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Statins and Rhabdomyolysis

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Posted 5/21/2005 10:40 AM (GMT -8)
If you are taking a statin you should be aware of this...

 

Rhabdomyolysis is a breakdown of fibers in the muscle that can cause the release of these contents into the blood circulation. It can be toxic to the kidneys and may result in damage to the kidneys.

 

So if you have any symptoms of muscle pain, joint pain, or weakness, fatigue, weight gain and have been on statins you would definitely want to bring this up with your Dr.

 

They would have you stop your statin and try another type of statin, or perhaps you'd have to try other approved methods such as niacin.

 

They do a test called a CPK (creatine phosphokinase) which is an enzyme found in the muscle tissues.  If it is elevated this may indicate heart attack, or inflammation of the heart muscle, pericarditis, stroke or rhabdomyolysis. 

 

I just had this test done yesterday myself, and I'm hoping that it actually comes out negative!  With the great results that I've had on my statin-I'd sure hate to change the med. now!

 

Teri  

Posted 5/21/2005 1:56 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks Girlfriend such a ood asrticle I'll cllmy doctor on monday donot need to pay for an ER  trip it is just the back of my calfs that ache especially at night but ease up when I get off of them nothing hard just aching  I am also thinking treadmill but didnot do that for 2 days and it still ached gosh i hope they can kep me on my lipitor  not much of an ache but not every day either just every now and then. Heidi

Posted 5/21/2005 3:49 PM (GMT -8)
That could be something different, Heidi! It hurts when you are moving and it eases up when you stop moving? Hugs, Teri :)
Posted 5/22/2005 7:16 PM (GMT -8)
I have had the same reaction to every statin, horrible, all-over muscle aches. It is very much like when you have a fever or get influenza. I also have had lower leg cramps that torment me during the day and awaken me at night. This last go-round, we are trying the lipitor just two days a week. After two weeks of diary keeping, the pattern is clear. I am getting severe leg swelling from the Lipitor just as I did from the Crestor. I am calling the PCP tomorrow and letting him know. I am going to ask him about trying the Niacin.
Posted 5/22/2005 7:44 PM (GMT -8)

Hi Ides! tongue

That's why I had the CPK test done on Fri. and hope to find out sometime this week what the results are~my legs from the hips down feel like they've been in a war of their own sort of...if it's not that?  Well, then something else to look into.

It's really important to stay on top of this, which it sounds like you are, because this can be some very serious stuff, if it is~don't let it go too long!!

Let us know what happens and I'll keep you posted, too! yeah

Hugs, Teri tongue

Posted 5/23/2005 7:33 AM (GMT -8)

Teri Girlfriend you know me so yu will laugh at this when I told my doctor about my legs cramping she just laughed and said I know what it is, " You are on the go doing stuff and multi tasking from the time your feet hit the floor and busy and then the tread mill and weight bench is using muscles yu havenot used or stretched in awhile so i rested  2 days no treadmill or weight bench but hubby siad my legs felt like I walked up to Normandy and back a couple of times last night funny thing is I donot remmebr it I do remmebr  geting up to go to bathroom alot.

Hey teri question Could i take my AAldactone 50 milligrams and my HCT 12.5 miligrams together? my doctor told me  try not to for it might drop my BP to low but I take my HCT at 12:30-1 and up and down all night some nights just a idea if I culd . BTW she is on vaction till JUne20th and wished me luck on my CERT drill and told me donot let rescue bring you in so I'll drnk gatorade and water that day and not take my duiuretics till afterwards in the afternoon on the way home. Hubby is back to usual full moon.

Heidi

Posted 5/23/2005 9:50 AM (GMT -8)
Heidi, I'm glad your Dr. feels all is well with you! tongue That's always wonderful news to hear!!

 

Re med.'s...If your Dr. says No, than my answer is to ask your Dr.! yeah

 

Yes, please keep yourself well hydrated girlfriend!!  I don't know what it's like in Florida right now, but here in Central Texas we have an August heat wave sitting right on top of us!  Good luck on your final test!!

 

Hugs, Teri tongue

Posted 5/23/2005 2:10 PM (GMT -8)

93 out at 6:11 pm redface   and only down to 72 tonight and storms a coming in through GA late tonight we need the rain but not the lightening and thunder that goes with it. Hope yu are staying cool and well hydrted too.

