myositis a side effect of zocor?

[cls]

Hello, I am new to this forum. I have been reading some of the posts here, and had no idea that statins had such wide spread effects on so many patients.

This is my story of degeneration of the quality of my health. I have been taking 10 mg. of zocor for over 5 years. I am a 52 year old female with family history of high cholesterol (mother), and type 2 diabetes and heart disease (father), taking oral meds and dietary control. I have been having trouble with chronic tennis elbow, that seemed to progress to pain and tingling, weakness, started in right arm. My left arm also feels weak, as I seem to have limited grip strength, etc. I can no longer work, as my job involved repeated gripping, twisting, lifting. I have had multiple steroid injections in right arm, shoulder and elbow, 7 so far. Repeated rounds of physical therapy. Mri's and e-rays show only minor arthritis and inflammation. I was getting bounced to orthopedists and a physiatrist. I didn't sleep well, was fatigued when I got up in the morning, and was thoroughly depressed. My podiatrist also said I have the start of neuropothy in my feet. The last round of pt caused soreness in the biceps area of both arms after 2 weeks of lifting 1 lb. weights. The soreness lasted for 4 months. I was prescribed muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories, percocet, causing a doped-up feeling, and many others, I felt like a walking pharmacy. I finally asked my gp if my primary doc if the soreness could be caused by the zocor. I needed to get a note to be excused from jury duty, as I could not think straight or stay awake for a whole day. He said to stop the 10 mg. of zocor.

Within 2 days, I felt like a new person, not 100 %, but much improved. I had also been having trouble finishing a sentence, cause I could not find a word, then trying to remember the word, I would forget what I was saying. Duh!!!!! I was irritable and could not enjoy even the simplest of outdoor or recreational activities with my husband and son. I walked like a 80 year old.

I am scheduled for a CPV blood test and aldolase test, also cbc lipid panel sed rate, tsh, glucose, etc.

I am convinced the damage done to my physical and mental abilities was from the zocor. I am starting to sleep better and my energy is slowly improving. I hope the muscle damage isn't permanent.

Any comments or advice welcome. Thanks for letting me vent.

Connie

[sos_group_owner]

Hi Connie,

Welcome to the Forum. It's good that your doctor acknowledged that Zocor could be the cause of all your adverse effects AND that you are feeling better now that you've stopped the drug.

Re: I have had multiple steroid injections in right arm, shoulder and elbow, 7 so far.
WOW, that's a lot. The problem with steroid injections... they actually change the consistency of the muscle (spongy) and can make the muscle more susceptible to injury, especially in the time right after the injection. Relief from muscle pain allows more mobility and the 'assumption' to resume normal activity. That's when further injury occurs.

Re: I am scheduled for a CPV blood test and aldolase test, also cbc lipid panel sed rate, tsh, glucose, etc.

Ask your doctor to also check your homocysteine, hs-CRP (high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein) and Lp(a) - Lipoprotein (a) - these, when elevated, are a better indicator of 'coronary' inflammation. Elevated triglycerides (part of the lipid profile) are also very important (to control).

Thyroid is one of the most common causes of elevated cholesterol. 'Tsh' should be one of the FIRST tests ordered.
Aldolase & glucose will test how your body metabolizes sugar and simple carbs.

Do you have any risks factors other than elevated cholesterol (and family history)?
What were your cholesterol levels before Zocor?
HDL
LDL
Triglyceides

Fran

[cls]

Hello Fran,

Thanks for your reply. When I was prescribed the zocor, I figured because of my family history, that I would need to take it. I do trust my gp, and see him every 4 months to manage my diabetes.

Back when I stated taking it, I didn't really think it would do any harm, I thought the side effects were rare. Also, I only started investigating on the web after hearing the commercials on tv for lipitor, and crestor where they said there was a serious side effect, even though they don't tell you what it is, if they did, I guess no one would want to take it. My 16 year old son always says, "why would you want to take something with all those side effects?" Made me think about how all my symptoms were escalating. The othopedist I see for my elbow problem says the tennis elbow is moderate and since more conservative treatments have failed, he could operate to debride any damaged tissue. But, he says he doesn't think it would help with all my varied arm symptoms.

