statins

[pampig1]

I had two stents fitted three years ago and was given statins even though my cholesterol wasnt high.I know its the done thing after this procedure but im baffled by so many reasons why i should take this due to so many side affects. Nobody seems to have a definite aswer as to what actually causes blocked arterys First its fatty food ,then its not fat but sugar that furrs the arterys.There does not seem to be an answer that all the experts agree on.i for one am giving my body a break from statins as am fed up with the muscle pain ,cramps and itchy dry scalp.It might not be the cause but is worth checking it out as the culprit.

[pampig1]

Thanks for your comment.Trouble is someone else will say the exact oppposite.The problem i have is i have high b/p, i.b.s, barretts oesophagas, hiatas hernia and osteoarthritis , not forgetting insomnia so not sure what pills are causing what symptons anymore, My doctor did a blood test and said if my blood tests looked ok i could have a break for a while.

[Stevenf]

I have had 3 stents 2 years ago. The reason the Cardiologist wants to keep you on statins even though like me your Cholesterol is low is because they are convinced that this is what causes the inflammation and instability in the plaques. Satins also not only reduce Cholesterol but also have been shown to promote smooth endothenial development inside your stents. Are you also still on dual platelet therapy?

[MarBri]

Hi - my husband had 5 stents 23 years ago but had a heart attack Jan 2014 and was put on statins then - After months of unexplained symptoms we researched each one and decided to stop them and the symptoms gradually went. His blood pressure and cholesterol are fine and the insomia went as well. This has worked for him but may not for everyone and we were very dubious about stopping them but am now glad we did.

[OliasOfSunhillow]

The previous poster is correct. If Statins have a benefit then it is due to their anti inflammatory effect. Research everything you can on this subject and then at least feel confident you are replacing the anti inflammatory effect of the statin with natural side effect free alternatives. Take a look at Astaxanthin and Tumeric and of course your general diet needs to be low inflammatory as it does for everybody

[OliasOfSunhillow in reply to OliasOfSunhillow]

This may also interest you from Dr Mercola

articles.mercola.com/sites/...

[sandybrown]

Please read an article in the copy of the mail today.

Satins has side effect but statin as secondary medication is very important, (ie after any heart problem). Please consult your GP before stopping any medication!

Rosuvastatin is much more expensive than other statins and is one of the least commonly prescribed statins in the UK.

It is generally prescribed for a small number of people at high risk of a heart attack or stroke and who either cannot tolerate the older statins or have not had the desired reduction in cholesterol levels on them.

"Patients who are taking rosuvastatin should not stop taking it. They are on it for a very good reason."

Read more: dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/ar...

[pampig1 in reply to sandybrown]

Thankyou everyone for your imput .For the time being im going to stay on my Rusuvastatin 5mg.I know its makes sense that its not the cholesteral thats the problem but the benefit to the arterys with the stents, being the reason for me being on them.it seems to me to be the lesser of two evils. In other words ,keep taking the tablets.tTime will tell.

[sandybrown in reply to pampig1]

Thanks.

I was asked to take statin as primary medication and I took it for three months and then stopped due to side effect with my GP's knowledge.

In my family there are medical people and I get some help with my medication.

[ckra1000]

I had 3 stents fitted in January this year and was prescribed high dose statins (Atorvastatin 80mg) even though my total cholesterol has averaged 4.2 during my life (HDL to Total Cholesterol ratio has also been good at 2.4). I spend a lot of time reading about my condition and statins in particular given my low cholesterol. There appears to be some evidence that a high dose of statins can halt the formation of further plaques and even show a mild regression (0.5% per year) in the size of existing plaques when taken with Omega3. Thankfully, I have been able to tolerate this high dose with no obvious side effects and will continue to do so, unless my blood tests show side effects I haven't observed.

I've also been told by my medical team that statins will help strengthen the cap over existing plaques which should help them from bursting open.

