Statins....

[Stevienics]

So, fellows. Anyone on them?

Just had an NHS MOT and a letter though the post saying I'm over the threshold for potentially heart attacky old basturd and think about Statins. I don't really have an issue with them, but any horror stories?

 

[Late & Tired]

I had a cholesterol check some 5yrs ago and the level was at 4.8.
Dr suggested a short course of Statins and a review of diet (an honestly needed input).
The course was 6mths and, with a refreshed diet, the cholesterol is now at 3.6.
No side effects, - so hope it works and is effective for you.

 

[Spearmint]

I've read (anecdotal initially then they've backed it up with medical results) on the X3 Bar Users Forum I frequent, that an OMAD carnivore diet combined with a monthly or even weekly 36-48 Hour fast totally reversed their dependency on Statins. The damage that the human body can repair when it is in Ketosis is phenominal.

Read this for more info:

 

[Tin basher]

Following my heart attack of 2009 I have been on Statins, amongst other things ever since. 2 lozenge shaped monsters in the morning (Colesevelam 625gm each) and one round job (Atorvastatin 80 Mg) at bedtime. No side effects, no horror stories, all good at this end. Heart attack day cholesterol level was 4.7, now every annual check shows it to be around 2.9. No issues what so ever with taking my Statins.

 

[Oldstacker]

I'm early 60s & been on them a few years now due to family heart history. In my case it wasn't so much the cholesterol that was a problem (don't forget there are 2 types of cholesterol & it's the ratio of them that becomes important) but my triglycerides were way way up.

Side effects? Some muscle/joint pain & lots of really vivid & weird dreams (nothing scarey - unless you count being back in uniform... ). i can & do live with them because the alternative could be a heart attack or, very much worse, a decline into vascular dementia. I've seen that in the family & it's not nice......

My advice, if the doc suggests them give them a whirl, you can always ask to change brands if the side effects are too bad (i got swapped from Simvastatin to Atorvastatin). As others have suggested, a change of diet can also help - oats & fruit came into mine & the chips & cream cakes went down (but not out - oh no, not out )

 

[Stevienics]

Thanks for all the advice - he's put me on Atorvastatin 20 daily - the dreams I get anyway and he tells me the muscle pain is related to drinking; so that means its going to be constant!

Although the Chol was up only slightly, he was more concerned about the higher risk with AF as well.

 

[4mastacker]

The quack put me on Simvastatin when he diagnosed me with Type 2 Diabetes; said I needed to have my cholesterol level below 4 ( it was 4.5 at the time). I suffered from severe leg cramps at night time and felt generally like dog s***, so I was switched to Atorvastatin 10mg - leg cramps disappeared as did the general dog s*** feeling. Latest cholesterol level was 3.5, blood sugars are good and weight is ...well, I'm not overweight, just underheight.

What the quack didn't tell me was that Simvastatin and grapefruit do not mix. I used to eat grapefruit regularly until he worked out why I was feeling like death warmed up. Haven't had a grapefruit now for over 10 years.

 

[Barch]

The quack put me on Simvastatin when he diagnosed me with Type 2 Diabetes; said I needed to have my cholesterol level below 4 ( it was 4.5 at the time). I suffered from severe leg cramps at night time and felt generally like dog s***, so I was switched to Atorvastatin 10mg - leg cramps disappeared as did the general dog s*** feeling. Latest cholesterol level was 3.5, blood sugars are good and weight is ...well, I'm not overweight, just underheight.

What the quack didn't tell me was that Simvastatin and grapefruit do not mix. I used to eat grapefruit regularly until he worked out why I was feeling like death warmed up. Haven't had a grapefruit now for over 10 years.

I've been told that grapefruit juice stops the coating on the Simvastatin from dissolving and the sit in your gut doing nowt, then, all of a sudden they all dissolve at the same time and away you go.
It is probably a load of BS.

 

[Tin basher]

I've been told that grapefruit juice stops the coating on the Simvastatin from dissolving and the sit in your gut doing nowt, then, all of a sudden they all dissolve at the same time and away you go.
It is probably a load of BS.

Don't think it is BS and if the link is correct your reasoning holds up. I too was told to avoid eating grapefruit when they put me on Statins. I was not educated enough to know the medical reason why but giving up grapefruit was as easy as giving up sprouts.

Septic FDA advice

Grapefruit juice can affect how well some medicines work

Grapefruit juice and grapefruit can affect the way your medicines work, and that food and drug interaction can cause problems.

www.fda.gov

 

[Oldstacker]

I was told about the grapefruit thing (it's also on the leaflets...) which disappointed me because I used to have grapefruit juice for breakfast. I'm on 40Mg of Atorvastatin a day, the doc tried dropping me to 20Mg again a couple of years back but the triglycerides went back up again. No idea what my current counts are as I was due a blood test (I try & get them annually) in Mar 2020 but the health service was a tad busy.... When my repeat prescription came up for renewal in Jan 2021 the doc just renewed it without a new test....

 

[SAXAVORDIAN]

Not being anywhere close yet to needing them yet. But suspect having both parents dead, one with heart the other with massive bleed to the brain end of last year. Both was on blood thinners of different source. Father died from a massive Heart Attack even with Warfarin making his blood watery. But frankly even if Statins was available in 2002 no doctors ever suggested this too him and he was a fit old buzzard playing golf for his age. Mother died from a massive bleed on the brain and she was on Statin and blood thinners blood pressure and rheumatoid Arthritis pills but became disabled not long after taking these pill mid 2008s. Later fitted with a pacemaker. So really some people can benefit but others are born unlucky. On another note about acidic levels effecting pills. Not being a Medical brain since the stomach is one big bag of bile acid which breaks down any food product. The drinking high citric fruit juice must effect the bile. I know mother use to take two pills to counter act the effect of certain reactive pills.