Side Effects

[DW]

Which statin has the least side effects? Thank you!

[sos_group_owner]

Hi DM,

Probably the least offensive of all the statins is red yeast rice... the natural supplement that was the basis (lovastatin) for the very 1st statin... Mevacor. BUT, keep in mind, that if you've experienced side effects from one or more of the statins, you will most likely experience the same with red yeast rice.
[http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-yeast-rice/NS_patient-redyeast]

Dr Graveline's article: http://www.spacedoc.net/red_yeast_rice.htm

Do not take red yeast rice AND a statin drug.
Supplement with CoQ10 as you would with any statin.

Better yet, take Dr Graveline's statin alternatives...
http://www.spacedoc.net/statin_alternatives.htm

Buffered Aspirin - 81 mg (contains beneficial magnesium)
CoQ10 - 100 to 150 mg (gelcaps - NOT powdered) with some Vit E
* Folic Acid - 400-800 mcg
* B6 - 80-100mg
* B12 - 200-250mcg
* (all 3 of these B Vitamins control Homocysteine)
Omega 3 (Fish Oil or Cod Liver Oil) - There is no upper limit

Fran

[cjbrooksjc]

I pulled this list from a Spacedoc Forum post under the topic Advicor (Lovistatin and Niacin) It is a frightening list of possibilities, many of which I have experienced and some of which I had forgotten about. Since Statins cause common side effects (except flushing which is a common Niacin reaction), I thought it prudent to put the list here under this topic.


Abdominal pain, "back pain", diarrhea, flu-like symptoms, flushing, headache, high blood sugar, indigestion, infection, itching, muscle pain, nausea, pain, rash, vomiting, weakness

* Other possible side effects may include:
Allergic reaction, anxiety, chest pain, chills, constipation, darkening of skin color, decreased sex drive, difficulty sleeping, dizziness, dry mouth, dry skin, enlarged breasts in men, eye irritation, fainting, gas, "general feeling of unwellness", gout, hair loss, heartbeat irregularities, hives, inflammation of pancreas, impotence, joint pain, liver disorders, loss of appetite, low blood pressure, memory loss, "mental changes", migraine, muscle cramps, muscle disorders, nerve disorders, runny nose, shortness of breath, skin and nail changes, sweating, swelling, tingling, tremor, ulcers, vertigo, vision disorders, yellowing of skin and eyes.

Brooks

[catspajamas]

During the time I was on zocor I had just about every one of those side effects at one time or another.....know what makes me mad?...The doctor I had then didn't relate any of my symptoms to the zocor....Even after I pointed out adverse side effects to him...talked to my pharmacist..told my Dr. his opinion....he still said no, statins aren't causing my problems.....Idiot.....

[cjbrooksjc]

Following is a link to an article from WebMD that deals specifically with Statin useage safety issues (Interactions, Toxicity, etc.). It is dated 08\29\06 and copyrighted under the Amer. Pharmacists Assoc. It is verbose, extensive and unforgiving of the layperson, but absolutely packed with information. Be prepared to print - not read this thread and, for me, 'landscape'; not 'letter' format on the printer worked best... about 19 pages.


[http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/542774_print]

Brooks

[Biologist]

Brooks,

I got a registration screen at that URL. You have to be a member? Are you? Wonder what the need for such a registration is just to read an article?

Thanks.

Biologist

[Ray Holder]

While Googling today I came across the New Zealand drug adverse effects site and found this page which shows that they are taking side effects seriously, so I found the Email address of the doctor involved and sent him an Email pointing out the reason for all these things, namely, the lowering of Q10.

One point made is that diltiazem with a statin can lead to problems, I wish i had known that 7 years ago!!

the web page is [www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUarticles/PDF/PrescriberUpdate_Nov06.pdf] I got it first on a webpage, saved it, but without an address, and the pdf version is all I could find. They have taken psychiatric effects on board, and.show more info on muscle damge, also from fibrates, which I took at first.

