Statins
 

Useful: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...T-20045772?p=1

Harmful: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...-revealed.aspx

Who is correct? One opinion (there are others): http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/p...erous-statins/

I intend to ask all prescribers if the proposed medication is a statin. If so, are there non-statin alternatives?

Search "statin" on our website. I have many many links in many places, that address this dilemma.

IMO Mayo is just about the worst place to get an unbiased opinion about anything involving preventive medicine.

Would you believe that REAL research into cholesterol has not been done until recently? Stephanie Seneff PhD at MIT is doing it now. She is on YouTube with several interviews explaining.
http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/w...ally_work.html

Dr. Kendricks and the WHO MONICA study on cholesterol/heart disease link (which they report does not exist):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8SSCNaaDcE

Hannah Yoseph and her husband on the chemistry of how statins are so toxic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19uxXqWF8h4

There is a book that started the whole statin critique, called The Cholesterol Myths.
http://www.amazon.com/Cholesterol-My...+uffe+ravnskov
In it the author explains how Dr. Keys who started the whole cholesterol studies for the drug companies, threw out data that didn't fit his assumptions. It is a real eye opener, if you can find it.

I think one of the most useful information sources is Dr. Graveline. He lost his memory on Lipitor. He has a website, and a book called Lipitor, Thief of memory.

Mayo clinic uses the criteria of "level of care" throughout its website. In some cases, this is useful, but in others, they do not pay attention to ANYTHING useful if it is not in the medical level of care list. Unfortunately the drug companies in this country have just about saturated doctors' minds that statins are safe, safe enough to add to our water supply and dose our little children too! I recall one summer, both TIME and NEWSWEEK had pro-statin articles, suggesting just that...to put statins in our WATER. How vile is that? We will see statins become an historical oddity, once the new non-statin cholesterol drugs are more common. One is almost available now.

Statins were initially offered for people with the genetic errors in lipoproteins. Then the greed began, as drug execs decided that they could make tons of $$$$ creating a need for them for everyone! They brainwashed doctors, so that most doctors don't even suggest COQ-10 to patients taking statins! Some don't even know it is necessary.

Statins are being prescribed even when levels are well within normal range. :confused:

Statins cause damage to nerve cells......but doctors still continue to push these drugs. Big Pharma has used scare tactics to convince folks that statins are life savers. For them, maybe ($$).......but not for those who take them.

But, it's a win-win for Big Pharma because when you get PN from statin use (which is practically guaranteed) they have a pill for that, too! :rolleyes:

The newer studies (check dates of the papers), and many from other countries, tend to be more "anti-statin". The Netherlands have conclusions that statins cause neuropathies. And Canada posted a large paper showing women do not benefit from statins. Dr. B Golomb MD has many comments on the net about not using statins in the elderly. Search "Beatrice Golomb MD statins" and you will find lots to read about!;)

When viewing pro-statin papers, check the authors to see if they have links to drug companies. Many do.

Our FDA while toeing a fine line with statins still is refusing to authorize them as OTC medications (as was done in UK). They have refused 3 times. They are also no longer approving statin based new drug applications. However they may still approve combo drugs with an prior approved statin and one other lipid lowering drug.

Between the Lyrica and Crestor/Lipitor ads on TV, I could be screaming all evening...but I put tv on mute and close by eyes...

I have a bridge friend who is mid 80's now and has dealt with neuropathy for probably 20 yrs or so...she has been taking statins for 30 yrs she tells us. I've mentioned this to her before and even lent her a book on the "cholesterol myth", she liked the book, even bought her own copy but won't get off statins.... I give up.

An FYI - The Statin Nation

https://www.fmtv.com/free-screening-august


I've been studying cholesterol for a long time and of course the statin issue. Just found out a casual friend who deals with nasty neuropathy has been taking statins for 30 yrs as she fears cholesterol. The fear from the medical world. Oh, I mentioned that friend above. Second mention.

My Cardiologist is pushing this new injected cholesterol drug on me now since I refuse statin therapy for my high LDL's. Says I'm a perfect for it since it is familial and the LDL can not be brought down even with diet and lifestyle changes. It supposedly had an excellent trial with very few side effects as compared to statins. Says, the beauty of it is it only reduces the LDL's, so it's a win-win. Statins reduced overall cholesterol. I just don't like "new". Seems like you never know what the real deal is with drugs until years go by. Feel like anyone taking this now is a test case.

