I was particularly interested in CWillie's comments about the mapping of the plaque in the arteries. My father's doctor put him on Atorvastatin after he had a minor stroke because it's a clot-buster. His cholesterol is fine via his diet. That was a few years ago and he was already showing signs of dementia before the stroke (in his 80s), probably due to previous TIAs. With each appointment, I continue to ask if he can be taken off and the doctor prefers to keep him on at a 20mg dose, which I understand is similar to that for a child. He did manage to come back about 98% from the stroke, but his motor skills and cognitive functioning have decreased slightly each year and increasingly so in the past year. I don't know if the statin has contributed or it's all dementia.
Lipitor is probably the worst of them. Doctors should be more informed about what they prescribe. We all need to be "on top" of what we are given. I have had friends and relatives that ask before given anything. TG they did because mistakes have been made. Especially from hospital to rehab. Seems like some doctors don't read reports very well. I like that the pharmacy gives paperwork with your prescription of side effects. I do read them. I have even complained to my husbands doctor about a side effect my husband had that was not listed. He was told it's rare, but it is a side effect. When I told my daughter, RN, she knew what I was talking about and what caused it. Happens in her rehab all the time. If my husband had known, he wouldn't have had to be embarrassed. I called the office and made him tell the nurse when he went back. I feel it should be in the paperwork.
YES! It's in the drug's literature. Brain is built from cholesterol, and can't function without it. The Liver makes cholesterol to make sure there is some for the brain. Statins not only block cholesterol, but also important nutrients can be blocked from getting in, or stripped from body stores, like CoQ10 [which especially the heart, requires in order to work--that's why Statins can cause heart attacks.]
I've used alternatives for YEARS, and done fine. Like fresh garlic, mashed, minced and let to air for 15 minutes, then use it in avocado, or other cooking--had to use a head and a half per day like that, the first month, then reduced that to several large cloves of garlic fixed that way, daily. That, with about 2000 mg of Omega 3 fatty acids daily, controlled very high blood pressure, and dropped the cholesterol numbers every bit as well as any Statin...probably better. ...and the mainstream Doc was STILL trying to use scare tactics on me to take Statins....which I refused. I've observed others using Statins since they 1st hit the market, and NOT been impressed by them.
BTW: Alternatives, like Red Yeast Rice, work the same way Statins do. That means, you can get similar adverse effects from using cholesterol lowering Alternatives. I don't know if it's because the herbal has been doctored with statin drugs [many "Patent Chinese Medicines" are that], or if the herbals actually can do that same thing...bottom line, be careful. I know that depression- and anxiety-relieving herbs can, if one takes to much of them, cause a "Flat Affect", which is a kind of adverse effect some psych drugs can cause....just not as bad. The difference is, that herbs are usually used as whole herbs, instead of a lab fractionating out certain single components. That means, there are Co-ingredients in the plant which help the body use the "main ingredient" more efficiently and gently, than with the concentrated, single-"main ingredient" in a pharma drug.
I feel comfortable with my knowledge of alternatives, related to my profession, study and experience, that I can pretty well handle things. I keep regular medicine in the loop, in case of emergencies....but so far, have learned they do less for the injuries I've had, than I did myself. But there may come a time when they will need to do more than I can for myself--so I've not burned that bridge. And pray there will be a good advocate to direct my care at that time.
Really good, alternative Docs are still too scarce-- even fewer of those have hospital privileges!
You've done your homework, Chimonger! Too many people look upon medical professionals as one step away from godhood, and they never question all the documented screw-ups or the ties that bind them to the pharmaceutical industry.
