My statins ipdate

[Maisie2014]

There have been a lot of posts on statins lately. I have always been totally against their use as I have low cholesterol. After having a heart attack and stent fitted in February I decided to take all medications I was told to take. Atorvastatin 80 mg was given. This has now been proven to be causing me liver damage despite being reduced to 40 mg. My GP took me off statins to find out if they were causing further problems with my health. After only two weeks I can now see in high definition, I can walk without becoming breathless and can swim in water not mud. I thought it was my heart causing my problems but it was the statins. I am about to begin the process of finding a statin that does not make me ill as I know I do need them.

[AlibaliM]

I am intolerant to all statins, I was in so much pain with each one I tried. I now manage my cholesterol through diet and exercise.

[Speakeazi]

I was switched to Resuvastatin 5mg. Seems to have helped those deranged liver results.

[Khonkaen]

Interesting posting, as I understand it the liver is the one organ that can recover from damage, so that is good news.

I have been on Alvorstatin 40mg since my HA in March, I had 2 stents (including one double over two stenosies, so essentially 3 ) so maybe the high doesage has caused your liver problem?

Please keep us posted and good luck.

[Khonkaen]

While you are waiting to sort your statins out, take a look on Youtube at Dr Esselstyn's dietry recommendations to protect the plaque cap. If you have low cholesterol, that is the only function the statin serves.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Khonkaen]

Statins also reduce inflammation often a precursor to plaque formation.

[Khonkaen in reply to MichaelJH]

But not a critical factor, a ruptured plaque cap is very dangerous, so needs protecting.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Khonkaen]

I would call fresh plaque being deposited as critical!

[Khonkaen]

If the plaque cap ruptures, it releases the contents into the bloodstream, in the form of a bloodclot. this would likely result in a heart attack or stroke within minutes. Plaque bulid up takes a long period of time, like many years, to form a serious stenosis.

The former is critical, the latter is not.

[Hidden in reply to Khonkaen]

I agree with Michael, because if you don’t deposit fresh plaque in the first place then you won’t have a plaque cap to potentially rupture.

What comes first the chicken or the egg.....

[Khonkaen in reply to Hidden]

No No, the OP has a stent which means he already has a least one stenosis, a plaque build up which has a hardened crust on it, or a cap. The statin is to protect that cap from rupture, since his medication uncludes blood thinners. These blood thinners can soften the cap and permit it to rupture.

Pretty sure I have that right.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Khonkaen]

If there more plaque the chances of a clot blocking it as clots can be of varying sizes!

[Khonkaen in reply to MichaelJH]

The plaque takes a very long time to form, like years, we are talking about the short period when the OP is not taking statins.

[Adaboo]

I still can’t find anything that says it does stabilise plaque ?

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Adaboo]

This might help

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

medscape.com/viewarticle/78...

[Lezzers in reply to Milkfairy]

Thanks for the links, very helpful

[Adaboo in reply to Milkfairy]

Thanks, I’ve seen these as one is very old, the other has conflict of interest ( payment) from all the major statin manufacturers which have never been peer reviewed. There are a lot of “ mights” maybe”May” etc.

“ These effects of statins on coronary calcification may reduce the vulnerability of coronary plaques.

Don’t like the word “May”

Off for my walk before it rains. . Again! Have a good day everyone 🙂

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Adaboo]

Absolutely there are no certainties in life except uncertainties, death and taxation.

Enjoy your walk

[Hidden in reply to Adaboo]

I agree Adaboo. I want something more concrete than ‘May’. For example; Proven. Especially, given the side effects of statins.

[adrian64]

i used to take Atorvastatin but they gave me a lot of indigestion so im on simvastatin now. they seem ok and my cholesterol has plummeted from 9 something to 3 something according to the cardiologist.

[Sillyfroggy]

The plaque ruptures and the liquid arthroscopic material from the rupture triggers a clot-making mechanism. The anti platelet meds inhibit our ability to form clots.

Ergo, less plaque, less unstable plaque, doesn’t chip off, no clot process.

My doc said the aspirin removes a 30% relative risk and the statin 20% by a different mechanism