Statins & Ligaments

[Time2]

I have been on Rosuvastatin for since it became available as a generic in 2016, others before that.
I had a lot of muscle spasms on the others, however I also started having a muscle spasms on Rosuvastatin, I later traced that down to almost daily use of a sauna. Once I started using a electrolytic drink while in the sauna, my muscle spasms disappeared.
From the article I find it interesting that Rosuvastatin has increased trigger finger. as I have that starting about 2 years ago, a year in I got a shot that corrected completely within 8 hrs. However, just recently, 8 months after the shot, my trigger finger has returned, still not as bad as it was, but noticeable.

 

[Chuckanut]

A few quotes from the doctor’s interpretation of the study mentioned by the OP. It would appear that statins are not the only threat to our tendons.

The second takeaway is that the risk of tendinopathy is the highest in the initial 3 months of statin use. The negative impact of statins on tendons seems to decrease as the cumulative dose increases.

What many people don’t realize is that poor metabolic health increases the risk for tendon problems, just as much, if not more so, than taking statins.

This study found that people with metabolic syndrome are also at high risk of tendon issues. Metabolic syndrome is defined as having three of the following: 1) excessive abdominal fat 2) insulin resistance or impaired glucose tolerance 3) high blood pressure 4) abnormal lipid or fat levels and 5) elevated fasting blood sugar.

The authors report that those with metabolic syndrome had about 2.5 times higher risk of tendon injury. Those with elevated hemoglobin a1c, which is a marker for prediabetes and diabetes, had a 3 times higher risk. And those with high cholesterol had a 1.5 times higher risk.

 

[bmcgonig]

Funny, that doctor, Dr Peng, is the guy who did my PRP injection for two torn rotator cuffs. And yes I’m on a statin. Rosuvastatin which he mentions is more associated with shoulders.

 

[Route246]

I take Lipitor and noticed sore achilles from it. I started taking OTC joint health supplement and my achilles soreness went away. I can do repetitive toe stands without any soreness now. I don't have definitive proof but I believe the joint health med helped.

 

[AllDone]

This study found that pain was as likely to occur while taking statins as it did while taking a placebo:

https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.07.022

Remember that you are more likely to hear about problems that people are having than you are to hear about the problems they aren't having …

Talk to your doctor. You might do better on one of the other statins, on one of the newer non-statin cholesterol drugs or on every other day dosing.

 

[Chuckanut]

For people in a quandary about statins may wish to listen to the end of this podcast

In the following discussion Peter Attia talks with Dr. Dayspring, a lipidologist, about many issues regarding cholesterol, many in highly technical medical language which most of us probably will not understand.

But at about 2 hours and 7 minutes he goes into statins and the ability to lower lipids without side effects. Interestingly, Dr. Dayspring brings up the notion that the big decrease in cholesterol and other ‘bad’ things occurs with the lowest dose of the statin. Doubling or quadrupling the dose produces a much smaller decrease in cholesterol than the initial “baby” dose. The baby dose achieves a 30% decrease, additional doubling of the doses only adds another 6% or so to the reduction.

Podcast #334

#334 - Cardiovascular disease, the number one killer: development, biomarkers, apoB, cholesterol, brain health, and more | Tom Dayspring, M.D.

“Cholesterol is almost certainly the most important molecule in the brain.” —Tom Dayspring

peterattiamd.com

 

[Koolau]

For people in a quandary about statins may wish to listen to the end of this podcast

In the following discussion Peter Attia talks with Dr. Dayspring, a lipidologist, about many issues regarding cholesterol, many in highly technical medical language which most of us probably will not understand.

But at about 2 hours and 7 minutes he goes into statins and the ability to lower lipids without side effects. Interestingly, Dr. Wellspring brings up the notion that the big decrease in cholesterol and other ‘bad’ things occurs with the lowest dose of the statin. Doubling or quadrupling the dose produces a much smaller decrease in cholesterol than the initial “baby” dose. The baby dose achieves a 30% decrease, additional doubling of the doses only adds another 6% or so to the reduction.

Podcast #334

#334 - Cardiovascular disease, the number one killer: development, biomarkers, apoB, cholesterol, brain health, and more | Tom Dayspring, M.D.

“Cholesterol is almost certainly the most important molecule in the brain.” —Tom Dayspring

peterattiamd.com

Thanks, I have very good cholesterol lowering with the highest dose of Atorvastatin. I'm gonna ask my Cardiologist why she has me on such a high dose and can't we try backing it off and see if I'm still in control (what could it hurt?)

 

[Chuckanut]

Thanks, I have very good cholesterol lowering with the highest dose of Atorvastatin. I'm gonna ask my Cardiologist why she has me on such a high dose and can't we try backing it off and see if I'm still in control (what could it hurt?)

That’s what Dayspring suggests since ultimately medical treatments are very personal.