In my northern California community there are allopathic doctors who are hip to alternative healing methods and they don't let pride or profit get in the way of suggesting other options besides drugs and surgery. I'm fortunate to live where I do for that reason alone.
my mother was recently had a seizure due to high blood sugar, she was not diagnosed as a diabetic previously. she has high bp and since she had her thyroid removed is on synthroid. the hospital put her on Lipitor before they administered her prescriptions. she refused them one day and the very next they were trying to give them again. she noted that her friends who had been on them had " gone south". the dr said , oh no it helps with dementia. they also changed Her bp meds and I haven't seen them take her bp once after changing them.
caringtx. how old is your Mom. statins are not reccomended after 70. Lipitor and other similar meds can have the side effect of causing diabetes. However if she is older, overweight and eats a diet high in sugar she would be a prime target for diabetes. Is she still in the hospital and are you there 24/7. it is usual to check the patient's vitals at least twice daily and more often if they have something like a high fever. I would expect them to check her B/P early in the morning at say 6 am and 12 hours later but they may wait till the patient does not have a visitor with them. Was she hospitalized because of the seizure?
Suggest to the doctor that he needs to research this further. The pharma companies really push the studies that appear to show statins "helping" the ALZ, but many more show NO benefit to older women and many reports of memory issues.
I agree that statins are very bad. My husband started to take them in the 90"s and it made him have a dementia like problem. I read what Julian Whitaker, MD said about them and wanted to hubbs to stop them but he wouldn't. Now hubby has lots of brain problems and left me with many painful memories. Nearly ruined our marriage.
my mother is 84 and supposedly they check her bp early in the morning and late in the evening when i am not there, i did ask and I asked what the bp was. she was admitted because of the seizure. I am sooo glad this came up,because the drs dd act like we were just uninformed backward folks for refusing Lipitor. thank you and thank you Veronica.
YES, husband has AFib, Dr said he needed Lipitor to help with that he did not have any cholesterol problems. I noticed after a couple of months his memory was going downhill, I addressed this to PC Dr, to test we stopped it cold for three weeks guess what the memory loss was gone, back to heart Dr who scared us to death with the not taking this med, it's the best on the market etc. Now he is mid six Alzheimer's but can read books, articles, articulate, groom and do most everything on his own or with simple guidance and suggestions, but his mind is wiped. I stopped takings them two years ago, stop his two years also, without Drs permission. The statins need to have a black skull and crossbones on the bottle, it's evil, strictly a big money maker. If you have some time there's a documentary online called Cancer: The Forbidden Cures, it runs over an hour and will open your eyes to what is happening to us - being used as puppets by the Pharmaceutical Companies, I found it via a link on you tube.
I should be on something but refused and thats before the info coming out. Lipitor is the worst and surprised they still prescribe it. Now they are saying it causes type 2 diabetes.
Lipitor used to be the worst but now it's Crestor. It caused peripheral neuropathy in my legs - no cure and it didn't get better when I quit taking it. It also caused damage to my memory and to the language processing center in my brain. Insidious stuff, statins. NEVER take them!
1. My best friend has high cholesterol. Hers started when she was in her 50s and she is thin as a rail. I don't think weight has anything to do with it. 2. Studies have shown that eating an egg every other day will help keep cholesterol down. - Go figgure? 3. Red rice yeast works. My cousin used it, but a friend of mine was told that if she had a reaction to statins, that it could be a problem because the statins are made from a derivative of red rice yeast. I don't know if this is true or not.
Yes, from what I've read, red rice yeast is the source of lovastatin (Mevacor). AFter my bad experience with Mevacor, I wouldn't take it. (and of course, being a "natural" supplement, there is no generally agreed formula for what is sold.) In general, statins are more trouble than they're worth, particularly for older people who do better with higher cholestrol. Personally, I did notice a clearing of brain fog when I got off of Mevacor some years ago, and I suspect that there are still some side effects.
I posted above in July, update husband is still as human as can be except his brain was fried on statins he's still late stage 6 but no other symptoms that you normally see in AD patients.
"Natural Health News Briefs: September 29, 2015 0 BY ANH-USA ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 UNCATEGORIZED Statins Age You Faster?—New Study
A recently published study in the American Journal of Physiology has shown that statins—anti-cholesterol drugs—are disrupting our stem cells.
