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Imatanib and simvastatin

Hi All

Around 3 weeks ago I read online that there could be a contraindication between Simvastatin and imatanib, namely in that the combination strengthens the statin by 3.5 fold. I phoned the hospital, spoke to the research nurse (I'm on the Spirit 2 trial) and heard that the Pharmacy "Bible" has only a small line or two about this and it is not definitive. My nurse emailed Newcastle (Spirit 2 base)and rang back to say that they need to keep an eye on my liver which they're doing as routine in the 3 month blood tests. I decided to take myself off statins (my GP believes everyone over 40 yrs of age should take them as a safeguard and my cholestorol wasn't high when I started taking them a year before my CML dx in 2008) so I phoned my GP who is happy for me to stop them till October.

The very interesting thing to me is that my face now looks normal - rather than resembling a chipmunk or hamster with the swelling, my muscle cramps and spasms have gone and I have had a real energy boost. I am also sleeping better than for ages. My eye bags have shrunk and my eyes are less puffy. All this info I get from my long suffering husband as I can't see the changes for

myself !!!

Anyone else experienced the same thing?

best wishes to everyone

from a happy ex-statin taker

Chrissie

Hi Chrissie.. thanks for letting us know your experience. I am glad you have decided to take yourself off what seemed in your case to be a needless treatment with statins. I am at a loss to understand why a GP (or any one else) would decide that all people over 40 needs to control cholesterol with statins- even when levels are of no concern! Well done for being vigilant and taking charge of your own health. 

Best wishes,

Sandy

Chrissie,

I was taking simavastatin before being diagnosed with CML in Feb 2007. My cholestoral readings were high and hence the prescription for simavastatin. I was prescribed Imatinib for the CML. The combination of the two drugs was not helpful and led to quite severe diarrhoea. I was then worried that the imatinib absorption was being affected. Whilst I know a well known side effect of Imatinib, is stomach upsets/ diarrhoea, the simavastatin certainly did not help the situation. My GP then changed the cholestoral drug to an alternative which helped and after making changes to my diet i managed to eventually come off anti cholestoral drugs completely which improved matters further. Certainly there seems quite a bit of anecdotal evidence on the web about the side effects of statins, So as Sandy says in her post, there seems little justification for general prescription of statins if cholestoral readings are normal. I've been really lucky with Imatinib over the past 4 years and my PCR readings have dropped to very low levels with some PCRU readings in recent quarters.

Hope all contiues positively with your treatment!

Regards

Andy

Thank you for your replies, Sandy and Andy.

I still cannot believe how much better I feel now I've stopped taking simvastatin. One possible downside to stopping is that while digging around on the Net I found some evidence that simvastatin can stop resistance to Imatinib. How tenuous this evidence is I don't know as it was all rather scientific!

 

best wishes

Chrissie

Hi

I was on Simvastatin when dx 3 years ago. Dr. Ho at Kings said that should I still need to take a statin I should change to Pravastatin as it was tolerated by Glivec. Luckily enough my cholestorol was OK (poss helped by Glivec) and I didn't need to take a statin any more.

Tony

I am on imatinib 400mg.   After a cholesterol test, on the instruction of an endocrinologist, I changed from Pravastatin 20mg to Simvastatin 40mg.   I also made some modest dietary changes.   That was about 9 months ago and I have not noticed any adverse effects.   My cholesterol has improved significantly. 

 

John