Hi all,
This has nothing to do with MC, but stories such as this one, by a former USAF Flight Surgeon, and NASA Astronaut, send chills up and down my spine. Taking a statin, reminds me of playing Russian roulette, where there's little to gain, and everything to lose.
http://www.spacedoc.net/rest_of_my_story.html
Tex
Why Statins Scare Me
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Why Statins Scare Me
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8332
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
it definately had a theme of research and self manage........... and a pill is not always the perfect answer
if big pharma can make profit from treating a symptom, they dont care if causes multiple other conditions
if big pharma can make profit from treating a symptom, they dont care if causes multiple other conditions
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
I have never looked into statin side effects, although just a few weeks ago my PCP wrote me a script for Lipitor after counsel on a recent colesteral test. Hmm.... I guess I need to do some research before I start taking it (or not)
Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
- Abraham Lincoln
- Abraham Lincoln
While my story is not as bad I will say that I cannot (and will not) take any statins. I am now wondering if it was the trigger of my MC. In '05 my cholesterol was not responding quickly enough to Zetia. A few months prior to that I had been on one of the statins (don't remember which one) and was suffering severe sunburn, even with a sunscreen. After being on Zorcor for a few months I had irregular liver function tests. Finally an ultrasound revealed I had a gallstone over 1" in diameter. This was also about the time the big D started. I had my gallbladder removed in July and got my MC diagnosis in August.
Since that time I have been on every statin on the market and they each provided significant muscle weakness in my legs with no correlating lab test to support it. I have now been off statins for almost a year. My legs still hurt with a lot of exercise but I'm pretty sure there is no permanent damage. My cholesterol and triglycerides are still out of wack. I am now on high doses of niacin. So far it is not helping. I will have another increase in it in 2 weeks. Now this is with a change in diet (even lower fats than before) and weight loss (I'm now down 20# YEAH).
I have been able to keep my MC in control pretty much with diet. The raw veggies still bother me and I miss them so much. I do indulge on occasion and then control the D with Immodium. It's been 3 years since my last use of Entrocort, which has been a lifesaver for me.
Just wanted to post my statin experience. I think this is one of the scarest drug groups on the market.
Since that time I have been on every statin on the market and they each provided significant muscle weakness in my legs with no correlating lab test to support it. I have now been off statins for almost a year. My legs still hurt with a lot of exercise but I'm pretty sure there is no permanent damage. My cholesterol and triglycerides are still out of wack. I am now on high doses of niacin. So far it is not helping. I will have another increase in it in 2 weeks. Now this is with a change in diet (even lower fats than before) and weight loss (I'm now down 20# YEAH).
I have been able to keep my MC in control pretty much with diet. The raw veggies still bother me and I miss them so much. I do indulge on occasion and then control the D with Immodium. It's been 3 years since my last use of Entrocort, which has been a lifesaver for me.
Just wanted to post my statin experience. I think this is one of the scarest drug groups on the market.
While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart. - Saint Francis of Assisi
Dan,
It is speculated that the drug Lipitor may be protective of the myelin sheath that encases nerves, (the integrity of the myelin sheath is essential for proper nerve function). However, I note that it was Lipitor that Dr. Graveline used, (in the story cited in my first post in this thread).
Jan,
As you are probably aware, most researchers claim that statins reduce the risk of gallstones, (that eventually lead to surgery), but there are many, many patients who claim that statins caused their gallstones.
The frustrating part is that while all doctors prescribe statins right and left, to lower cholesterol, there doesn't appear to be any research evidence whatsoever, proving that lowering cholesterol in patients with heart disease, actually results in improved longevity, and the reason why there isn't any research evidence, is because statins do not improve longevity for anyone with heart disease. Furthermore, research shows that in people with known coronary artery disease, taking statins for 30 years, will, on the average, increase lifespan by a whopping 2 months.
Could that be worth the risk? It's claimed that a high level of LDL cholesterol is deadly, and yet more than half of all heart attacks occur in people with LOW LDL levels. 
When I was discharged from the hospital, in Feburary, I asked for a prescription for a blood pressure lowering medication, in case I needed it when I got home, (since they had been giving me BP meds every day, while I was recovering in the hospital). Guess what? They gave me a prescription for a statin, also.
I didn't even realize it was on there, until I stopped at a pharmacy on the way home, and the pharmacist handed me a pill bottle containing the stuff. Doctors apparently love statins, for some reason or other. I had my GP check my cholesterol level, last month, and it was 211, which was down 17 points from my previous test, a year earlier. Why was it down? Who knows. I sure haven't been taking any statins.
Tex
It is speculated that the drug Lipitor may be protective of the myelin sheath that encases nerves, (the integrity of the myelin sheath is essential for proper nerve function). However, I note that it was Lipitor that Dr. Graveline used, (in the story cited in my first post in this thread).
http://www.renegadeneurologist.com/blog/However, in a recent report from the World Health Organization patients were warn about a link between statin drugs and either ALS or ALS-like symptoms. Upon looking through the database at WHO which keeps track of reports of possible adverse reactions to medications, WHO found 43 people who upon taking statin medications developed ALS or experienced ALS-like symptoms. While this may appear as if those who take statins medication should stop immediately, WHO warns that the results could be coincidental and that more information is needed before a proper diagnosis is made.
The theory that resulted from this report is that statin medications may remove the cholesterol that surrounds nerve membranes and therefore leave them open to damage and the eventual development of ALS. However, based on primary information, not all statin medications may cause or ALS or ALS-like symptoms. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is also an anti-inflammatory drug that when taken may help protect the exposed nerve cells from damage.
