Medications Causing Joint Pain As A Side Effect
There are many medications out there, from antibiotics to protein pump inhibitors, that may cause joint pain. Taking one or more of these drugs can aggravate the symptoms of arthritic conditions, and can even bring about arthritis â in this case joint pain usually subsides when the medication ceases.
The following are medications causing joint pain as a possible side effect. It is important to keep in mind that not everyone experiences the side effects of a particular drug. Just because you take one of the following medications you will not necessarily experience painful joints. If you do or if you already suffer from arthritis and are concerned about increased symptoms, talk to your doctor.
If Youre Taking Statins Heres What These Findings Mean For You
Its premature for doctors to prescribe statins specifically to treat osteoarthritis symptoms or prevent disease progression.
But if youre taking statins to manage your cholesterol levels, its good to be aware that they could have an impact on the health of your knees and other joints.
If youre concerned about your osteoarthritis risk, ask your doctor about which kind of statins might be best to help improve both your heart and joint health.
Moderate Exercise An Antidote To Known Statin Side Effect
- Date:
- British Heart Foundation
- Summary:
- An international team of researchers may have discovered why some people experience muscle pain after taking statins and have shown that moderate exercise may be a good way for people taking statins to avoid these symptoms.
An international team of BHF-funded researchers may have discovered why some people experience muscle pain after taking statins. The research, published in JACC: Basic to Translational Science, could help doctors prevent a known side effect of statins and ensure people are able to reap the benefits of the life-saving drugs.
According to the research, statins cause spontaneous and irregular leaks of calcium from storage compartments within muscle cells. Under normal conditions, coordinated releases of calcium from these stores make the muscles contract. Unregulated calcium leaks may cause damage to muscle cells, potentially leading to muscle pain and weakness.
The researchers suggest that in most people, muscle cells can tolerate this calcium leak. However, in people already susceptible due to their genes or lifestyle, the leak caused by statins may overwhelm the muscle cells, giving rise to muscle pain and weakness.
The findings explain why only some people experience muscle pain after taking statins and could help doctors to identify those most likely to experience symptoms so they can be offered alternative therapies.
Dr Sarah Calaghan, Associate Professor in Cardiac Physiology from the University of Leeds said:
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Doxycycline To Fight Infections
This drug is synthetically made from tetracycline. It is used as an antibiotic to treat a range of bacterial infections from respiratory tract infections to syphilis. The most common side effects of this drug are nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, appetite loss, and photosensitivity. Joint pain, along with severe cramping, blurred vision, difficulty breathing, and fatigue are considered as more serious side effects of this drug. You should definitely talk to your doctor if this medication is causing joint pain and stiffness.
So Should You Be Worried If Your Cholesterol Is Elevated
If your cholesterol is high, you need to find the reason.
As I mentioned, the vast majority of cholesterol in your body was made in your liver.; Cholesterol production increases when the body is under stress: emotional stress can cause elevated cholesterol because the stress hormone cortisol is made out of cholesterol. Physical stress on the body can also elevate cholesterol. Because cholesterol helps to repair and heal your body, you will produce more if there is a great deal of inflammation occurring in your body. So all those factors above that raise inflammation, can raise your cholesterol too.
Therefore the cure for elevated cholesterol can be quite simple lower the inflammation and youll also lower the cholesterol.
Other factors that may cause elevated cholesterol include:
We do need some cholesterol in our bodies for good health; you dont want your cholesterol to be too low but you dont want it too high either.;However, its important to remember that high cholesterol is not the cause of your health problems; it is simply a clue that something is not quite right with your health, and its likely that the real problem is too much inflammation.
For more information see our book Cholesterol: The Real Truth.
The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
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Do Statins Cause Diarrhea
Of all the possible side effects of statins, diarrhea is rare.
According to the American College of Cardiology, diarrhea is a potential side effect of statins, along with constipation, indigestion, gas, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. Dr. Mintz says this is technically true, but that statins rarely cause gastrointestinal side effects.
There are other side effects commonly associated with statin medications though. About 7 to 20 percent of patients may have muscle symptoms, he says, which are most often muscle pain, soreness or weakness, according to the Mayo Clinic. A smaller percentage of patients may also experience liver problems, so your health care provider might keep an eye on your liver enzyme levels while on a statin.
Ezetimibe, the statin alternative that blocks absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine, causes diarrhea in 4 percent of patients, according to Dr. Mintz.
Read more:How Pravastatin Can Affect Your Weight
Cholesterol Drugs Linked To Muscle Joint Problems
But heart benefits of statins outweigh risks, expert says
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, June 3 — People taking statin drugs to lower their cholesterol may slightly increase their risk for muscle and joint diseases as well as strains and sprains, a new study suggests.
Statins, such as Zocor and Lipitor, are widely used to reduce cholesterol levels and help prevent heart disease. But they’re also thought to contribute to muscle weakness, muscle cramps and tendon problems.
