Need some advice re Pravastatin

I plan to call my PCP on Monday, but in the meantime maybe one of the medical wizards out there can help me out in the mean time...

At the beginning of the month, my PCP put me back on Pravastatin Sodium 40 mg due to elevated cholesterol and triglycerides...since then my weight is up about  5 lb , I am experiencing edema, and have some increased joint and muscle pain (tender to the touch and knees hurt more than normal).  Being as the med has sodium as part of the name I am suspect that this is causing my issues...

Anyone know anything about this?

The joint and muscle pain are side effects of a statin drug, but weight gain is not seen with this med from the info I have read.  Please let your Dr. know about the myopathy (muscle pain, tenderness) 

Statins do a great job, but some people are unable to tolerate them.  There are other meds that can be taken.  My DH can't take statins.  He tried them all, but the muscle and joint pain was not tolerable.  Are  you able to exercise as much with your symptoms? 

Kristi

Thanks for your reply Kristi...
I have constant joint pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee and left hand and lower back pain (spinal stenosis and SI joint dysfunction), so I haven't really been able to find an exercise routine that I can keep up with consistently.  It seems that when I do manage to walk a mile or bike for 5-6 miles at the gym, I need 3-4 days to recover (pain wise) to be able to return and subject myself to that again.  I have done water aerobics and think that I should probably start that up again.  I have been dependent upon chiropractic care up until January, when it seemed that it no longer was effective.  My pcp is enthusiastic about my WLS and fully supportive of anything I do to improve my health...he has been my doctor for about 30 years and knows fully the struggle I have had with obesity.  I will call him on Monday...I might need to see my nutritionist again to discuss the cholesterol issue and how on 800-1200 calories per day, it could possibly get to 270 again.  My triglycerides are very high, in the 280's (pre-op they were in the 180's)....call me confused!  My LDLs are also very high, in the 180's as well (they were in the 60's at last year's check up).  My HDL is 60.  Needless to say, these are disturbing factors and need to be addressed aggressively.

Well Genetics is HUGE when it comes to Cholesterol etc.  My DH has eaten more healthy food than the average person and exercised ( even when I was obese we ate healthy ) ( I just ate way toooooooooooo much) My MIL and all of her siblings had heart disease and Diabetes and we are trying to be proactive in the fight against this disease.  He went to a Cardiologist and had some testing done and some of his meds were switched around.  DH might be 10 pounds overweight, so I blame genetics.

Sounds like you have a battle on your hands also.  DH had a calcium scoring done and a carotid ultrasound.  It shows plaque already building up and only 20% of men his age have it.  So we are being aggressive and doing everything we can.

You mentioned needing several days to recover from exercising, could you do less more frequently?  Water aerobics does sound like a good option for  you. 

It must be frustrating to have the physical challenges that you are dealing with and the numbers.  Your weight loss though, is only going to help all these issues and you should be proud of the hard work you are doing.  It's not an easy journey, but we just have to keep moving forward.

I look forward to hearing what your Dr. suggests.

Take care,
Kristi

Thanks Kristi, will keep you posted!