Statins and mast cell diseases (mast cell activation syndrome)

This article in The Journal of Immunology and several others like it state that statins can help with mast cell diseases, such as mastocytosis and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS).

From my own experience I can state that Simvastatin (Zocor) did help to suppress my MCAS histamine/allergic reactions, but it also made me incredibly sick, including side effects like:

  • feeling extremely groggy, like I was recovering from surgery
  • passing out, or nearly passing out (syncope)
  • not being able to focus, concentrate, or remember things
  • shaking and trembling
  • vomiting
  • facial flushing
  • severe heart-related symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, an erratic heartbeat, and what I refer to as a “fake heart attack,” where it appeared that I had a heart attack and had an angiogram procedure (what doctors call “chest pain”, or severe chest pain)

I don’t yet know why, but my facial flushing was worse while I was on Simvastatin, even though it generally helped inhibit my MCAS/MCAD symptoms. (Without looking it up, I don’t remember if facial flushing is a Simvastatin side-effect.) I’m significantly more itchy without the Simvastatin, but I don’t have the facial flushing like I used to.

So, while statins (and Simvastatin) in particular may help with the symptoms of mast cell diseases/disorders, it was my experience that they can also make your life miserable, and potentially kill you (as with my fake heart attack).