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the ability to create different kinds of cells (such as skin, muscle, or bone cells). They are central to the body’s ability to heal itself and also seem to be involved in the body’s aging process.
Dr. Reza Izadpanah, a stem cell biologist at Tulane and the lead author of the study, was quoted as saying,
Our study shows statins may speed up the aging process. People who use statins as a preventive medicine for heath should think again, as our research shows they may have general unwanted effects on the body which could include muscle pain, nerve problems, and joint problems [as well].
Even after a only a few weeks on statins, many patients begin feeling years older. Patients experience memory loss, muscle pain, diabetes, cataracts, liver dysfunction, diabetes, and fatigue.
Despite the long laundry list of negative side effects that have been linked to statin use, they are one of the most widely prescribed drugs in existence: one in four Americans are on this medication."
My husband has been taking statins for years. It has messed up his brain, big time. I have tried to get him off them but he won't. His doc says its something else. I am certain that if he quit the statin drug he would be better.
Rocket, thank you so much for this article, I read the full PDF after seeing your post UNBELIEVABLE but someone is finally looking into these drugs and were able to get published, It's a step forward in proving what horrible side effects the statins have that have been covered up for so long.
Some doctors are convinced that statins are totally necessary to prevent heart problems, and tell patients they will die without them. I've refused to see two doctors at Kaiser who are statin pushers.
My dad (Parkinsons) took statins as they were rxed by the dr. He got SO much worse immediately on them. Already being stiff due to the Parkinsons, he was immobile after adding a statin. After much family discussion, they were dropped. I had taken Lipitor and had horrible s/e so just on my own, upped the exercise and watched my diet. Dropped my #'s and the dr said "See? I told you that statins worked--" well, I had to fess up that I had not taken them except for the first week. My "new" dr is a numbers person and is ALL about the numbers, thinking that "good ones" relate directly to a healthier patient...yes and no. Mother takes Crestor, and b/c of her overall poor health and mobility, it's really impossible to tell if it helps her or not, since she takes so many other drugs, But in dad's case, dropping the Lipitor did give him back a measure of mobility that he had really missed. That statin "stiffness" is really, really miserable.
My mother passed away recently, having been off statins for two years. I have no doubt that her precipitous mental decline was due to the several statin drugs that she had taken over time. While on a statin and with much lowered cholesterol, she had another heart attack and when the %$#@! cardiologist added yet ANOTHER statin to her regimen I said ENOUGH without bothering to consult Dr. Drug Pusher! She was a month short of her 96th birthday when a fall resulting in a broken hip sent her to the hospital. The operation was a success, but the patient died (two weeks later) from hospital infections. Although she still knew who my brothers and I were, she was conversing with people on the other side of the veil for the previous half year, so it's comforting to know she has been reunited with them.
A neighbor told me of two men he knows who had been taking statin drugs and ended up having to take steroids because of it. I don't know what the statins caused that required steroid therapy, but this is more indication of statin toxicity. Funny (not!) how many people are languishing in prison for possession of a baggie of mary jane, but Big Pharma can poison an entire population and rake in the profits!
I was on different statins for years when I began to start having pains when I moved! I thought it was just aging pains...in my early 60's! When it got to where I could barely get out of bed, I decided it was the statins. My pain went away! My doctor and Cardiologist had fits! My Cardiologist tried his best to find something I could tolerate! They will never get me to take them again! And now that I have read all of these answers, I'm becoming concerned about my Mom who is in AL, with dementia! I'm thinking she needs to be OFF the statins!
I have a cousin a couple of years younger that I who had a heart attack in 2001, just about when I did. The last time I saw him he was forgetting things and getting lost, and I asked him what meds he was on. He said his dr told him that he would die without the statins. Well..he passed away a year or so ago, and I am still active and working without meds.
Brain is built from cholesterol, and can't function without it.
The Liver makes cholesterol to make sure there is some for the brain.