I think it depends on what your cholesterol numbers are.

I have seen familial patients with total cholesterol approaching 800.
Using a statin in high dose only reduced one woman to around 400.

If your are under 300, you may not need anything.

Keeping your triglycerides down with fish oil would be a big help.
This reduces viscosity of the blood.

Make sure your thyroid is in good shape...hypo raises cholesterol.

Mine was 277, HDL's around 65, Tri's at 123. The LDL was the big one around like 179. I have a very good diet and in very good shape. Mother had same issue, although her diet is not so great. My hyopthyroid issues are slight according to bloodwork. 3cm benign nodule in the thyroid.

This link gives the ranges for familial genetic hypercholesteremia.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/121298-overview

You are not eligible for that diagnosis with your untreated numbers.

The drug companies have worked tirelessly to get the definition retooled to convince doctors to give statins to just about everyone.

The new drug agents are only indicated for patients with really high numbers. I, too, have no clue as to their safety either.

I saw a friend yesterday who has a long history of neuropathy and for many years her doctors called it ideopathic but recent years she came to the realization it's from 30 yrs of taking statins. We chatted yesterday and she mentioned she's in a class action lawsuit against lipitor.

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encycloped...ugs-29538.html

No COQ10?
 

I was shocked when a family member had recently told me she has been on statins and COQ10 has never been mentioned/prescribed/suggested.

This is 2015?

I was furious, in truth. There is no excuse for this anymore.:mad:

She is now reading up to see if she needs COQ10, which I support and admire. There's no reason she should take my word for it. I think she had a hard time with the fact that her doctor is not protecting her from potential statin harm. I had told her, point blank, there is no good reason for any doctor to not let patients know they need COQ10 if they are taking statins.

She wondered why her muscles ache so badly. She also now has a form of RLS, which may or may not be related. I gave her some topical magnesium chloride for her RLS.

I hope she see will decide to protect herself.

Warmly,
DejaVu

DejaVu, I have not gone to a traditional MD since 1991 and for 10 yrs NEVER getting help with what I believed was a sluggish thyroid. In 2002 my D.O. who worked on my back for years, called in for thyroid on the phone, no labs and that's when it all changed in my mind about the conventional world of medicine. 10 years of depression lifted in 4 days, it was thyroid all those years. But the MD wrote anti depression meds for 10 yrs.

I have no clue if a conventional MD ever would discuss COQ10, they know best to pull out the script pad and write away. I've started after the 2002 episode to seek out integrative MD's and found a whole new world. I could never go back as some friends try to get me to go to HMO's with my medicare and there is no way. Yes, I could save a little money but I would not get support that I now know.

It's pretty sad as I see it. Thinking about a friend who tells me about the 30 yrs of statins and all the neuropathy she deals with...she's now in a Lipitor class action suit. Her MD kept her on lipitor all those years and knew about all the neuropathy^^#$##

So, this is where I come from. The last traditional MD I saw was the ortho hip MD and I'm dealing with all that. So it's health groups I've been a member of and still am and friends and all the research I do on my own. C

I think MDs will rarely suggest CoQ10 supplementation and even less so - totally stopping statins..:(

My brothers & parents are on statins of some sort.. and no CoQ10 mentioned that I know of.. and their cholesterol # was hardly above 200:rolleyes:

Thinking more about this cholesterol/statin issue and last night on coast to coast radio Dr. Joel Wallach who is a guest often got into the Alzheimer issue and how we NEED cholesterol and talks about 10 eggs per day to help prevent alz. I eat eggs, probably two every other day and have no desire to do 10 per day. I've read that many alz patients have low cholesterol.

Growing up we ate everything, eggs, meats, fats, etc. and my parents lived into 90's and I don't think a cholesterol test was even taken or mentioned in their lives. They had good minds at their deaths. I don't recall hearing the word cholesterol until maybe 20 yrs ago.

Dr. Wallach has books and I think he said he was writing a new one. Believe him or not, I don't know...but know my past and my parents. There are some links on Wallach and his beliefs.

Another friend at bridge over the weekend mentioned she has tingle in her fingers and asked if any of us had an idea on this....I asked her if she takes statins and she said YES for a couple years.

