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Statins and symptons mimicking restless leg syndrom

I was prescribed Lipitor for high cholesterol in 1997. In 2001, following a sleep study, I was found to have restless leg syndrom and prescribed Sinemet for the symptoms. Over the years the symptoms increased, and I now have severe lower back and neck pain, joint pain (especially knees) and my RLS has become more pronounced. I now have the symptoms beginning much earlier in the day, so have had to increase the use of Sinemet. I now believe the Lipitor may be the cause of my "restless leg syndrome" and also the cause of these other aches and pains that are becoming much worse. I stopped taking Lipitor on my own and almost immediately found significant relief from the symptoms. My doctor insists my cholesterols is dangerously high and prescribed Pravachol. Within two days the symptoms have returned. I now believe my RLS was in fact an early reaction to Lipitor and that my back and neck pain, etc. are an indication of increasing toxicity from statins. Is this an accurate assessment?  I need to know what my next steps are. I can't tolerate taking statins any longer.
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Avatar universal
I have my own suspicions about Statin Drugs. I’m fortunate that I only took 1/2 or 2.5 mg of Rosuvastatin. Within 15 minutes I felt like my heart was cramping in front and back. I had to wake up my husband, to tell him I have to take my B/P and he gave me his Oximeter which also showed my heart was skipping many beats, B/P was lower than it’s ever been.
My Dr. said to switch to the other Statin. I finally discovered  that Rosuvastatin contains Flouride.
I have had bad reactions to other fluoroquinalones.
Recently I was diagnosed with having Hypercalcemia that is related to Hyperparathyroidism. I will be returning to learn more from my new Endocrinologist soon.
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Avatar universal
My RLS stopped immediately after discontinuing Lipitor.
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Avatar universal
My mother suffered with restless legs for years, and was on statins for years.  When she entered the care center, I switched doctors.  The new one took her off everything to start over with her, and now has no more RLS, and an added bonus- no more migraines.  I am convinced of the connection between RLS and statins.  That stuff put my mother in the nursing home with about half her memory left and wheelchair bound because of the muscle damage they did. And now I find out that this whole low-fat cholesterol scare is mostly drug company hype to keep the country on their medications.  Do an internet search for cholesterol scam, cholesterol myth, or something to that effect, and you'll find a world of information that contradicts everything most doctors believe.  Great site- spacedoc.com for more on what statins will do to you.
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Avatar universal
Gosh, you sound like me.  Long, long time ago, I was prescribed statins, and then I got RLS.  I stopped the statins.  But the RLS continued and does to this day.  I have no idea what my cholesterol looks like now, haven't seen a doc in a while, I'm all docked out, but I reckon I'm about to die at this point!  Smile.  

But you make me think of when I was trying to figure out why I had RLS, since nobody knows what causes it.  The thing about RLS is, once you have it, you ALWAYS have it.  And so even if statins set it off (I don't think it did), ain't nothing you can do about it now.  What I REALLY think is statins may AGGRAVATE RLS, like antihistimines do (I used to take Tylenol PM years ago and had to give it up).  

Your doc may want to try other methods of keeping cholesterol down other than using statins.  There are natural ways via food and herbs that are SUPPOSED to help, but I don't know.  And could be there are some older meds to lower those numbers before statins were standard of care.  Your doc must work with you on this becuz I know EXACTLY how unbelievably annoying and sometimes how painful RLS can be.

I suppose you could describe RLS to your doc like this:  How would you like to have a stinging bumble bee buzzing around in your nostrile for the rest of your life?  That's untreated RLS or RLS that is aggravated by a number of classes of medications.  Like my analogy?  Visit rls.org for some support, if you like, and perhaps answers to your questions, including lists of meds that can aggravate RLS.  Also National Institutes of Health have a government paper on RLS that I like, but heaven only knows where that link is.  I'm no help at all.  SIGH.  
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