I get the labs done with in a few days, and see my primary on April 25. I am going to ask for a photocopy of my labs, and ask him to look up my
HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels for back when he suggested I start the statin. Also, will ask for natural alternatives to lower my lipids. I have read about the B vitamins and also cinnamon, and an article that states that cardiovascular disease is a chronic form of scurvy, so I should start a moderate dose of vitamin C. Also, the advantage of CoQ10 supplements.

What other risk factors do you mean? I have not been able to exercise even lightly due to all the muscle and joint pain. At my last visit, my weight was 180 and I am 5' 6", so I am overweight, mostly in the last 3 or 4 years. It seems the symptoms had started to escalate in those last 3 years, when the elbow pain started.

Any other info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again, Fran.

Connie

[sos_group_owner]

Hi Connie,

Re: What other risk factors do you mean?
Like diabetes, hypertension, etc.

Based on your individual cholesterol numbers...
LDL:
Elevated LDL is not the issue... it's when LDL becomes 'oxidized'. Elevated homocysteine, triglycerides & blood sugar levels and smoking are some of the factors that cause oxidized LDL.

HDL:
A diet low in good saturated fat causes low HDL. Good sources: virgin coconut oil & organic butter. Exercise (which is difficult if not impossible for those with statin adverse effects) also increases good HDL.

Triglycerides:
You can reduce trig's by cutting way back on carbs, especially the white foods - sugar (biggest offender), flour, rice, potato, bread. Replace with whole grains: wild/brown rice, breads made from sprouted grains, spelt, buckwheat or coconut flours, sweet potato, stevia (sweetener). Pasta is probably the least likely to raise triglycerides... Alternatives are whole grain pastas.

Cinnamon is an excellent way to help control trig's and blood sugar levels ~ 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of the spice isle variety (Cinnamomum zeylanicum ~ more potent than C. cassia). Also available in 500mg capsules (C. cassia)... take 1 to 3 capsules daily.

Some additional info below:
Excerpt from an article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick: LDL (Oxidised LDL)

" This is a complex pathway. When platelets start to stick together, they release free radicals. "Free radicals" oxidise LDL. Oxidised LDL is a powerful blood clotting factor. LDL is also incorporated into the blood clot as it forms, and provides a `lipid' surface (along with VLDL) for the construction of fibrin. Fibrin is the hugely strong protein strand that binds a clot together and makes it `tough.' "

Things that create "free radicals" and oxidized LDL... Smoking, high blood sugar levels (diabetes), stress... Risk factors that damage the "endothelium" include elevated levels of homocysteine, blood sugar, insulin, cortisol (stress hormones), triglycerides, smoking and deficiency in some vitamins, such as C and the B's.

When you get a chance, read the complete article titled, "Is Heart Disease All Due to Blood Clots?"
*http://www.thincs.org/Malcolm.htm#clots

Excellent article about "lipoproteins": *http://www.thincs.org/Malcolm.htm#lipoprotein

Excellent article about "fats"... "The Skinny on Fats" by Mary Enig, PhD:
*http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/skinny.html

Fran

[Dee]

cls,
I would be interested in the results of your aldolase test. I had that test about 4 months after stopping Pravachol, and it was high. The neurologist said that indicated "leaky" muscles.

[cls]

Hello, this is in reply to my first post in this thread. I had a follow-up visit to my gp after a month off zocor. He said the last time I had my cholesterol checked it was 167 for total, I don't recall the tri's or the LD/HD ratio. My total has risen to 232, so he wants me to try 5 mg of crestor. I am afraid to start another statin, as I am almost back to normal, after about 3 years.

On the lab order sheet, he used these diagnosis codes for the bloodwork, Pure hypercholesterolemia, Diabetes umcompl T2 uncontrl, Unspecified myalgia& myositis, Other malaise and fatigue. My gp said the CPK level was normal, he didn't mention the aldolase test, so I assume it was normal, too.

Since I had the soreness in my biceps for 4 months after physical therapy with no relief, and the pain finally eased after stopping the 10 mg of zocor, I am not anxious to have that type of pain again. Also, not to mention the fuzziness of the mind, chronic fatigue , insomnia, stiffness, etc.

Anyone else have a return of symptoms upon trying a different statin?

Connie

[Biologist]

Personally, I would not take ANY statin for any reason EVER again.

If you are tempted, let me recommend you continue researching from this site.

BTW, Cinnamon IS A STATIN.