Heidi

Weather man saying we willneed our sweaters on wed high 85 after highs in the low to mid 90's LOL.

Posted 5/23/2005 5:45 PM (GMT -8)
lol Sweaters?? haha Hugs, Teri :)
Posted 5/23/2005 5:51 PM (GMT -8)
"Contrary to government claims, side effects happen more often with Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering drug that consumer advocates tried to get off the market earlier this year, a new analysis shows."

by JAMIE STENGLE
Associated Press

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/health/11718893.htm

Posted 5/28/2005 7:19 AM (GMT -8)
A follow-up to the previous article, re statins...

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3031066
Posted 6/10/2005 7:51 PM (GMT -8)
Re statins and CPK tests...

 

I recently underwent a CPK test due to aches and pains and generalized feeling 'blah' and the results showed my CPK came back okay.  Today when I saw my cardio Dr. he still said he thinks this is the cause of my fatigue and pains, so he's taken me off of my Zocor for 2 weeks to see if this is what is causing the problem...I'll still have to go back on something at the end of that time-and I wasn't really crazy about the 'not' taking them for 2 weeks as this can cause side effects-one of which is a rebound effect in a 24 hour period of cholesterol...I'll keep ya'll posted.

 

Hugs, Teri tongue

Posted 6/11/2005 7:26 PM (GMT -8)
Hi all I hate taking Zocor because I think it is causing problems with my stomach and with my lake of concentration and memory loss. When I tried taking Lipitor in the late 90's it caused severe stomach problems and I just didn't take anything then. A few years later I changed my diet to low fat and added fiber and flax seed and exercise. By doing that I lowered my cholesterol from 280 down to 187. I don't think I even need a statin now. I feel all the damage was done when my cholesterol was so high. I have the liver test done on Monday. I don't know how I am going to handle my job full time with the memory loss thing. I can't afford to lose my job with insurance. Barb
Posted 6/12/2005 10:00 AM (GMT -8)
Way to go, Barb!! yeah

 

Just make sure that if you go that route with no statins, that your Dr. approves and you continue your dietary and excerise habits.  Did you have a heart attack?  If not, then sometimes, they may consider other options.  I have a genetic cholesterol trait that both of my parents had.  So I have to be on a statin-I could starve myself and still have a high cholesterol reading. sad They say that's why I had my MI.

Congratulations to you on your hard work!!

 

Big Hugs, Teri tongue

Posted 6/12/2005 11:05 AM (GMT -8)
Well Teri according to the doc I didn't have one. I'm not sure why I had the pain and shortness of breath that went away as soon as the stent was in place. I had an 80-90% blockage of my LAD. Oh well what ever it was from at least it sent me to the ER. I still need to lose 70 pounds though. I'm working on that though. As soon as I start my new work hours we are getting up at 6am every morning and walking our dog or going to the dog park with both of them to walk around and I want to do strength training on a regular basis too. Barb
Posted 6/12/2005 6:55 PM (GMT -8)
Barb, you had angina! 

 

Chest pain or a feeling of pressure and SOB (shortness of breath) are some of the most typical of symptoms of angina.  It happens because the heart muscle is not getting enough oxygen.  You were very lucky it happened as it did and you received the stenting in time, or you might have had an MI!

 

Wishing you the best on your walks and new exercise program~keep me posted!! 

 

 Hugs, tongue Teri xoxoxo

 

Posted 6/13/2005 8:21 AM (GMT -8)
My doctor started me on statins in the spring of 2004 after my MI in January of the same year. I asked him why, and his answer was because I needed to take it to protect my heart. My cholesterol was high, but considered borderline. We read at cardiac rehab that doctors in the Kalamazoo area were beginning to add statins to their heart patients regime because that research had shown that it had reduced the risk of MI's in people who had already had them.

