How long did it take to get the statins out of your system and back to feeling better, Harry?
I was on them for around three years, before the serious side effects (anxiety/panic attacks) began showing up, beginning in April last year. I suffered with them, getting worse through to October. In October, we were away for a week with the caravan, midway through the holiday, the problem was so bad, I decided to cancel the holiday, and go back home, so we ended up packing the awning up, caravan, in the dark, and heading for home, in a bit of a rush.
Even when not having the actual attacks, I didn't feel 'quite right' - lots of brain fog, inability to concentrate on anything, no stamina to do anything. I would walk out to my workshop, intending to do something, but halfway there would need to sit down to recover. In the house, I would have to ride upstairs on the stair lift.
I read a report online, from someone who'ed had similar problems, and so then stopped taking the statins from October. The attacks continued, but gradually diminished in intensity. I had my last, slight, brief attack, on 4th Dec, and so around a couple of months, from finally completely stopping the statins. The doc, tried me on a different statin, when I began complaining about the problems I was having, but the problems continued.
Difficult, to fully express just how bad I felt, during the attacks. I would feel absolutely terrible, felt as if I was about to die, felt both hot and cold at the same time, my arms felt so heavy, I couldn't lift them, I didn't know whether I wanted to sit down, lie down or what I wanted, and the attack would last all night long. Then there were the regular nightmares, and waking with strange ideas in my head. Even when not actually having an attack, I was terrified of an attack coming on.
I twice rang 111 for help, the second time, they got an ambulance to me, and got me to A&E in the midst of the attack. A&E were unable to find any physical cause at all, so discharged me next morning.
A bit more research on statins, which are intended to lower your cholesterol levels, suggested - the cholesterol is important for proper brain function. Deprive the brain of cholesterol, and you can get some weird effects.
In August, I began roughly logging the attacks. If you want a copy of that record, you are welcome - PM me? It was written, to try to convince the doc, that something just wasn't right.
