Tenosynoviitis

[George Cooper]

I was started on Lipitor in increasing dosages until it reached 80 mg qd to which Zetia 10 mg qd was then added. LDL dropped like a stone, ending up at 60. However, several months later I developed tenosynoviitis of all of my fingers. They were swollen, and many of them exhibited the classic trigger finger finding. My doctor said he had never heard of this as a complication, but on stopping the drugs, the symptoms and findings gradually regressed, but they still persist to some degree four months later. This now remains unaltered despite my having started CoQ10 at 400 mg bid. My doctor now wants to try me on Pravachol, since it is milder.

I am not too sure about that, but I really do have to do something.

Any thoughts would sure be appreciated.

[George Cooper]

I should have mentioned that this has been reported in the literature:

Joint Bone Spine. 2001 Oct;68(5):430-3.

Four cases of tendinopathy in patients on statin therapy.

Chazerain P, Hayem G, Hamza S, Best C, Ziza JM.

Rheumatology and Internal Medicine Department, Hopital de /a Croix-Saint-Simon, Paris France.