Cholesterol meds and leg pain???

[N&B'smom]

Have any of you had any problems with cholesterol medication?? My husband has been having back problems and what he thought was leg problems stemming from his back issues. Apparently cholesterol meds (i.e. Crestor) can cause problems with your muscles, nerves and the damage could possibly be permanent. So, they told him that his back issues are actually mild and the leg issues are probably from his cholesterol meds!!

Anyone have any experience with this!?!?!?

 

[hereyago]

I haven't myself.
BUT: my DM 76 was taking Crestor.
Beginning of June, she was complaining of pain in her thighs. Took her to her PCP and dr. took her off Crestor to see if that was causing the pain.
DM also has Parkinson's, so we were just starting to eliminate possible causes.
Dr. told DM to use a walker if she had one. DM got along even with the shuffle, but had a walker from a few years before.
DM chose not to use walker early one morning and fell, broke her hip. It has been so awful. We stilll don't know what caused the initial pain, because DM was supposed to go back a few weeks later to PCP, but everything happened right after that.
She is now in a second rehab, because the 1st one essentially didn't do what they were supposed to. Released her with a flaming UTI. She came home, fell twice due to being so weak. Ambulance took her to ER. She had a white cell count over 15,000, dehydrated and low potassium level.
SOrry to go on about the things that snow balled from there. I don't know why the pCP would order Crestor with side effects of leg pain with someone who has Parkinson's, where balance is so important.

 

[The Princess]

I'm kind of thinking the same thing myself. My doctor upped my medication to 40 mg and I haven't been the same since. I go back in October so I'll see what he says then.

 

[Buckalew11]

My DH, my mother, and several clients all had trouble with their cholesterol meds. So many people I know have had trouble.

My mom hurt so badly that she had to take a hydro to be able to play tennis while taking these. For years she took arthritis meds because she was told her pain must be arthritis. She's 72 this Dec. and doesn't take all these meds anymore! No need to since she went off cholesterol meds. I think she does fish oil and something plus diet and exercise.

DH hurt terribly from his also. He did an Ironman last year so that tells you he is one active man. No way would he have ever been able to train for that race and complete a race that took him about 14 or 15 hours to complete!

 

[princess momma]

Muscle breakdown and neuropathy are very common side effects of statin cholesterol medications. My husband had to try 3 different meds to find one that acutally worked without the muscle pain/weakness. It's really important that CPK levels are checked when a person is on a statin.

 

[N&B'smom]

Thank you for your replies. My husband has had some disc related issues and all the Dr's associated his leg pain/weakness with that. He's been dealing with the leg issue for two years now and everyone always said it was the back. He finally decided he had enough and we went into Philly to see a surgeon about back surgery. He looked at my hubby as if he couldn't understand why he was there because according to him his MRI showed that his back issues were MILD! I had to pick his jaw up off the floor. The Dr then said that cholesterol meds can cause problems with your legs and my DH almost have a nervous breakdown.

He is not off the meds but he's SO worried he's done permanent damage since he took the meds for AT LEAST 2 years.

I'll share your comments with him, at least he'll know he's not alone.

 

[JESW]

I have been on 3 different statins and have had to stop them all due to that problem. Not on any now and not having any muscle problems.

Jill

 

[MerMom60_94]

My Mom and SIL both have been on Lipitor and had muscle pain issues. My Mom went to physical therapy all last winter and wasn't getting completely better. She had heard through friends that this is a side effect of Lipitor so she spoke to her doctor who discontinued that medicine to see what would happen. Sure enough the pain went away. My SIL suffered a fall last winter and also had some "girlie" surgery recently so it is hard to know if her ongoing pains were complicated by the Lipitor or not. I only know she has been uncharacteristically skipping gatherings due to pain and this was possibly a contributing factor in addition to the other issues. I'm sorry to hear your husband is going through this.

 

[Mellie2162]

YOu know my BIL takes cholesterol meds, I dont know which one, but is ALWAYS complaining of legs hurting and will never go anywhere with us requiring walking because of it. Im going to have to check.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yep. It gave dh gout.

He had to try a number of them to find one that worked. He hates them and right now is not taking any.

 

[N&B'smom]

Good heavens. I never knew these things could cause this sort of problem until the neurosurgeon told us!!!

 

[taylor1293]

I have Lipitor sitting in my cabinet and plan on starting it tonight.

