Pain Medications which are helpful for statin induced pains?

[harley2ride]

Just wondering what others have found as far as what works and what doesn't for helping with the constant muscle pain from statin induced Myopathy, Myalgia, and Neuropathy. I've tried Skelactin, Hydrocodone, Vicoden, Soma, and a few others which didn't seem to do much but make me feel wierd. Just started on Darvocet a few weeks ago, and it seems to help quite a bit. I take them a few days a week to get a break from the constant muscle pain, and it works enough that it keeps me from becoming depressed from the constant pain from this crap. I've also just started adding the L-Glutamine to my daily pills, and it seems to have helped a little bit. DHEA was no help, and Prednasone made me rapidly worsen.

[Cathy]

I know I'm a rare case, at least thats what the Drs. tell me but....Anyway I started out on Darvoset and that wasn't touching it, so my Dr. sent me to a pain clinic. I now am on fentanyl 75, which is a narcotic, opiod, and percocet 4 times a day for break-thru pain. Even with all that I still have some pain, but I can handle that. The pain before these drugs was unbearable, just to walk was agonizing. I was so lucky to find a Dr. who would believe me! Every other one said " old age" ya right! I have had to change my life drasticly thanks to LIPITOR. Anyway hope you can find help with your pain, but don't be afraid to push alittle or alot to make your Dr. understand...

[Ray Holder]

If the Q10 is insufficient, you could try some carnitine, see my posting and Darrell, etc. The loss of Q10 seems to cut off the manufacture of carnitine, needed to accompany fat into the "fuel burning" part of the muscle, and then to take the waste products away, otherwise, pain.
Sorry to bang the drum so much on this, but I had so much gain from it 3 years ago, and still continuing, that I feel I must share it with others.
Ray

[Ray Holder]

I have just read your other postings and seen that you already take carnitine. The amount needed could be a lot greater, I am taking about 6grams daily. I found carnitine first through a Polio society, as post polio is sometimes caused by a high need for carnitine after the original healing process, body supplies falling off with age, so needing supplementation, but the end result is the same. I know a lady who is taking the same amount and another just a little less, because they found it necessary.
Carnitine has to be present, molecule for molecule, to enable fat fuel to go through the membrane surrounding the mitochondria in the muscle, where it is converted into energy, and so is needed in sufficient quantity, otherwise the muscle has to substitute muscle protein as emergency fuel and so causes wastage. Its next job is to carry the "combustion" products away, or pain results. One needs to build up over a few days, and reduce a little if bowels get a bit loose. I take in powder form, about 3 level 5 ml teaspoons a day = about 6 grams, in water (flavoured)
Have you ever had a CK-muscle wastage blood test? that showed doctors the proof that carnitine was needed in my case, and that the supplementation was actually working, dropping from 500 to 200(normal) in 2 or 3 hours after taking it, when I was in hospital last year. It is a routine and readily available test.
I would think that too much energy burning exercise would not be advisable while carnitine is in short supply, as muscle would be being consumed to supply the extra energy

Ray

[harley2ride]

A week or two ago, my muscles were hurting quit a bit. I was also quite stuffed up from allergy's, and took a benedryl. Within a few hours, my muscles pain was substancially less. I decided to experiment with this a few times, and each time, the pain eases shortly after taking the benedryl. It seems to help for 4 - 5 hours, but them the pain seems to come back. This has occurred 5 times now, so I'm thinking this is not a fluke. But how could benedryl help with muscle pain from statin injury?
Sounds like a job for SpaceDoc to investigate. Is this possible? Could it do any harm to keep trying this?

[sos_group_owner]

Re: But how could benedryl help with muscle pain from statin injury?

Hi Harley2Ride,

Good question... see info below:
"decrease stiffness and tremors" in patients with PD
"reduction of smooth muscle contraction"

Fran
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Benadryl (aka diphenhydramine)

"Some of the antihistamines are also used to prevent motion sickness,
nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. In patients with Parkinson's disease,
diphenhydramine may be used to decrease stiffness and tremors."
MedlinePlus:ww.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202060.html

"Diphenhydramine works by blocking the effect of histamine at H1
receptor sites. This results in effects such as the reduction of smooth
muscle contraction, making diphenhydramine a popular choice for
treatment of the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, hives, motion sickness,
and insect bites and stings."
Wikipedia:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphenhydramine

[Hannibal]

Hi, In my struggle to get away from Lipitor induced pain I have been taking Q-10 and Carnitine. I have felt better but no where near normal, still daily suffering.I have a question. The first Carinitine I bought from Walgreens. I think it was L-Carnitine. The next I bought from Ebay. Now this from Ebay is not outdated,it has Acytle on the front, but when you open the jar and it is not even close to your nose you pick right up on the stench it emits. It is very strong and even has such a strong taste that I wash them down asap. They are vegicaps. Is there something wrong with them. I did not notice the strongness with the one from Walgeens. The Ebay ones are Acetyl L-Carnitine and the first ones was just L-Carnitine. And also it seems like the pain was less using the first ones. The second ones are a lot stronger mg wise,also. I hope I explained myself to where someone understands what I am trying to figuere out. Mainly 2 things. 1 is there something wrong because of the strong odor and 2 is there a reason why the last ones may not be helping as much with the pain. John

[sos_group_owner]

Hi John,

I've used both forms of carnitine and have not encountered either emit a stench. I would contact the company that manufactured the Acetyl L-Carnitine and/or the Ebay source ~ ask them to explain why their product emits a stench.

You should be able to find Acetyl L-Carnitine (400mg) combined with CoQ10 50mg at Walmart.

Fran

[Ray Holder]

Carnitine can go off if not kept very dry, I have noticed the smell but only faintly in a poor quality pack. I think that bacteria can grow in it under bad storage conditions, it is half a protein so it's not to be wondered at.

If you buy the powder the finest almost like icing sugar is the best and most effective, hard to find.

Ray

[Darrell]

Hannibal, it sounds to me like you have bought a batch that is spoiled. Even if the date is okay, it still could be bad from damage like overheating in storage. Please do not take any more of that batch. There's no telling what the breakdown products may do to you.

[Hannibal]

I appreciate all who replied to my prob. I have not felt the same since starting them and it just dawned on me a coulple of days ago they may be suspect. I am depressed as I was doing better than I had in 3 or so years and all the sudden I took 2 steps backward. Thanks for the info , I have contacted the seller. What about liquid? Something else you all might find interesting. For a long long time I have been using Alka Seltzer water disolve type pain killer, for the asprin, which helps and I can not take asprin in tablet form. But reading around I noticed that while its mostly unheard of a B5 deficientcy can be caused from a large usage of Sodium Bicarbonate. Which is in the Alka Seltzer tablets. So now I believe I have a Pantothenic Acid shortage. I am taking Pantothenic acid powder now , quite a few mgs a day. Thanks for the support. John

[sos_group_owner]

Hi Hannibal,

If you are "aspirin sensitive", grape seed extract (GSE) is a good alternative (reduces platelet stickiness/prevents blood clots).

Here's a link to an article with a long list of natural pain relievers:
[http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/41/91.cfm]

If you are vitamin B5 deficient, you might consider adding pantethine to your pantothenic acid. Good article about the B5 combo:
[http://www.drlam.com/opinion/pantothenic_acid_and_pantethine.cfm]

Fran