statins and "pain"

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Hi there I have had a few patients coming in with general 'foot pain' symptoms which do not appear to be soft tissue or mechanical in nature - moreso degenerative/OA type aches/ pains and stiffness 1st thing am for approx 1hr. Some of these pts point out episodes where they have had their statins stopped for a few weeks and the pain seems to go, then they are put back on the statins and hey presto the pain returns - not necessarily straight away. Is this just coincidence or has anyone else noted a similar correlation. Also it seems to be pt's taking atorvastatin.

Barty

 

Peripheral neuropathy is a known side effect of statins and soft tissue complications have been noted:

Statins and tendon complications

 

Having a thyroid focus to my life, I am aware that statins can and do cause muscle problems such as myopathy, myositis and rhabdomyolysis in people who are hypothyroid - even subclinical or wholly undiagnosed. The effect does depend on which statin.

For example:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2170445/

I have found that my own foot pain (some form of plantar fasciitis) has improved since finally being diagnosed hypothyroid and starting levothyroxine. (Not that I was taking statins.) And yes, mine has usually been worst first thing in the morning. Of course, taking levothyroxine (if needed) can itself reduce hyperlipidemia.

(I have no medical qualifications so take a suitable degree of scepticism in reading this.)

Rod