Posted on 03/31/2007 4:37:45 PM PDT by blam
The deeper I go into it, the fishier statins seem to become
James.LeFanu@telegraph.co.uk, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 11:25pm BST 31/03/2007
Second opinion
Statins again, whose mass prescription is turning out to be much more serious (and sinister) than I could have supposed.
The response to my last two columns has been, almost literally, overwhelming, so why are doctors apparently so unaware of the devastating symptoms they can cause? The British Heart Foundation (whose chairman, Professor Peter Weissberg accused me last week of being "easily led" on this matter) claims that statins have "minimal side effects" compared to those taking controlled (or placebo) drugs. And, indeed, several major trials report an astonishingly low incidence, of around 0.5 per cent, of the commonest side-effects of severe muscular aches and pains, both in those taking statins and those taking the placebo.
This seems staggeringly unlikely, the more so since a recent survey of 5,000 patients taking statins, conducted for a Dutch television programme, produced a rather different figure of 27 per cent, That would mean that nearly a million people are affected by statin-induced muscular pains and reduced mobility. It is not necessary to be a conspiracy merchant to suspect that something fishy is going on here.
The need to find out what is really happening is all the more urgent as medical leaders and prominent cardiologists are now pressing for a yet lower "ideal" cholesterol level, with a target of less than four, which will catch yet more millions in the statin trap. Several readers report that their family doctors have already doubled the doses of their drugs in the last six months. The time has surely come, with such vast sums of public money at stake, for questions in the House.
Finally, on a happier note, several readers have written to sing the praises of their family practice, to the same tune as Joe Windsor, from Poole, who recently featured in this column. Bob Britnell commends the "fantastic" practice in New Dover Road, Canterbury, where "our family experience has invariably been good". Celia and Derek Glover from Ross on Wye applaud the "superb service" provided by their surgery where they can book an appointment online up to three weeks ahead. And Liz Tovey, from Malvern, after listing the many wonders of being a patient at Whiteacres Medical Centre, adds "they have never failed me, or my family in 14 years".
I tried that route for 6 months. No joy. My legs keep getting weaker and weaker. I've switched statins three times now trying to find one I can tolerate.
After 3 stents, 8 heart caths and a bypass (MIDCAB), I'm not sure I want to go off statins, however.
Hope you're ok. The thread need to be redone. "fisher"?
what kinds of pains in your muscles?.....can you describe the quality of the pains and activities or motions that aggravate them?
10 years from now, the whole cholesterol thing and it treatment will seem as barbaric and crude as having leechs suck blood out of you to do blood letting.
Statins work by reducing inflammation. Cholesterol is irrelevant, except that HDL is good for your arteries, and that hypercholestolimia indicates an underlying metabolic condition which is bad for your arteries, and where the high level of cholesterol is a symptom, not a cause.
see: http://www.spacedoc.net/
My doc took me off of Lipitor 10mg and now I'm up to 2gms of niacin daily - I get tested agin next week.
Ah, peer reviewed science----ROFLOL.
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Lipitor works fine for me--no side effects of any sort. Of course, I had been taking CoQ10 for years before I started the Lipitor, so that "might" be the reason.
Pretty simple. The sort of pain most people would get if they walked a few miles going up hill all the way.
It's interesting that you say this is fishy. I took myself off statins and the doctor put me on fishoil capsules instead.
Best thing to do when you suffer myalgia is give 'em up for awhile. Something like 20% of the population in this country suffers myalgia from statins.
Last year my husband had a routine physical done and his doctor said his cholesterol was 212. He immediately prescribed Crestor, and sent him home with some samples, didn't talk about diet, or ANYTHING else.
Fortunately, I have a background in wellness and said NO WAY, we will take you to someone else and have it redone. It was about 4 months later before he had it redone, and it was 164! Now, hubby didn't change a single thing concerning diet or exercise. I am so glad he didn't just start taking a drug that he clearly didn't even need. Sometimes I wonder what doctors are thinking....
susie
I'm a new-comer to your 'camp'.
And you are an arrogant fool.
I eat one can of tuna daily.
Co Q-10 can cause internal bleeding, be careful. My own experience seems to suggest that it contributed to joint pain and stiffness
Watch what kind you're buying. Mercury can be an issue.
I described it to my brother this way before I even read anything about it being prossibly related to statins. It's as if you had let yourself get out of shape then started a vigorous exercise routine...the soreness that usually comes from this type activity never goes away. I had attributed to 'old-age.' And, my knees would just collapse.
Niaspan works for me. My doctor has me take it at bedtime with an aspirin (to reduce any flushing). It's very cheap, very safe and it works.
I was on statins on and off for 8 years after my CABGx4 and discovered there wasn't one I could tolerate. Muscle weakness to the point I could hardly walk...pain....memory problems....you name I had it.
Finally I got off of them and take Zetia now with no problems but this past December I had blood work done. My cholestrol was lower than ever at 160. On Feb.23 I suffered heart attack, heart failure and was on ventilator for 2 weeks followed by mitral valve replacement. So actually I believe there is more to what causes heart problems besides the high cholestrol.....it certainly adds to it but I believe stress may also play a big part of it all. At this point I'm just happy to be alive and my new cardio man said to definitely stay off of statins...some people tolerate and some absolutely can not.
I hope you can find some answers to the cholestrol problem because eventually if you are one so inclined may find yourself virtually doing nothing.
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