Here is some more info on this subject. I'm a believer in that there are at least two sides to everything. Often more. Dr. Sinatra has a lot to say about cholesterol also. And there is plenty of threads on cholesterol if one wants to do a search here.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...olesterol+myth

[ life-saving meds such as statins]
For persons with actual cholesterol/heart issues, statins may be helpful and save a life.

But for the majority of persons with no risk factors, a cholesterol number on a chart should not make for an automatic statin Rx.. as it almost seems to be.

Everyone can make their own mind up when if the time comes for them.
Read about the pros & cons on statins and decide for yourself..

info results-
https://www.google.com/search?q=pros...ins&gws_rd=ssl

This is good information too. My integrative MD has done extensive lipid testing and homocystine and fibrinogen have been elevated....so for the last 3 yrs I've been taking supps to lower both these. They are coming down.

http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/19/w...heart-disease/

There is a Cochrane Collaboration systematic review of the results of 18 clinical trials, with 56934 participants, in which the risks and benefits of statins were examined here; http://www.cochrane.org/CD004816/VAS...scular-disease.

Hello pinkswede17,

I want to start out as saying I'm not offended nor do I find your post antagonistic. You are simply stating your opinion :)

My opinion is different than your. I consider Statins dangerous.

I spent a year and a half on a low dose Statin without being aware of the potential side effects or controversy.

I have a Neurological Disease so I didn't give the statin much thought as I started having problems. Those problems could have easily been a quick progression of my disease.

I slowly started to lose my strength and my ability to walk (as it is my max walking is 2 miles on a good day), fatigue that was much worse than my "normal" fatigue, and My legs hurt more than usual.

My cognitive abilities took a hit. I would be in the middle of talking and lost what I wanted to say, this got so bad all I could do was cry. I found my driving concentration wasn't there and I was getting lost in familiar places. And, I had memory loss. I stopped driving except when absolute necessary for my safety as well as the safety of others.

I was getting bad enough my Husband suspected I had developed Alzheimer's.

I did what I should have done in the beginning, I started to do research on the only medication I was taking...Lovastatin. What I found shocked and angered me. All of what I was experiencing could be connected to the statin.

I contacted my Drs. office to ask about going off the statin, I received a written note from my Dr. blaming my symptoms on my disease and if I stopped the statin I would have a stroke, but "if you want to take a chance of dying from a stroke then go ahead and stop the statin, it's your choice" .

I was angry. I made an appointment with my Neurologist and agonized over what to do.

I nervously made the decision to stop the statin.

My Neurologist scheduled me for Neuropsych testing. He was not happy that I was put on a statin. I have found many Neurologists recommend that their patients not use a statin. Those of us with Neurological disease would have a difficult time knowing if we are getting worse because of the disease or a statin.

The Neuropsych I saw said he and others in his field are seeing an increase of cases with cognitive problems due to statins. He would be using my case in an article submitted to the FDA.

Within 2 weeks after stopping the statin I was seeing improvement in cognition. It took time, frustration and anger to regain my mobility.

I lost my quality of life due to Lovastatin. I will never use a statin.

[suspected I had developed Alzheimer's]

This was my experience also with Lipitor..I felt so dumb at times and didn't know why...until I did some searches also.. I had such brain fog, spelling issues , word issues...
I also developed repetitive strain issues in same time frame. (muscle soreness)
I had repetitive injuries before, but this time it was greatly magnified and again , I didn't know what part was actual work injury vs what part was from the lipitor..

Here is Dr. Brownstein's newest book: The Statin Disaster

http://www.drbrownstein.com/The-Stat...indisaster.htm

My friend just left and said she bought it as her MD just sent thru a script for a statin. She will NOT take it.

Results of new information regarding Statins causing INCREASED risk of Parkinson's:

Medscape: Medscape Access

Prior information had suggested the reverse. But this large study shows that statins are problematic concerning Parkinson's disease.

Mrs. D,

Last year because of some of the post; yours included, I asked my doctor to lower my dose of 20mg's of Simvastatin to 10 mg's because I was concerned it might be causing my PN to worsen.

After reading Snoopy's 1/18 post regarding her memory, etc.,; I could have written the issues she was dealing with. I have been quite concerned/worried whether I am dealing with side effects of other meds or am I at the beginning stage of Alzheimers.

