How long do side effects from statins last once you stop taking them?

Anybody ever had bad chest discomfort/pain from taking statins? I’ve been to ER numerous times over past 6 months, took Crestor atorvastatin, and just recently pravastatin. Evidently it’s the statins, cause my heart function and ekg always come back fine. Now I’m going to start Zetia for slightly high LDL and triglycerides… it’s not a statin, but just curious if anyone else had pain in their chest and upper arms from statins?

Welcome to Connect, @hvefun2
Chest pain is understandably frightening. Muscle aches and weakness are well-known side effects of statins, and some people describe discomfort in the shoulders, upper arms, chest wall, or rib muscles that can mimic heart-related pain. Since you’ve been evaluated multiple times and your doctors don’t think it’s coming from your heart, it makes sense to discuss whether the symptoms could be medication-related.

Did your chest and upper arm pain improve after stopping each statin, and did it return when you started a different one? That pattern can be really helpful in determining whether a statin is the cause. Hopefully Zetia (ezetimibe) will be a better fit for you, since it works differently than statins. Will you take a break before starting Zetia?

I am wondering how long it takes the aches and pains as well as fatigue to end after stopping statins. I have taken Rosuvastatin 5 mg for two years. My cholesterol is now 136 and I eat so healthy, I have lost 25 pounds in the last six months. My doctor told me I could take a break and we would do a blood test to see how well I do off of statins. It’s been six weeks and the foot and leg neuropathy are really bad. My fatigue is constant. I feel no better off of them than I did on them. I have read everything from 30 days to six months to get over statin side effects. Now I’d like to hear from people who have actually dealt with it. Just can’t trust Google! Can anyone share their experience?

I have been on my statin break almost 7 weeks, and within the first month, I felt my muscle pain and weakness getting less. Second month better than the first. I have had huge challenges like a 10 hour flight and driving back and forth 2 1/2 hours one way to tend to a sick mother and I do not have the severe pain and disability I did when on statins. I was having to apply heat to my back almost every morning when getting out of bed, doing stretches and just walking around before I could walk stairs or exercise. Sharp shooting pains down my leg, PT for hips and back, OT for my elbow and hand. If I drove in my car for 30 minutes plus, I could barely walk when I got out. To be honest, the pain is still there sometimes, but it is minor - no grabbing the Advil, heat or ice. I still stretch several times a day. I think what the statins did was made what bit of "aging" pain I was having MUCH worse. I just wonder if it will continue to improve. So hang in there and give it time. Sounds like you are doing Great with your numbers. Mine was 196 and I complained about atorvastatin side effects and they dialed it back to 3x/week. Went up to 208 and pain did not improve much if at all. So, I'm with you - I'm dealing with it. My pharmacist did tell me the new statin that I can't recall has a better side effect profile.

@con123 OMG my pain profile is so similar- back pain so bad I could barely get out of bed- also night leg cramps- I was originally on 20mg of rosuvastatin, then 10mg when I complained of tingling in hands/feet, but things seemed ok & no one talked to me about side effects. I developed back pain, leg cramps and fatigue but I didn’t connect them to the statin(!) I thought I pulled a muscle etc. until I finally started wondering… and my research turned up so much info including conversations like this. I started taking every other day, then every three days & just stopped altogether. I’m 71 but was active, fit &healthy- I have grandchildren I want to play with- this physical set back is discouraging but I’ll keep working on it. Hope you feel better soon!

@valeriems I have been statin free from about 2 years now, and very seldom have pain. It is like I’m living again. The pain was debilitating and my cardiologist finally saw how it affected my quality of life. He declared me statin intolerant. My cholesterol was down to 198. Six months later, just with dietary tweaks and a supplement called Durable Heart, it had gone up just a bit. 211. I see him in December for my annual check up. Hopeful my numbers haven’t gone up but I won’t take statins again.

@con123 What about Repatha?

What is your LDL and Lp(a)? If those are high, you need to do, something, whatever that something is.

Comments about that supplement:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Cholesterol/comments/1ne90so/durable_heart_berberine_for_lowering_cholesterol/

@njx58 LDL is currently 121. It had been as high as 195, and then between 65-90 on statins. So it’s a bit over optimum and LPa is high at 89. My dr said there isn’t a drug targeted for LPa and it’s hereditary. One Repatha injection and I had a very bad sinus reaction so for now, I’m holding on diet and exercise with supplements. I’ve passed all cardiac tests and my calcium is 0. A1C is fine and blood pressure well controlled.