This from the package leaflet provided with the NHS prescription statin “Atorvastatin”:
4. Possible side effects:
Other possible side effects with Atorvastatin
Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people
* Ringing in the ears and or head
The above appears amongst many other possible side effects, and reading around Atorvastatin side effects online, the list of possible unpleasant side effects is very alarming. I have read our Association’s paper on Tinnitus and drugs, tinnitus.org.uk/drugs but I am not much reassured.
Here is a report of one case of Atorvastatin related hearing loss:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/223…
… and conversely, here is a report that Atorvastatin has positive effects on tinnitus:
” In assessing the effectiveness of
atorvastatin (Lipitor) in the
treatment of tinnitus, scientists observed a trend toward relief of symptoms; however, this trend was not statistically significant when compared with results produced by administration of a placebo.” vestibular.org/sites/defaul…
My Tinnitus developed some months, (not sure exactly but I guess 6 months) after starting taking Atorvastatin, and whilst 1 in 100 may be termed ‘uncommon’, it is one hell of a damnation to condemn even 1 in a 100 patients to suffer the misery of Tinnitus.
I like to think that I am emotionally intelligent person, but to hell with Atorvastatin, and any statin for that matter, I’ll settle for my marginally high cholesterol, and I am telling my Doctor that my Tinnitus may be Atorvastatin related.
Best wishes to us all, stay strong and love life.
Phil