Dumped the statin (Crestor(R)) and man, what a difference!
 

Decided last March to visit a cardiologist and establish a cardiac baseline. After all, I was now 63 and involved in a pretty intensive sport. A cycling buddy recommended a cardioligist who was also a cyclist.

The dr did some pretty extensive tests and most were great. The biggest problem is a thickening of the left carotid artery, and a stubborn LDL level just above 100 despite lots of exercise and a decent diet. I had been on Zedia proscribed by my GP, and that had my chol hovering about 200. Unfortunately Zedia does ok at controlling chol in many cases, but not the proven success of statins in preventing heart disease.

So after much balking, I agreed to go on Crestor. After about 4 weeks my LDL was down nicely, about 80, and chol was 166. Another 3 weeks showed even more progress. But at a price.

I found that, while I did not have any leg or muscle pain most of the time, when I was riding and needed to call on the legs for a sprint or climb, they felt like I had ridden 100 mi. Even after a week off the bike due to rain, first ride, same thing. I also noted that I was loosing core strength and my hands were numb after 15 - 20 mi since I was leaning on them.

I tried cutting the pill (and dose) in half to 12.5 mg for about 3 weeks. No help.

So now I stopped about 10 days ago. Amazing. The legs feel fresh, and no more numb hands.

Now I gotta inform the cardiologist and my GP. On today's ride I was talking to a Dr buddy who had the same experience. He's been off for about a year.

My body could not handle the statin drugs I had muscle pain so bad I could hardly move and it was also effecting my memory . I also stopped them . It took awhile till I started feeling normal again , I decided that I would rather fall over dead than live with that kind of pain for the next 20 years .

side effects statin drugs

http://www.statinanswers.com/effects.htm

Since I already had CRS disease, I didn't notice any memory problems, and I was lucky as the pain was not there most of the time, only when I called on them to work hard. But even that is not acceptable. I'll just try harder with the diet.

There are plenty of non-statin drugs to help with cholesterol issues. Statins are a poison to me as well. Diet alone may not be enough so keep an eye on things. Lipidil is common in Canada and while not a statin, it works well for many. There are no long term studies on its overall benefit though.

I read everything I can get my hands on regarding statins. Nothing I've read so far has pointed to any proof that you might suggest. Even by the numbers that the manufacturers provide, the chances of benefitting from the use of statins is about as good as the chances of winning of the lottery. I'd love to be shown where I'm wrong. I've got links to articles in major publications with very revealing information, for anyone who wants to know.

You may want to try supplementing with CoQ10.

Google on CoQ10 +statins or statin myopathy treatment

I've been using CoQ10 for several months now and when I call on the legs for some extra in a sprint to when climbing, they answer the call and respond. This was an effect I experienced after a couple of weeks.

TSL, good advice on CoQ10, but my cardiologist did recommend it, but I was already on it. Perhaps I needed to up the dose. I'll discuss it with him as an option.

Sounds like you're all on the wrong drug. My cardiologist, who is a cyclist, has had me on 40 mg simvastatin (for a hereditary heart condition) for the past few years. Never had any pain and my low cholesterol is even lower. Without meds it was 165. With meds it's 95. Because of the heart condition he wants my cholesterol as low as possible.

Looks like simvastatin can have the same side effects as other statins . Some people can just tolerate some medication better than others . A person I work with has been on statins for years with no side effects but my body could not tolerate them .

http://drugs.emedtv.com/simvastatin/...mvastatin.html

Crestor made me feel as if I had been tortured on the rack. It's been five or six years now and my range of motion in my left arm is still severely attenuated. Crestor is not a friendly drug.

Some additional reading..

http://www.cqs.com/lipitor.htm

CoQ10 treatment is still smoke and mirrors medicine. There is plenty of proof of what naturally produced CoQ10 does in the body but no evidence supplemental CoQ10 will do anything. Thus the word "may" when anything is written about the possible benefits. Take what you like but this is an expensive placebo in my opinion.

I take a version of it called Ubiquinol.

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SWU393/ItemDetail

Bobthib, your symptoms sound like a less-serious version of what I had with Lipitor. Both arms would go numb, and I'd wake up at night unable to roll over until I shook the blood back into them. Even an easy 25-mile ride would result in debilitating soreness for 3-5 days. I never recovered from harder rides, and by the end of the summer I could barely walk a flight of stairs because I'd lost so much muscle strength. I felt like I was walking in a fog, and my skin went from moderately oily to painfully dry. I was taking Co-Q10, too. The Lipitor brought my cholesterol numbers down nicely, into the 150 range; but even as I complained to the doc about the side effects, he was telling me he wanted to up my dosage to see if he could get my numbers below 100. At that point I told him I'd rather take my chances with dying from a heart attack 30 years from now, rather than the certainty of dying from the drugs in a year or two. Since then I've tried several non-statin drugs, as well as daily doses of cinnamon; with only minimal results.

