Crestor and statins

Over 6 years ago, the following Petition was submitted to the FDA, I would encourage every patient being treated with statins to read it and bring it to the immediate attention of their physician:

CITIZEN PETITION TO CHANGE THE LABELING FOR
ALL STATIN DRUGS (MEVACOR, LESCOL, PRAVACHOL, ZOCOR, LIPITOR, AND ADVICOR) RECOMMENDING USE OF
100-200mg PER DAY OF SUPPLEMENTAL CO-ENZYME Q10 TO REDUCE THE RISK OF STATIN-INDUCED MYOPATHIES (INCLUDING
CARDIOMYOPATHY AND CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE). http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/dailys/02/May02/052902/02p-0244-cp00001-01-vol1.pdf
May 24, 2002
Petitioner:
Dr. Julian M. Whitaker, M.D.

This Petition is based in part on the clinical findings of Dr Peter H. Langsjoen, MD, FAAC,

Over 6 years ago, the following Petition was submitted to the FDA, I would encourage every patient being treated with statins to read it and bring it to the immediate attention of their physician:

CITIZEN PETITION TO CHANGE THE LABELING FOR
ALL STATIN DRUGS (MEVACOR, LESCOL, PRAVACHOL, ZOCOR, LIPITOR, AND ADVICOR) RECOMMENDING USE OF
100-200mg PER DAY OF SUPPLEMENTAL CO-ENZYME Q10 TO REDUCE THE RISK OF STATIN-INDUCED MYOPATHIES (INCLUDING
CARDIOMYOPATHY AND CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE). http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/dailys/02/May02/052902/02p-0244-cp00001-01-vol1.pdf
May 24, 2002
Petitioner:
Dr. Julian M. Whitaker, M.D.

This Petition is based in part on the clinical findings and safety concerns of Dr Peter H. Langsjoen, MD, FAAC

Statins kill people - lots of people - and they wound many, many more. All patients taking statins become depleted in Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), eventually - those patients who start with a relatively low CoQ10 levels (the elderly and patients with heart failure) begin to manifest signs/symptoms of CoQ10 deficiency relatively rapidly - in 6 to 12 months. Younger, healthier people who's only "illness" is the non-illness "hypercholesterolemia" can tolerate statins for several years before getting into trouble with fatigue, muscle weakness and soreness (usually with normal muscle enzyme CPK tests) and most ominously - heart failure. In my practice of 17 years in Tyler, Texas, I have seen a frightening increase in heart failure secondary to statin usage, "statin cardiomyopathy". Over the past five years, statins have become more potent, are being prescribed in higher doses, and are being used with reckless abandon in the elderly and in patients with "normal" cholesterol levels. We are in the midst of a CHF epidemic in the US with a dramatic increase over the past decade. Are we causing this epidemic through our zealous use of statins? In large part I think the answer is yes. We are now in a position to witness the unfolding of the greatest medical tragedy of all time - never before in history has the medical establishment knowingly (Merck & Co., Inc. has two 1990 patents combining CoQ10 with statins to prevent CoQ10 depletion and attendant side effects) created a life threatening nutrient deficiency in millions of otherwise healthy people, only to then sit back with arrogance and horrific irresponsibility and watch to see what happens - as I see two to three new statin cardiomyopathies per week in my practice, I cannot help but view my once great profession with a mixture of sorrow and contempt.

After taking 10 mg of Crestor for a short time, i experienced shortness of breath and was very tired. This continued even thou the doctor said it was not a problem. I finally got in to see him and they had me immediately quit the drug and I was sent for a echo/stress test. My heart rate had dropped so low and my breathing so labored, that I was considering suicide, there was no way I was going to go on living if all that I could do was to wake up and get dressed and be so tired , that I was unable to function at all.

I began taking 10mg per day of Crestor on 19th May this year. I received the documentation regarding side effects and read it. After two days I had tingling pains in my legs and I was checked for further cardiovascular problems, and cleared. I enquired if Crestor may be the problem but I was assured it was not.
I had a CT scan and then subsequently an MRI of my lower back looking for restricted blood flow but after seeing a neurosurgeon this was ruled out as the cause of the tingling. There was some degeneration of the back but not serious blood flow restriction. At about this time the Crestor dosage was increased to 20mg. At this stage I had back pain but it was not thought to be related. I enquired again if it might be Crestor but was assured it most unlikely.
Pain in my back increased dramatically one night shortly after and was so intense not only could I not sleep, I simply could not get myself to think of anything else despite intense mental energy to try to do so. I was on the verge of calling an ambulance, but walking around and applying heat seemed to relieve it slightly and I lasted until morning. Doctor thought it was a locked facet joint and sent me to a physio. She helped considerably and I assumed this was the problem. However, the next day it returned. Upper body strength was fine but from the middle down was just plain sore. The physio worked on my back again, and suggested I get a back brace which I did and I struggled on with that as a help.
The pain shifted from my back to the top of my hip and I went back to the doctor to check my hip. He assured me the pain was on the top of the hip, not the groin area and was unlikely to be my hip. I began taking over the counter pain killers for the pain which was hitting about 8 out of 10 spasmodically. The physio was mystified and suggested it may be kidney stones, and so I went back to the doctor to check that out. He had already taken a urine sample which had no blood at all. The pain shifted to the hip and upper right leg. By the time I was able to see him, the pain was quite severe and I was sure it was my hip. He was not sure, but prescribed Panadine Forte for the pain and sent me for an Xray of the hips.
I was very distressed about this, as it appeared I would not be able to continue working. The hip Xray showed perfectly normal hips but the pain was even worse, by this stage in the right thigh. In desparation I saw the doctor again and agreed to try and “tough it out for a few days” using pain killers, another round with the physio, and as much rest as possible. The physio was so convinced it was not muscular but rather a possible kidney stone she sent me back to the doctor. While waiting to get to see him I began looking at the side effects of Crestor on the internet and after checking with the doctor I stopped taking it on Aug 1st to see what happened. Within a day I began to improve but I still thought it might be kidney stones (possibly a big one blocking a tube completely and therefore no blood) and my doctor ordered a CT scan of the bladder area which confirmed that both kidneys were working just fine.
Slowly over a week and a half the pain is completely gone, the back is fine, the hips are fine, the groin is fine and I feel so much more like living. I am now absolutely certain it is Crestor that has caused the whole problem. The docotrs have now prescribed Lipitor in it’s place, and I have the tablets but as yet I have not begun taking them. I am a bit fearful of doing so, but I will begin in a few days time. However, if I get any repeat of the muscular problems I have had I will stop immediately.
I decided to document this as I realise this is important feedback concerning a relatively new drug. I don’t know how this is conveyed to a national data base, but it seems to me this is a serious side effect that has very nasty consequences. Was it that my kidneys were objecting violently to the drug? I don’t know. But it caused me great distress and this is surely a concern.