I felt safer being a low dose of 10mg's of Simvastatin. I never did notice any difference in my PN; especially the legs aching continually worsening, as well as the ankle/feet burning;.... but never suspected the above memory issues a possibility. Looking back, these memory issues began being problematic over the past year or so. Do you think a dose as low as 10mg's of Simvastatin could possibly be at issue???

Again, thanks for all you do at NT. You are much appreciated.


Gerry

Yes, I do think this is still too high for many people.

There are some studies now on PubMed that 5mg of Crestor (which is very potent), once a week is enough to lower cholesterol.

The statins are not all equal. Some are more lipophilic (fat soluble) and enter the brain more than others. Simvastatin is one of those. So mental side effects are greater with it.

One example of using low infrequent doses (slightly higher than 5mg a week).
The effect of infrequent low-dose rosuvastatin on the lipid profile. - PubMed - NCBI

"Low and slow":
Oral use of “Low and Slow” Rosuvastatin with Co-Enzyme Q1 in patients with Statin-Induced Myalgia: Retrospective case review

There are several other entries on Google for " low infrequent doses of rosuvastatin" that you can look up.

And you must also take a quality well absorbed CoQ-10 daily when using any statin. Qunol is now affordable, and I suggest that one at 100mg a day. (this is about equal to the older gel forms of 300mg a day)

Again, is it really cholesterol that's the Fear we have been brainwashed to believe. I've done plenty of research and talked to other than allopathic MD's...and the cholesterol myth keeps coming up. For me when I started lipid testing a few years ago, homocysteine was elevated and over the years I've brought it down with natural supplements for this issue.

I've said many times, my folks lived into 90's and ate everything and the word cholesterol was never a word. Neither smoked so that saved them too.

Cholesterol is a billion dollar industry.

PS: Speaking of billion $$$ business. I found this info today. Why would all these professionals print this info?

The Cholesterol Hoax

Very little cholesterol is present in the body as a free lipid.

In the blood most of it is bound to two kinds of lipoprotein particles, HDL and LDL. Because of this measurements of total blood cholesterol are not currently regarded as helpful.

Cholesterol in HDL is sometimes informally called "good cholesterol". That is because HDL is responsible for a process called reverse cholesterol transport. That means that, through the action of a protein called SR-BI, it can be taken up by the liver and its cholesterol disposed of. SR-BI is also important in platelets. There is a free-access review of this here SR-BI as target in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease - A comprehensive appraisal of the cellular functions of SR-BI in physiology and dise... - PubMed - NCBI.

Cholesterol in LDL is sometimes informally called "bad cholesterol". Elevated LDL levels are now regarded as a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease rather than total blood cholesterol levels.

This is because, through complex mechanisms, LDL can adhere to blood vessels which, through a cumulative process (formation of a plaque) can block them. If this happens in heart blood vessels it leads to a myocardial infarct. If a plaque of LDL in a blood vessel breaks free it can enter the brain, blocking brain blood vessels - this leads to an ischaemic stroke. There is a free-access review of this here A review of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, treatment strategies, and its impact on cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. - PubMed - NCBI.

The roles of HDL and LDL in cardiovascular disease are fairly well-understood though we still have more to learn.

Cochrane has done an analysis of clinical trials looking at the effects of statins. Cochrane is an independent consortium which does meta-analyses of clinical trials, in effect combining them as "one big trial".

Two of the high points are:

(1) All-cause mortality was greater in the placebo compared to the statin group - there were an "extra" 146 deaths in the placebo group. However, there were about 24000 people in each group - this is about a 0.6% increased risk, assuming that statins were the only important factor.

(2) Pooled fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease events were greater in the placebo compared to statin group - an "extra" 240 events in the placebo group. There were about 17600 people in each group - this is about a 1.3% increased risk, again assuming that statins were the only important factor.

The above numbers of people in the various clinical trials are different because different trials looked at different things.

I was surprised how weak these effects seem to be so I had a chat to my partner about them. Some time ago she coordinated a large epidemiology project looking at the effects of different forms of contraception on women's health so she knows more than I do about this.

Her comment was that such small effects would have been of marginal interest to her. She drew a contrast - if a woman is over-weight, over 30 and smokes then oral contraception is a bad idea because of significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The long and very technical Cochrane study is here Statins for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease - Taylor - 213 - The Cochrane Library - Wiley Online Library.