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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Profile picture for eunice1 @eunice1

I am an 80 year-old female, actually almost 81 have always been very active in volunteer work and other work. I didn’t expect my old age to look like this. I’ve had back surgery. I can deal with that but the neuropathy in my feet and my lower legs ache. It takes a couple hours before I can even get around. I’m wasting so much time. I want to be in Chair yoga and water therapy but I just can’t get my act together. I’m so glad to be following you. Any comments you have for me I would really appreciate.

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Welcome @eunice1, You are not alone! It's great to see that you are proactive in dealing with your neuropathy symptoms. Learning as much as you can about the condition and what might provide some relief is the best thing we can do to help ourselves. If you haven't seen the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy site, you might want to bookmark it for frequent sessions - https://www.foundationforpn.org/living-well/.

You might also find it helpful to scan through the search results of Connect for "neuropathy what helps" - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/?search=neuropathy+what+helps.

One of the things that helps me get going in the mornings is setting a regular time for going to bed at night. I know it's difficult when you have neuropathy but do you try to maintain a regular daily sleeping routine?

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I am an 80 year-old female, actually almost 81 have always been very active in volunteer work and other work. I didn’t expect my old age to look like this. I’ve had back surgery. I can deal with that but the neuropathy in my feet and my lower legs ache. It takes a couple hours before I can even get around. I’m wasting so much time. I want to be in Chair yoga and water therapy but I just can’t get my act together. I’m so glad to be following you. Any comments you have for me I would really appreciate.

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Profile picture for kjdrak01 @kjdrak01

I had an issue with Crestor. My doctos office recommended berburine. Natural prodoct. I haven't used it yet, but intend to try it.
Vibrant Health is where I go.

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Hello,
My only advice is to be highly careful with trying anything new as your body may react to it differntly from anyone else. Please dig deep into medical research about it and not rely on what the general internet says about it.
I am saying this because my primary care physician told me back in February of this year to stop everything I was taking including cholesterol medication and vitamin supplements.
Best wishes.
Take care and have a serene night,
gus

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I had an issue with Crestor. My doctos office recommended berburine. Natural prodoct. I haven't used it yet, but intend to try it.
Vibrant Health is where I go.

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Profile picture for suzmccl @suzmccl

I was a perfectly healthy person when I retired. Three months after retirement one of the cervical discs in my neck moved to rest on a nerve that caused pain you cannot live with, thus the need for surgery. the neuropathy in my shins and feet started five months after my ACDF surgery to fuse three discs in my neck. It takes up to 6 months for those discs to fuse, oddly coincidental. My surgeon shrugs and puts me on gabapentin. I have tried many things for this neuropathy. Some creams and sprays give you relief for a short while. I sleep with flexible ice packs on top of my covers every night because the COLD from them deadens the burn some. I also use sleep aid occasionally when I need a good 6-hr sleep.
I've had all the neurology and circulation tests there are available. They were all negative, nothing shows up 'wrong'. But my 'ON-FIRE' legs and feet are very real every night when I lay down to sleep. I'm usually very active all day and wear all the correct shoes. The neurologist increased my gabapentin even though all my tests were negative. I took myself off of gabapentin shortly after. All it does is mask the burn a little and make me feel so drugged that it changes my lifestyle. It also adds so much cramping in my calves, feet, and toes all night long.
The timing of this neuropathy is odd, and somehow related to my surgery five months prior.
So.... next I have an appointment to start going to a clinic called "New Promise Neuropathy" for treatments that have shown results for some people. I'm only 70 years old, not diabetic, about 20 lbs overweight since my surgery, otherwise healthy my whole life. After several weeks of treatments, my next thing to try might be a low-does anxiety or antidepressant drug to see if stress is a factor or trigger. I can't imagine living with this for the rest of my life, so I am not willing to give up researching a way to make it better. I still feel so young.
Good luck to all of you with neuropathy, it's not fun! But also, by comparison to some others' issues, I don't like to complain much!

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Please post if treatments at new clinic works for you!
A friend who's being treated for arthritic pain told me there is a setting on their ortholazer machine for peripheral neuropathy.....her treatments are quick, painless, and work for her!

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Please, try a foot soak. Fill with water, a couple cups of vinegar, a couple cups of Epsom salt. After soaking pour some baking soda on. It's not a cure but a relief. Let me know if it does anything for you. I do it before bedtime. If the burning persists i roll a frozen water bottle under each foot. I feel your pain. Retired and 68 and have had idiopathic neuropathy for about two years now. No known reason. I've tried all of the buy one bottle for $79 or 6 for $39 ea. Don't work for me. I did find ground cayenne pepper and baking soda a half teaspoon each in a shot of water helps. Again, not a cure.

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I was a perfectly healthy person when I retired. Three months after retirement one of the cervical discs in my neck moved to rest on a nerve that caused pain you cannot live with, thus the need for surgery. the neuropathy in my shins and feet started five months after my ACDF surgery to fuse three discs in my neck. It takes up to 6 months for those discs to fuse, oddly coincidental. My surgeon shrugs and puts me on gabapentin. I have tried many things for this neuropathy. Some creams and sprays give you relief for a short while. I sleep with flexible ice packs on top of my covers every night because the COLD from them deadens the burn some. I also use sleep aid occasionally when I need a good 6-hr sleep.
I've had all the neurology and circulation tests there are available. They were all negative, nothing shows up 'wrong'. But my 'ON-FIRE' legs and feet are very real every night when I lay down to sleep. I'm usually very active all day and wear all the correct shoes. The neurologist increased my gabapentin even though all my tests were negative. I took myself off of gabapentin shortly after. All it does is mask the burn a little and make me feel so drugged that it changes my lifestyle. It also adds so much cramping in my calves, feet, and toes all night long.
The timing of this neuropathy is odd, and somehow related to my surgery five months prior.
So.... next I have an appointment to start going to a clinic called "New Promise Neuropathy" for treatments that have shown results for some people. I'm only 70 years old, not diabetic, about 20 lbs overweight since my surgery, otherwise healthy my whole life. After several weeks of treatments, my next thing to try might be a low-does anxiety or antidepressant drug to see if stress is a factor or trigger. I can't imagine living with this for the rest of my life, so I am not willing to give up researching a way to make it better. I still feel so young.
Good luck to all of you with neuropathy, it's not fun! But also, by comparison to some others' issues, I don't like to complain much!

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Profile picture for njx58 @njx58

Please. Malhotra is a clown who specializes in misinformation. Go read his Wikipedia page. He's a dangerous quack - period.

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thanks for your input!

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Profile picture for jedge54 @jedge54

I stopped taking statins long before I developed neuropathy because the statins were creating problems with my liver. My cardiologist started me on a new medicine called Praluent. It is a self injectable drug. It does not go through your liver and it improved all my cholesterol numbers immediately and my liver enzymes were back to normal. I highly recommend this.

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Praluent can also raise liver enzymes. That is a documented side effect. Luckily it worked out great for you.

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Profile picture for lasttry @lasttry

I just finished reading the book, "A Statin Free Life" by Dr. Aseem Malhotra, that was mentioned by someone in this group. I'm still confused whether statins affect small fiber peripheral neuropathy, but I'm now convinced to stay away from statins if at all possible, According to Dr Malhotra, low cholesterol is not related to heart disease, and will not lengthen your life. I'm going to try a healthier diet, starting with banning ultra-processed foods.

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Please. Malhotra is a clown who specializes in misinformation. Go read his Wikipedia page. He's a dangerous quack - period.

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