Type2 Diabetes and Statin issues?

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bobsy

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi,

New to the Forum.

I am a Type2 Diabetic who has been taking Metformin for 3 years. I also take Perindropril, Gliklazide, Atenol, Fenofibrate and Simvastatin ...... all for diabetes, BP, cholestoral etc

For 6 months I have been getting soreness (a bit like sunburn) on the base of my feet and palms of my hands. More recently the tips of fingers and toes are getting same feeling. Over the last 4 months I have also been getting slightly sore lips/tongue and same with eyes (feel like dryness).

I am also getting A LOT of itching all over and especially on my back.

I had a 'what seemed like' muscular left shoulder problem about 3 months back and this comes and goes.

Doctor seems neither too concerned NOR sure what to do. Doctor suggested possibly Gliklazide and have been off that for a week or two BUT NO IMPROVEMENT.

I AM GOING TO TRY COMING OFF SIMVASTATIN as I am starting to think the soreness, itching, shoulder issues COULD BE related to Statin(s).

Anyone have similar or advice please. Its driving me mad!. :(

ALL HELP/ADVICE GREATFULLY APPRECIATED
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Hi bobsy, welcome to the forum🙂 I'd consult with the doctor about having a trial period off the Simvastatin. It's not going to harm you to do without them for a couple of weeks if your cholesterol is fairly normal, I would think, but it's best to ask your doctor as he will be better placed to consider your own person al situation.

I had problems with muscle soreness and cramps, also a lot of constant nausea and stopped taking the Simvastatin for a couple of weeks and the symptoms did subside, so it is possible that some of your symptoms are related to this. There are other statins available if you still need to take them. I stopped taking them completely because my cholesterol had fallen to 2.4 and I didn't think they were necessary for me.

Regarding the numbness, what are your blood sugar levels like generally? What you describe may be transient peripheral neuropathy, that may improve with settled, more normal blood sugar levels. All this is just speculation though - I'm not a doctor! Can you ask to be referred to a podiatrist who can check fr sensation and blood flow etc. in your feet?
 
Likely Statins?

Hi Steff,
Thanks for the welcome; appreciated.
I took a look at the link but I dont think its the same as such.
I have a gut feel its the Statins but cannot be sure which is why i was seeking to see if other(s) have similar problems as a Type2 whose also taking Statins.
Appreciate you help; thankyou
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Hi Northerner,
The doctor has take lots of Blood tests and similarly checked feet etc. Doctor suggested coming of Gliclazide but this doesn't seem to have helped. Doctor a litttle unsure ref Statins as a lot of new good and bad comments out there which is why doctor didnt go down that path. I think statin issues are only now becoming widespread after recent media coverage.
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bobsy said:
Hi Northerner,
The doctor has take lots of Blood tests and similarly checked feet etc. Doctor suggested coming of Gliclazide but this doesn't seem to have helped. Doctor a litttle unsure ref Statins as a lot of new good and bad comments out there which is why doctor didnt go down that path. I think statin issues are only now becoming widespread after recent media coverage.
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Click to expand...

Hi bobsy, I'm a Type 1 so may have different issues. Hopefully, some of those who have experienced gliclazide will be able to help. Statins do cause side-effects in some people, and they can vary in their manifestation. Generally, they are rare, but that doesn't mean that you are not one of the peolple unfortunate enough to suffer from them. I would still think a couple of weeks off them, or a change of statin would be a possible route to explore. Your doctor really ought to be able to make a decision about this if you are to find out possible causes. Perhaps if you can gather more evidence here that will help persuade him to at least try.🙂
 
Hi Bobsy and welcome. 🙂

I was started on Simvastatin but after a few days broke out in, what I can only describe as, boils under the skin. This only happened at night, after taking pill, in the daytime nothing. My Dr changed my script to Atorvastatin which cured the problem.
 
Hi Bobsy and welcome to the forum.

If you think the symptoms you have are related to the statins, have a chat to the doctor. There are different types of statins and we all react differently to them.

Something similar happened to me with blood pressure pills,I was fine once they had been changed. I hope you get things sorted out.
 
Hi Caroline,
I take Perindropril, Atenolol and Fenofibrate for the Blood Pressure. Were you on any of these?. It may well be that its one of these BP pills; maybe the Statins (Simvastatin). What were your exact symptoms?. Sorry to ask so many questions; forgive me; trying to get to bottom of these issues as quality of life plummeting.
Best
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bobsy said:
Hi Caroline,
I take Perindropril, Atenolol and Fenofibrate for the Blood Pressure. Were you on any of these?. It may well be that its one of these BP pills; maybe the Statins (Simvastatin). What were your exact symptoms?. Sorry to ask so many questions; forgive me; trying to get to bottom of these issues as quality of life plummeting.
Best
B
Click to expand...

It's so tricky when you are on so many different meds to try and find the culprit! I know because I had awful nausea for months but was on 11 different meds at the time and finding the one (or more) at fault took ages and ages. One thing I did have a problem with was ramipril (for BP) - as soon as I started to increase the dose I felt worse. my doctor changed it for cilexitil and that's been fine.
 
This is the tricky part, working out which drug is causing which side effect.. Here's the news from the BNF

Atenolol: DO NOT stop taking this suddenly, if you do need to stop wean yourself off it slowly. It can do odd things to you if you do, i'm not quite sure what, but it'll unbalance your whole body and possibly affect your heart.
Side effects: cough, headache and sleep disturbances. It's not often given to diabetics because it can hide the signs of a hypo. If your'e on Metformin this may not be a problem, but you'd better than i.

Perindopril: Cough (again, basically coz the receptors in your heart cells affected by these drugs are very similar to the ones in your lungs) and various problems related to have too lower blood pressure...

Gliclazide and Metformin: Stomach and gastic upsets

Fenofibrate: Along with your simvastatin is most likely to be causing your muscle pains.
As for your skin problems, any drug can cause an allergic reaction, it's up there with "gastro intestinal disturbances" as the side effect that every drug has mentioned in the Patient Information Leaflet.
You could speak to a pharmacist about this, i'd suspect the fibrate and the statin as the cause of your muscle pains though, possibly both. As Northerner says, it probably won't hurt for you to stop your simvastatin for a bit, and maybe not your fibrate...but don'f drop the Atenolol without strict instructions from your doctor

Hope that helps

Rachel
 
Withdrawal?

Its been a week now since I came off Gliclazide as a result of doctor suggesting i try this for a few weeks. In parallel we agreed I would need to eat less to keep the sugars under control during this 'test; period. In reality the itching and soreness are worse this last couple of days. Are there any examples where others have had this sort of WITHDRAWAL state?.
 
I have added the taking of Q10 myself since about 3 days ago (not something the doctor suggested).. surely this cant be making things worse?
 
Supplements

THANKS ALL FOR GREAT FEEDBACKS AND ADVICE....
As mentioned, I am a Type2 Diabetic who has been taking Metformin for 3 years. I also take Perindropril, Gliklazide, Atenol, Fenofibrate and Simvastatin ...... all for diabetes, BP, cholestoral etc

I have decided to come off SIMVASTATIN due to the soreness and itching.

I have looked around and found a pill called DIABETONE at the following link which I will try along with the pills above:-
http://www.vitabiotics.com/Diabetone/diabeton_formula.aspx

I have also had some people advise adding OMEGA3 and Q10 also.. Could anyone advise it these would be ok due to my Diabetes?.. The Diabetone should be ok as its for Diabetics BUT IT doesn't include OMEGA3 and Q10..

Any advice ref Omega3 and Q10 as a seperate pill I should take would be greatly appreciated.

THANKS AGAIN
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