Comments on: Statins and side effects http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html medical blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:15:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html/comment-page-1#comment-89618 Anonymous Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:56:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html#comment-89618 It maybe great but Doctors need to be aware of its rare devestating side effects to protect their patients.<br/><br/>I was on 80mg of Zocor for several years, yes it got my colesterol down (diet barely altered my level).<br/>But I would prefer to die earlier (there are other options ie. Ezertrol) than end up barely functional for years, fatigue, memory lose, pain in hands and feet, barely able to stand on bad days due to weakness, had trouble walking, and a dry cough.<br/>Coming off Statins would show an improvement upto to the above level and that is where it left me for years, any dose level of any brand made the symptoms worse.<br/><br/>In my case there was a magic bullet that was found by accident Prednisolone, in a matter of days I became my old self, I have managed to lower the dose to 15 mg a day, I am better on a slightly higher dose but I am trying to avoid the side effects of this drug and playing around with supplements to try and get the Prednilone lower still, so far no luck but I will keep searching.<br/>I am even back cycling again, I dont know if I will regain my previous fitness level but it is great to be living again. It maybe great but Doctors need to be aware of its rare devestating side effects to protect their patients.

I was on 80mg of Zocor for several years, yes it got my colesterol down (diet barely altered my level).
But I would prefer to die earlier (there are other options ie. Ezertrol) than end up barely functional for years, fatigue, memory lose, pain in hands and feet, barely able to stand on bad days due to weakness, had trouble walking, and a dry cough.
Coming off Statins would show an improvement upto to the above level and that is where it left me for years, any dose level of any brand made the symptoms worse.

In my case there was a magic bullet that was found by accident Prednisolone, in a matter of days I became my old self, I have managed to lower the dose to 15 mg a day, I am better on a slightly higher dose but I am trying to avoid the side effects of this drug and playing around with supplements to try and get the Prednilone lower still, so far no luck but I will keep searching.
I am even back cycling again, I dont know if I will regain my previous fitness level but it is great to be living again.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html/comment-page-1#comment-72751 Anonymous Sat, 10 Mar 2007 16:53:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html#comment-72751 Just been diagnosed with a constantly increasing high cholestorol. Was on statins previously. Pure misery with muscle pain - Don't know why doctor prescribed them as I have Guillaine Barre Syndrome which affects the peripheral nerve endings and I cannot walk and have severe muscle pain.<br/><br/>He says there is other treatment I can have but I have just commenced a herbal remedy . Hopefully will be able to reduce level myself. Don't want to live in more misery. By the way I eat all the right things ? What is going on? Just been diagnosed with a constantly increasing high cholestorol. Was on statins previously. Pure misery with muscle pain – Don’t know why doctor prescribed them as I have Guillaine Barre Syndrome which affects the peripheral nerve endings and I cannot walk and have severe muscle pain.

He says there is other treatment I can have but I have just commenced a herbal remedy . Hopefully will be able to reduce level myself. Don’t want to live in more misery. By the way I eat all the right things ? What is going on?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html/comment-page-1#comment-64395 Anonymous Fri, 23 Jun 2006 20:30:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html#comment-64395 I'm with the garlic guy. I also choose (for myself - I can't speak for anyone else) to dismiss the conventional wisdom of cholesterol. Perhaps this is a glib statement, but we are all going to die eventually, and I think how well you live counts for a lot. I'd rather die of a heart attack than liver failure from taking a million unnecesssary prescription drugs. I’m with the garlic guy. I also choose (for myself – I can’t speak for anyone else) to dismiss the conventional wisdom of cholesterol. Perhaps this is a glib statement, but we are all going to die eventually, and I think how well you live counts for a lot. I’d rather die of a heart attack than liver failure from taking a million unnecesssary prescription drugs.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html/comment-page-1#comment-64342 Anonymous Thu, 22 Jun 2006 14:47:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html#comment-64342 There are also some drugs that are known to decrease HDL, increase LDL - norithendrone acetate, for example, although it also lowers triglicerides. It is part of some forms of HRT - e.g. FemHRT where this type of progestin reduces estrogen's effect on LDL and decreases HDL below what it would've been without HRT; it can also be prescribed to women for endometriosis. Most doctors are clueless about this side effect, so when a woman taking it comes with LDL just barely fall into the statin guidelines for this woman's risk profile the doctors is all to ready to prescribe it. Even if these levels changed drastically in exactly the period of time the woman was on this drug in spite of the fact she had lost weight during this time from BMI of about 27 to the BMI of 22. There are also some drugs that are known to decrease HDL, increase LDL – norithendrone acetate, for example, although it also lowers triglicerides. It is part of some forms of HRT – e.g. FemHRT where this type of progestin reduces estrogen’s effect on LDL and decreases HDL below what it would’ve been without HRT; it can also be prescribed to women for endometriosis. Most doctors are clueless about this side effect, so when a woman taking it comes with LDL just barely fall into the statin guidelines for this woman’s risk profile the doctors is all to ready to prescribe it. Even if these levels changed drastically in exactly the period of time the woman was on this drug in spite of the fact she had lost weight during this time from BMI of about 27 to the BMI of 22.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html/comment-page-1#comment-64341 Anonymous Thu, 22 Jun 2006 11:25:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html#comment-64341 ..and how many docs. run TFT's- hypothyroidism being a known cause of elevated cholesterol -and more so in women? ..and how many docs. run TFT’s- hypothyroidism being a known cause of elevated cholesterol -and more so in women?