[OliasOfSunhillow]

A number of people have replied on this thread quoting their cholesterol levels. My question to them is do you know the levels of these factors and if not why not ?.

1. Homocysteine

2. APOa

3. APOb

4. C Reactive Protein

5. Tryglycerides

6. LDL particle count (thats not the number your doctor tells you)

7. LDL particle size

If you do not know the above its like going for a drive in your car and knowing the seat belt works but having no idea if there is petrol in the tank, air in the tyres, oil and water in the engine. We have been force fed this cholesterol test because it is cheap and feeds nicely into the statin habit. I chose to get a full body of checks which may or may not be relevant but for which there is plenty of clinical trial evidence

[Andyman in reply to OliasOfSunhillow]

Explain to us why we need each test and what it means to us, it will help us understand.

[OliasOfSunhillow in reply to Andyman]

I have been blogging about these tests and various other things for nearly two years now. I am not trying to push my blog, its mainly a reference site for my own memory but if you take a look it would save me a lot of time copying and pasting

heartattackandthenhs.wordpr...

[Andyman in reply to OliasOfSunhillow]

Fair enough.

[ckra1000 in reply to OliasOfSunhillow]

Hi Olias

I'm following your brilliant blog and am booking myself into Blue Horizon (Leeds) for their Cardiac Marker blood test covering the markers you've mentioned above. I'm not so sure about going for the LP-PLA2 test which you have taken. If it comes back with a high reading for plaque instability I wouldn't know what to do to correct it.

[OliasOfSunhillow in reply to ckra1000]

Thanks ckra, yes I know what you mean. Stable plaque is what we need rather than unstable plaque. Of course no plaque would be best but the fact is that all of us will have some to one degree or another. Lowering inflamation will certainly help stabalise plaque which brings us back to good diet, exercise etc. There is a good explanation here of why 30% blockages can be worse than 80% blocked arteries in some ways.

drbenkim.com/clogged-arteri...

[ckra1000 in reply to OliasOfSunhillow]

A very interesting article. Thank you for pointing it out.

[sargrith]

I find the comments made interesting. I have been on atorvastatin for a year but this has made no difference to the fact that for the last three years my right carotid artery scans show that the increase in the blockage has gone up consistently each year by 1tenth, ie 50+percent; 60+percent ;now it's 70+percent. So being on statins has made absolutely no difference to the progression. My LDLand HDL cholesterol levels have always been on the acceptable side. Blood pressure very slightly above ideal. Diet also good, in fact better than when I had a much smaller blockage.Weight average.Always been very active.However we must never forget that little word 'genetics'.By the way,it's possible to have a complete blockage and be safer than while it's partial as then it cannot create a stroke.The other carotid and two further arteries at the back of the neck slowly take over as the blockage increases.risky, but it does happen.

[sargrith]

I have a +70% blockage of my right carotid artery that just over two years ago had caused numerous short periods of numbness to my left arm and leg over several weeks.These started weeks earlier with two occasions of violent involuntary sudden moving of the arm and leg. The restriction of blood flow must have caused intermittent reductions to a part of the brain and was different to usual strokes which normally cause one off TIAs at a time. Almost immediately on starting on clopidogrel (in lieu of asprin) this constant numbness stopped as the drug prevents the platelets sticking together, effectively thinning the blood and allowing it to pass more easily through the restriction. Taking statins has made no difference to the progressing of the blockage. Other than an operation of a carotid endarterectomy to remove the plaque I have to hope none of the plaque breaks off to move up to the brain.Other than the operation the best option is for the carotid artery become completely blocked (it can't then cause a stroke) and hope the other carotid and two further arteries to the back of the neck have slowly take over.So there is always hope of not having a stroke in this situation.

PS. The cause of can be varied, but excessive cholesterol can be made in the liver without your diet being the cause.Sugar is the latest villain but perhaps it's both sugar and fat.

[bernardwilliam]

Hi I take stations called sorbit for coroner heart decrease and I have no idea of they are helping or not anybody know thanks ben