I normally agree with every word of Fran's advice. But in this case I disagree wholeheartedly.

http://www.spacedoc.net/board/viewtopic ... namon#3707

Biologist

[catspajamas]

I tried 3 statins, zocor, lipitor, and pravachol...all had the same adverse side effects on me.....now? ...I wouldn't touch a statin with a 10 ft pole....nerve damaged, painful feet is no fun.........I think if you can't take one statin, you can't take any............

[Biologist]

Just to make sure I was clear, this is only quote I have a problem with:

"Cinnamon is an excellent way to help control
trig's and blood sugar levels ~ 1/4 to 1/2
teaspoon of the spice isle variety (Cinnamomum
zeylanicum ~ more potent than C. cassia). Also
available in 500mg capsules (C. cassia)... take
1 to 3 capsules daily."
--Fran

Like always, the rest of her post is excellent in my opinion.

Biologist

[cls]

Biologist, I am directing this your way since you told me about the effects of cinnamon. I tried one 5 mg does of Crestor on Saturday, the next day, I seemed to be very sore. I had been having some rebound pain in the last few weeks. I originally stopped the Zocor on March 18, and felt better in 2-3 days.

I had started taking the spice aisle variety cinnamon, about 1/4 teaspoon with unsweetened applesauce. Also, 100 mg CoQ10 twice daily, s super Vitamin B complex, and about 1200 mg Vitamin C. I have cut back on the cinnamon. Do you think the Niacin in my multi-B combined with the 5 mg Crestor could cause a return of muscle pain in my biceps and overall body pain? The amount of Niacin in the mult-B is 25 mg or (125 % daily value it says on the label.)

At my check-up last week, my gp said my total cholesterol was up to 232. It was 167 the last time it was checked. That's why he wanted me to try the Crestor. I am hoping the pain subsides as it did when I quit the Zocor. I haven't taken the Crestor since.

By the way, are you a biologist? I have read some of you posts, and you seem to know alot. Just wondering.

Connie

[Biologist]

I got my Mom off her Lipitor several months ago. Her overall cholesterol level is currently 325. I am advising her to continue to stay off statins regardless of what her "doctors" say, and to continue with the supplements. I do not know if she is complying well with the supplements or not.

Want my "knee-jerk reaction" to your post? The undiplomatic pure truth? I rarely give it on this subject, but I am going to have mercy on you.

Here it is:

Your cholesterol at 167 was probably much too low. The studies show that you may have grounds for a serious lawsuit against your "doctor" for jeopardizing your health during that time. Discretely inquire about his level of coverage as your lawyers will be interested in knowing before proceeding.

It may still be a bit low at 232 for a female over 45. Ask your NEW doctor what you can do to get it up to a more acceptable level.

Are you catching on, Connie?

At all?

Your cholesterol level is fine. Go play with fire. Play in the street. Just leave your cholesterol levels alone -- because that's serious stuff.

I have a four-year college degree in Biology. I have never worked in the field even remotely. I do have an interest in it and have studied cellular biology on my own in the past, but I am sure no expert. I am highly pissed at the Medical-Industrial Complex. "Hypercholesterolemia" for normal and healthy cholesterol levels is a condemnable fraud. I cannot believe I fell for it. They got me good.

Biologist

[cls]

Thanks Biologist.

I have been reading alot lately and trying to understand it all with only my high school education. I found the Weston Price foundation article on "the dangers of statin drugs; what you haven't been told about popular cholesterol-lowering medicines." The part about how important cholesterol is and that "doctors have forgotten what they learned in biochemistry 101 about the many roles of cholesterol in the human biochemistry." And leaky cell membranes. How "cholesterol is vital to neurololical function" the importance for memory, an how important it is for all hormones.

Ya know though, when I tell all the various docs I have seen in the past 3 years about what I have been reading, they don't even want to hear about it because I read about it on the internet. I wouldn't know what books to get or where to get them or what is out there.

I get what you are telling me and I don't think I will ever take any statin again. Thanks for having mercy on me. If my cholesterol keeps going up and I start feeling better, I will just do what I feel is best for me. Like most people have said, what good is it if you live to be 80 but you are in contant pain and are disabled and as weak as a kitten. At the state I was in two months ago, I felt like I would rather be 6 feet under anyway. Every morning I woke up in pain was just another day I felt like going to sleep forever.

