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I believe the OP was digging for some answers and thru out statin possibility. I know statins do a lot of damage but I agree many many factors can cause this fibro syndrome including thyroid dsyfunction.
My cholesterol was 214 at my last checkup and my doctor didn't prescribe statins. She said I should work on lowering it but wasn't alarmed. Change your diet to include more fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seeds, oatmeal, and healthy oils. She advised me to take MCT oil, medium chain triglycerides, which could lower numbers.
My cholesterol was 214 at my last checkup and my doctor didn't prescribe statins. She said I should work on lowering it but wasn't alarmed. Change your diet to include more fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seeds, oatmeal, and healthy oils. She advised me to take MCT oil, medium chain triglycerides, which could lower numbers.
Smart doctor, so many are so ready to push the statins. I have stories from friends and the damage they live with including neuropathy. Coconut Oil is a great oil for so much including weight loss.
Fibro or not, statins are generally a horrible idea, and should only be used as a last resort. So many of these diseases are strongly linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and messed up hormone panels, and you want to deplete cholesterol and CoQ10??
Fix your triglycerides and inflammation, don't swing wild with inhibitors of important enzymes.
I was put on statins once, many years ago but only stayed on for a few days due to the muscle pain.
I'd had a bout with fibromyalgia, probably ten years previously after overstraining my muscles from lifting boxes and furniture when moving out of my house. Stress too, from the move. The fibro specialist said that it can happen after damaging your muscles plus an emotional trigger. I got better with physical therapy exercises.
So the statins had nothing to do with it.
I got fibromyalgia again about six years ago after being sick all winter with some bug. Must have lowered my immunity? Once again, I got over the fibro eventually.
To me it seems that most people with fibromyalgia have allergies of some kind, food allergies mostly, I think. Somehow that messes up your metabolism and/or weakens you. But I don't really understand it and no one else does either.
My first reaction...seriously? Five days of statins (likely a minimal dose since your cholesterol was BARELY over 205) - several years ago...and THIS is what you think caused your fibromyalgia? You have no other habits or lifestyle issues (diet, activity, chemical exposure) that could have been taking place for YEARS that would be a likelier culprit?
There are many coincidences in life that we don't even notice - those that we do can take on a life of their own.
Especially since you're no longer on statins, concentrate on things you're currently doing that you can at least change to see if your symptoms worsen or get better. What would you even do if you found out statins were the cause? Sue? Because you can't stop taking them...again.
I never said I thought statins caused fibro, just wanted to see what other ppl thought and see if many ppl had fibro and had taken statins (or not).
Also fibro is the diagnosis when everything is ruled out, Lyme's, RA, thyroid, etc, etc. I was even tested for heavy metal poisoning (negative). WE eat as organic as possible (tho we do eat out occasionally, and at a restaurant all bets are off about the quality of the food) but we do not eat fast food or processed food, I worked in an office, never smoked, alcohol- maybe 1-2 glasses of wine a week, no chemical exposure, or at least minimal- we don't spray for bugs, never used weed killer, etc.
Only thing right now is stress over several things, which I'm working on and are getting better.
And yes, I also do not take medications unless absolutely needed, and even then.....
I have GERD. My doctor (a specialist, not the same dr as before which is my GP), put me on Protonix. It wasn't helping that much (the dr doubled the dose and it still wasn't working all that great) and I was on it about 3 months and my husband noticed I was getting very forgetful. I googled info and it seems that a PPI-Proton Pump Inhibitor- (which protonix is 1) MAY cause dementia. Called my dr and told him I'm not taking it. So now I'm on OTC zantac which works better, plus if needed- I take Tums or Mylanta (which I had to take with the protonix).
So yes, just because a dr put you on meds for something, you don't always need to take it. There may be another way.
I also go to a functional medicine doctor (a Regular dr with extra training). Functional medicine drs treat the ROOT CAUSE of an illness, a "regular" doctor treats the SYMPTOMS of an illness.
I thought I had fibro because I had a lot of the symptoms. Joint pain, stiffness, tender spots, fatigue, brain fog, etc. but I was recently diagnosed with food allergies and when I avoid my allergens, the symptoms disappear. If I accidentally eat something I'm allergic to, I have severe reactions now but when those wear off I still have what I think of as an allergy hangover, basically all those symptoms back again for several days or a week, unless the reaction was bad enough that I got steroids for it, in which case I feel wonderful for about a week.
I took several different statins before I realized they messed with my memory really badly. My doctor insisted I keep taking them or I'd die of a heart attack. I told her I've been helping to care for my dad who has dementia, and if I have a choice between not being able to remember anything or dying before I get to that point in life, I'd take the heart attack. I don't think the statins played any part in the issues that I've developed, but I think a couple of years of really severe stress led to my allergies.
I was tested for food allergies and do have some. Also my functional medicine dr recommended a gluten free diet (I'm allergic to wheat anyway) for fibromyalgia. I go a little further and eat a semi Paleo diet- which my dr loves even more, since she also eats Paleo. Since I like to study things (hence this post) , I slowly reintroduced gluten slowly into my diet. Within 10 days I could feel the difference. So I now GF again and feel better.
I feel the same as you about dying. I'd rather have a heart attack then live a long time either in pain or with dementia, Parkinson's, etc.
I am an RN and I've worked as a state agency nursing home inspector for almost 12 yrs. If that is in my future by taking medications, I'd rather die now.
Fibro or not, statins are generally a horrible idea, and should only be used as a last resort. So many of these diseases are strongly linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and messed up hormone panels, and you want to deplete cholesterol and CoQ10??
Fix your triglycerides and inflammation, don't swing wild with inhibitors of important enzymes.
Like you said, statin drugs can lower CoQ10 levels. In fact, studies show that CoQ10 levels can drop by up to 40% due to statin drug use!
(Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8463436)
Low CoQ10 levels can be a concern because CoQ10 helps promote healthy heart function. This is because CoQ10 plays an important role in the production of 95% of the energy used by the cells in our body.
(Source: Coenzyme Q10 | University of Maryland Medical Center)
The addition of a CoQ10 supplement to statin drug therapy can help rebuild CoQ10 levels. However, CoQ0 has poor absorption, therefore, you should choose one that is both water and fat-soluble which is better absorbed by the body than regular CoQ10.
(Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...10+formulation).
I don't see how; lots of people who take statins, including myself, don't have fibromyalgia. I've taken a statin for many years with no side effects.
Many yrs and no side effects? I personally know only 1 person who has taken them and the side effects, good grief.
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