Anyone else have GI issues from cholesterol meds?

Hi, @jacquejwal - that sounds like a challenging circular problem with the cholesterol meds causing reflux and IBS, and then the reflux meds causing more IBS.

What cholesterol medication(s) are you taking? For how long have you been on them?

I started on rosuvastatin calcium 5mg 2x/week about the 3rd week in October. It gave me reflux. Knowing I can't tolerate reflux meds, I started sleeping sitting up. By mid December my back pain had a major flare up so I couldn't do that anymore. I consulted with a dietician to try to get the GI issues calmed down and get me to where I could tolerate the calcium. The diet recommendations increased my GI issues. By late January I stopped the diet and the calcium. The GI started to get better. I had a few months of pursuing back pain remedies. By mid April the GI was really good and I started back on the calcium along with lansoprazole. I started feeling GI issues after the 3rd dose, more after the 4th, a lot more after the 5th and then I stopped it. That was a week ago today. I was thinking of waiting until it calms down and trying just once a week.

I am struggling with what to write, I think because I relate to a lot but can’t tell you “do 1….2…..3”. Initially similarities I see are that I, too need cholesterol meds, I have a history of them not working well as causing intolerable side effects, my weight dropped unintentionally, and I have been sleeping in a recliner for quite some time. I can tell you I ran in circles for a long time and I continued getting worse. Taking an integrative approach has made all the difference for me. Is your cholesterol controlled? How does all of this affect your daily life, your sleep?

Hi,
I have had extreme cholesterol levels for over 30 plus years. I have reacted to all medication and gone untreated. I used to be in the mid 9's/10 most of my adult life until 2013 when I had kidney failure from campylobacter. In an effort to save what kidney function I regained I went on a kidney friendly diet. As a result of that my cholesterol levels dropped to 6.8/10 where it remains today. Dr's panic but the reality is there are groups of people around the world who survive on both high or low cholesterol levels without problems. What I did was stop consuming man made and adulterated foods or fluids, cut back on red meat prefering chicken or fish and water. I grill my food and very occasionally I will deep fry food. I have little time for Dr's that panic over my cholesterol levels as they are trained for a "normal" cholesterol level and can't see past that. Not one of them has been able to explain why groups of people can survive at the extreme levels without problems. Occasionaly I get overhauled by a cholestrol expert who gives me a clean bill of health and tells me to keep doing what I'm doing. He is not particularly concerned at my high cholesterol levels.
Cheers

I read several books about cholesterol and they were most eye-opening. 50% of people who died from heart disease have low cholesterol. Cholesterol is not the issue. Inflammation is the problem. Cholesterol does line your arteries to combat the inflammation, but you need to get the inflammation at its source. Statins are deadly. They put my husband on some about 15 years ago and he immediately started having all kinds of issues. That’s why I got the books and read about it and we had him taken off the statins and he never had any issue with his cholesterol, bothering him for the rest of his life. Have you tried changing the fats in your diet to good fats rather than bad? My husband ate a really healthy diet and we always used olive oil and coconut oil and we did not eat meat. My cholesterol is always elevated and I ignore it. It’s not terribly high, but after reading those books and I’m sorry I can’t remember the author’s names - one of them was called The Cholesterol Myth, it’s not the thing I worry about the most. I hope this is helpful. Modern medicine stinks in my opinion. It’s all about money and they make a fortune on those statins. You need to get to the bottom of your inflammation. That’s what causes most illness anyway. Good luck to you! P. S. Even stress can cause inflammation, so if the statins are making you sick, and you can’t eat properly, that’s probably making you sicker than the cholesterol!

Those are both very interesting perspectives. I would love to ignore it but strokes run in my family.

Thanks for your feedback. Yes I eat just the healthy fats...and a healthy diet. I eat meat, but mostly chicken and fish.

Is it possible that it’s not as simple as cholesterol is the problem vs cholesterol is no problem?

Is it possible that not every person is the same?

Is it possible that the straight-forward lipid panel is a set of general markers, that it can be an indicator that something is going on worth exploring?

I did find this article that talks a bit about cholesterol and inflammation:
https://www.healthline.com/health/cholesterol/cholesterol-and-inflammation

Hi,
I had 15 TIA's last year over 3 days and threw away the blood thinners after reacting to them. Still here and kicking, no more stroke problems, so far. I have high glucose levels, excessively high blood pressure and the cholesterol is elevated, none of which are controlled as I react to everything I've been prescribed. With just 2 options left for diabetes, one of which I started yesterday and am already having problems. I've been promised a stroke for many years but am still waiting!
You are right to be concerned, I was initially but as time has slipped by I have gotten past worrying about it, but I do take measures to help my situation, despite there being no more medications available to me. Frankly you'd have to be stupid not to heed the warnings by doing nothing.
Cheers

I'm not downplaying your issues whatsoever, but I was having GI issues several years ago and was scheduled for an upper endoscopy when my hubby says to me well if you are allergic to nickel, then should you be drinking out of those metal cups and metal straws! I quit for 3 days and called to cancel my test! I was cured! It's been about 10 years now and no more digestive issues! Just a thought!