[truthguy]

My doctor wanted to put me on Statins because my LDL was 112. For many years if you were under 130 everything was OK. Then all of a sudden the recommended level was dropped to 100. Think of all the millions between 100-130. That's a lot of prescriptions. With diet and exercise I lowered it to 104 and he finally stopped bugging me about it.

I cannot believe how fast he wanted to put me on these drugs. Has anyone had a similar experience?

[Mercat]

My doc gave me three months to lower it. Its at 144. My HDL is too low. He also said to take vitamin D - 1000/day.

[zzeeman]

I've been off statins (poison) for over 3 years. Once I found out that this whole "cholesterol Problem" was/is a huge sham, and learned about the side-effects (that I was experiencing for years but didn't know any better), I told my doc that I wasn't going to take any of them anymore. He didn't argue much. Seriously, anyone that has been taking them and has any concerns, do a little research.

In short:

- "target" levels were established to ensure enough of the population would fall "at risk" (even been adjusted lower to get more users over time)

- the statins cross the blood-brain barrier and kill off cholesterol in the brain that is not easily replenishable (BTW, the body, esp. the brain NEEDs cholesterol to function and grow!)

- I went and had one of the cardiac scoring high-tech MRIs that you have to pay for out of pocket (most ins. don't cover) and found out that I have way less than 10% scaling, which based on my age, is quite good (it is actually the scaling or calcification in the arteries that is a cause of heart disease, not a high cholesterol level!)

- all of the studies that they have done over the years can only establish a very weak (almost non-existent) relationship between the use of statins and lower instances of heart disease

Obviously everyone should do their own research (i.e., not rely on an AMA member) and make their own decision. I have felt so much better since I stopped and have had all of those nasty side effects disappear over time.

[Balding_Eagle]

Just happened to me, doctor just about beat me on the head to start with Zetia.

I used it one month, lowered my LDL 13% instead of the 25 to 30% he said was normal, so I’ve quit it.

[Salamander]

Our doc HATES statins with a passion.
Took hubby off of them immediately and switched him to 4 grams of Niacin a day.

His cholesterol levels were never better.

Then hubby had triple bypass due to 90% blocked arteries and *that* cardio doc put him back on them so fast it’d make your head spin.

Our doc says that the pushers...uh...drug company reps commonly hand out money, vacations, you name it, proportionate to how MUCH statins a doctor prescribes a month.

Our doc tells them to get bent.

Unfortunately, hubby is now taking them because he’s afraid of another bypass when it’s a fact that 90-95% blockages take *decades* to build up and his cholesterol had little or nothing to do with it.

Next time your doc gripes about your “LDL”, ask him to have your LP(a) and homocysteine levels checked.

I guarantee you’ll piss him/her off.

LP(a) “cholesterol” is what blocks your arteries and homocysteine levels predict how “far gone” you may be.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipoprotein(a)