I've recently started on Crestor, and so far no side effects. NEW doc says we'll watch it; it *may* work better for me because it's metabolized differently than the Lipitor.

My doctor took me off simvastatin a few weeks ago, for a trial period of 6 weeks, after which he'll do the usual blood panel and see where I am. Between the weight loss, increased physical activity and really, really good cholesterol numbers for the past year or more, he thinks I may be able to do without. We'll see, just before Thanksgiving, if that's true. That's when I go back in and they put me up on the rack to take a look.

But I've noticed absolutely no difference in how I feel in any way, shape or form without it. No difference in chronic aches and pains (of which I have a fair number), energy levels or perceived strength.

Not all statins are the same. I have been on Lipitor for more than 10 years. I get tested twice a year, and my last one in Sept showed my cholesterol at 122. It also seems that Lipitor has other positive side effects such as lower rate of heart attacks. On the other hand I do know that some people just cant take Lipitor do side effects.

Interesting. I started on Crestor in January (following receipt of a stent for a pesky blockage) and I have had no pain or issues with my cycling. In fact, this year turned out to be my best from the standpoint of mileage and speed. Going back to Dr. Cardio next week for a warranty check. ;)

One thing I have noticed and I don't know if it is from the crestor or Plavix, my fingers are always cold and they go absolutely numb when riding in even cool weather. I sit at my desk with numb hands if the air conditioning happens to be turned up.

CoQ10 made a difference for me. I have been on simvastatin for several years and Crestor before. I did notice much less post-ride muscle soreness.

My .02.

Mark

I have been on Lipitor for a while now. My cholesterol went from 210 to 125 on it. No side effects noticed.

I've tolerated Simvastatin very well and it worked okay for me at lowering my cholesterol. But bicycle riding has worked even better and now I just take 1/2 dose of Simvastation only on days I don't ride my bike.

I had a heart attack in Feb 2011. Cause break away plaque. I was put on a daily for 18 month regimen of plavix, simvastatin and 81mg aspirin. On simvastatin I had horrible muscle fatigue. Some days I could hardly ride for an hour. As soon as I went off I was back to normal. My cardiologist now has me on pravastatin and I'm experiencing no side effects. I'm on the way back to being race ready. We all react to drugs differently.

I took statins for 12 years. In the past couple of years I started adding a lot more miles with greater intensity. After a ride, I would cramp up so badly I couldn't even sleep at night, and this was with plenty of fluids, electrolytes, etc.

About 6 months ago, I quit the statins cold turkey. What a difference! 85% of the cramping is gone.

Keep trying the diet / exercise solution as much as possible. I've had great success keeping statins out of my life for 20 years, since twice (once in early 30's and once at 50) I've had doctors tell me to go that route. I got religion, cut out red meat (beef totally, SMALL amounts of pork VERY rarely), stayed away from fat, processed sugars, simple carbs along with my riding.
When I was early 30's, also need to lose weight (235 lbs.), dropped to 150, then crept back when fatherhood interrupted my food / exercise regimen. The physical at 50 put me back on course. Cholesterol was above 200, and triglycerides at 50 above 300. Now cholesterol is 160, triglycerides in the 80's, and LDL / HDL ratios actually reverse, so all is good. It CAN work with diligence and determination.

IMHO, there is no one answer to these issues, but we can all benefit from understanding the experience of others. I had my first heart attack in 2005. At the time, my total cholesterol was 160, but the LDL/HDL ratio was not good. Post event, I was prescribed a cocktail of drugs, including Vytoren. My total cholesterol dropped to 91, still not good HDL/LDL ratio. For various mostly non-medical reasons, I switched to simvastatin after a couiple of years and my numbers went up to 160 again. Switched back to Vytoren, then had another heart attack in 2010. My numbers then were in the 100 range. Again, for cost and not medical reasons I switched to Crestor and my numbers are in the 110 range, still just ok HDl.LDL range. I have never had issues with statins affecting cycling, but do with other meds (beta blockers). Keep an open mind and do your own research about your specific condition and biology ...

We do not always have the luxury of waiting for a detailed statistical analysis. Sometimes it is better to go w/ a hunch now instead of waiting for "proof." With CoQ10, the downside is a little money, but the upside potential is much more significant.