Statins almost ended my ability to play

[ch willie]

I am not a doctor of medicine, and I'm certainly not your care provider, so don't follow my medical example before talking to your physician.

I suffer from rheumatoid and osteo arthritis. Being an old guy with a few too many pounds, I also have cholesterol problems and a couple of years ago was prescribed statins.

At the time, my mother told me that statins had almost crippled her sister, that when she topped taking them, she was okay again. I took that anecdote with a grain of salt.

Over the last two years, I've had worsening arthritis, especially in my hands. It got to the point that I couldn't hold a pick. My thumb joints were so sore that I couldn't button my shirts without pain beyond. Ziplock bags were an enemy too.

I was heartsick. I couldn't play more than 20 minutes at a time because that's all the pain I could take.

I did some research and found that my problem could be due, in part, to statins. I stopped taking them. Within two weeks, I could button my shirts with very little pain. A month down the road, and I can hold a pick. I have regained some of my speed--I'm no shredder, but I can play back to about 90% of where I was before.

I was so heartsick over my hands that I almost sold all my gear. I still hurt and will never be back to 100%--arthritis is not curable. But I can't tell you how joyful I am about being able to play. I've also stopped having trigger finger (joints freezing when bending a finger in).

So I treated myself to my dream guitar--an ES-335 with block inlays, in heritage cherry, of course.

 

[jb_abides]

Thanks for the PSA and warning, something to keep in mind as I've got some arthritis as well, but no statin recommendations yet.

Glad you've regained capability and some mojo as well.

Enjoy that Block 335!

 

[Bob Womack]

A few years back I had this same experience, though I do not have arthritis. I was placed on statins and began having extreme joint pain. I am a recording engineer/producer/sound designer and play guitar for sessions as well. My doctor began cycling me through different statins, hoping to find one that didn't cause the inflammation. No luck. The pain progressed until it became so severe that I could barely play guitar. The one guitar I could handle was my 2005 Gibson ES-335 DOT with its jumbo frets and .009 strings, and that not very long. I began waiting until there was no-one around before opening doors because tuning the knobs created enough pain that I couldn't keep it off my face and tears would stream down my cheeks.

It all came to head on a particular doctor visit when my optimistic doctor came bouncing in the door, grasped my hand, and shook it vigorously. You guessed it, tears popped out and I grimaced. He stopped looked me in the eyes, and said, "Well that's not right." He took me off statins and I popped right back, good as new. My cholesterol had never been worse than borderline. When he left practice I moved to another excellent doctor who gently asked that I try a couple more new statins. I regressed back into severe pain and we stopped usage.

I'm now under the care of a cardiologist who has asked me to try a new, "better" drug called Nexletol, a non-statin cholestrol controller. I've been on it for about six months and the joint pain levels are creeping back up in my thumbs, elbows, and shoulders. We'll see where this goes. I don't think I'll hang in with this one as long, though.

Bob

 

[Xpensive Wino]

Poison, if you ask me.

 

[ch willie]

A few years back I had this same experience, though I do not have arthritis. I was placed on statins and began having extreme joint pain. I am a recording engineer/producer/sound designer and play guitar for sessions as well. My doctor began cycling me through different statins, hoping to find one that didn't cause the inflammation. No luck. The pain progressed until it became so severe that I could barely play guitar. The one guitar I could handle was my 2005 Gibson ES-335 DOT with its jumbo frets and .009 strings, and that not very long. I began waiting until there was no-one around before opening doors because tuning the knobs created enough pain that I couldn't keep it off my face and tears would stream down my cheeks.

It all came to head on a particular doctor visit when my optimistic doctor came bouncing in the door, grasped my hand, and shook it vigorously. You guessed it, tears popped out and I grimaced. He stopped looked me in the eyes, and said, "Well that's not right." He took me off statins and I popped right back, good as new. My cholesterol had never been worse than borderline. When he left practice I moved to another excellent doctor who gently asked that I try a couple more new statins. I regressed back into severe pain and we stopped usage.

I'm now under the care of a cardiologist who has asked me to try a new, "better" drug called Nexletol, a non-statin cholestrol controller. I've been on it for about six months and the joint pain levels are creeping back up in my thumbs, elbows, and shoulders. We'll see where this goes. I don't think I'll hang in with this one as long, though.

Bob

I hope you lose that pain again. It is indescribable.

 

[ch willie]

Poison, if you ask me.

I agree.

 

[jb_abides]

I hope you lose that pain again. It is indescribable.

+1, hope all goes well for you, Bob.

 

[Bob Womack]

Thanks, guys!

Bob

 

[goldtop0]

You folk in the States are at the mercy of a chronically madcap pharmaceutical system, drugs for this and that all around the joint.
When I was over there last a couple of years ago the ads on TV were mostly pills for supposed maladies etc and the driver of our tour bus in Nashville told us that Tennessee 's main source of income was from pharmaceuticals, $40 billion a year.
Good to hear about your recovery ch willie and all the best with it all Bob Womack.