Statins not only block cholesterol, but also important nutrients can be blocked from getting in, or stripped from body stores, like CoQ10 [which especially the heart, requires in order to work--that's why Statins can cause heart attacks.]
I've used alternatives for YEARS, and done fine.
Like fresh garlic, mashed, minced and let to air for 15 minutes, then use it in avocado, or other cooking--had to use a head and a half per day like that, the first month, then reduced that to several large cloves of garlic fixed that way, daily. That, with about 2000 mg of Omega 3 fatty acids daily, controlled very high blood pressure, and dropped the cholesterol numbers every bit as well as any Statin...probably better.
...and the mainstream Doc was STILL trying to use scare tactics on me to take Statins....which I refused.
I've observed others using Statins since they 1st hit the market, and NOT been impressed by them.
BTW:
Alternatives, like Red Yeast Rice, work the same way Statins do.
That means, you can get similar adverse effects from using cholesterol lowering Alternatives.
I don't know if it's because the herbal has been doctored with statin drugs [many "Patent Chinese Medicines" are that], or if the herbals actually can do that same thing...bottom line, be careful.
I know that depression- and anxiety-relieving herbs can, if one takes to much of them, cause a "Flat Affect", which is a kind of adverse effect some psych drugs can cause....just not as bad.
The difference is, that herbs are usually used as whole herbs, instead of a lab fractionating out certain single components.
That means, there are Co-ingredients in the plant which help the body use the "main ingredient" more efficiently and gently, than with the concentrated, single-"main ingredient" in a pharma drug.
I feel comfortable with my knowledge of alternatives, related to my profession, study and experience, that I can pretty well handle things.
I keep regular medicine in the loop, in case of emergencies....but so far, have learned they do less for the injuries I've had, than I did myself.
But there may come a time when they will need to do more than I can for myself--so I've not burned that bridge. And pray there will be a good advocate to direct my care at that time.
Really good, alternative Docs are still too scarce-- even fewer of those have hospital privileges!
In my northern California community there are allopathic doctors who are hip to alternative healing methods and they don't let pride or profit get in the way of suggesting other options besides drugs and surgery. I'm fortunate to live where I do for that reason alone.
Was she hospitalized because of the seizure?
2. Studies have shown that eating an egg every other day will help keep cholesterol down. - Go figgure?
3. Red rice yeast works. My cousin used it, but a friend of mine was told that if she had a reaction to statins, that it could be a problem because the statins are made from a derivative of red rice yeast. I don't know if this is true or not.
"Natural Health News Briefs: September 29, 2015 0
BY ANH-USA ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 UNCATEGORIZED
Statins Age You Faster?—New Study
A recently published study in the American Journal of Physiology has shown that statins—anti-cholesterol drugs—are disrupting our stem cells.
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the ability to create different kinds of cells (such as skin, muscle, or bone cells). They are central to the body’s ability to heal itself and also seem to be involved in the body’s aging process.
Dr. Reza Izadpanah, a stem cell biologist at Tulane and the lead author of the study, was quoted as saying,
Our study shows statins may speed up the aging process. People who use statins as a preventive medicine for heath should think again, as our research shows they may have general unwanted effects on the body which could include muscle pain, nerve problems, and joint problems [as well].
Even after a only a few weeks on statins, many patients begin feeling years older. Patients experience memory loss, muscle pain, diabetes, cataracts, liver dysfunction, diabetes, and fatigue.
Despite the long laundry list of negative side effects that have been linked to statin use, they are one of the most widely prescribed drugs in existence: one in four Americans are on this medication."
What else is there to say - stay off these drugs!
A neighbor told me of two men he knows who had been taking statin drugs and ended up having to take steroids because of it. I don't know what the statins caused that required steroid therapy, but this is more indication of statin toxicity. Funny (not!) how many people are languishing in prison for possession of a baggie of mary jane, but Big Pharma can poison an entire population and rake in the profits!
And now that I have read all of these answers, I'm becoming concerned about my Mom who is in AL, with dementia! I'm thinking she needs to be OFF the statins!