Connie

[cjbrooksjc]

cls: So glad you are feeling better. Hang in there. As for the deliverables to your Dr., why not use some of Dr. Graveline's published work on Statins and Cholesterol, or Google Dr. Peter Langsjoen (Cardiologist, Tyler, Texas) and find his Library of Congress papers on Statins and Cholesterol. Those resources may be useful in dealing with your P.C. Physician on their level.

Regards,

Brooks

[cls]

I thought I would update this thread. Since last weekend, my pain is
steadily getting worse, as I am in as much pain now as before I quit
the Zocor. I have stopped the Crestor 5 mg after only 1 dose. I
also quit the super B complex as it had 25 mg or 125% daily value and
also quit eating cinnamon. Maybe they interacted with the Crestor.

I didn't sleep at all last night, last slept on Saturday about 6
hours. It's now 5:30 p. m. Monday. Couldn't lie on either side and
never could sleep on my back anyway. I was using about 3 pillows
under my arms and under my knees. Couldn't even sleep on the
recliner, so I saw the sun come up.

The cheeks on my face are red and burny and I am starting to itch all
over. Just totally miserable. I called my doc and he is going to
give me some sample of Cymbalta to start up again. I stopped this
anti-depressant when I started to feel better 6 weeks ago. Now this
rebound of pain. Maybe the Cymbalta was helping with the pain more
than I realized. My state of emotions is in the toilet as I spent
most of last night crying and today I am just totally exhausted.
This is all I can manage to get down right now.

Anyone have experiences like this with just one dose of Crestor?

Connie

[poohhel]

Connie...Are you or were you taking any other pain meds?

I ask because a month or so after I quit Vytorin... I got the same symptoms-- "cheeks on face are red and burny and starting to itch all over" as well as the horrible sleeping experience... no comfortable position and the emotions... I cried so much for several days.

I have been reading and it appears a lot of people say it gets worse before it gets better, so keep your chin up and take whatever helps you cope.

[cjbrooksjc]

cls: Connie, sorry, but I don't remember if you are taking any of the supplements at all. The rednesss and itching sound like Niacin reaction, but you say you are not taking any B Vits. What supplements/drugs ARE you taking at present?

Regards,

Brooks

[cjbrooksjc]

cls: One thing I had left out of my last post: After one month off Zocor (40Mg) and before I found this site, I found on the internet, ordered, and took one dose of a Cholesterol lowering med advertised as a Ststin replacement. Next day I thought I would croak! Everything in my situation became so much worse. The following day I found this site, read about Red Yeast Rice, and noted that ingredient listed on the label of the stuff I ordered. Only ONE dose of a natural Statin and I was down, REALLY down, for about a week. I think, like many drugs (legal or illegal), you can develop a raw sensitivity to them and must NEVER use them again! That's only what I THINK, not what I know. In any case, I hope this offers you some comfort.

Regards,

Brooks

[cls]

Brooks, since I've found this forum, I have been taking 100 mg CoQ10 twice daily, 1000 mg Ester-C, 1200 mg Omega-3 fish oil, and a Super B complex, (which had 25 mg or 125% daily value of Niacin), and about 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon. I had also been eating nuts for snacks, and cut out most bakery or white flour foods. Being diabetic, I already had cut back on those.

When I took the one dose of Crestor, I was taking those above. I dropped the Super B and switched to 100 mg B-6 and 1000 mcg B-12, added 400 iu of Vitamin E and 500 of L-Carnitine.

My doc is also starting me back on Cymbalta, since I had stopped it about a month ago. I guess it helped with the pain, since I had already been having alittle more pain after I stopped that and before the Crestor. Cymbalta is an anti-depressant that helps with pain, it is even prescribed for diabetic neuropothy. The pain got better after the first dose of Cymbalta. And it really helps my mood. No more crying. I think the reason I was so down was because of the rebound pain and facing the fact that I probably can't ever work, as I only have a high school education and most of my jobs involved manual labor. I no longer have strength to lift or grip or twist, I worked in bakery and before that a factory.

Poohhel, sometimes I do take Darvocet or Percocet when the pain is really bad. Also, sometimes a muscle relaxer when my neck gets tight. I try not to take the pain meds as they do bind me up. (Sorry about that, but that's why I don't want to live on them.)

Brooks and pooh, how is your cholesterol now?

