Statins...
Do you have actual heart risk factors , or are the statins just a "preventative " measure due to cholesterol numbers?

We have some threads on the newer statin information.. just a few...
Statins
Dr. Hyman, MD's take on statins today:

[QUOTE=Jo*mar;1266793]Statins...
Do you have actual heart risk factors , or are the statins just a "preventative " measure due to cholesterol numbers?



Thanks for the info. My cholesterol was around 250 and is the heredity kind. I have no heart issues other than a RBBB diagnosed with a stress test years ago that I was told is nothing to worry about. I'm on 20mg of simvastatin and my cholesterol levels are around 170. I hope this answers your question.

[QUOTE=Tinglehand;1266806]250 isnt a terrible number...i think i would stop the statin, the side affects in your case arent worth it and try a natural way to bring down your cholesterol if you want.

My cholesterol is about the same as yours and I do not take statins. Every time I try to take them my neuropathy flares up - within days. I met with my neurologist at the Mayo Clinic and told him about my issues with statins and he said that one of the side effects of statins is neuropathy! So I watch my diet, especially carbs - and after 6 months my cholesterol dropped like 40 points. For me (the cause of my sensory neuropathy is erratic blood sugar) watching what I eat lowered all 3 types of cholesterol that they measure - including the one that is suppose to be family history and it doesn't change. Go figure - diet made a huge difference for me. It turned out I was eating WAY too much fruit - which quickly turns into sugar.

My dad had a stroke and my mother congestive heart disease and so this was a big worry for me - I'm thankful I found something that works for me.

One thing I have found in my 18 years of having Sensory Neuropathy is you just keep looking for help and it does come in many forms - diet, exercise, sometimes medication, sometimes help at this sight. Good luck!
Tina

Thanks for you story, misery loves company!

Are you pre-diabetic or diabetic? I tried a strict diet once and it didn't help my bad cholesterol, but shot my triglycerides up. I soon stopped and went back on the statin. I never had the neuropathy until just 3 years ago, but it has been persistent in both hands and starting up the back side of my forearm. I'm 66 now so I have gone a long time with no neuropathy problems. I just started with gabapentin three days ago and have noticed very little change. I am also stopping the statin as of today and hope to see some results over the next few months. I have never had sugar issues and have been fairly active for my age. I may be slightly overweight by docter's standards, but I am big boned and strong which skews the standards.

I am curious what your main diet now consists of since fruits and carbs seem to be off the table for you. I'm willing to try different things.

Thanks again for you response.

Bruce

[QUOTE=Tinglehand;1266858]Thanks for you story, misery loves company!

Are you pre-diabetic or diabetic? I tried a strict diet once and it didn't help my bad cholesterol, but shot my triglycerides up. I soon stopped and went back on the statin. I never had the neuropathy until just 3 years ago, but it has been persistent in both hands and starting up the back side of my forearm. I'm 66 now so I have gone a long time with no neuropathy problems. I just started with gabapentin three days ago and have noticed very little change. I am also stopping the statin as of today and hope to see some results over the next few months. I have never had sugar issues and have been fairly active for my age. I may be slightly overweight by docter's standards, but I am big boned and strong which skews the standards.

I am curious what your main diet now consists of since fruits and carbs seem to be off the table for you. I'm willing to try different things.

Thanks again for you response.

Bruce
Hi Bruce -

First, gapapentin takes time to build up in your system, so don't expect anything right away. Going off the statins takes a few days for the pain it caused me. The biggest reason people have neuropathy is being diabetic, which I'm not and your not - so there is another reason. My actual diagnosis is erratic blood sugar/pre diabetic - after years saying I was idiopathic after dozens of test at Mayo I said "Look when I eat something with sugar on an empty stomach I get tried and fall asleep". So they finally did a good ole glucose tolerance test - and I crashed big time. All my blood sugar test come out perfect. I am on the Keto diet, which is kind of a fad right now, prior to that I was doing low carb - no desert for a couple of years and saw some changes and when my son-in-law went on the Keto diet he convinced me to give it a try. You can read about it all over the internet. For me, it made a difference after about 2 months in my neuropathy. My cholesterol went down, my blood pressure went down, and I'm loosing about 2lbs a month even though I'm on Lyrica (gabipentin's big sister) Which is crazy because all I have done is gain weight since being diagnosed - as the gabipentin is really a weight gainer in side effects as well as Lyrica. I was very worried about the cholesterol with this diet even though everything I read said it doesn't raise it - but when you are eating steak, salami, cheese, etc - it was a worry!! But I had my blood tests done after about 4 months and my numbers significantly dropped. I told my neurologist what I was doing and he said keep going and we will check you again in 6 months. Exciting -- until I had this stupid flare up!!

The diet is basically very low carb - like under 30-50mgs of carbs a day. So I eat meat, dairy, eggs, a small amount of berries and lots of veggies and I can have sugar free products like Jello pudding or such when I am craving something sweet. I even found a low carb ice cream brand named Enlightened - which is made from a natural sugar substitute - which really has brightened up my diet

Neuropathy is a symptom of something like a fever is - so for me having this weird way I process sugar/carbs it helped me. I have a high stress life as you might have read in my earlier post, and that is a real factor in my level of pain too. Sending you my best wishes and come here often, everyone is so kind and helpful and yes good understanding company! Let me know if you have any more questions.
Tina:

Thanks Tina,

Thanks for your detailed response. I will look into the keto diet.
The gabapentin seems to be slowly helping, so I will continue as
Directed by my rheumatologist. It has only been about 8 days
I'm also looking into a possibility of a mold toxicity which I understand
Can also cause neuropathy. A mold detection company is coming out this
Afternoon for a quick look. I hope it is only mildew, but if not it may lead
Me to the root cause of my hand neuropathy issues. I will certainly post
Any findings even if not for a few weeks. Everything takes time!

Thanks again,
Bruce