I had heard pain was a side effect for many people. How soon will I know if this is a problem for me? I will discontinue immediately if I am having problems.

 

[Jeafl]

I am so glad I opened this thread! I have been taking a small dose of Crestor (5 mg. I think) and all of a sudden I have developed leg pain, and it kills me to walk. I am only in my 40's, and in reasonably good health otherwise. The strange thing is, I have two herniated discs which have given me significant hip and leg pain over the years, but that is usually down the back of my thighs. The leg pain now is in the front of my thghs as well.

I hate feeling like this, and my family thinks I am crazy. I am definitely going to speak to my doctor about this. Thanks for bringing this up!

 

[N&B'smom]

I am so glad I opened this thread! I have been taking a small dose of Crestor (5 mg. I think) and all of a sudden I have developed leg pain, and it kills me to walk. I am only in my 40's, and in reasonably good health otherwise. The strange thing is, I have two herniated discs which have given me significant hip and leg pain over the years, but that is usually down the back of my thighs. The leg pain now is in the front of my thghs as well.

I hate feeling like this, and my family thinks I am crazy. I am definitely going to speak to my doctor about this. Thanks for bringing this up!

My hubby's leg pain is down the front of his thighs too. He just turned 40 in May. DEFINITELY talk to your Dr. If you google 'Crestor and leg pain' you'll find some interesting/frightening things!!

 

[Buckalew11]

Thank you for your replies. My husband has had some disc related issues and all the Dr's associated his leg pain/weakness with that. He's been dealing with the leg issue for two years now and everyone always said it was the back. He finally decided he had enough and we went into Philly to see a surgeon about back surgery. He looked at my hubby as if he couldn't understand why he was there because according to him his MRI showed that his back issues were MILD! I had to pick his jaw up off the floor. The Dr then said that cholesterol meds can cause problems with your legs and my DH almost have a nervous breakdown.

He is not off the meds but he's SO worried he's done permanent damage since he took the meds for AT LEAST 2 years.

I'll share your comments with him, at least he'll know he's not alone.

Well, I hope he will get better when he goes off the meds. My mom took them for more than 2 years and all of her symptoms went away! She took Lipetor as well as my DH.
Mom had trouble walking around WDW even because of the pain. Honestly, YOU would have never known she had trouble (she wasn't slow or needing assistance or anything) but she had to take a pain pill to walk around WDW! She is extremely energetic and this med was definitely cramping her style.

 

[Jeafl]

Well, I hope he will get better when he goes off the meds. My mom took them for more than 2 years and all of her symptoms went away! She took Lipetor as well as my DH.
Mom had trouble walking around WDW even because of the pain. Honestly, YOU would have never known she had trouble (she wasn't slow or needing assistance or anything) but she had to take a pain pill to walk around WDW! She is extremely energetic and this med was definitely cramping her style.

Hi Brenda! That is interesting about your mom. We went to WDW last month and the only way I could walk all day was to take a combination of Relafen and Tylenol 3's! The doctor also gave me some Hydrocodone, but it made me so sleepy that I kept falling asleep in every show!

I just want to get back to a normal life without pain. I really hope that the Crestor is the culprit. I will definitely talk to my doctor about this.

 

[N&B'smom]

Keep me posted!! I hope that is what caused your problem so that it can easily be taken care of!!

I just hope my hubby finds the responses encouraging. He has been VERY concerned since the appt on Wednesday.

 

[Jeafl]

Keep me posted!! I hope that is what caused your problem so that it can easily be taken care of!!

I just hope my hubby finds the responses encouraging. He has been VERY concerned since the appt on Wednesday.

I sincerely hope your husband gets some answers too. Keep us posted as well!

 

[N&B'smom]

I sincerely hope your husband gets some answers too. Keep us posted as well!

Thank you. I will for sure! He has an appointment with a Dr for a nerve test in a few weeks. But I'm anxious to see if he improves just from stopping the meds. No clue how long that will take though!

 

[Buckalew11]

haha, saw this thread and was going to respond because of mom. LMBO Then I saw my replies!! Old thread.

So, in case anyone else bumps or answers, how is everyone doing now? OP?

My mom still goes strong at 72 1/2! Plays tennis for over 3 hours a day (& I mean she PLAYS, the ball doesn't have to "come to her"!) and hikes, kayaks etc. She takes fish oil and something to help her cholesteral.