It can also cause anxiety when someone stops using it. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that dysregulation of serotonin activity may explain the observed relationship between low cholesterol concentrations and behavioral changes and violent death, Lake said. The anxiety of wondering if another panic attack is on the way causes severe stress and sometimes thoughts of suicide in people who suffer from them. In addition, nightmares have been associated with atorvastatin (the active ingredient contained in Lipitor) use. In addition, the researchers found novel changes in receptor dynamics with chronic cholesterol depletion. A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. © 2020 MJH Life Sciences™ and Psychiatric Times. Water also appears to have natural calming properties as well, possibly as a result of reversing dehydration. “In 2004, we published a case series of 6 patients who were referred or self-referred with irritability and short temper on statin cholesterol-lowering drugs,” Golomb said. This drug may also cause the following symptoms that are related to anxiety: Abnormal thyroid hormone blood levels Abnormal thyroid hormone blood levels “An analysis of 324 e-mails of individuals taking statins who reported adverse effects found about 30% reported mood changes (depression, anxiety, irritability),” she said. For more than a decade, Golomb and her team have researched the effects of statin medications. Even if you have is general anxiety without panic attacks, drinking more water can be an important tool in overcoming anxiety. Serum lipid concentrations in patients with major depressive disorder. Maes M, Smith R, Christophe A, et al. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 2 Nov 2020), Cerner Multum™ (updated 2 Nov 2020), ASHP (updated 23 Oct 2020) and others. Iron deficiency is one of those triggers. From what i know about zocor (simvastatin) I dont believe thats where your anxiety is coming from. Research findings dating back to the 1990s show that serum cholesterol level, especially the HDL fraction, is significantly lower in many patients with major depressive disorder than in matched non-depressed individuals and that clinical improvement following antidepressant therapy is often associated with normalization of serum total cholesterol to higher levels.2-5 But more recent studies have failed to replicate these findings.6-8. Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question. Select one or more newsletters to continue. Since then it's been recurring on and off and a couple of months back I felt a heaviness in my chest, so off to the hospital again... more tests, still nothing found. Your not alone. Manifestations of severe irritability, according to Golomb, included homicidal impulses, threats to others, and road rage. Gabriel A. “It has long been reported that total serum cholesterol levels are consistently lower in more severely depressed and more aggressive patients,” said James Lake, MD, chair of the APA’s Caucus on Complementary and Integrative Medicine, and visiting assistant professor of medicine at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona School of Medicine in Tucson. Lake and Golomb point out that lowering cholesterol levels reduces morbidity and mortality from heart disease. New research into cholesterol-lowering statin drugs and serotonin-1A receptors may help explain the relationships between cholesterol levels and symptoms of anxiety and depression. I've been on the Simvastatin for about five weeks now and have felt the same "Anxiety" Symptoms and have been to the ER 6 times total since Jan. 16th where the run their tests and send me home with Xanax, where I medicate every six hours until the Xanax is gone and the Symptoms come back. I hope that helps. What are the practical implications? Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. Some patients who take statins complain of GI distress and many other adverse effects, Lake said. “Because of these findings, it has been suggested that total cholesterol might be a clinically useful biological marker for predicting the risk of suicide and that it may be of prognostic value in managing severely depressed patients.”. • Have depressed patients being treated for elevated cholesterol levels work with their primary physician or cardiologist to regulate their total serum cholesterol to levels not significantly lower than 160 mg/dL while maintaining a desirable balance between HDL and LDL cholesterol. Same chest symptoms. Panic attacks can be triggered by hypoglycemia and food allergies as well. Lake offers this advice: • Check cholesterol levels of severely depressed patients, especially those who are nonresponsive or only partially responsive to antidepressants. Answers (2) WI. In response to you. Sarchiapone M, Camardese G, Roy A, et al. In 2009, 211 million prescriptions for lipid- and cholesterol-lowering drugs, including statins, were dispensed in this country, according to IMSHealth Reports. He has these patients work with their primary physician to adjust their statin dose or to consider alternatives to statins. Sarchiapone M, Roy A, Camardese G, De Risio S. Further evidence for low serum cholesterol and suicidal behaviour. Hi, this is what I found: Simvastatin may cause anxiety (fear or dread out of proportion to situation - often with restlessness, tension, pounding/rapid heartbeats, or rapid breathing). In 4 cases, rechallenge with statins occurred and led to symptom recurrence. Deisenhammer EA, Kramer-Reinstadler K, Liensberger D, et al. Cholesterol and suicide attempts: a prospective study of depressed inpatients. “Some individuals taking statins report problems with anxiety and depression, but far more report problems with irritability and changes in personality,” Golomb told Psychiatric Times. But it definitely causes nausea and headaches. They tested 1016 healthy men and women for 6 months in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial using 20 mg of the more lipophilic sim-vastatin, 40 mg of the hydrophilic pravastatin, or placebo. Q&A: Panic Attacks, Anxiety, and Concussion Posted on November 21, 2017 Raymond Pan, MD, clinical psychiatrist with the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program and an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, answers questions about treating panic attacks and anxiety that are brought on by any type of concussion. Omega-3 essential fatty acids also lower total serum cholesterol, he said. Alternatives are niacin, usually as niacinamide, red yeast rice, or garlic extract-all of which are supported by research evidence for lowering cholesterol. I called my doctor's nurse line and they never called me back. I asked my doctor to switch my meds if possible and he put me on lipitor. An individual can relieve sinus pressure with over-the-counter nasal sprays and drops, or oral products that include an antihistamine and/or a nasal decongestant. I have also been nauseous for the last 3 weeks and yesterday started having upper abdominal pain/stomach cramping that seemed to move into my chest, and what feels like a pinch on the bottom muscle of my left arm. Insulin sensitivity markers: predictors of accidents and suicides in Helsinki Heart Study screenees. Some patients are experiencing panic attacks and anxiety. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information -. Individuals who take statins to lower their cholesterol sometimes display symptoms of irritability, anxiety, and depression; these symptoms are reported by their family members, caregivers, and coworkers. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Available for Android and iOS devices. Relation of serum cholesterol, lipid, serotonin and tryptophan levels to severity of depression and to suicide attempts. Panic attacks can be very frightening. Hi, this is what I found: Simvastatin may cause anxiety (fear or dread out of proportion to situation - often with restlessness, tension, pounding/rapid heartbeats, or rapid breathing). In some cases, this could involve substituting a different statin. I am going to find a natural way to lower my cholesterol. Some researchers have suggested that dysregulation of normal serotonin activity may help explain a possible relationship between low cholesterol levels and violent death. The same researchers had previously demonstrated that maintaining normal cholesterol levels is important for the function of neuronal serotonin receptors. For example, Steegmans and colleagues10 found that plasma serotonin concentrations are lower in untreated men with persistently low serum cholesterol concentrations (4 to 5 mmol/L or less) than in a reference group. Simvastatin but not pravastatin affects sleep: findings from the UCSD Statin Study.