Statin discontinued due to neuropathy. What are some alternatives?

Posted by Nazir Khan @nukhan, Jan 19, 2020

I have been using Lipitor since 2007 for lowering my cholesterol which is on the list of those medicines that are suspected to cause neuropathy. I am thinking of discontinuing this menace but before doing so want to check with those members who have discontinued using statin and what is their experience. What alternative methods have they since adopted for lowering their cholesterol .. diet, alternative medication, exercise or anything else ?

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@dlmdinia

I have chemo induced neuropathy. In April my doctor told me my cholesterol was too high. Because of posts I'd seen on Mayo Connect I knew I didn't want to take statins. Instead my doctor directed red yeast rice which he also takes. Within 3 weeks my neuropathy seemed worse in both hands and feet. Doing some research it appears that red yeast rice works because it has the same active ingredient as statins. I've switched to citrus bergamot and will see what happens when I go back in October. https://www.health.harvard.edu/cholesterol/can-i-use-red-yeast-rice-instead-of-a-statin-to-lower-my-cholesterol

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I couldnt take statins any longer and was put on a new drug nexlizet. My. Cholestoral has never been lower and so far no side effects. My legs still hurt though so I am assuming the neuropathy. Have had every test there is.

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Red yeast rice and milk thistle to clean up the liver and kidneys And a great alternative to cholesterol meds do your diligence . For milk thistle to work you need at least 1000mg gel caps

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Nexlizet is a non statin drug to help reduce cholestoral. My copays are high trying to find some promotion but taking it and paying for now.

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3 years ago I started taking Atorvastatin. Shortly later I noticed my right foot feeling numb and cold. About a year later my left started doing the same. I stopped taking it to see if it will reverse back to normal.

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@deltron1

3 years ago I started taking Atorvastatin. Shortly later I noticed my right foot feeling numb and cold. About a year later my left started doing the same. I stopped taking it to see if it will reverse back to normal.

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Hello @deltron1, Welcome to Connect. I'm sorry to hear that you have neuropathy symptoms after you were taking Atorvastatin. You will notice that we moved your post to the following existing discussion on the same topic so that you can meet @deltron1, @vinran, @nukhan and others.

-- Statin discontinued due to neuropathy. What are some alternatives?:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/discontinuation-of-statin/
Have you told your doctor you stopped taking Atorvastatin due to the neuropathy symptoms?

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We, my doctor and I, experimented with stopping simulvastin (zoccor)
for several months and tried zetia, a non-statin cholesterol drug. Nothing
changed so I went back to my statin. I don’t belive statins cause neuropathy.
I think the TKR surgeon most likely adversely damaged some nerves and neuropathy is a direct result of that surgery (for some folks). Unfortunately
the TKR surgeons NEVER inform the patient of these possibilities. It’s a crime, in my opinion, after learning so much from this group. Not sure of the long term outcome, do nerves regenerate? I since have a swollen groin lymph node in the same leg and tests indicate there is swelling but not anything out of the ordinary. However, the cause is unknown. I’ll have another test in the beginning of November to see if anything changed. Foot neuropathy can’t be explained from what I’ve learned after seeing a few other surgeons and a few neurologists, (except for diabetics). I’m learning to live with it for now. I take Gabapetin about 6pm because the discomfort usually occurs only at night.
Hopefully time will tell me more but I’m already two years post TKR, I’m slowly becoming doubtful at this point.
Best of luck to you.
Vince

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@johnbishop

Hello @deltron1, Welcome to Connect. I'm sorry to hear that you have neuropathy symptoms after you were taking Atorvastatin. You will notice that we moved your post to the following existing discussion on the same topic so that you can meet @deltron1, @vinran, @nukhan and others.

-- Statin discontinued due to neuropathy. What are some alternatives?:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/discontinuation-of-statin/
Have you told your doctor you stopped taking Atorvastatin due to the neuropathy symptoms?

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No, because I started not trusting his other recommendations.

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@milesdaviskindofblue

Red yeast rice and milk thistle to clean up the liver and kidneys And a great alternative to cholesterol meds do your diligence . For milk thistle to work you need at least 1000mg gel caps

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Sorry, but red yeast rice has the same active ingredient as statins. I found this out the hard way.

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I decided to “just say no” and gave up the Atorvastatin. I feel great and I do ‘t stress. I had a doctor tell me once that stress is the real killer. So now I have just resigned myself to the fact that none of us are going to live forever. I enjoy the garden, the birds, the blue sky, sunshine, the fog and even the restful rainy days. It feels good. At 76, I’m just not going to worry about how much cholesterol my liver has decided to produce. I feel better. Life is meant to be enjoyed. If a statin makes you happy, take it. If not, don’t. In the end it’s our choice how to live.

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@dutchman09

Has anyone here been diagnosed with Peripheral Neuropathy caused exclusively from orally ingesting a statin medication for 8 years? I have never had diabetes or high Cholesterol.

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I developed small fiber neuropathy from taking simvastin over a period of 7 or more years. If I had know that my feet, toes, legs and finger tips would have developed numbness due to the statin I would have rethought the doctors recommendation. Statins seems to be a quick fix but I believe now I should have reduce my intake from 20 mg to 10 mg and then perhaps every other day. At the moment, I am taking 2000 mg of fish oil, 100 mg of Magnesium and CO Q-10 100 mg. I am testing my LDL monthly as I reduce statins to 3 to 4 times a week at 10 mg. In addition, I am talking to an alternative doctor for healing. Is it better to develop neuropathy or reduce the risk of a stroke/hear attack? My doctors decisions were to protect me from heart disease 20 plus years ago. At 65, I am rethinking if I want to let this neuropathy progress faster by taking statins and reducing the risk of heart disease. It is a tricky corner.

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