I'm going to mention the pain in my knees lately. The difficulty in walking could be from arhthritis, plus my weight, but it just seemed to start getting very bad the past couple of months. I'm glad I read this string again.
Posted 6/13/2005 1:15 PM (GMT -8)
I didn't have any chest pain Teri. It was just left shoulder, arm pain along with sob. Well I just talked with the doctors office and they said to stop the zocor for 2 weeks and see how that goes. She said to talk to my stomach doctor about the plavix and aspirin and see if he thinks it is causeing the gastritis and increased reflux. I think it probably is because I think I had the gastritis before when taking steroids. All I know is it doesn't feel too great today. Oh well it's all part of the joy of being me and being alive. So guess it is all worth it. Maybe when I start getting more sleep and less stress and change of meds my tummy will feel better. Barb
Posted 6/13/2005 4:34 PM (GMT -8)
Barb-those are symptoms of angina as well!! I know reflux has been known to cause some of these type of symptoms as well-I've had it happen. But it is nothing to play around with!! I think you should still talk to your cardio about these symptoms as well! What steroids are you on now? Steroids can cause me upset stomachs and get my reflux in a mess, too. I just hate for you and your Dr.'s to think it's just your stomach and it's something else...Please discuss this with them with the left arm pain, etc.

Big Hugs, Teri :)

Take care!!
Posted 6/19/2005 4:26 PM (GMT -8)

we nned this at the top since alot of us are on statins nad ned to know abuot this test to ask our Dr for it if we are haveing any type of muscle or leg pain etc..

HEidi

Posted 6/19/2005 7:37 PM (GMT -8)

Hi Teri, I don't have any arm pain or sob now since I quit taking the bp med toporal. I've had heartburn since I was 14 years old. The pain for that is different for me from the arm pain and sob I had that sent me to the hospital. And I have lots of burning and acid coming up. I know it's acid because it wakes me up and makes me choke. My memory has improved slightly since quiting the Zocor but now they want to double it because my cholesterol didn't go down low enough. I don't know what I'm going to do because I can not function like this anymore and I can't afford to lose my job because I can't think straight and concentrate on any thing. Then I wouldn't have to worry about the Zocor anyway because I wouldn't have any insurance to pay for it or any of my meds. That is the reason the other lady got fired. She was 76 years old though so that can be expected but I'm only 42 and this is ridiculous to have to live like this. I'm rather upset also that I have been on Zocor 6 months and they still have not done a liver test and they were supposed to do one when they did the cholesterol test. Well better try to get some rest tonight. I am really sick with sinus infection and bronchitis. I am on amoxicilan but it just isn't strong enough. I'm calling tomorrow to see if I can get some samples of stronger stuff since I am broke right now. I think the combo of the new stomach meds and the absence of Zocor is helping my stomach anyway. That's one bright spot in all this mess. Barb tongue

Posted 6/19/2005 7:58 PM (GMT -8)
Barb, I am very sorry to hear that you are still dealing with all of this discomfort and that all of this is continuing!!  I'm glad to hear that the arm and SOB problems have gone away, but did you ever find out if it was being caused by your angina?, or your GERD.  Toprol is used to help treat angina.  Were you taking it with food?  I think you really need to talk to your Dr. re all this, since everyone reacts differently to these medications.

 

I wish you well and hope something happens soon, so that you will feel better!!

 

Big Hugs, Teri tongue

Posted 6/26/2005 11:01 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Teri, they never really said for sure what caused it in the first place but I suspect it was the blockage. I think it was the toporal that caused continueing problems since they said my stent looks fine and is working fine and all the pain and sob stopped after I stopped the toporal. My GERD is so much better since I quit the Zocor and started taking Zantac at night and protonix in the am. Woohoo I can sleep with out choking on acid and waking up. I always have the most remote and weird reactions to meds. Well really better get to bed for now. Barb
Posted 6/27/2005 10:09 AM (GMT -8)
WooHoo, Barb!!  Isn't great to finally have all the right combinations of med.'s, or no med.'s and to be able to feel so good!?  Keep me posted!!

 

Hugs, Teri tongue

xoxoxo

Posted 6/27/2005 6:28 PM (GMT -8)
It's the best Teri. I'm even starting to get my mind back in order again. Hope it keeps improving. I need a sharp mind for work and my busy life. That's a good feeling too. Well have things to get ready for our trip to the cottage. Hope it doesn't storm tomorrow afternoon. Barb
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