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Statin discontinued due to neuropathy. What are some alternatives?
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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Such a vicious cycle! I sympathize with your situation, but can't really say what I would do as I'm as unsure as you probably are. I do have a couple of comments to make. First . . . there is plenty of research showing that statins do exacerbate and or cause peripheral neuropathy. Shame on doctors for denying that. Mine gave me the line, "I have hundreds of patients on statins that don't have neuropathy."
Second . . . I volunteered for a DNA sampling program a few years ago and received a message back that I had a "defective gene". It was a gene that causes muscle pain due to the accumulation of certain medications; specifically statins! It is a thing! And I would guess it could run in families since it is a gene. Google it!
Lastly, for someone who now sees what happens when you start taking meds for one problem (only to need more meds to solve the issues created by the first one) I am surprised you accepted the gabapentin. I assume you were desperate, but with a bit of research into the subject, you might find solutions to some of the neuropathy issues without it. There is a lot of evidence that gaba is addictive and that it requires higher and higher doses to remain effective. I've read articles about people who went off gaba, literally going thru withdrawn pain, only to find later that once they were off most of the symptoms resolved. Just something to look into. Interestingly, my neurologist (and other doctors) keep offering me gabapentin even though I told them I do not have pain. I guess they just feel they're helping in some way if they can give you a medication.
Lastly, I still wonder just how damaging this so called "high cholesterol" really is as long as we stay heathy and active. I was ranging between 250 and 280 for about 25 years. Had a cardiac calcium scan done at age 68 and it showed zero occlusion in my arteries. I resisted the statins until my levels got up to almost 300. When I did start the rosuvastatin I was able to keep my total cholesterol down to 200 by taking only 5mg every other day! So, at that small dosage the muscle pain is mostly non existent now. I understand that the Repatha is much better in that respect as well.
Anyway, those are just my thoughts!