The doctor has prescribed me statins for high cholesterol.
I’m not happy to take them. I already have a lot of muscles aching through my auto immune condition (PMR) I hears statins can cause awful muscle pain as well as other side effects!
I wondered if anybody on here takes statins or has taken statins & had to stop?
I’ve taken them for five years or more… no problems for me
I have been on statins for about 25 years with no side effects.
Me too. No symptoms whatsoever, I don’t know I’ve taken them.
It all depends how high your cholesterol is, and it’s composition Carol.
Your overall reading is meaningless without the individual readings.
Cholesterol is responsible for cell repair and is necessary when breaking down muscle cells during exercise.
Cholesterol comprises of HDL, LDL and Triglycerides basically.
HDL is the good stuff and wraps itself around the LDL (the bad stuff) and stops it adhering to the artery walls. Therefore, high readings of HDL are good, but may put the overall readings higher than the recommended readings.
I could tolerate low doses of statins (10mg) but when I was put on higher doses it gave me terrible acid reflux, especially at night, and eating fatty foods made it worse.
I haven’t taken them since.
Each of us are different Carol, and you must take them and decide for yourself if they are suitable. Some people (previous posters) have experienced no problems.
Cholesterol also serves as a [precursor]for the [biosynthesis] of [steroid hormones] [bile acid]) and Vitamin_D). Cholesterol is the principal synthesized by all animals. In [vertebrates]
Bile acid is used in processing ingested fats, and is probably responsible for my acid reflux and inability to digest fatty foods. Vitamin D is responsible for the maintenance of the immune system.
I was asked whether I wanted statins by my GP some years ago but for some reason which I can’t now remember I declined.
However, since the recent discovery of my heart problems, the specialist insisted that I really ought to start taking them. So I have. No problems so far, but he also suggested that I have a blood test in February/March to see whether they were working effectively with a possible view to increasing the dose.
I take them, because I like an evening Larger or two, small price to pay. 
I currently take them for high cholesterol. I have taken them in the past and stopped when I got my cholesterol. back in shape. Now years later I’m on them again. Never noticed anything adverse in stopping.
Carol, why not give them a try at least? You’re doctor must be aware of your other health problems surely? Did you think to ask him whether they might affect your PMR?
People here who are taking them probably haven’t got the same problems as you, so we couldn’t really say how they might affect you.
All I can say is, I have taken a very low dose, just 10 mg - for several years now, and I have been fine.
I have heard though that different makes of Statin can have different affects, (much like Covid vaccines), so it is not really simply a case of how others get on, as it might depend on other things too.
If I were you, I think I would try the lowest dose possible, and if I didn’t get on with them, then I’d stop taking them.
I have taken statins for 7 years now, no adverse reactions … I take 10mg.
I have been on prescribed statins for 10 years, no problems at all. Same low dosage as what I started on, keeps me at healthy cholesterol levels, so I will continue.
I’ve been on 20mg for 2 decades - no side effects.
Mr M is on statins and has no problems with them .
However a friend who took them was affected so badly he had to stop them
I have nt had my cholesterol checked for over two years I supose it’s high .
My doctor told me last time while it was on the high side of normal because I am so active the risk factor is less.
( I’m not that active but strive to be )
I was told ten years ago my cholesterol level was borderline, then got a new GP because a shiny new clinic opened just round the corner. Was put on 10mg/day, no problem other than it makes you want to scoff more high cholesterol foods.
I take a daily 5mg Crestor (rosuvastatin) without any problems. I was given others first with some slight effects, but the Creator woks for me and has done so for many years. Crestor keeps my lipids in check with the right proportion ratio of good fats as against the bad types.
Thanks for your answers everybody.
I’ll give them a try & see how I get on. 
It would be interesting to see what strength statin they put you on Carol…
All the best…
Carol I was on Atorvastatin for a few years but my GP surgery changed them to Simvastatin & they made my muscles ache, so I stopped taking them.
After a couple of years my doctor said my Cholesterol level had risen a little, so would I consider taking them again? I told her that I would only take Atorvastatin & I have had them for a few years with no problems !
I would never, ever go on them. I worked with older people for many years and so many of them used to complain of aching joints, memory problems etc and they were all on statins.
My own Dad was put on them aged 80 and I bumped into him in a supermarket a couple of weeks after he started them. he stood there completely lost with a shopping list shaking in his hand. I asked if he was OK and he said he had no idea where things were. It was a small shop where he shopped every week! I helped him but could see he was very confused. He also complained “my poor old bones ache all the time” and he was sleeping badly.
I also had a neighbour who had tried 3 sorts of statins and they all upset her so she told the GP she was not taking any more because she lived alone, had a third of an acre garden which she looked after herself and was fit and active but when she was on the statins she was useless. That was over 15 years ago and she is still going strong without statins.
People need to realise that statins are big money makers for GP practices so they are keen to get as many people as possible on them. Over the years they have shifted the goalposts again and again and what was considered an acceptable level for cholesterol a few years ago is now considered “high” and GPs get QOF points for each person they get on statins and they receive bonus payments which can equate to hundreds of thousands of £ for their practice.
17 years ago my GP said I was “very silly” because I refused to go on them. I am still here, alive and kicking. 
I agree with all of that, but I still take them, and have done for a lot of years.
I suspect that muscle/joint pains and memory loss could, easily be caused by something else.
I guess that going without statins, for a time might be a reasonable test!
