Statins and Sjogrens

[Judie P]

Not sure what my problem is, but it might be Lipitor or new symptoms of a flare.  I started taking Lipitor at my doctor's request.  Two days into it I started having more joint and muscle pain.  Now I  had been off of Naproxen for two weeks since I was supposed to have major surgery, but that got postponed.  I had started back up about 7 days before the Lipitor.  Then yesterday, I took the Lipitor with my Venaflaxine (anti-depressent), Oxybutinin (urine incontinence), and a probiotic.  By the evening, I started having severe indigestion (took a Famotidine 20mg), nausea, and extreme dizziness.  The room was spinning around so bad that I could hardly walk and keep my balance.  It scared the crap out of me.  Then I took my blood pressure and it got as high as 178/95.  I could not lower my head, put back my head or lay down on a pillow without dizziness.  Now, my surgery is for cervical stenosis and myelopathy (decompressing C3-C7 and fusing C2-C7), and perhaps that is what caused it all, but still, my head felt like it was wobbling on top of my shoulders.

Anyone here have a problem with statins and Sjogrens?  I stopped taking it yesterday, and the dizziness has stopped, the indigestion is still somewhat there (usually have that), and my blood pressure has been normal or a little below (116/67). Does anyone get really dizzy from Sjogren's flares?

[meirish]

I know if it was me I would not take the Lipitor anymore. The fact that you didn't take it and the dizziness stopped is really something that should be paid attention to. Sometimes with new pills we can build up to a problem with symptoms and other times we can have the new symptoms hit all at once.

Also, when you take a bunch of medications together it is not unusual for one of them to put you over the edge when it comes to stomach pain. Also, I usually take the probiotics alone several hours before and after other pills. Just my feeling cause it does change the bacteria in the colon and I figure it is better to take them alone. You might want to check with your doctor on that med.

You certainly can't be having those symptoms from the lipitor when time for your surgery. You probably want to ask your doc about the Lipitor side effects also. good luck. I dob't know all the answers and lots of time it is hard to find the answers to our problems. meirish

[jazzlover]

WOMEN have more trouble with statins than men.

I have several friends who reacted with SO MUCH PAIN that they were unable to continue.

Prove to me that they are necessary.

[Judie P]

Thank you for your answers.  I am going to message my family doctor and tell him what happened.  My hubby takes Red Yeast Rice for cholesterol problems.  It seems to do the trick.  I have always had a lot of side effects from medications, which some of them seem to go away and others don't.  I suggested earlier to my doctor that I might want to try Red Yeast Rice, and he said it did have an effect on cholesterol, but not as much as Lipitor.  Unfortunately, my insurance will only allow Lipitor at a good price.  I am going to start taking Red Yeast Rice.

By the way, my cholesterol was not that bad five years ago.  My doctor had suggested it and I said no at that time.  We don't know what it is now, because Medicare will only allow you to have your cholesterol checked every five years and I am due in June when I will be in a neck brace for 3 months after surgery.

Anyone live in Northern California like me?  COVID is rising here and it is time to get my Warriors mask out again for indoor places.  I don't need another false positive or it for real this time. Also, we are going to be in the 100s next week.  Ugh.

[meirish]

It has been my experience that docs always try to get a person on statins but seldom talk about taking you off. I was on for about 13 years and then said "enough" and quit taking them. My cholesterol was just a little high some years later when I was in my late 60's and doc wanted to start me up again. I told her that I was so old that I didn't think it was going to make much difference in the length of time I lived. I never started them again. I don't think it did that much good for me all the years I took it. Can't prove it though. My opinion. meirish

[jazzlover]

My husband had success with Red Yeast Rice too.

Research the work of Dr Frank Sinatra. (cardiologist)