Are there any side affects of cholestrol reducing drugs?

Answer 1

You can find the side effects listed with each statin drug, but here are the common ones I see in patients:

1. Muscular pain.

2. Peripheral neuropathy.

3. Superior knee swelling and pain with Lipitor mostly.

Basically, the mechanism that statin drugs use to block the production of cholesterol also blocks the production of co-enzyme Q10. Areas of the body that uses CoQ10 the most are muscles, and especially the heart. If a patient is being placed on statin drugs, I recommend to the patient to take CoQ10 supplements, 100mg per day.

Ideally, I wouldn't recommend statin drugs at all. The side effects and the cost of the drugs plus taking expensive $30 CoQ10 supplements don't make sense to me. I advocate life style changes, dietary changes, and take Niacin 1,000mg to reduce cholesterol. Niacin alone incurs an 20-30 point reduction. A $5 monthly vitamin. End result, patient is much more healthier, less dependent on maintenance and pain killing drugs, and a longer life span.

Answer 2

Dr. K.. is absolutely correct!! the drug cos. ARE SUPPOSED to tell you to take CoQ 10 when taking statins!! He should suggest taking fish oil , and flax seed oil as well!! One research study in europe says that fish oil alone outperformed the statins!! It has been suggested too that in a few years time people taking statins will experience heart problems since the statins block co q 10 production in the liver!! Try the fish oil and Dr.K.. suggestion FIRST and SEE!!
Another point: It is the oxydized LDL NOT LDL per se that creates the problems with cholesterol!! therefore also take anti-oxidants on a daily basis !! Of course don't smoke and watch your weight etc. I have suggested the fish oil etc. to many and all have had the positive results without the use of statins!!!

Answer 3

Statin group of medications are prescribed for reducing cholestrol.

Statins have few important side effects. The most common side effects are headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, headache, rash, weakness, and muscle pain. The most serious (but fortunately rare) side effects are liver failure and rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a serious side effect in which there is damage to muscles. Rhabdomyolysis often begins as muscle pain and can progress to loss of muscle cells, kidney failure, and death. It occurs more often when statins are used in combination with other drugs that themselves cause rhabdomyolysis or with drugs that prevent the elimination of statins and raise the levels of statins in the blood. Since rhabdomyolysis may be fatal, unexplained joint or muscle pain that occurs while taking statins should be brought to the attention of a healthcare provider for evaluation.-

Answer 4

The statins are life saving for those whose body systems can tolerate and have no side effect. However, for some people it brings absolute disaster. There are always side effects. For some people it is mild, bearable, or phases out after a while for others it does not. I was put on one of the name brand statins. Within a month I really felt so sick, I stopped taking it. It started with stomach upset, headache etc. and I hoped for it to slowly subside. But then I started having muscle pain, lost muscle strenth, started getting forgetful (like to go the refrigerator and forget what I wanted, grocery shopping got worse), got sluggish and almost had to sit down or lie down most of the time etc. etc. The medication was prescribed to improve my 'quality of life', it changed downwards. I searched on internet for the side effects and whatever was happenning was not really my imagination. There are extreme cases of kidney failures and even death. Please search the internet.
As I mentioned above, it could be blessing for some people - but it is not meant for everybody.

Answer 5

Pretty much all drugs have side effects. It depends specifically what cholesterol drugs you're talking about.

Statins, the most commonly prescribed, can cause gastrointestinal side-effects (e.g. nausea, vomitting, diarrheoa), and rarely they can cause muscle to breakdown (rhabdomyolysis).