This new study, based on nearly 14,000 U.S. active-duty soldiers and veterans, confirmed an association between the drugs’ use and musculoskeletal injuries and diseases. But the findings need to be replicated in other types of studies and should not deter people at risk of heart disease from taking the medications, said lead researcher Dr. Ishak Mansi, from the VA North Texas Health Care System in Dallas.
“Do not stop taking statins; these medications have been life-savers for some patients,” Mansi said. “But talk to your doctor about the benefit-risk ratio for you.”
Whether statins should be prescribed universally in people without risk factors for heart disease, as some in the health care field suggest, is another matter, Mansi said.
“The side effects of statins are not totally known yet,” Mansi said. “Advocating widespread use, specifically for primary prevention in otherwise healthy subjects, is unsound.”
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Statins Are The First
Your doctor can prescribe any number of drugs to lower your cholesterol, but statins are first-line treatment for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. This class of drugs can reduce your risk for heart attack, stroke and death due to heart disease by at least 25 percent, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. And if you’ve already had a cardiovascular event, statins will likely be a component of your care plan moving forward.
Guy L. Mintz, MD, cardiologist and director of Cardiovascular Health & Lipidology at Northwell Health’s Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, New York, confirms this, sharing that statins can lower cholesterol 30 to 50 percent. Statins work by preventing cholesterol from forming in the liver, according to the American Heart Association, reducing the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood.
The Evidence That Cholesterol Medication Is Sending You To Knee Replacement
High cholesterol, and its treatment with statins, have been a hallmark of cardiovascular disease management for decades. Many people worry about their cholesterol because they feel they have to, based on drug companies and the media bombarding us with the impression there is a one to one linkage between elevated blood fats and arteriosclerosis. The benefits, side effects, and even the worthiness of taking statins have been under constant attack in recent years. One of the side-effects reports, statins negative influence on soft tissue, namely tendons and ligaments, will be the focus of this article.
Researchers writing in the medical journal Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, discussed the accumulating clinical evidence indicating the risk of tendinopathy and spontaneous and/or simultaneous tendon ruptures associated with statin use.
In their experimental study, the researchers designed a plan to evaluate and compare the biomechanical and histopathological effects of the three most commonly prescribed statins on the Achilles tendon in rats.
Statins were given to the rats at daily doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg for 3 weeks. One week later, the Achilles tendons were dissected and their biomechanical properties, including ultimate tensile force, yield force, and elastic modulus, were determined.
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Try A Different Statin
Most statins are lipophilic, which means they passively diffuse into the muscle. These statins, including atorvastatin , simvastatin and fluvastatin , are more likely to cause muscle aches. The hydrophilic statins, including rosuvastatin and pravastatin , have to be actively transported and cause fewer muscle aches. If you havent tried a hydrophilic statin, talk to your doctor about switching to one.
Side Effects Not Requiring Immediate Medical Attention
Some side effects of rosuvastatin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
- tender, swollen glands in the neck
- voice changes
- accumulation of pus, swollen, red, or tender area of infection near a tooth
- arm, back, or jaw pain
- burning feeling in the chest or stomach
- burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, “pins and needles”, or tingling feelings
- excess air or gas in the stomach or bowels
- excessive muscle tone
- feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
- feeling of warmth or heat
- feeling sad or empty
- flushing or redness of the skin, especially on the face and neck
- general feeling of discomfort or illness
- lack or loss of strength
- lightheadedness
- pain or swelling in the arms or legs without any injury
- pain or tenderness around the eyes and cheekbones
- passing gas
- stomach discomfort, tenderness, or upset
- stuffy nose
- swelling of the breasts or breast soreness in both females and males
- unsteadiness or awkwardness
Applies to rosuvastatin: oral capsule, oral tablet
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The Big Results And Conclusions: Statins Were Not Good Pain Medications
- No matter what statin was used: Statin use was not associated with a lower risk of worsening pain. In other words, statins were not good pain medications.
- Atorvastatin use was associated with a reduced risk of developing pain, whilst rosuvastatin leads to a higher risk of developing pain.
From the researchers: The effect of statins use on knee osteoarthritis outcomes remains unclear, although in our study those using statins for over five years and those using atorvastatin reported a significantly lower risk of developing knee pain.
Confusing right?
- First, the;Atorvastatin user was associated with a reduced risk of developing pain AS COMPARED to which lead to a higher risk of developing pain. So the Atorvastatin produced less knee pain risk, but still a risk.
- Either way, if you already have knee pain, cholesterol-lowering medicine will not help make it less painful or from it getting worse.
So again, all these research universities and national resources and a long-term study of over 1000 patients came to this conclusion: The effect of statins;use on;knee osteoarthritis outcomes remains unclear.
Dont Worry About Cholesterol; Inflammation Is Your Biggest Problem
Cholesterol is good for you; it performs so many vital functions in your body.
Inflammation raises your risk of just about every serious disease, including heart attacks and strokes. If you want to look after your health, youd better keep inflammation at bay!