Ray

[Ray Holder]

I have rediscovered the web page which is easier to read and probably more up to date.

It is at [www.medsafe.govt.nz/Profs/PUarticles/watchingbriefsNov06.htm]

Ray

[cjbrooksjc]

Ray: Thanks. Both links worked fine for me. Any national government interest is a good sign; this probably a better indicator of hope for the Empire than for the US, seeing as how NZ is a cousin and all, and the US Gov't is so aggravatingly arrogant in their "I Do!" approach to the 'Greater Good'.

Brooks

[cjbrooksjc]

This is the response recd' fom the FDA following a fomal complaint via the internet. I plan to pursue the issue as they request. I just want the audit trail. You may do with this as you wish. I am; however, a little whimsical about the Dept. number (follows the closing salutation).

Thank you for writing the Division of Drug Information (DDI) , in the
FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER).

The FDA is interested in learning of any adverse experiences or product
problems that patients encounter and to do so has implemented the
MedWatch program. This program is a voluntary system of reporting to
FDA adverse effects and product problems and we view this reporting
system as a source for signaling trends in these areas.
You can submit an official report of your experience with Chantix to our
MedWatch office. You can do so online, or download the forms, complete
them by hand and forward them by regular mail:
[http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/index.html]

We would also like to refer you to the labeling of Lipitor and Zocor
which document many of the adverse events which you have listed:
[http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2007/020702s049lbl.pdf]
[http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2005/019766s069lbl.pdf]

Best regards,
BS-100
Division of Drug Information
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
Food and Drug Administration

[cjbrooksjc]

Biologist: Sorry, thought I'd replied to your ? above Re. the WebMD url. I am a menber, registration is free and painless, the only corresp. I have rec'd is a confirmation notice. Don't know why they need a reg., but it seems harmless enough, and the site is a long-standing and reputable one. Do you feel it's a problem (considering the topic)?

Brooks

[cjbrooksjc]

Anyone in the US who wishes may outline their negative experiences with Statins and report them officially to the FDA's Medwatch program using the following link. It might be best to do a (concise rather than dramatic) write up on WordPerfect, M'Soft Word, or some such and cut/paste it into your report. The free-form section of the report limited me to 2000 characters, and that was plenty for my personal epistle. I don't expect to feel the earth shake as a result, but I do like the idea of having 'something in the file' just in case I want to refer to it in the future. Everyone familiar with the acronym: CYA?

The Link is:

[https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/medwatch-online.htm]

[Biologist]

Sorry, Brooks, I missed your last posts until just now.

No, the registering is fine. I will do it later and read the article.

Good idea on the reporting. I need to do that too.

Biologist

[Ray Holder]

The deficiency of Coenzyme Q10 and of carnitine are now fairly well known by statin side effects sufferers, Dr Karl Folkers in 1990 had only found that of Q10, but in his paper, he shows that statins inhibit the supply of HMG CoA reductase, at an early stage in the mevalonate pathway, but several other products are made before the cholesterol stage is reached. His paper gives the sequence HMG-CoA----Mevalonate-----Mevalonal-PP-----Isopentenyl-PP-----Geranyl-PP-----Farnesyl-PP, after which the path splits into three, firstly-CoQ10, secondly Squalene- fromwhich cholesterol is made, thirdly Dolichol. This latter substance is not easily understood, there many google references, mostly learned but not illuminating. i read once that it hasd a function in allotting nutrients according to the direction of the DNA. There is a mention of deficiency in dermatological cases.

If statins had been engineered instead of being just a refinement of the herbal red yeast rice, they would have started at the Squalene point, I read a paper where this was done with some success in experiments on rats.

Is there any biological research going on into these other materials? I would be surprised if inhibition of the base substance did not have some consequence in other final body products made from these intermediate stage materials, with more unrecognised side effects. Surely there is some real research being done into these normal body functions that is not under the influence of the drug makers, I would be glad to hear any views you may have on the subject.

Ray ( sorry the title ran out of letter space)