Originally Posted by crandreww

Just a note: I was healthy 32 year old RN, and was on Lipitor for 3 years when I fell terribly ill, and subsequently disabled since 2002. I was hospitalized for 28 days at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. I underwent a brain biopsy revealing holes in my brain, consistent with Autophagic Vacuoles (Neuronal Apoptosis), a muscle biopsy revealing signs consistent with MELAS (Mitochondrial Encephalomypathy with Lactic Acidosis and Stroke-Like Episodes (MELAS), I was like patient with Alzheimers Disease, I did not know who I was, where I was, nor did I know my wife, or 3 year old son.

I wet and soiled myself, I was unable to speak coherently, unable to walk, feed myself, use the bathroom, etc. I was evaluated by nearly every Neurologist, Med Student, and Resident at the hospital. NO ONE COULD CORRELATE MY PROBLEM WITH STATINS. It wasnt until I was evaluated by a visiting professor from Harvard, who suggested I be tried on a Mitochondrial Cocktail (essentially 12 vitamins, amino acids and one KEY substance, CoQ10. After starting this I slowly began to improve to the point I could go home with aggressive rehab therapies, in place of my planned transfer to a nursing home.

With all of the labs, CT, MRI, EEG, etc..nobody could put a finger on a chemical cause, Lipitor. Why? Because physicians are educated by Drug Reps, who are paid very handsomely to sell a drug, minimize the risks, and boast Relative Risk Reductions, versus Absolute Risk Reductions. Shortly after Discharge,with a diagnosis of "viral encephalitis", my wife and I were watching Good Morning America, when Diane Sawyer was interviewing Dr Beatrice Golomb of the UCSD, regarding her Statin Effects Study she was going to be doing.

My wife immediately begged me to enroll, I replied, as a critical care RN,it was my job to know everything there is to know about these drugs, and there is no way my problems were NOT an effect of my use of Lipitor. When the statin study was concluded, I received a phone call from Dr Golomb, who informed me that my case, symptoms, problems were not rare among her study participants, and she referred our cases to one of the top Mitochondrial Experts in the nation, Dr Doug Wallace, from the University of California, Irvine.

And it was his opinion, that my use of Lipitor was the likely causal contributor to the Mitochondrial DNA mutations, as well as the holes (apoptosis) that were seen in my brain biopsy. Some time after this, I received a call from Dr Wallace, to inform me, that we know where my statin use took me, and he assured me that if I were to consider resuming "statin therapy", there is only one way for me to go. I urge anyone and everyone to STOP these poisons. The notion that Cholesterol causes heart disease is based on "checkbook science"..and there is plenty of evidence that absolutely refutes this junk science, I would like to offer to share any or all of the information with anyone interested, message me and I will be sure to share..