]]> By: Greg P http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html/comment-page-1#comment-64334 Greg P Thu, 22 Jun 2006 01:15:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html#comment-64334 I just saw a patient today, on a statin for several years, and at least possibly having problems with it.<br/><br/>One thing about her is that she is 85 years old -- is it really worth putting people at this age on a statin? I just saw a patient today, on a statin for several years, and at least possibly having problems with it.

One thing about her is that she is 85 years old — is it really worth putting people at this age on a statin?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html/comment-page-1#comment-64329 Anonymous Thu, 22 Jun 2006 00:28:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html#comment-64329 Re "I love how people...":<br/>Oh yeah, well I love how some doctors, including Kevin, can condescendingly put the words side effects in quotes and be dismissive of muscle aches. Before I stopped taking Zocor, it had me so fatigued I thought I was getting the flu and so weak in my right leg that I couldn't get up steps. I almost couldn't get to my doctor's office. What some doctors don't understand is that when they are dismissive the conversation is over and they end up not learning things they really ought to learn about the side effects of what they prescribe regularly. Re “I love how people…”:
Oh yeah, well I love how some doctors, including Kevin, can condescendingly put the words side effects in quotes and be dismissive of muscle aches. Before I stopped taking Zocor, it had me so fatigued I thought I was getting the flu and so weak in my right leg that I couldn’t get up steps. I almost couldn’t get to my doctor’s office. What some doctors don’t understand is that when they are dismissive the conversation is over and they end up not learning things they really ought to learn about the side effects of what they prescribe regularly.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html/comment-page-1#comment-64323 Anonymous Wed, 21 Jun 2006 21:46:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html#comment-64323 Diet and whatever is fine for your elevated cholesterol but some people have elevations into the 600-700 range. over 70% of our Cholesterol is made in our liver. Sometimes when you take these natural steps to lowere, it the liver then assumes something must be wrong and just produces a little more. If there were no statins to take, these people would surely be in a crisis very quickly.<br/><br/>I love how people can only see what effects themselves. "My cholesterol was 205 and I watched my diet and now it is 195 so everyone else can do the same." Sorry, that just isn't the way it works! Diet and whatever is fine for your elevated cholesterol but some people have elevations into the 600-700 range. over 70% of our Cholesterol is made in our liver. Sometimes when you take these natural steps to lowere, it the liver then assumes something must be wrong and just produces a little more. If there were no statins to take, these people would surely be in a crisis very quickly.

I love how people can only see what effects themselves. “My cholesterol was 205 and I watched my diet and now it is 195 so everyone else can do the same.” Sorry, that just isn’t the way it works!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html/comment-page-1#comment-64321 Anonymous Wed, 21 Jun 2006 21:06:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html#comment-64321 I had high cholestoral, and had a mild heart event. I would rather have a full blown heart attack, than have the problems I currently have which were caused by statin injury from Crestor. Just 30 days of taking Crestor caused me to lose 50% of my strenght and abilities (2yrs later now). I have lowered my cholestoral with fish oil and other natural supplements which cause no ill effects and have lowered my cholestoral and blood pressure too. There are cures and alternatives to high cholestoral, but there are not cures to stain myopathy, and mitochondrial tissue damage. I had high cholestoral, and had a mild heart event. I would rather have a full blown heart attack, than have the problems I currently have which were caused by statin injury from Crestor. Just 30 days of taking Crestor caused me to lose 50% of my strenght and abilities (2yrs later now). I have lowered my cholestoral with fish oil and other natural supplements which cause no ill effects and have lowered my cholestoral and blood pressure too. There are cures and alternatives to high cholestoral, but there are not cures to stain myopathy, and mitochondrial tissue damage.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html/comment-page-1#comment-64320 Anonymous Wed, 21 Jun 2006 20:44:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/06/statins-and-side-effects.html#comment-64320 How about Dr Uffe Ravenskov's book The Cholesterol Myths, which shows how little trust can be placed on the whole saturated fat, cholesterol lowering and statins theories, I have examined 2 large trial reports myself and science and logic are replaced by statistical sleight of hand. Except for familial hypercholesterolemia, it appears that statins only save lives by their side effect of reducing homocysteine, the cause of artery inflammation to which cholesterol, whether high or low, adheres. Homocysteine is a part made substance, needing cheap Folic acid and vits B6 and B12 to turn it into something useful. Who is going to take on further research into this harmless treatment and consign statins to outer darkness before the world population is damaged by irresponsible "preventive" medication,urged on us by flashing the spectre of heart attack before healthy people. How about Dr Uffe Ravenskov’s book The Cholesterol Myths, which shows how little trust can be placed on the whole saturated fat, cholesterol lowering and statins theories, I have examined 2 large trial reports myself and science and logic are replaced by statistical sleight of hand. Except for familial hypercholesterolemia, it appears that statins only save lives by their side effect of reducing homocysteine, the cause of artery inflammation to which cholesterol, whether high or low, adheres. Homocysteine is a part made substance, needing cheap Folic acid and vits B6 and B12 to turn it into something useful. Who is going to take on further research into this harmless treatment and consign statins to outer darkness before the world population is damaged by irresponsible “preventive” medication,urged on us by flashing the spectre of heart attack before healthy people.

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