Statin discontinued due to neuropathy. What are some alternatives?

I started statins in 1986 when my doctor detected cholesterol level of 380. Tried every statin and always got to level 2 pain. My current cardiologist was involved in the Repatha study and eventual prescribed it for me. Self injector, once every two weeks. After my first two months and a test by my cardiologist, I received a note from his nurse with a little heart sticker - cholesterol level below one hundred. Love it. I did talk to the cardiologist about my DPN and he researched the study findings and could not find any info re adverse effects. Just have to remember that DPN is a one in 300,000 disease - perhaps none had high cholesterol.

The medical answer to all high cholesterol seems to be to take statins. I took lipitor for a long while and my doc even put me on the highest dosage. i complained of muscle pain, lost energy, needing to sleep for an hour every morning and another in the afternoon, constant tiredness, water retention, etc. in short, my life was gonig down the toilet but the cardiologist insisted that the statins were great. I phased them out over 30 days, lost 45lbs over 6 months (so far), and have had work done to get my lymphatic system working again as it was shut down by the lipitor poison. i am now full of energy and enjoy life!!! my cholesterol is dropping slowly but this is not the issue - i understand from an honest doctor that inflammation is like a fire and cholesterol is the fire brigade. why would doctors reduce the fire brigade with statins and not address the fire? I need to get my triglycerides down as this is fat linked and not good. how can i achieve this and not have to take pill-poison?

to put this further into perspective, my cardiologist was talking of putting me on diabetes medicine also as my blood sugar was high @7.8. I refused and my sugar level has dropped to @5.9 and going down.

Great. Thanks for sharing Repatha.

I started statins in 1986 when my doctor detected cholesterol level of 380. Tried every statin and always got to level 2 pain. My current cardiologist was involved in the Repatha study and eventual prescribed it for me. Self injector, once every two weeks. After my first two months and a test by my cardiologist, I received a note from his nurse with a little heart sticker - cholesterol level below one hundred. Love it. I did talk to the cardiologist about my DPN and he researched the study findings and could not find any info re adverse effects. Just have to remember that DPN is a one in 300,000 disease - perhaps none had high cholesterol.

Because of the side effects I get from statins like pain in the calf muscles, I reduced the Rosuvastatin to 5mg every 4th day. My cardiologist insisted I take it every day. But, he's not the one experiencing the pain. I had lab work done yesterday and I see the PCP in 2 weeks for my annual physical. We'll see what my cholesterol is then. I don't see the cardiologist for about 3 months.

Welcome @donclemdds, It sounds like you have a similar plan to what I'm trying. That's really good advice to work with your PCP on a plan. My PCP also wants me to go on a statin due to my numbers even thought I've been working on weight loss with intermittent fasting, low carb and healthy fat diet plus 30 to 45 minute exercise daily also. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks and I'm sure we will have the conversation again but I'm not taking a statin at this point. My latest Triglicerides were 77, HDL 59, LDL 107, Non HDL-c 122. I also had them do a fasting insulin test and it was 7.4 and there's debate on what is good for that. The only positive thing I know is losing the weight will help my overall health.

I'm more worried about making my small fiber PN worse with the statins than I am about the possible effects of not being on a statin to lower my cholesterol when that has been shown that diet and exercise also works to lower your numbers.

Because of the side effects I get from statins like pain in the calf muscles, I reduced the Rosuvastatin to 5mg every 4th day. My cardiologist insisted I take it every day. But, he's not the one experiencing the pain. I had lab work done yesterday and I see the PCP in 2 weeks for my annual physical. We'll see what my cholesterol is then. I don't see the cardiologist for about 3 months.

The data on stains is really all over the board with regard to quality studies. One thing I am convinced of, however is that statins do improve risk. The most frustrating is that cardiologists are not consistent with dosage. I have been told to take 20mg of Crestor per day, then a second opinion said 5mg per day, yet another said 5mg every other!... So I did my own regime..... 5mg twice a week, low low carb diet, intermittent fasting, religious exercise only 30 minute per day. Latest LDL was 57, Triglycerides 99, Total 127, and HDL 50. Lifestyle changes work, but some meds are needed for higher risk patients. Don't be afraid of side effects that are reported as rare. Work with your doc to find a lifestyle that works for you. Do not just follow without knowledge. Follow up on labs is critical and sometimes those are not re-ordered for 6 moths or longer.