Jan,
As you are probably aware, most researchers claim that statins reduce the risk of gallstones, (that eventually lead to surgery), but there are many, many patients who claim that statins caused their gallstones.
The frustrating part is that while all doctors prescribe statins right and left, to lower cholesterol, there doesn't appear to be any research evidence whatsoever, proving that lowering cholesterol in patients with heart disease, actually results in improved longevity, and the reason why there isn't any research evidence, is because statins do not improve longevity for anyone with heart disease. Furthermore, research shows that in people with known coronary artery disease, taking statins for 30 years, will, on the average, increase lifespan by a whopping 2 months.
Could that be worth the risk? It's claimed that a high level of LDL cholesterol is deadly, and yet more than half of all heart attacks occur in people with LOW LDL levels. When I was discharged from the hospital, in Feburary, I asked for a prescription for a blood pressure lowering medication, in case I needed it when I got home, (since they had been giving me BP meds every day, while I was recovering in the hospital). Guess what? They gave me a prescription for a statin, also.
I didn't even realize it was on there, until I stopped at a pharmacy on the way home, and the pharmacist handed me a pill bottle containing the stuff. Doctors apparently love statins, for some reason or other. I had my GP check my cholesterol level, last month, and it was 211, which was down 17 points from my previous test, a year earlier. Why was it down? Who knows. I sure haven't been taking any statins.Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I stopped taking my statin, Vytorin a couple of weeks ago. I'm eating little fat and with my low weight and blood pressure, it doesn't seem necessary. I'll have my cholesterol level tested in a few months to see if it has increased. Before statins(and MC), my level was 330. Most recently on Vytorin, it was 130 - quite a drop.
Gloria
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
I was on Lipitor for a long time and then Pravachol. I have a gallstone. Doc made me go to a surgeon. He said I didn't need surgery. He had said that previously when I asked him when he was checking on DH when he had a different surgery.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and don't play one on TV.
LDN July 18, 2014
Joan
LDN July 18, 2014
Joan
I have taken crestor for years.. the only cholesterol drug my family doc prefers to use. When my CC was in a flare.. I would go off all drugs (this is before I started on entocort). Didn't take my blood pressure meds, or crestor. My cholesterol would sky rocket when off crestor.
The reason for stopping all meds back then.. we were never sure if the colitis problems were from medications themselves or the fillers in them.
I have gotten leg cramps while taking Crestor but I just dropped the dosage a bit. Doc says some Crestor for me is better than none.
I tried diet and exercise to lower cholesterol.. no luck. Doc says sometimes it is just genetic. None of my relatives are alive to know if they had cholesterol problems.. don't even think testing was done back before they died.
grannyh
The reason for stopping all meds back then.. we were never sure if the colitis problems were from medications themselves or the fillers in them.
I have gotten leg cramps while taking Crestor but I just dropped the dosage a bit. Doc says some Crestor for me is better than none.
I tried diet and exercise to lower cholesterol.. no luck. Doc says sometimes it is just genetic. None of my relatives are alive to know if they had cholesterol problems.. don't even think testing was done back before they died.
grannyh
I am supposed to be taking Lipitor (supposed to have been for the last 3 years I guess). More times than not I don't take it. Sometimes I'll take it every other day instead of daily but haven't taken it at all for probably 3 months now. I really don't want to be on it and now that I know I'll be changing doctors when I move to Pa I know I won't have to hear about it from my current doctor. I only filled the prescription because he wore me down on the subject. So, I guess I don't really know much about the side effects, etc. I didn't notice any but I just really didn't want to take the stuff.
Perhaps they do some good......... I don't know. Just don't feel I want or need them. My C levels aren't all that high in my opinion. HaHa My Dad's weren't either, but his right carotid artery plugged up anyway. Mom was always trying to fight her C (with diet) but has never had a stroke or plugged artery. Her C was always higher than Dad's.
I think they really know SO little about how our bodies really work. They jump on one bandwagon and ride that for years and then they have to find another "answer" because it's not working out so well.
Forgive my negativity..........
Love, Shirley
Perhaps they do some good......... I don't know. Just don't feel I want or need them. My C levels aren't all that high in my opinion. HaHa My Dad's weren't either, but his right carotid artery plugged up anyway. Mom was always trying to fight her C (with diet) but has never had a stroke or plugged artery. Her C was always higher than Dad's.
I think they really know SO little about how our bodies really work. They jump on one bandwagon and ride that for years and then they have to find another "answer" because it's not working out so well.
Forgive my negativity..........
Love, Shirley
When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber"
-- Winston Churchill
-- Winston Churchill
I agree - that seems to accurately describe the general approach that the medical community takes toward health care. They'll determine that some sort of chemical or enzyme level seems to be connected with a certain disease, and then they will label it as a "cause" of that disease, and develop a drug to suppress it. In reality, it may be a symptom, rather than a cause, and suppressing it may do no good at all, but they never bother to do the right research to verify what is actually happening.Shirley wrote:I think they really know SO little about how our bodies really work. They jump on one bandwagon and ride that for years and then they have to find another "answer" because it's not working out so well.
I have a hunch that cholesterol may fall into that category. I suspect that an elevated cholesterol level is a symptom of a problem, not a cause, because suppressing it seems to provide very little benefit, (other than to make doctors happy, when they see that their treatment is "working", because the patient's cholesterol level is down.
). The doctor is happy, but is the patient any better off? Love,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.