Just wanted to share my current observations one year after stopping statins.
The only chronic adverse effects have been peripheral neuropathy and tinnitus.
These conditions are annoying but I can tolerate them. I know they are autoimmune reactions in my body and triggered by stress. Almost every condition I have observed can be a symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, including my dry eyes and dry mouth which occur less often now. My doctors were unconcerned about these conditions and I saw no point in asking for a bunch of tests and being a guinea pig for more prescriptions. I know these conditions were related to my prolonged use of Lipitor and all the doctors seem to care about is my cholesterol, not my daily feeling of well being.
The morning headaches and brain fog lifted almost immediately after stopping Lipitor. The brain needs cholesterol. I still have an occasional fatigue and light-headedness but the bouts are less intense and have shorter durations. Vertigo is now rare.
My feet still have chronic tingling and twinges but at least the sensations are rarely above the ankles. Before stopping statins, the sensation was often into my thighs. My left foot has had edema but not as bad as when it first started a couple of months ago. I have way less cramping than I used to have in my feet, calves, and thighs, My hands still get numb but not into the upper arms like before. My joints (elbows, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders) still have twinges but thanks to Arnica gel are tolerable.
My eyes will eventually need cataract surgery but that may be a blessing in disguise since most have better vision afterwards than they did before developing the cataracts.
The medical condition that concerned me most was a tendency towards high blood sugar and hypertension, fearing metabolic disease. Statins have been linked with developing diabetes in older women. My blood sugar was under 100 and my HDL was good in my last blood test. Cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides were horrible as expected. A woman should NOT be put on statins, especially if she has a Mitral Valver Prolapse! My doctor should have been more concerned about my thyroid since I have a goiter but did not even have it tested!
However, hypertension was still a threat. After hearing my BP was much better during a free evaluation at the supermarket, I recently acquired a blood pressure monitor which has shown my BP to be much lower than what it had been. Fighting against medical advice and knowing how adversely statins affected me was creating stress and driving my blood pressure upwards. My resting heartrate this morning was 52. I no longer worry about the health of my heart after stopping statins because CoQ10 and cholesterol play a larger part in a healthy body than taking a prescribed poison which will inhibit their production just to make a pharmaceutical company richer. No need for quarterly blood tests and extra stress. I will only go for preventative care annually.
Thankfully, I have consistently exercised throughout this ordeal or may have wound up in a wheel chair. Just yesterday, I hurt my foot going down the stairs to the basement to workout. I applied arnica gel and did most of the workout sitting on a stability ball. Pain went away and hopefully will not return. I have been sleeping well in spite of the constant ear buzzing and feeling better emotionally in spite of the lingering numbness and twinges. Seeking movement that feels good remains my main focus. Use it or Lose it.
I still enjoy editing workout videos, removing moves I want to avoid and adding music to motivate movement. By avoiding all dread, I enjoy working out every morning. Online, I have found a wonderful home on WellVideo.
The only chronic adverse effects have been peripheral neuropathy and tinnitus.
These conditions are annoying but I can tolerate them. I know they are autoimmune reactions in my body and triggered by stress. Almost every condition I have observed can be a symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, including my dry eyes and dry mouth which occur less often now. My doctors were unconcerned about these conditions and I saw no point in asking for a bunch of tests and being a guinea pig for more prescriptions. I know these conditions were related to my prolonged use of Lipitor and all the doctors seem to care about is my cholesterol, not my daily feeling of well being.
The morning headaches and brain fog lifted almost immediately after stopping Lipitor. The brain needs cholesterol. I still have an occasional fatigue and light-headedness but the bouts are less intense and have shorter durations. Vertigo is now rare.
My feet still have chronic tingling and twinges but at least the sensations are rarely above the ankles. Before stopping statins, the sensation was often into my thighs. My left foot has had edema but not as bad as when it first started a couple of months ago. I have way less cramping than I used to have in my feet, calves, and thighs, My hands still get numb but not into the upper arms like before. My joints (elbows, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders) still have twinges but thanks to Arnica gel are tolerable.
My eyes will eventually need cataract surgery but that may be a blessing in disguise since most have better vision afterwards than they did before developing the cataracts.
The medical condition that concerned me most was a tendency towards high blood sugar and hypertension, fearing metabolic disease. Statins have been linked with developing diabetes in older women. My blood sugar was under 100 and my HDL was good in my last blood test. Cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides were horrible as expected. A woman should NOT be put on statins, especially if she has a Mitral Valver Prolapse! My doctor should have been more concerned about my thyroid since I have a goiter but did not even have it tested!
However, hypertension was still a threat. After hearing my BP was much better during a free evaluation at the supermarket, I recently acquired a blood pressure monitor which has shown my BP to be much lower than what it had been. Fighting against medical advice and knowing how adversely statins affected me was creating stress and driving my blood pressure upwards. My resting heartrate this morning was 52. I no longer worry about the health of my heart after stopping statins because CoQ10 and cholesterol play a larger part in a healthy body than taking a prescribed poison which will inhibit their production just to make a pharmaceutical company richer. No need for quarterly blood tests and extra stress. I will only go for preventative care annually.
Thankfully, I have consistently exercised throughout this ordeal or may have wound up in a wheel chair. Just yesterday, I hurt my foot going down the stairs to the basement to workout. I applied arnica gel and did most of the workout sitting on a stability ball. Pain went away and hopefully will not return. I have been sleeping well in spite of the constant ear buzzing and feeling better emotionally in spite of the lingering numbness and twinges. Seeking movement that feels good remains my main focus. Use it or Lose it.
I still enjoy editing workout videos, removing moves I want to avoid and adding music to motivate movement. By avoiding all dread, I enjoy working out every morning. Online, I have found a wonderful home on WellVideo.
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