Interesting article by Jim Phelms re: bipolar and statin

I found the following interesting article in the Psychiatric Times by James Phelps, M.D., who some of you may be familiar with:

http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/bipo...A-73A1E4935877

I am not on a statin, but I do have high cholesterol and triglycerides probably because of my antipsychotic, and a bit because I'm in my mid 40s. My GP and nephrologist have threatened to put me on one, but keep telling me to diet and exercise, which is easier said than done. My psychiatrist complains that I should already be on one. Anyway...

Jim Phelps mentions in the above article that people with bipolar disorder that are on a statin may want to discuss the drug simvastatin instead of other statins with their prescribing doctors and psychiatrists. He writes that in study results "simvastatin has been associated with an antidepressant effect in rats1 but more recently in humans as well: first, it was superior to placebo as an adjunct to fluoxetine in major depression.2 A small randomized trial found simvastatin superior to atorvastatin in reducing Hamilton Depression Scores after coronary artery bypass grafting."

Of course the article also talks about some risks with the drug, but so do most mentions of drugs.

Interesting article. Thank you for posting it. All I can add is that I was on Simvistatin for several years and I sure didn't notice any psychiatric effect...it definitely didn't help my depression or anxiety. In fact, when my doctor took me off it about 6 months ago I seemed to have less anxiety. But who knows if the medication and the mood were related.

I tried a statin last year and it made me psychotic for some reason. I ended up really confused and had hallucinations and delusions. I only took it 2 days before that happened. No way I'm going on a statin again. It was scary. I thought I was losing my mind.

That is an interesting article. I'll keep in mind that the statins can have effect on mood as well as inflammatory part of mood disorders in case I need to take one in the future.

the alternative health people say that people on statins should add in a good coenzyme q10 supplement, to reduce some of the risks associated w/ long term treatment. maybe that also explains some of the psychiatric stuff?

This subject is really interesting. I do know that while I was taking Simvistatin I had the worst anxiety I have EVER experienced, and I've battled anxiety all of my life. I never made the connection, but since being off the statin my anxiety is not nearly as bad.

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your experiences.

I didn’t read the article, but I’ve been simvastatin (a ‘statin’?) since 1994.

I guess that’s good?

I'm on atorvastatin now for my cholesterol. It gives me really vivid dreams. I'll put up with that. Not sure what anything else will do, but I need more anxiety like I need a hole in my head.

It looks like statins have predominantly an effect on mood, including simvastatin, whether positive or negative. Perhaps I will try simvastatin just to see what happens. At obne time, my doctor wanted to place me on it for the effect of reducing my cholesterol. This has been the only med that I was not compliant with.

Interesting-I’ll keep this in mind. I’m really afraid of medications. My psychiatrist is puzzled because I’m so hair-trigger manic from medications that shouldn’t cause it.

Anyway, I want to mention that my triglycerides fell out of the sky when my doc put me on a low carb diet. I don’t target zero carbs, I have some. It still works.

Interesting article. I’ve been on a ‘baby dose’ of Crestor since before bipolar. It belongs to the same class as simvastatin. It’d be interesting to know if it has the same effect on the brain.