People’s Pharmacy: Statin resulted in psychiatric side effects
Q. A few years ago, my doctor prescribed atorvastatin for high LDL cholesterol. It lowered my LDL to normal levels promptly.
Before long, though, I noticed side effects: lowered testosterone levels; muscle aches; gynecomastia; and prediabetes (rising HbA1c). I tolerated all these effects, trying to prevent any vascular complications from atherosclerosis. As a physician, I know that is important.
Then, waves of nausea began. That was bad enough, but loss of appetite made me lose weight despite trying to eat more. At this point, I became grumpy and angry, verbally abusing my wife. I became upset with fellow church members for no reason. My wife got so upset and afraid of me that she moved out. I was strongly considering suicide.
When I looked up statin therapy, I found it can cause nausea, so I reluctantly stopped it. Two days later, the nausea went away and my appetite slowly improved. About a week after that, my anger dissipated, and I began to feel empathy again. I immediately wrote my wife to apologize. We are now back together.
Reviewing the medical literature revealed that psychiatric adverse effects sometimes arise in patients receiving statins. These can include irritability and aggression, anxiety or depression, violent behavior, sleep problems and even suicidal ideation (Drug Safety Case Reports, December 2016). I am glad I’m still alive!
Please warn your readers to be aware of statin psychosis. It might well go unnoticed because it can come on gradually.
A. Thank you for sharing your harrowing experience. We first became aware of a link between statins and aggressive behavior in women in 2015 (PLoS One, July 1, 2015). Since then, a few other studies have addressed the connection between statins and suicide (Biomedicines, Oct. 28, 2021).
Most reviews stress that the benefits of statins outweigh the risks. That holds true only for people who have not developed troublesome side effects. Comparisons with other cardiovascular drugs show a possible correlation between statins and psychiatric side effects (Pharmaceuticals, Dec. 10, 2022).
We discuss the pros and cons of statins in our “eGuide to Cholesterol Control and Heart Health.” This online resource can be found under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Q. My mother has been using the Greenstone version of celecoxib for years. Other generic versions did not alleviate her arthritis pain as well.
Our pharmacy was unable to fill her order today, as the Greenstone-authorized generic was unavailable. I spoke with a representative of Viatris, who said Greenstone stopped making celecoxib in June 2023. What can we do?
A. Many readers have reported problems with generic celecoxib. Greenstone, a subsidiary of the original manufacturer (Pfizer), brought out an authorized generic several years ago. This product was identical to brand-name Celebrex and people often praised it.
Greenstone no longer exists as an independent company. It is now part of the company called Viatris. As far as we can tell, Viatris is not offering an authorized generic form of celecoxib anymore.
Brand-name Celebrex is pricey. GoodRx.com lists a 30-day supply of 200-milligram capsules between $550 and $600. Even with a coupon, it is over $500. PharmacyChecker.com shows, however, that Celebrex can be purchased from a Canadian online drugstore at about $60 for a month’s supply.
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, Fla., 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”