Statin Questions

A forum to discuss personal experiences and share information on statins and other cholesterol lowering drugs.

Statin Questions

Postby IWTASSE15 » Thu Mar 19, 2015 1:16 am

I'm 62 yo. I had an angina episode about 4.5 months ago, which brought me to the emergency room. I ending having a double bypass, and was started on 40 mg Atorvastatin and 2.5 mg Bystolic. Since then I've made some major lifestyle changes (exercise, diet, stress management) and overall I'm doing well. I'm very concerned about staying on the statin long term due to potential side effects. Lately, I've noticed some physical and cognitive changes and I'm wondering whether they might have some link to the statin:
1. I've always been thin (for a guy), but gained a lot of belly fat in the two years prior to my operation. Since my operation, I've lost about 20 pounds, which is a good thing, though I still need to lose some more belly fat. Compared to my previous diet, I eat relatively little red meat and refined carbs, focusing instead on fruits, vegetables, and fish. Lately, however, I've noticed that I seem to be losing some muscle mass in my arms, and the remaining muscle seems softer. I do not seem to have lost any strength, however. Though I'm more active than before my
operation, I don't think this is due to overexercise. Could this apparent loss of muscle mass be related to the statin?
2. Though problems with short term memory have been linked to statin use, I'm unsure of the exact nature of these memory problems. Lately, I've noticed (when I talking to my wife, for example) that when I have three or four things to tell another person I sometimes forget the last item by the time I finish relating the first two or three. I also sometimes forget names of familiar persons, books, etc. I never had similar episodes of forgetfulness in the past. They are not due to being interrupted or sidetracked as I speak to another person. Are these occurrences consistent with the kinds of memory problems that might occur with statins?
3. Is there any link between depression and statin use? While I don't think I'm depressed in the usual sense of sitting around with sad affect or loss of interest in usual activities, I have had a few episodes recently in which I've started crying dealing with a difficult personal situation or problem. This is very unusual for me, as I've always been a calm, in-control type of person. This tearfulness seemed close to the surface ready to break through at the time of these episodes, and I don't know what brought it on.
IWTASSE15
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:12 pm

Re: Statin Questions

Postby David Staup » Thu Mar 19, 2015 5:43 am

Statin adverse effects symptoms:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2019

1 yes
2 yes
3 yes

all statin related
David Staup
 
Posts: 546
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:13 pm
Location: granbury, texas

Re: Statin Questions

Postby IWTASSE15 » Thu Mar 19, 2015 3:54 pm

Thanks for your reply.

Is the proximate cause of these side effects the reduction of testosterone that results from statin use?
IWTASSE15
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:12 pm

Re: Statin Questions

Postby David Staup » Thu Mar 19, 2015 5:36 pm

It's much more complicated than that.

You've got a lot of reading to do.

http://www.spacedoc.com/

on the left is a menu, select "statin drugs"

then slide over to "statin side effects"

There is really no better way than to guide you through the mass of material.

David
David Staup
 
Posts: 546
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:13 pm
Location: granbury, texas


Return to Statins and other Cholesterol Reducing Drugs

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests

cron