How long were you on that statin? And do you remember what your cholesterol numbers were before you started?

Do you take drugs for your diabetes? Insulin or oral?

Statins do damage, and it takes a while for the damage to reverse if it is going to.

If you get your carbs too low, you will have low blood sugars here and there. Do you test? Do you test before a meal?

Too low also damages (starves) nerves. So it can be a delicate balance to keep your blood sugars up enough but not too much etc.

It can happen spontaneously, and you can have it in the family without being aware, as some have mild and late onset. I was around your age when symptoms started to get bad, I get cold because I have CMT- it is a primary symptom. Things can be co-morbid, as Glenn often reminds us here, just because you are diabetic doesn't mean something else isn't going on. Look it up and see what you think. Charcot Marie Tooth.
If you do have it I think the statins are even more dangerous.

Mrs. D, and all: I've read quite a bit here and elsewhere about the potential problems with statins as related to PN. I take 15 mg of generic Lipitor every day and have done so with increasing dosage over probably 15-20 years at this point... yikes.

The PN began maybe 18 months-2 years ago, this was about 2-3 years out from radiation treatment for head and neck cancer, no chemo.

I'm sure many here would recommend I stop the Lipitor. My neurologist and endocrinologist don't have any real answers for me beyond upping my Synthroid (from the latter).

If I do decide to stop, should I taper it would you say? I'm wondering about going off it cold turkey. I could also of course start taking Red Yeast Rice. In general my diet is vegetarian with dairy and occasional fish, and without the Lip my total cholesterol is usually in the 210-230 range.

thanks much.

Balanchine

i have used pravastatin 20 mg for 1 year.
current cholesterol levels
hdl 31
ldl 52
trigs 106
cholesterol
91

yes i take metformin and glyburide as oral medications
i test here and there and alternate from day to day, my current blood sugar is 91 1.5 hours after a meal, about 14 carbs

how long does it take for 2-300mg krill oil to take affect?
how long does it take for evening primrose oil to take affect?
how long will it take to get 20mg of pravastatin out of my system?

The statin should be gone by about 7 days.

But the restoration of what it did, is another matter.

The krill oil, is a source of needed Omega-3's. This is a nutrient your whole body needs on a daily basis. It is not a drug...and thinking about nutrients as drugs is somewhat counter productive.
If you provide the needed nutrients for the systems your body uses to repair things, then that repair will take some time.

There are some people with genetic flaws/errors who repair less than others. So it is impossible to predict who will progress at any one time.

If your total cholesterol was that low to begin with, then there is not likely a risk to stopping it. If you were 300 total, that would be a situation needing doctor input, etc. Since statins have been shown to CAUSE diabetes, and if you are not really high but only borderline, then you can decide to stop if you choose. But make sure you read the data on your own, to solidify that choice.

I try to bring the newest and most useful data to people here. But I cannot tell you what to do... that is your choice in the end.

I would suggest you take your blood sugar readings when you feel numb. If they are really low...then that is your answer.
Lows will starve nerves and doctors don't look for this.

Highs with poor insulin levels also starve nerves. It is a matter of degree. You want to be in a middle zone.

If you wake up numb and have low readings on your glucometer, then wake up in the night and have a snack. 1/2 of a zone bar, or some cheese, or some nuts. See if that helps.

I have decided to quit taking the pravastatin since reading the info that you sent me.

what other nutrients do you prefer that i should take to keep the healing process going once the pravastatin is out of my system.i just started taking krill oil, flax seed, evening primrose oil, benfotiamine, methyl b12, folate acid, niacinamide, magnesium malate, i quit taking the cheap fish oil by the way, 100mg coq10. any other nutrients, please let me know, thank you mrs D

I'd suggest you take methylfolate (MetaFolin) for your folate supplement. 800mcg/day

This is in case you are a carrier of the MTHFR mutation that cannot methylate B12 and folic acid.

And make sure your CoQ-10 is a water soluble type..the newest form so that you can benefit from it better than the older ones.

Qunol is an example. 100mg of Qunol is about equivalent to 300mg of older oil forms of CoQ-10. Qunol is at WalMart and Costco for reasonable prices now.

I'd take some glucose readings when you have the most symptoms. You need to know what is going on there as well.
1 hr after eating, 2 hrs after a eating, before the next meal, before bedtime, once during the night say at 1-2 am, and fasting am. This will tell you if your diet is working well throughout the day.

thank you for the valuable info on nutrients

i know that my blood sugar levels should be between 80-100 fasting, but the ada claims that i should not go over 180 during the daytime. i think and please correct me if i am wrong but nerve damage starts at 140. so should my blood sugar levels be between 80-130, doctors dont tell me nothing and dr. berstein in his book says diabetics should be between 80-95 which is very strict, please let me know, thank you.

Statins
 

Statins have been mentioned I am on pravastatin. When I was off of it for a bit here and there, I ended up with higher cholesterol. What is suggested to do instead of taking this? I always have wanted to know why I have this - I have taken flagyl a couple times and wondered too if a neck injection could have caused this... are nerves like in your extremities that get injured to blame for this? I have several areas that have been pinched for yrs.

hi Skipper 53 Bill

So, did you have all theese neuropathy symptoms before you were diagnosed with diabetes, 5 years ago?
Have you seen a Rheumatologist? Have you been checked for Sjoegreen Syndrome?
Sjoegren's have the symptoms with terrible neuropathy AND, important, DRY MOUTH Do you have dry eyes?

I have all theese symptoms you mentioned, full body small fiber,(also long fiber) and I also get burning inside of mucus membrane, all over. And I have autonomic neuropathy.
How is your GI functioning? Constipation, and slow digestion/absrbtion? Have you had a gastric Emptying studey? You should
How is your bladder functioning? If you wake up at night with dry mouth< perhaps it could be the Autonomic neuropathy doing that.
Ask for a test called Autonomic Reflex Study. It will test for functioning of your B/P and breathing. The autonomic nervous system controls your breathing.
( by the way, some of the symptoms are like mine)