Do taking Statins cause shortness of breath?

Posted by babswel1 @babswel1, Jan 1 3:19pm

I have begun to do research on this topic as I began taking statins for high cholesterol years ago. I have shortness of breath which began after the doctor out me in statins.

A few studies medical studies I have read pointed to the weakening of middle body muscles weakening possibly caused by statin intake. Would like to hear feedback on this.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

Profile picture for ctjoe7 @ctjoe7

Mine said it definitely can. I stopped statin and switched to Repatha. I also am doing pulmonary Rehab which is helping. My shortness of breath is definitely getting better.

Jump to this post

@ctjoe7 Best thing you did. I got ILD fibrosis from this shit.

REPLY
Profile picture for njx58 @njx58

This came up in my searches re: statins and shortness of breath. It's unusual but not impossible. (Medical jargon follows... 🙂 )

"Hormonal Imbalances:
One proposed mechanism for statin-induced shortness of breath involves hormonal imbalances. Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme crucial for cholesterol synthesis. This inhibition can lead to decreased levels of pregnenolone, a precursor for various steroid hormones. Reduced pregnenolone levels can result in hypogonadism and adrenal fatigue, which may manifest as shortness of breath among other symptoms.

Muscle Damage and Respiratory Function:
Another potential mechanism is related to statin-induced muscle damage, known as rhabdomyolysis. This condition can lead to elevated levels of creatine kinase (CK) and muscle breakdown, which may affect respiratory muscles and contribute to shortness of breath. In the case of the 82-year-old female patient, elevated CK levels were observed, and her symptoms improved after discontinuing the statin and receiving supportive treatment .

Jump to this post

@njx58 I git ILD fibrosis from taking cholesterol statins and Repatha.
Stopped them and it became stable, breathing improved. Cardios have their heads uo their back side on this.

REPLY

Sorry to hear of your issues, @babswell. I toot Atrovasatin for 30+ years with a huge 80mg dosage for the past 15-20 years until 2025. For the last couple years I had recurring bouts of inflammation and joint pain. Shortness of breath was not my side effect, as I was active in sports. But I was 73 and sick of the unexplained inflammation. I saw two medical studies (Stanford and the UK) that recommended people over age 60 years consider not taking statins due to confirmed issues from extended years of use at that age. I told my PCP I wanted to stop. She concurred. No more inflammation at all and after 3 months my lipid profile was still normal. I lost 5-10 pounds, felt better and could eat anything I wanted. Makes no sense, but it seems the statins were a detriment.

REPLY

That is interesting. I would like to try that. I am 82 and have a lot of aches and pain. I have take statins for 30 years, at least, and now have Repatha and Crestor, along with the anticoagulant, Brilinta. I had 3 stents placed in my LAD artery three years ago and they want to keep my blood as thin as possible and any more plaque from forming. And, BTW, this morning, my neighbor told me he went on statins a few months ago and last week his bloodwork indicated his cholesterol was actually up, and the symptoms are bad.

REPLY
Profile picture for bobtrev @bobtrev

That is interesting. I would like to try that. I am 82 and have a lot of aches and pain. I have take statins for 30 years, at least, and now have Repatha and Crestor, along with the anticoagulant, Brilinta. I had 3 stents placed in my LAD artery three years ago and they want to keep my blood as thin as possible and any more plaque from forming. And, BTW, this morning, my neighbor told me he went on statins a few months ago and last week his bloodwork indicated his cholesterol was actually up, and the symptoms are bad.

Jump to this post

@bobtrev --- That's scary. I hope your statin total (mg's) dosage (daily) isn't too high. I assume the Repatha is to suppress or inhibit your PCSK9 proteins/enzymes. Then the "thinning" protocol on top of that is a lot to ask the body to process.

At 82, I would think less (powerful) or fewer drugs may sometimes be safer than overkill. oops. I didn't mean that as a pun. I'm just not a huge fan of over-prescription of power drugs due to our ability to handle them. Our immune systems and (liver) protein/enzymes have been introduced to so many new chemistries (vaccines, drugs, medications, vitamins, supplements, processed foods, etc.) that we have no idea what the long-term affects will be. In the aggregate, all of these intakes can overwhelm the systems ability to process of clear them effectively.

In our health approaching our life's 4th quarter, I just wonder if ... Perhaps less is really more.

REPLY
Profile picture for marcwall @marcwall

@bobtrev --- That's scary. I hope your statin total (mg's) dosage (daily) isn't too high. I assume the Repatha is to suppress or inhibit your PCSK9 proteins/enzymes. Then the "thinning" protocol on top of that is a lot to ask the body to process.

At 82, I would think less (powerful) or fewer drugs may sometimes be safer than overkill. oops. I didn't mean that as a pun. I'm just not a huge fan of over-prescription of power drugs due to our ability to handle them. Our immune systems and (liver) protein/enzymes have been introduced to so many new chemistries (vaccines, drugs, medications, vitamins, supplements, processed foods, etc.) that we have no idea what the long-term affects will be. In the aggregate, all of these intakes can overwhelm the systems ability to process of clear them effectively.

In our health approaching our life's 4th quarter, I just wonder if ... Perhaps less is really more.

Jump to this post

@marcwall Thanks for that. I have a few more very serious drugs as well. Today, I felt really good. The I ran into a friend at church this morning. A remarkable man who is 94, stands up straight, sharp as a tack and said he has never taken a prescription drug. He owned a moving and storage business. I guess it was the exercise. FYI, I also take Farxiga and Ranexa and some BP meds. On top of that, I take a drug called Ofev for ILD. My plan pays $11,117 a month for that one. So far, the plan, an Aetna Part D plan, has paid $82,138 for my meds, through June! I can't imagine that going on forever. Thank goodness for the $2,100 limit.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.