It is already well known that statins have many benefits. These include the lowering of cholesterol (particularly LDL), stabilisation of existing plaque and reduction of irritation (often a precursor to plaque formation).
Today I restarted the course of dental treatment that was put on hold following my admission to hospital. Statins have been found to reduce gum inflammation, or periodontitis, that can lead to gum recession and tooth loss. My father never had a filling despite a sweet tooth but lost all his teeth to gum disease a few years before his fatal heart attack! Before OHS one needs a sign off for tooth and gum health as infection can cross to the heart particularly where valve surgery is involved. So it seems even a low dose statin is a win-win for us hearties!
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MichaelJH
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Snap I've been to the dentist today as well - went for a check up 2 weeks ago and my dentist said that a bit of a molar had chipped off (already got a filing) and decided that a new filing wasn't the answer but a crown was needed ( £58 v £512!) So have spent an hour having a filing ground out and a temp crown put it - back next week.
I think she gave me enough anaesthetic to bring down a horse - my face/mouth were still numb 3 hours after leaving the dentist
The intention today was to remove a crown that has signs of decay underneath and do a small filling. As I had been in hospital my dentist decided to do just the small filling. In line with the "Best laid plans" the tooth snapped so it has been tidied and root canal treatment started! I am still numb!
When I asked my dentist if it wasn't slightly unpleasant having your hands in people's mouths all day they replied "I just think of it as having my hands in their wallet.”
I have injections with no adrenalin (epinephrine) because of Paroxysmal AF. The jury is out on that by the way, not in the dentists book of words for use. This means the local dissipates a bit more quickly. If it comes to extraction it may not be a "good" thing as adrenaline contracts blood vessels!!
However this post is for a few "there theres" or joke as I had a root canal last week, painless.
It has been worse than initial probs ever since. Back in a couple of hours to dentist. Mind running riot. Have done so many relaxation exs should be horizontal!! Am not a good patient
I think it's different for every person taking statins - some find the benefits so good it's worth a little (insert mild side effect here), some take it, have horrid side effects and so have to come off leaving them with a definitely negative view, and some lucky souls take statins and never have any effect besides great ones.
I'd likely be one of those with all the worst side effects so every time someone on the cardiac team said the 'statins' word I pretended not to hear. Then I had an angiogram and right heart study (same day, angio at the wrist, right heart at the groin) which showed my arteries are completely clear. So now I don't hear that 'statins' word any longer and we all pretend it was never suggested.
So nice to hear good things about statins, so many people are opposed to these meds, but nothing is ever black or white...good luck
Hi ho, another trial of statins, this time applied as a gel with a huge number of participants - hold on a mo - scrub that - a total of sixty participants - thats the only 'study' I could find.
But hey ho - statins are the wonder drug which whilst causing debilitating side effects on us poor souls who respond blindly to internet gurus and mind control through the media are the saviour of the modern world and should be used as a condiment - (this was actually proposed at one time).
With any drug there a number of people that will have side effects. A friend nearly died after taking penicillin many years ago. Does it make penicillin a bad drug that should be banned? Of course not - it has shortened the duration of many infections and saved numerous lives.
Likewise with statins. There are seven variants of statins and with the various doses available there is usually a combination to suit most people. Often it means working with your doctor/cardiologist. For some people statins are unsuitable and alternatives need to be looked at.
As regards adding statins to fast food I would totally oppose that as there is a slight chance it could be harmful to some individuals. I do not eat Chinese because it usually contains MSG that I am allergic to. It hospitalised me on a number of occasions when younger. People should be able to choose whether to take a statin or not BUT it should be an informed choice!
Completely off-topic but if you make your own at home you can bypass the MSG and still enjoy your favourite Chinese dishes (and bonus - no 'mystery meat'). I make a sweet and sour sauce that works for us that is not only sodium-free but also gluten-free (husband is coeliac).
Nothing to it, actually - just substitute with any good recipe until you find the right combination of substitute ingredients that still tastes right after all the recipe tinkering. You should see my Big Red Betty Crocker cooking book - so many notes on favourite recipes it's hard to see the original text in some places.
We had an excellent Chinese restaurant for a few years. They were MSG free, organic and GM free. The food was brilliant. Sadly as it was slightly dearer as without MSG better quality ingredients were required and was not well supported. A real loss!
I'm pretty sure if social media had been around at that time then penicillin would have got the same slating! My nephew is allergic to penicillin, obviously only discovered after he'd been given it. He had such a severe reaction to it that its plastered over his medical records not to prescribe it under any circumstances & he now wears a medical bracelet.
Interestingly, I've just done a quick Google (I know! 😂) on pencillian and if you look at those side effects you'd never take it again!!
Hey this is very interesting! I have suffered from gum disease from an early age, and now have a gap between my gums and the original enamel on all my teeth. I ended up at a specialist hospital about 12 years ago now to undergo a pretty unpleasant course of, basically, raking out all the plaque from below my gumline and smoothing the teeth where needed. However it did halt the progression and I still, miraculously have all my teeth. Last time I went to the hygienist she commented that although I had some swelling to several areas there was no underlying infection, plaque or any bleeding, which she was quite surprised and pleased to see. To be honest I was expecting the anti platelet drug to cause problems with my gums but they do not seem to have. So, I wonder if 1. There is actually a link between gum disease and CHD (although my father had CHD and no gum disease) and 2. Is there something in the statins reducing the inflammation??? Like you say every cloud......
Yes statins do reduce inflammation often a precursor to plaque formation. If it reduces inflammation/irritation within blood vessels why not your gums?
When I first started lipitor a couple yr ago, I noticed my knee arthritis pain got alot better. I asked my doc if there was any connection, he said no. I disagree. Also my a fib has been gone since I started lipitor.... Makes one wonder.
Calm down! Equally I could say that you can take the anti statin support so far as well. However, we are all entitled to our own opinions and we are entitled to post our opinions, there is absolutely no need for you to be so rude with your comments.
Are you aware that writing in capitals is the equivalent of shouting? Also, because you disagree with what I've said it's an "utterly ridiculous comment". I don't necessarily agree/disagree with what you've said but I accept that you believe it without telling you how ridiculous your comments are.
Additionly, I'm very aware of the life saving qualities of penicillin, I have not at any point said otherwise. I merely pointed out they also have side effects.
And no, I won't enter into further dialogue with you so that you can continue to tell me how wrong I am & how right you are! Each to their own!
This is my own experience. I have seen my Mum go downhill on statins. First the debilitating leg cramps, now peripheral neuropathy - and dementia (your brain NEEDS cholesterol). All known to be caused by statins. Of course the production line (big pharma) is up and running and they must find more positives to keep sales up. I am not an ignorant cynic and always research thoroughly. Unfortunately Mum always 'trusted' her doctors and stayed on this awful drug. The reality is that research is conflicting and often not robust (many done by those with vested interest). Additionally this is such a complex area and no where near enough is known. Look to research where there is no vested interest always.
Hi all, we're turning off comments for this post to stop things escalating as we've had a number of reported posts. As always, we'd urge people to speak to their doctor or health professional before you stop taking any medication/ if you have any concerns regarding side effects etc. Thanks all.
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