Wellness

[Krimpette]

My doctor and I are beiievers in the benefits of statins.  Over the years, I've taken a couple of different ones.  I currently take Pravastatin and have no adverse effects.  Been taking it for a year or two now.   Started out with lipitor many years ago, but after a time,  discontinued that because of aches.

[jubilant]

I am not able to take statins.  Years ago my doctor tried 4 or 5 different statins and they all did the same thing.  I ached and had pain from my head down to my toes. 

Fast forward to now.  I had to have a quadruple by-pass about 6 months ago.  My cardiologist wanted me to try Livalol....so I did.  Guess what?  They quit manufacturing it.  Now my only option is a very expensive shot...I'm talking thousands of dollars.  My Cardio doctor says studies show that I may be ok for 5 yrs. but people like me will have this back in 9 yrs. He wants me to do the shots ($14,000 a year)!  I haven't checked with my insurance yet, but even half of that is highway robbery if you ask me! This new drug (shot) is not a statin, so if you're willing to pay the price (I am not) you might want to check into it.

  My doctor has informed me that all the dieting and exercise in the world will not bring my cholesterol to where it should be. I will be around 78 yrs. old  in 9 or 10 yrs. To me, that is still a fairly long life.  I will die of something one way or the other and I refuse to live what time I have left in constant pain.  I call it quality life over quantity. 

I am not afraid to die.  The pain of getting there is a little frightening but death itself does not scare me.  After my last breath here...my next one will be in my forever home where I will never be sick again.  That is how I am looking at it right now.  It feels like the right thing for me.  

[AuntG]

That's too bad, especially with your job situation. My DH has none of those side effects, but I believe what you are experiencing is not all that unusual. 

[Lilysmom]

@Sweet Caroline 1, I don’t know anything about statins but taking 6 ibuprofen every four or five hours is not a good thing.  You should discuss this with your doctor.  Once my doctor told me that OTC drugs can have very bad side effects, worse than prescription drugs.  Hopefully your dr. can do something to make the ibuprofen issue disappear.  Good luck!  LM

[felixmom]

Read up on how CoQ10 helps with statin-caused muscle pain. I was on Simvastatin (Zocor) for years and suffered greatly with leg pain. My doctor switched me to Atorvastatin (Lipitor) and I started taking CoQ10 and I have no muscle pain. You could start the CoQ10 on a small dose (100 - 200 mg) and see how you respond. Good luck with it.

[Another new name Sue]

Please see your dictionary ASAP!!

EDITED TO ADD.....I don't think your dictionary will help, but a DOCTOR could!  

[Vivian]

High cholesterol runs in my family on both sides. When my numbers started inching up my doctor put me on a statin. She worked me up to a higher dose and that’s when the trouble started. I could not walk. One of the possible side effects of statins is Achilles tendonitis and boy did I have THAT side effect. This happened with a succession of different stain drugs. Finally, I told the doctor that if I can tolerate the lower dose, sticking to that should be better than no meds at all. She agreed. I’m now on the lowest dose of yet another statin and I am tolerating it without trouble....and my numbers are down.

[Shelbelle]

I passed on statins also, I have used Cholest Wise from Puritans Pride for the last 14 years.

[PamfromCT]

My DH suffered ill effects from Statin drugs, leaving him with neuropathy in his feet, despite no diabetes.  My DH's PCP recommended he try an over the counter medication produced by Nature Made called CholestOff Complete.  It is important to use the "Complete" version.  The results have been excellent, and DH's cardiologist, who had never heard of this, has been very happy with the results.  He had never heard of this, and he is now recommending this supplement to patients having side effects with Statins.  My DH's blood work continues to be very good.  

I would recommend talking to your doctor about this option.

[sidsmom]

Heavens!  Change the diet!

Only 2 posts before me lightly mentioned diet.

Low fat, whole foods, plant based nutritional therapy.

Research & read the studies from,

Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn (Cleveland Clinic and

Dr. Michael Greger (NutritionFacts.org).

Food should be the medicine.

Blocked arteries didn’t happen from eating lots of lettuce.

The diet must be changed for improvements.

Even if you’re pre-existing condition is ‘caused’ from heredity or

another illness, diet STILL plays a huge part in overall wellness.

Changing the diet is the...

-least evasive,

-least expensive,

-least painful

-most readily available

...form of addressing a wellness condition.