Atorvastatin. Your experiences please.

Possibly Simvastatin ginny? I take that, no problems

Whether or not you will actually benefit from taking any statin is debatable and dependent on your personal medical circumstances. You should know that your body produces cholesterol which is necessary for health and GPS in the UK prescribe statuns because they have instructions to do so. Studies show that the benefits of statins for many are unlikely to outweigh the risks.

Saying your “total cholesterol is around 7” in the context of whether or not statins are appropriate is meaningless. The important “number” is the ratio of “Trig” (tryglicerides) to HDL cholesterol. You should be able to see the results of tests your GP has undertaken on your NHS record via the app. A Trig/HDL ratio of 1 is considered good. Online apps are available if you need them.

There is evidence that the damage statins cause, including the risk of cognitive impairment, and is significant. You can achieve the same results by changing your diet and lifestyle, without the accompanying risks.

DH and I both take Atorvastatin. DH has no problems with it. I sometimes have cramp in my ankles at night which wakes me up. However, I hope the benefits outweigh the drawbacks!

I've been taking atorvastatin for years with no side effects other than it did lower my cholesterol very successfully.

I had a stroke, almost 4 years ago, aged 62. (caused by Covid, they said). The hospital put me on Atorvastatin, but the aches and weakness in my legs were so bad, I stopped taking them a few months afterwards. My cholesterol is 3.7.

Despite having low blood pressure and low cholesterol, I was prescribed 40mgs by a consultant as a precaution because of my parents’ medical history.
After 3 months the dose was reduced to 20mgs as it caused constipation. The new dose made no difference and my GP suggested I stopped taking it.

I took this for maybe 6 months. It massively reduced my cholesterol.
My son takes it happily after a problem with aches with another statin but unfortunately it did rather upset my stomach.
I've now started out on a different one - about a month ago - which seems to be better (for me)... it is the one my son had to come off!

It seems to be a bit pick and mix as to what your body likes.
I was also very anxious start with.

The results however (re cholesterol) are hard to argue with.
🌻

I’ve been on 80mg ofAtorvastatin for over 5 years, since having a TIA. I wish my doctor had encouraged me take statins 10 years ago, I might not have had a TIA and need such a high dose.
If Atorvastatin does not agree with you there are other statins available.

Both DH and I take Atorvastatin.
I had Minoca heart attack 2022.
I was put on the statin whilst in hospital, even though I didn't have high cholesterol..

Neither DH or I have suffered any side affects.

I've been taking Atorvastatin for about 2 years (reluctantly at first because I'd read about side effects). I've had no muscle aches, but I do get heartburn after I've taken it sometimes, though I deal with that by taking Gaviscon, especially if I'm going to be lying down afterwards.

Beverly if you could achieve the same results by changing your diet and lifestyle, without the accompanying risks I'd like to know how?

You can, of course, improve your health by diet and lifestyle but once you have done that, what then?

My cholesterol was 8.7 and is familial and not due to my diet! I dont like cream pies meat puddings. I have been on 40mg atorvastatin for 4yrs and my cholesterol is now 4.2.

I've taken it for several years and have no side effects, OH took it and did have side effects but changed to a different statin and he's absolutely fine. We both have cholesterol levels that are in the healthy range now.

There is still the grey area of familial hypercholesterolemia (FM) where by it is unlikely that any reasonable changes to a persons diet or “lifestyle” eg weight/excercise , would make any significant difference, so meds are necessary….

I have been taking 40mg for 17 years without any side effects.

I have been on 20 mg for over 30 years now. My doctor put me on 40 mg but that made me full of aches and pains so I dropped back down again to 20. I do get stiff ,especially first thing in the morning but it is not too bad and hasn’t affected my life in any way. My family all had high cholesterol and both parents died of heart attacks so I feel it is better to take them. I tried the diet thing of course but it made virtually no difference . I am still careful what I eat,within reason.

About 15 years ago I was told by a GP that any side effects are not connected to dose or strength.

Thinking must have change since then, when the implication was “you might be imagining the symptoms” because you have read the contraindications on the leaflets.!

Hello again, Ladies
Thank you to everyone who so kindly answered my post.
I was greatly reassured by your responses, and have decided to start the medication, in the hope that I can reduce my Cholesterol levels.
As I have mentioned before, I really feel we have established a wonderful site here, and I am most appreciative .
I wish you all well and send my regards.
Thank you
Agnieszka. x

Agnieszka

Hello again, Ladies
Thank you to everyone who so kindly answered my post.
I was greatly reassured by your responses, and have decided to start the medication, in the hope that I can reduce my Cholesterol levels.
As I have mentioned before, I really feel we have established a wonderful site here, and I am most appreciative .
I wish you all well and send my regards.
Thank you
Agnieszka. x

😃 all you can do is to try it and see what happens.As another poster said what suits one doesn’t suit another, we’re all different.
I tried various statins and even low strengths of statins but made no difference and gave me really awful arm, leg and lower back pain ( muscle pain) so much so I had to seriously think about giving up working, even tho I need the money.
In the end I came off statins completely and three months later all was fine with me.Cholesterol level higher than it should be but I can enjoy life again.

I've just seen this thread so am adding my experience. I was taking Atorvastatin for quite a while but agreed with my doctor to stop because I was experiencing side effects. I had muscle ache in every joint and some days I was just exhausted. I read the information in the packet eventually and discovered that muscle pain was quite a common side effect. When I stopped taking it the muscle pain stopped. I was offered a change of statins, but at the moment I am not taking any.

I've been on atorvastatin for 5 weeks now with no side effects of muscle pain. A positive side effect has been it's helped my anxiety.

Has anyone found atorvastatin helped with anxiety? I feel it's helped mine, I take 40mg

ViceVersa

I had horrible side effects with it, I'm sorry to say.

Me too! So after discussion with the Clinical Pharmacist I stopped taking them. I have however reduced my cholesterol level from 6.4 to 4.6 or similar by using Lidls' version of Benecol.
DH has stopped his Atorvastatin too as he thinks the statins started him off with a whole raft of other problems including diabetes which is proving a problem to control. Nurse in surgery said it was up to him and has referred him to a Diabetes Specialist in the meantime. Growing old isn't all it's cracked up to be.