month everything went back to normal except the weight which took a few months to lose.

@fmulhare, your experience with Lipitor sounds scarey. You had to be relieved when everything went back to normal.

Do you remember what dose you were taking when you had such horrible side effects? Have you found something else that you can tolerate?

80 mg per day

@jlharsh Not exactly ..but I think it was a medium range dose...definitely not the highest. A few years later I met a doc who persuaded me to try other statins and/or statin combos. The side effects were mostly the same although I tolerated the hydrophilic statins slightly better ( Crestor) . I gave up on them. IN the interim I ran about a dozen marathons, 20+ halves and a few century rides. I could not have done any of that on statins.
In 2021 I went on a PCS-K9 inhibitor..Repatha. Got my ldl-c down to 70 but during that period my cac score doubled and I acquired high blood pressure....a known side effect of the drug. In mid-2024 I got pneumonia as a result of an upper respiratory tract infection. Initially I thought it was just a random event but after having several more over the next few years it dawned on me that Repatha was playing a role. It is a listed side-effect of the drug. I stopped the drug and slowly recovered and my blood pressure also went back to normal. It seems there is no free lunch with any of these drugs.

@leeosteo 1. I assume you are an older person . If your cac score is zero then it is likely you are not generating soft plaque or you would have calcification by now. Of course that could change. 2 Statins do nothing to lower your LPa and there is even a few small studies that show it might increase it. There are some new drugs that do and more in the pipeline. Also vitamin b3 (niacin) can lower it modestly but it has annoying side effects.

@fmulhare , thanks for your response. I'm 69. I've read the same about statins not lowering Lpa and that statins may increase Lpa. I'm aware there are drugs in clinical trials that may address Lpa and are expected to complete by 2027. What is the drug today that can address Lpa?

I am adding to my post. Like some of you, I exercise and play tennis 3 or 4 times a week a week. I wonder if exhaustion and other side effects are experienced more by sports related active people.
I am in my mid 60s. I recently tried Repatha. Terrible neurological side effects in my leg immediately and in bed one whole day sleeping. Now they want me to try Praululent. I feel like it’s “guess and check” method of medicine. I am concerned.

@toomanyquestions
I got terrible side effects from Repatha and statins. I started Leqvio 2 months ago, no side effects so far. I did not want to start Praululent as it is in the same category as Repatha, Leqvio is a different mechanism. I am similarly active with various athletic activities. Good luck.

I took lipitor years ago and could barely move my arms with pain. Years later after an almost blocked carotid artery they put me on crestor and kept increasing the dose until it lowered my LDL but at that dose I had such pain on my legs and hips I could barely walk. Then an endo endocrinologist put me on Repatha And I had a multitude of mild side effects but sleeping too much and extreme hungry were intense. When I was taking stating they told me I was diabetic but it was only 6.5 and could be controlled by diet and exercise. When I stopped the statins my A1C was back to normal but doctor wont admit that was the cause. The repatha did not cause that but with the other sude effects I am off it for a month to see if they go away, then am I have to go back on it for a month to see of the side effects come back. My doctor saud there was nothing else but i have read about others. I feel like a guinea pig. I totally understand your concern? Does anyone know if there is any medicine to control this that doesnt give you another disease that you have to take more pills for. I dont think of should have to choose between possibly having a heart attack or stroke or having diabetes. Has anyone read anything by this Dr. Stephen Hussey? He doesnt believe that cholesterol is the total cause of heart attacks? Before I read all his stuff I would like to know if anyone else has?