Statins

Statins may contribute more to developing heart disease than being preventative. There is little doubt that a statin can ruin the feeling of well being and daily quality of life in an otherwise healthy body.

Mentally, a statin user may eat less healthy and move less because they think the statin will protect their arteries.
(my own doctor and husband definitely fall into this category)

Physically, the statin creates many deficiencies in the body, especially when combined with an unbalanced diet. These deficiencies rob the user of energy and create mental and/or physical discomfort.

I think I had just about every possible side effect plus others like hot flashes well past menopause and blamed most side effects on aging and menopause.  Women after menopause will be given a prescription after losing their estrogen protection against coronary artery disease. Statins are a placebo for women, not offering anything but a fake sense of protection from heart disease while promoting heart failure, dementia, and metabolic disease by preventing exercise, enabling insulin resistance, and enabling weight gain. Good luck in finding a doctor who doesn't insist on all of their patients taking this toxic substance which creates all sort of deficiencies in an otherwise healthy body.
STOP the INSANITY


My husband had been on statins awhile for high total cholesterol (almost 400) and having parents who developed *heart disease*.  I joined him when I was postmenopausal because my cholesterol rose a bit but was still much lower than his had been.  I really had no other risk factors.

My son at 26 was prescribed a statin even though his numbers were well under current high risk levels and he, too, had no other risk factors.   He took the statin for one week then stopped because his OCD kicked in and he became very stressed.  His OCD became focused on his food choices (limiting refined carbs and trans fat) and exercise.  His total cholesterol and LDL levels dropped to levels where no doctor would ever recommend a statin.  My son had started researching statins online so I started to do so as well. Our family doctor was prescribing a dangerous drug for our son to be taken for the rest of his life!  Of course, this doctor refused to discuss our son's success without statins.

Over the years, I slowly developed many statin side effects to a point where I could no longer ignore them.  Every time I tried to discuss these *symptoms* with my doctor, they were ignored so I assumed it was just a part of aging.  I didn't even realize these symptoms were considered side effects of statins till I started doing my own research online thanks to our son's stubbornness to not stay on statins.  Our doctor seems to prefer sheep as patients and really doesn't trust those who try to become informed.  Getting exact lab test results from him is like pulling teeth so I lack alot of information about what possible side effects are actually being exhibited in these labs results like fasting blood sugar and thyroid levels (I have a cystic nodular goiter so changes could be very important to that condition). 

As a result of my research, I experimented with taking my daily statin (Lipitor 20 mg) every other day with food to keep it in my system longer.  Also I started taking CoQ10 (50 mg twice a day after a meal then 150 then 200 mg daily).  Many of my symptoms eased especially the fatigue, morning headache, brain fog, and muscle spasms in my calves and feet.  My LDL rose a bit but overall my numbers were acceptable to my doctor who still didn't know I had switched to every other day.  I did tell him about CoQ10 which he called a placebo.

However, soon after that blood test, my feet tingling spread to my calves indicating my peripheral neuropathy was getting worse so I eased off statins completely taking them twice a week then once a week then not at all.  The tingling started to fade.  My next blood results made my doctor furious and He insisted I go on Crestor 5 mg every other day, ironically also to continue taking the CoQ10 (guess he no longer considered it a placebo?).

After one 5 mg Crestor, the tingling came back the very next day and this time spread into my thighs.  So I am DONE with Statins.  The tingling did fade a bit but is still present so I will try RALA

(Stabilized R-Alpha Lipoic Acid).  Also still have a buzzing tinnitus. 

Lots of people on statins pay less attention to their diet and exercise.  Maybe that is why half of the people suffering a first heart event have acceptable levels of cholesterol.  Maybe that is why those with higher cholesterol actually had higher survival rates with the first heart event. Maybe using statins to lower cholesterol interferes with too many other metabolic processes and needs.

I have been a regular exerciser for almost as long as I have been on statins but because of fatigue, I was exercising at lower intensities and shorter periods.  I was also trying to avoid saturated fats which has not been proven to raise cholesterol levels and may have added to my statin side effects with deficiencies.  Since switching my focus to avoiding refined carbs, my weight is finally going down.  My feeling of well being is back after battling fatigue and brain fog.  I have energy and a clear head.  I will not sacrifice my daily feeling of well being to sate my doctor's ego.  Problem is most doctors have that same ego.  I rather feel well each day than live with physical, mental, and emotional discomfort.  Stress is the largest risk factor when it comes to heart disease and most other serious conditions.  Statins (and my doctor) contributed to my stress.  Even though we could afford the co-pays, I am sure other families struggle to buy these drugs.

Since our home has less refined carbs and we all take many walks, my husband's total cholesterol and LDL are probably becoming too low so he is now taking his Lipitor every other day at my suggestion.  I really feared he would develop diabetes as his mother did who died of congestive heart failure, a condition probably worsened by statins without CoQ10.   Thankfully, my husband is not aware of any side effects but I believe he is mentally less sharp. 

and here's the kicker:

postmenopausal women have increased risks of lots of serious conditions from statin use including diabetes, heart failure, depression, memory loss, fatigue, cancer, swallowing difficulties,and cataracts (which I have been recently diagnosed as having).  Muscle aches and spasms are no picnic either and can interfere with daytime activities as well as sleep. 

Guess what benefits have been proven for postmenopausal women on a statin?

NONE

I just wanted to add that my focus is on reducing stress and having an enjoyable healthy life style, not lowering cholesterol.  Lowering cholesterol artificially with plant based products or Niacin can also create side effects without any true benefits.  Avoiding saturated fats really has no proven effect either.  My simple path towards an enjoyable life is MUving and avoiding refined carbs.
The heck with everything else LOL


This article was written in 2004:
http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-diseases/dangers-of-statin-drugs-what-you-havent-been-told-about-popular-cholesterol-lowering-medicines/

It took me 10 years afterwards to realize how statins were destroying my quality of life.

How to move can be just as important as what to eat. On my worse days, I exercised while sitting in a chair. I still sit and bounce on a large stability ball for half my workouts. Anything is better than nothing and the one constant I have had is a decent HDL because of moving as well as pain and stress relief.