Connie

[Biologist]

Brooks,

I think you are on the right track. I believe it is possible that I might have emerged from statins largely unscathed in the long run had I not had a major setback many weeks after quitting. Cause and Effect is nearly impossible to nail down with statin damage recovery (and statin redamage) but what I can say is that my set back (after major improvement) corresponded with me taking half spoonful of cinnamon for five days or so in a row; getting a cold during that time period; and eating a lot of Campbell's Noodle soup while sick (I had a case of it on hand from Sams). That stuff (like a lot of stuff) has a lot of MSG in it which can have "excitotoxin activity" as a side effect-- not good for nerve cells. (Since reading that lable some time ago, I still have most of the rest of the case untouched in my kitchen cabinet!) Also I was getting a good dose of Niacin in my multivitamin tablet as well as with my multi-B tablet every day. The cold is important (maybe) since a virus not only ramps up the immune system (inflammation, etc. - which is not always good), it also enters cells -- perhaps entering damaged/compromised cells more readily. Any one -- or some combination -- of the above may have caused more "neuro problems" for me like the tremor in my arm (and weakness in both arms that may or may not ever go away) that started at that time -- which, to me, means a likelihood of cell destruction. (BTW, it does not seem to be getting worse over the months, but develped remarkably fast and then stabalized at the level of damage it had reached after several days of progression.) It may have been something that I could have avoided, and at this point, it may be the only absolutely tangible thing remaining for me as a consequence of statins usage. (For instance, general lack of energy could be attributable to many things, not just statin damage to mitochondria.)

The "sensitivity explanation" you cite is probably a good bet. I look at it like this as an analogy: The body is a house under sustained storm (or light hurricane) activity during statin usage. When the storm passes (i.e., when we quit the statins), we begin to repair the damaged roof that started leaking and coming apart during the storm. We diligently remove the old shingles and tar paper, etc. and prepare to put on the new roof. Taking statins at that time is like another storm coming through at the worst possible time. It does not have to be much of a storm or last very long for the house to be soaked and damaged.

I think we've seen enough of it already. This phenomenon should be stressed on the very first day -- and every day thereafter -- in Statin Damage 101, a much needed mandatory class for each and every med school student in the world.

Biologist

[Biologist]

Connie (and Brooks),

An experiment that I have planned (and may try to recruit you, Brooks, and others to also assist before long) is to see how much Vitamin C may lower cholesterol (not just to fool ignorant doctors and HMOs, etc, but also as an indication of improvement of a potential pathology of which raised cholesterol is secondary -- the basis of the "vitamin C theory"). I rarely read that it does significantly lower it but have picked up the idea that it might partly from reading the small print on a "do it at home" cholesterol test kit I bought years ago at the drug store but never got around to using -- it is now "out of date" by about six months. At the very end of the literature/directions with the kit there is a warning in small print stating that results may read inappropriately low if you have used as much as 500 mg of absorbic acid in the last four hours (same warning about acetaminophen though). Keep in mind, it is possible that Vitamin C is rarely mentioned even by very respectable researchers as being an alternative "for social reasons" as there is so much flack about it (i.e., Vit C) in general. It may damage the credibility to even suggest it. Like (needlessly) mentioning that the world is actually round in Medieval times while trying to quickly teach navigational techniques to myth-laden sailors about to brave the ocean blue...

The idea would be to go off Vitamin C for a while, test with the kit (about seven dollars each, I believe) and then dose up with VC and see what the difference in the readings are with a new test kit. (BTW, these kits are reportedly quite accurate for total cholesterol levels if done competently.) It is possible that cholesterol IS ACTUALLY LOWER with VC, not that the VC merely screws up the test's chemicals to ruin the test. How about that?! You see, if there is a real difference, then this is VERY INTERESTING NEWS because that is the way to take VC anyway -- a little at a time so that it is always in your system. The next step would be to see if it is a testing qwerk or rather an ACTUAL lowering of cholesterol. And in this case, in the case of VC, the lowering of one's cholesterol would NOT be the equivalent of putting an ice cube on the base of a thermometer to control room temperature, but rather it would be the equivalent of opening up the windows to let in some cool fresh air! Anyway. I may be looking for some brave fellow Statinauts in the near future if my own results are promising. I may do the tests pretty soon (maybe next week?), but I am not in any real hurry. I may get some work finished first. But it will happen. Stay tuned.

Biologist