Each week we see a number of patients who are seeking help for their high cholesterol level. They can quote the cholesterol figure in their last blood test and desperately want to lower it without the use of medication. Many of our patients have tried cholesterol lowering drugs in the past and werent happy with the side effects. They are even more worried about the potential long term effects of these drugs on brain function and the nervous system.
I think they should also be worried about having abnormally low levels of cholesterol, which these drugs tend to induce. Several studies have shown that people with slightly higher cholesterol actually live longer than those with low cholesterol .
People with low cholesterol seem to be more prone to cancer and mental health problems.
For years weve been told to eat less fat if we want to stay slim and keep our cholesterol level in check. I have a problem with that advice for a few reasons:
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Muscle Pain And Other Statin Side Effects
Taking a statin may give you some assurance that you’re doing all you can to avoid heart attack and stroke, but you may also experience side effects. Reported side effects include an increased chance of developing diabetes which is largely restricted to people who are already at risk for diabetes, and who can be monitored with glucose or hemoglobin A1c tests. Statin use has also been associated with difficulties with memory and reasoning, although there is no clear evidence that the drugs were responsible. In very rare cases, statins may cause liver problems or a potentially life-threatening breakdown in muscle cells.
However, the most common side effect is muscle pain and cramping. “In the real world about 15% to 20% of patients report myalgias, or muscle-related symptoms, with women reporting such symptoms more than men do,” says Dr. Samia Mora, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. It is unclear why these symptoms may be more common in women, but it could be because they tend to be older, have smaller bodies, and more additional health issues than men do when they begin to take the medications. Women are also more likely than men to have undiagnosed low levels of thyroid hormone, which increases the risk of statin-related side effects.
Statins Can Cause Inflammation In The Muscles What Is Worse Is That The Muscle Inflammation Continued After The Patients Stopped Using The Statins
A May 2020 study offered these observation on muscle inflammation and the use of statins. What is worse is that the muscle inflammation continued after the patients stopped using teh statins. Here is what the paper said:
Statin-induced immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy, . . . It is a rare side effect of statins, distinct from the more commonly recognized statin-induced myalgia, that is challenging to diagnose and treat.
The researchers described the case of one patient a 59-year-old male with a prior history of statin intolerance presenting with markedly elevated creatinine kinase, myoglobinuria, and one month of progressive proximal muscle weakness after restarting atorvastatin 10 months prior to admission. High-dose glucocorticoids led to rapid clinical improvement, although the patient relapsed upon tapering. Remission was attained at three months after combination therapy with azathioprine, intravenous immunoglobulin, and a prolonged prednisone taper.
That is a lot of medication to counteract the use of statins.
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Will The Muscle Pain Go Away
Generally, symptoms of SAMS resolve on their own if a person stops taking statins.
However, if they do so without medical supervision, they may develop high levels of cholesterol. This in turn increases risk of serious conditions, including heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Instead of stopping statins entirely, doctors will first:
- remove any factors that could be contributing to muscle pain
- try alternative statins
- try different dosages
If these measures do not prove effective, a doctor may suggest an alternative to statins. People should not stop or change the dosage of medications unless advised by a healthcare professional.
Common Side Effects Of Lipitor
Most common side effects of Lipitor are minor. But the medication can cause serious side effects, according to the drug label.
Side effects of Lipitor include:
- Cold-like symptoms
- Muscle pain and spasms
- Difficulty falling and staying asleep
Though the reactions occurred less often, people who took the drug during clinical trials also reported nose bleeds, blurred vision and ringing in the ears. Still others reported fever, liver problems, abnormal blood and urine test results, and malaise, which is a general feeling of discomfort or uneasiness.
After the medication became available to the public, people reported additional side effects such as tiredness, tendon problems, memory loss and confusion. Other reported issues included dizziness, depression, peripheral neuropathy, pancreatitis and interstitial lung disease. According to the drug label, the cognitive issues were generally not serious and went away after patients stopped taking the drug.
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Side Effects Of Heart Medicine Carvedil Joint Pain And Stiffness
Hi. I am new to this site but I am seeking some advice and answers. In October of 2016 I was having heart palpitations and ended up in the ER. Ended up going to a heart doctor and ordered a heart monitor which the results from that was that I had PSVT. Had Echo heart test and stress test. results were to put me on Caritia time release once a day which stopped the palpitations by 90%. Then he said that my heart was beating hardnot heart damage so he put me on 3.125 dosage of carvedil twice a day in January. Usually side effects light headed and dizzy which went away. However the last month I am experiencing join stiffness in the legs and my Big toe swelled up and the tops of my feet. I seem to be stiff all over. I was reading that one of the many side effects is stiffness and effect the big toes with swelling. I want to know if anyone else has experienced side effects like this from this medicine. I remember a number of years ago I was on a high Cholesterol medicine that had a Beta Blocker and I recall had to go off of it because of the same symptoms. I lowered my cholesterol by exercising and diet. My questions is how do you get off of the carvedilgradually or what. I know I have to visit with my doctor but want more information. Thanks