Searching for list of medications to avoid.

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lionessdoe
lionessdoe Member Posts: 780
edited July 2021 in Lymphedema

Hello! I haven't been here in ages. Some of you may remember me. Right now I am searching for a link for medications to avoid with lymphedema. I tried the search option, but I literally don't have time to scan through 73 pages of results. I'm hoping someone can help. Like many of you my veins are deplorable and scarred from chemo. I have heart issues and hypertension too. I take Propranolol for my Blood Pressure. I also take Cyclobenzaprine (generic for Flexeril) for my RIBP. And Xanax to help me sleep. Sleep is impossible for me because while getting chemo I was diagnosed with TIA's in my sleep and had to stop chemo because of them. I'm still here 14 years later despite skipping 15 more infusions. Lucky me! But right now my cholesterol is sky high and Doc wants to put me on a statin. Pravastatin. I have not had good results with statins in the past. But this is one I have not tried and she is really pushing it. I am scared. It lists swelling and thrombocytopenia as possible side effects. I did get thrombocytopenia from Prozac many moons ago and at that time I learned if I had not stopped taking it soon enough it may have become irreversible. I had it at a life threatening level where just lightly scratching my face would cause a flowing bleed. I got off of it in time. Statins also thin the blood. But I live in such horrible pain every day I am more concerned about the swelling. I know edema is not lymphedema, but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to see how any edema at all could worsen the lymphedema. I can't handle any increase in my pain levels and I refuse to take stronger pain medication than Norco. I want to be able to function and navigate my life without medicine head. In fact, I have to, as I am a 24/7 caregiver to my spouse who had a really bad hip implant failure and can barely walk. I have a strong history of adverse (not allergic) reactions to medications. Diet has not helped with my cholesterol like it has in the past. I have gained 17 pounds just due to loss of physical activity during the pandemic. So I really could use some solid advice. Does anyone have experience with statins interfering with managing their lymphedema? Does anyone have a link to the list of medications to avoid? Thanking you all in advance!

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