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I'm hoping some of you can relate and respond to this issue. I've posted about this before but I am now convinced that the 40mg of the statin I've been taking daily for about 2 months has dramatically changed the way my gut processes things. For 15 years I've needed to take a minimum of 6 Lomotil daily to slow things down enough to be pooping out pancake mix consistency. Since I began with the statin everything has changed. I never need more than 1 Lomotil daily and even with only 1 my stools are almost all well formed, no looseness at all. There is a smidgen of stuff on the Internet reporting that constipation can be a side effect but the evidence is flimsy at best. However since nothing else has changed, and since a scan found absolutely no blockage or any other issue, I have to conclude that the statin has somehow dramatically slowed things down for me. It's strange for me but it's an extraordinary side effect. So, has anyone else experience something similar. Thanks all. Jeff

PS: I developed colitis about one week after quitting smoking in 1987. At that time the connection between smoking cessation and the onset of colitis was not well researched. A few years later there were numerous reports of the connection. The point being that just because there doesn't appear to be a connection does not mean their isn't one.

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I can’t tell for sure, but am I correct that you are delighted by this side effect?

The statins aren’t all the same. For example, constipation is a common side effect of atorvastatin, but not lovastatin. In addition, if the mechanism of a side effect involves the colon, we may be “immune,” or at least affected differently, so our GI side effect profile is likely to be different than a coloned person’s.

I was taking eight loperamide and eight lomotil a day, just to be able to get out the door, for about 9 months after my surgery. My cholesterol is naturally very high, and the doctor switched me from pravastatin or atorvastatin. He also put me on 100 mg/day of Lyrica for muscle pain. Both of these medicines have constipation as a side effect, and in my case, that’s a beautiful thing! I don’t take any lomotil nor loperamide anymore, unless I’m traveling, and want to be “extra” careful. 

Yes! I'm so glad to hear this info. Who would have ever thought we'd consider constipation as a blessing. It's almost miraculous! In another reply it was pointed out that the reaction to a statin depends not only on which particular statin you're taking but it is also dependent on the uniqueness of our colon-less processing hardware. Interestingly but not surprisingly my gastro guy and my cardiologist, both at the top of their fields, did not think there could be any connection. Little do they know! Thanks so much. 

Hello, It's now been nearly 2 months since I began the 40mg of simvastatin (statin) and my life has changed dramatically. It's not scientific but I am personally convinced that the dramatic change in my stools and frequency must be a direct result of the introduction of the statin in my daily life. I've had a thorough medical workup and everything is working just fine so there are no mechanical issues. There isn't a lot of information on the "constipating" side effects but in my case the constipation meant being normalized, going from 6 or 7 Lomotil daily to only 1. It's kind of miraculous. 

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