
Having Leg Muscle And Knee Pain. Been On Fish Oil Tablets. Scan Showed Meniscal Injury On Knee. Remedy?

Question: I have been taking 6 fish oil tablets (1200 mg each), 3 red yeast rice pills, and Zetia each day, plus Simvastin on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week for about 5 years. This has been taken to keep my bad choresterol in a normal range. I had leg muscle pain reactions to every statin drug I took for approximately the previous 8 years. What I now take is my cardiologist's protocol to lessen my chances of another statin reaction. It has worked fine for the five years. But I had surgery almost three weeks ago. I was told to stop taking aspirin products, heart vitamins, and fish oil tablets before the surgery, which I did. I waited a week or more after the surgery to start taking them again. I was off these meds for 3 1/2 to 4 weeks. I did continue to take the red yeast rice, Zetia, and Simvastin (3 days a week) while I was off of the other meds. During the third week I was off the Fish Oil, I started having muscle pain in my right leg, and pain in my right knee joint. Initially, I thought it might be a blood clot from the surgery. After an ER visit at the hospital yesterday, and after an ultrasound, and X-ray of the leg, I was told there was no clot and that I possibly have a meniscal injury to my knee joint. I don't recall injuring my knee at all. By stopping the Fish Oil for that long, did it increase my chances of having another muscle reaction to my present statin? Does Fish Oil make statin drugs more tolerable? Is this why I got the statin side effect now? I will greatly appreciate any info you can give me.
I've already written it down and the Cardiologist has said he received it. What do I do now?
I've already written it down and the Cardiologist has said he received it. What do I do now?
Dear patient
thanks for your concerns.
actually the metabolism of omega 3 acids should not interfere with the statin metabolism; I suspect it may not be related. however if the symptoms resemble those of prior statin intolerance I would re introduce the simvastatin slower, once a week for one week then twice a week and then finally as you were three times a week the week after
Yours truly
Dr Brenes Salazar MD
Cardiology
Mayo Clinic
thanks for your concerns.
actually the metabolism of omega 3 acids should not interfere with the statin metabolism; I suspect it may not be related. however if the symptoms resemble those of prior statin intolerance I would re introduce the simvastatin slower, once a week for one week then twice a week and then finally as you were three times a week the week after
Yours truly
Dr Brenes Salazar MD
Cardiology
Mayo Clinic
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj

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