Statins and IBS - Over two years of suffering but now cured!

In recent years I’ve suffered occasional bouts of IBS, more of an inconvenience than anything too serious. But, just over two years ago I began to get painful colon/bowel cramps in the night that would wake me in the small hours and keep me awake. If I was lucky, I’d have a bowel movement later in the morning, but either way I’d have varying levels of pain or aches during the day in my lower left tummy area. I also was unable to completely empty my bowels on most occasions when I went to the loo.

Nothing worked

I paid a small fortune to consult three gastroenterologists and tried every medication you can think of, but nothing worked. Some of the stuff made things worse.

Reluctantly a few weeks ago, I began taking Nortriptyline at night, splitting a 10mg tablet so I could take as low a dose as possible. These meds caused weird dreams and not much improvement, but I was desperate to try to find something to relieve the pain and get a decent night’s sleep.

Stopping statins

Then one night, I forgot to take my statins. I had a better sleep than I’d had for a long time, not brilliant by any means but an improvement. So I thought, I wonder…? So I called my GP and told him and said I was going to stop taking the statins for a few days and see what happened. He said to lay off them for a month.

I stopped taking the statins and stopped the Nortriptyline as well and gradually my IBS symptoms disappeared altogether. I now get a full night’s sleep and what’s more, I am now able to tolerate red wine, and any food I want to eat. I had been down to limiting my alcohol to three nights a week with just one beer and one glass of wine with dinner. Now I can drink normal limits. And not just that, but I feel great, normal again.

I told all three gastroenterologists, but only one has replied so far, saying he is not aware of any connection between statins and IBS. But I certainly am, I’m living proof!