 

[ch willie]

You folk in the States are at the mercy of a chronically madcap pharmaceutical system, drugs for this and that all around the joint.
When I was over there last a couple of years ago the ads on TV were mostly pills for supposed maladies etc and the driver of our tour bus in Nashville told us that Tennessee 's main source of income was from pharmaceuticals, $40 billion a year.
Good to hear about your recovery ch willie and all the best with it all Bob Womack.

I lived in Germany for ten years. I came home and was disgusted by the number of commercials about medicines of all kinds. Our foods are full of sugar, so we get diabetes and shoot Ozempic instead of changing our diets.

 

[goldtop0]

I lived in Germany for ten years. I came home and was disgusted by the number of commercials about medicines of all kinds. Our foods are full of sugar, so we get diabetes and shoot Ozempic instead of changing our diets.

Yes it's an obsession alright

 

[Cliff Gress]

I lived in Germany for ten years. I came home and was disgusted by the number of commercials about medicines of all kinds. Our foods are full of sugar, so we get diabetes and shoot Ozempic instead of changing our diets.

Where and when did you live in Germany? I went to Schiller college when I lived there in 72 and 73. Dusseldorf was my home town but the college was near Stuttgart. I loved every second.

 

[LeonC]

Well, heart disease runs in my family. Killed three of my closest relatives. I'm in good shape, exercise regularly. I've been taking a low dose (5mg 4xWeek and 10mg 3xWeek) of rosuvastatin for about 20 years (I'm 72...and I've outlived all three of those relatives who died in their 60s) and while I have some arthritic pains here and there, good diet, exercise and the use of the statins has kept my cholesterol levels below 140. I get really good reports from my cardiologist so no reason not to stick with it in my case.

If I was in your shoes, ch willie, I'd probably feel the same way, so I count myself as lucky so far. If it was indeed keeping you from getting clogged arteries, perhaps there's a happy medium in there for you.

 

[corpse]

I had the same experience and ran the same statin gauntlet. I stopped taking them.
Now I take another drug call Chlorostrimine- it’s a non statin cholesterol med and I have had no side effects. I take it for another reason altogether- to help digestion.
To be honest I haven’t had my cholesterol checked in some time.

 

[ch willie]

Well, heart disease runs in my family. Killed three of my closest relatives. I'm in good shape, exercise regularly. I've been taking a low dose (5mg 4xWeek and 10mg 3xWeek) of rosuvastatin for about 20 years (I'm 72...and I've outlived all three of those relatives who died in their 60s) and while I have some arthritic pains here and there, good diet, exercise and the use of the statins has kept my cholesterol levels below 140. I get really good reports from my cardiologist so no reason not to stick with it in my case.

If I was in your shoes, ch willie, I'd probably feel the same way, so I count myself as lucky so far. If it was indeed keeping you from getting clogged arteries, perhaps there's a happy medium in there for you.

On my next doctor visit, I plan to ask her about an alternative to statins, but I am eating healthier and exercising daily. Hoping that helps. It's already helping with diabetes. My A1C has dropped to the lowest point of pre-diabetic
.

 

[LeonC]

That's great news man! Good for you!

 

[ch willie]

That's great news man! Good for you!

Thanks!

 

[Billy Porter]

Sorry to here about your issues. I had to stop playing for 2 years after dislocating a finger.
The joint pain was just too much. Really missed playing. All Ok now though

After a blood test I was put on statins about a year ago and touch wood, no pains. I also changed my diet and took fat out of it (no pepperoni pizzas etc)
The practice nurse rings every 3 months and always asks if I have joint pain.

I was informed that I had a 19% chance or having a heart attack or stroke so have no qualms about taking them

NB - here in the UK we don't pay for drugs past 60 years of age though have paid into the system all your working life

 

[Vics53]

Well, heart disease runs in my family. Killed three of my closest relatives. I'm in good shape, exercise regularly. I've been taking a low dose (5mg 4xWeek and 10mg 3xWeek) of rosuvastatin for about 20 years (I'm 72...and I've outlived all three of those relatives who died in their 60s) and while I have some arthritic pains here and there, good diet, exercise and the use of the statins has kept my cholesterol levels below 140. I get really good reports from my cardiologist so no reason not to stick with it in my case.

If I was in your shoes, ch willie, I'd probably feel the same way, so I count myself as lucky so far. If it was indeed keeping you from getting clogged arteries, perhaps there's a happy medium in there for you.

I'll turn 72 in March. I'm also on Rosuvastatin for cholesterol and have noticed no adverse effects. High cholesteral seems to run high somewhat in my family. I'm 5'10" and weigh in at 165. Doing the best to take care of myself. I'm on my treadmill at least 5 days a week and eat very few carbs. The results from my last blood work were very good with the only concern being is that I'm in the pre diabetic stage. I'm on no medication for that and my doctor said as long as I keep up my exercise and diet routine I should be able to avoid medication. He told me what foods to avoid while also telling me that it's okay to "treat yourself on occasion." It's very seldom that I do that.

 

[corpse]

Oh- I eat two Brazil nuts per day. Too many can have an adverse effect but my PA says it will help.