Lipitor - Achilles tendon rupture - Advice please!!!!!

[AndyP]

Hi all,
This may be a bit long winded but please bare with me.......
6 months ago prescribed Lipitor to manage increased chol levels.......At the same time I started Lipitor I had shoulder surgery for some impingement of my rotator cuff tendon which was done via arthoscope. Although minor surgery I really struggled to recover and to this day have still got muscle/joint soreness in my shoulder. Although it is better than prior to the surgery it has taken forever to recover (Surgery May 16 07). Never had this done before but assumed part of the healing process.
On the 13th October this year I had a full rupture of my achilles tendon whilst having a hit of tennis and had surgery on 18th October so I am now nearly 6 weeks post op. I joined as a member of a fantastic injury forum for advice and to compare notes with others going through this horrible and slow healing injury. I stumbled across an article relating the use of statin drugs and the possible effects on tendons. Then the penny dropped...........After doing some quick "googling" I found this forum and joined straight away. Could I please hear from anyone out there for some advice.
After reading some of these posts I WILL NOT be taking any more Lipitor.
I have seen mention of COQ10 as a possible replacement as well as fish oil tablets. Could someone please explain the benefits of these two alternatives? I am a 38 year old male not overweight, non smoker who has a couple of beers on a weekend and is relatively active (prior to my achilles rupture!!!)
My major concerns now that I am 6 weeks post op and have been on Lipitor up until now, I am worried that I am slowing down the healing of my tendon by being on this drug. I am getting around on crutches and have aggrivated my shoulder that I had surgery on in May and my other shoulder is sore also. I am putting extra strain on my shoulders and my "good ankle" because of the crutches but have joint pain in my knees also. Put all this down to being on crutches.....but now not so sure.
Basically if anyone can give me advice about the side effects of this drug during/after taking it would be appreciated.
Prior to finding this forum I have been pretty down on myself wondering why this injury occured and why I am feeling so crap. I DO NOT want this to happen again and will do all it takes to prevent it from happening again.......endless hours on the internet forum may have saved me months and months of recovery time after reading about Lipitor and it's possible effects on the body.
As mentioned I am 6 weeks post op in which the whole time have been off work in a cast and on crutches and have not put any weight through my foot yet.........Another 8 to 10 weeks in a weight baring walking cast to try and put some pressure on my ankle in the first week of Dec.......
Hope to be off the crutches by Christmas and back at work by middle of Jan. This injury is one of the slowest to heal........I hope by taking the Lipitor up until now that I haven't been setting myself back in recovery.
Sorry if this is a bit messy to read....any advice at all would be great.
Cheers Andrew

[xrn]

Hi Andrew.

You are in your 4th decade and achilles tendon rupture is a likely injury with excessive stress on this important tendon. It is usually the case that a surgical repair of the tendon is supported by a below knee plaster cast (this can be a lightweight casting material) and the foot is fixed in plantar flexion (toes and foot pointed towards the ground) to relax the achilles tendon during healing.

This common soft-tissue injury can take a long time to resolve but after around three months and some physiotherapy, you would normally expect to have the full function of the foot movement (flexion and extension) back to normal.

Each case is different but the healing time, absent any other family medical history that may have a bearing, it is beginning to look like it may be extended. smoking is thought to extend the healing time of soft tissues like tendons. Tendons are the means by which muscle groups are attached to the bone.

Muscles are known to be damaged by statins and the evidence is very well document. The fibres of the tendon tissue are not that far removed form muscle fibres in composition, so by extension, one could easily see how the damage may extend to tendons. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence to show that the body's own repair system can be affected by statins.

Elsewhere on this site, if you ask specific questions about statins and your problems, you will get much better answers than the one I have time to deliver just now. Try the thread for Statins.

hope this helps
xrn

[cjbrooksjc]

Andy: xrn is absolutely correct. Lipitor could indeed play a negative part in your recovery. There is so much for you to learn. It's hard for someone new to the problem to absorb it all quickly. I have a list of relative internet URLs on my system which I will gladly fwd to you if you want them. I warn you in advance - it's a LOT to read! I'll need your email address. Mine is available here. Just send me a quick 'yes' if you're interested. In the meantime, this site provides invaluable, personal dialog on Statin poisoning as well as informative, professional write-ups on the HOME page and is a great place to begin enlightenment.

Best,

Brooks

[AndyP]

Hi thanks to you both for your replies.....will definately be having a look around the website some more and would like any information available. As mentioned I am off work still for some time so it gives me a chance to digest all the information.
Thanks again
Andrew

[bunnylady]

Hi Andy- what a shame at age 36 you were put on Statins- at least I was 56 before I was prescribed statins or Lipitor- I have been off Lipitor for 19 months when almost overnight I had a burning pain on the top part of my right foot- surgury is required if it does not go away- I know it won't go away but the doctors look at me funny when I blame Lipitor- but I had no injury and I sure can't exercise - I use orthotics, good shoes, and medication- I know my muscles in my feet and legs have wasted away- they are much thinner than pre Lipitor- anyways good luck- I don't have the medical knowlege of the other posters- just a gut feeling from what I've been thru and I believe Statins caused your slow healing and problems- stay off them- I have done quite well on Cinnamon capsules with lowering my cholesterol-