I have often had muscle pain when taking various statins in the past, and now believe I am statin intolerant. My pain was first detectable in my legs: stiff, aching hamstrings, sore glutes, even painful shin-splint-like pain. I always have neck and shoulder tension, so don't think I can attribute that to statins.

A year ago I finally had to suddenly stop taking the statin-combo I was on as my aches and pains grew significantly worse each week, until I was in constant pain all over my body. It was dreadful and debilitating. Because it didn't clear up immediately after stopping the statins, the consultant I was seeing didn't think statins were the culprit. I disagreed, as the general and widespread aching had taken months to develop, and I didn't think it was reasonable to expect it to disappear overnight. I kept on saying (to anyone who might listen) that it felt like something was either being leached out of my bones/muscles or else something (like lactic acid) was being built-up in large quantities. This pain was in EVERY muscle in my body, even in my hands and feet, and I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

I went off the statins and started taking large doses of various vitamins and minerals, including E and magnesium. There was a measured improvement over a few weeks, but the REAL improvement came many months later when a reumatologist diagnosed (olive-skinned) me with severe Vit D deficiency. I was immediately told to supplement three times a day with meals, and was almost pain-free in a week. I have not looked back. It's worth having the simple blood-test to check your Vit D levels.

Hope my story helps someone.

First made conection when on cruise and mislaid tabs, was able to use steps instead of lift, husband noticed. Sai all i had done was mislaid tabs. Also later noticed when putting in tv prog., was bad sometimes and going to bed stumbled on stair. Noticed if took tabs when in bed suppose ok, but if took downstairs about1-2hrs before retiring they effected me. Took years for me to make connection. Also had brilliant memory, husband remarked on memory not as good, this didnt improve when I gave up tabs against my then gp advise. Was given think called Fibrates...gp (then) said no side effects. Well well well....side effect awfull after week...husband had to dress me as couldnt bend neck etc., NEEDLESS to say gave up tabs, didnt tell (then) gp. Also had brilliant memory which I lost when on statins never returned to same level. Now reluctant to take medication even for pain. Take calcium with vit d, asprin and low dose slow release heart tab. very wary of meds now..

Two bits of this which really chime with me are "Took years for me to make connection" (because most GPs seem to insist that it can't be the statins because they're all SAFE don't you know? Yet as I've found out, the white Bristol simvastatin tablets affect me but pink ones from Kent and Meidrich(spelling?) don't, so I guess even the non-active ingredients can get you) and "Now reluctant to take medication even for pain" because now I don't believe any med is completely without risk.

took several statins on gp advise. Suppose ok for some. The t.v. and stumble on stairs I couldnt work out, but once I understood the effect on me, no way was I going to continue them at bedtime or anytime. If it effected me then it could do so othertimes without me being fully aware. Reluctant to take pain tabs untill I am more aware as to problem. Pain has to be real bad before any meds, which is nearly found now, if so will be able to get some relief now and then.

I guess GP prescribed because of high cholesterol? Do you know if you have FH or not and have you asked for referral to a lipid clinic? Your profile doesn't say.

I have not experienced muscle related pain as a result of statins, however clinicians describe the pain as a generalised muscle ache, not in specific muscles, but generally all over and a bit like you might experience with the flu. Mish's story sounds most interesting and I wonder how much of the muscle pain was down to the Vitamin D deficiency given the accelerated improvement on supplementation. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in adults are bone pain, muscle weakness and eventually osteomalacia (softening of the bone, caused by lack of bone mineral). In the UK vitamin D deficiency is at its height in February and March because of the winter months and the lack of UV light of sufficient wavelength to make active vitamin D in the skin. I would suggest trying a supplement and see what happens. Around 10mcg a day would be sufficient, but intially you might want to have a little more to correct any deficiency. Let us all know how you get on.

Basically it felt to me like my body was too small for my bones. Similar but not quite like having broken bones. Sickening. I think this might have been because muscles were in prolonged spasm and pulling everything taut and only the bones were resisting.

It was in specific areas but shifting. Only affecting a few areas at any one time and I remember it most acutely affecting limbs.

The pains from Rosuvastatin came on fast and were widespread. The pains from Atorvastatin gradually got worse until it reached the point where my legs were spasming so badly that I could not stand and I don't remember significant aches elsewhere.

I had full blood tests on Atorvastatin and no-one's mentioned any deficiency to me. I don't remember anyone drawing blood when I reported the Rosuvastatin problems (but I wasn't exactly thinking straight through the pain) but no-one's mentioned anything about blood problems after that either.

Wow, this is really not a happy thing to remember!

Mish, vitamin D deficiency is in the news in the UK at the moment as rickets is being seen again and a lot of people don't seem to be getting their required levels of sunlight.
My muscle pains were cramp like especially in my calves and the soles of my feet. I also had muscle "twitching" at night in bed and severe cramp in the calf of my accelerator leg after a long drive. Having not had anything like this for the 55 years I didn't take statins, I am concluding that these are related in some way to statin dosage....no matter what anybody else may say.

I have FH and have taken statins for about 20 years. I have had muscle pain in my upper arms and in my legs which came on gradually after I started taking them plus severe muscle twitching in my legs. When I reported this to my GP she took me off statins for 3 months and because the pains did not go away in that time she diagnosed them as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome even though I kept telling her I was nit fatigued. I went back on statins as my cholesterol was about 12.00 so I did not think I had a choice. I have just put up with the pain ever since.

That's a shame. Have you asked after alternative treatments and/or a referral to a lipid clinic?

Its been worse lately so have asked the GP to refer me to the hospital. They don't have a lipid clinic so I am due to see a chemical pathologist in March. marton

You could check where the nearest one is on www.heartuk.org.uk/lipidcli... and try to get referred there.

Although I'm pretty sure my lipid clinic is overseen by a chemical pathologist so it might be fine.

Thankyou - will go and see and if not happy will look up lipid clinics.

Hi,

My 72 year old mum has just been taken off statins because of the severe, adverse effects they had on her. Everything seemed fine at first but after a few months of use her leg muscles became so painful she could barely walk, and she also complained of dropping things all of the time. In addition she developed lung problems and her hair started falling out leaving bald patches. Blood tests revealed that statins were causing her muscles to break down. Since stopping the simvastatin her leg pain has eased and her breathing is not as bad, though she gets exhausted very quickly. Her cholesterol was still very high even with the statins - we don't know if this is hereditary as she was adopted.

Hi Zorro,
Sorry to hear about your mum. Have you ever heard of Dr Andrew Bamji ? He is a retired rheumatologist who feels strongly that a lot of his elderly patients should not be on statins if they suffer side effects and their lipid levels are only slightly elevated. This is because he suffered side effects himself while taking statins.
However, he says that a lot of his patients were just too worried to stop taking them in case they suffered a heart attack so he couldn't advise them.
I do not know anything about your mum's condition however and needless to say, Dr Bamji's views are controversial ( he writes his own interesting blog on other matters ).

Thanks for the info. I hadn't heard of him. i will check out his blog. Mum's doctor has been very kind and understanding and has put her on some very expensive fish oil capsules. So we'll have to see how that works. Funnily enough my dad had to be taken off statins too a couple of years back. He only tolerated them for a very short time before they caused issues. The doctor stopped them sharpish when tests showed they were affecting his liver.