I saw a consultant recently who wanted me to take Ezetimibe and Rosuvastatin (I had a heart attack 4 yrs ago and two stents inserted in one artery). I refused. I stopped taking Atorvastatin (10mg) about a year ago and the powers that be don't like it!
Instead, I'm taking 7000mg of Beetroot extract and 500mg of Niacin, daily. The consultant doesn't know I'm taking these as I started after I'd seen him. Nevertheless, he says, "Continue with your medication and lifestyle as discussed."
Just got the results of a blood test for my cholesterol levels and as you can see, they're just fine!!! Before, my total level was just over 7 with about the same level of HDL, so it's mostly the so-called good lipid that I've lowered.
Cholesterol
HDL: 1.55
LDL: 3.84
TOTAL: 5.8
Elsewise, I feel fine. I'm almost 71, go to gym three times a week inc. Taichi. I'm 5' 10" and a shade over 63 kilos. I eat well, don't really drink much and packed up smoking 7 yrs ago. Not much else I can do really. But I've proved you don't need those evil drugs!
There is primary medication for prevention and secondary medication to help with day to day activities after a heart problem. Please discuss your statin medication with your cardiologist. Food intake control and regular exercise is keeping me away from primary medication, only time will tell. I do take drinks but very careful on food.
I am 69, 5ft 5 inches, weight 72kg. Weight under control!, enjoying one life, looking for quality of life rather than length of life.
Only medication is for allergy, do not take any supplement, always go for fresh green leafy veg.
I've told my gp, who then sent me to a consultant, that I have no intention of taking any kind of statin (I took it for three years, that was enough). I have a healthy diet, fresh pretty much everything really, excpt the noodles.
And precisely, it's not about how long you live but what kind of life you want to live. The person I referred to above, the specialist nurse, when I asked her by how much would the statin prolong my life, obviously, she has no answer to give me. It's ludicrous.
But it's a dis-ease peculiar to us in the so-called developed world. Once you've done whatever to acquire acquire all that material wealth, you want to hang on to it for as long as possible as you can't take it with you (unlike the ancient Egyptians).
Would you mind adding 20ml/day of raw olive oil and seeing what it does? I had an unusual result which I wonder if it was connected to an accidental surge in olive oil intake just before a test... lord knows, the rest of the diet was fresh but a bit off-message (mainly too many carbs and too much red meat).
Total cholesterol dropped in about a month (across Christmas and New Year, no less) from 6.5 to 5.2 and all of that reduction was LDL. It's difficult for me to explain it through any other change because the basic treatment (low dose statin and ezetimibe) hadn't changed for months.
Trust me I'm a doctor recently demonstrated beneficial effects from olive oil whether virgin or otherwise. They did not measure its effect on cholesterol. They did a urine test, they were looking for measurable short term benefits
I have read that 20mls of good quality virgin olive oil daily will help to reduce cholesterol either taken straight orally or in your diet. The oil must be kept in dark, cool conditions. a lady in Portugal who lived to 120 attributed her longevity to this. I think scientists think that, the olive oil part, is why the Mediterranean diet is so good for the heart. My husband prescribed statis after a mild heart attack discontinued them after side effects. He has 1 small stent, didn't have problems with cholesterol or blood pressure and was told that otherwise his heart is in pristine condition. Statins brought his cholesterol down to 3.5 from 4.7. He is due to see his consultant shortly but hasn't told his doctor he has stopped the statins. Fingers crossed diet, exercise, restraint in alcohol and taking olive oil daily will do the trick.
Would blood pressure medication, Ramipril and Bisoprolol Fumarate which relaxes the muscles of the heart, not do the same job? He hasn't even got blood pressure!! It's family history is the problem. On 40 mg statin within a month my husband could barely put his feet to the ground with leg pain and back pain, he ended up using a wAlking stick. When the staton was reduced to 20mg he had a dreadful itch on his legs and was tearing the skin off scratching. He decided quality of life was more important. Persuading him to keep his drinking of whiskey/stout within recommended limits was the biggest and most important move for him. He was far from an alcoholic but definitely went over the limits. A recent report I read here, with a link to Canadian research, found that people who used statins regularly with no obvious symptoms when theIr tissue was examined they showed evidence of muscle damage although small.
Hi Ling, he's doing well and can climb steep hills better than me! I'm afraid his doctor and 2 pharmacist daughters prevailed on him to take the statins. His doctor worked with him to find something that would work which is 10mg Rosuvastatin twice weekly which he is on about 3 years plus with no problems. He rarely takes a drink now and is quite happy. Now I've been told I've high cholesterol. We have a good diet but fond of sweet things which we will change in the new year. We both need to loose just under a stone each. We walk at a good pace every day without fail but need to hit the hills or up the cardio.
My mom has been on a statin for over 30 years, and it has thankfully served her well (touch wood), keeping her early stage cardiovascular disease at bay.
Thank you and a happy and healthy New Year to you and your mum too. Great to hear how well she's doing on statins without side effects for years. Stay safe
I saw the consultant yesterday for high blockage in an artery and some in two others. I went in bright and happy and came out a tearful wreck. He wore me down with wanting me to go on Rosuvastatin and/or injections, telling me what success there had been with statins and that he would want to stay alive to see his daughter grow up, didn't I want to see my grandchildren grow up. Telling me it's a silent killer. I am 71 this year and am managing quite well going to cardio/fitness class twice a week with someone who has worked at hospitals with heart patients. I had difficulty two years ago when I went to the Dr's with a chest infection in dreadful winter weather. Now if I feel a bit stressed when I'm out I stop for a second or two. Mostly I'm fine and feeling better today. Now on HFLC food more like the 'old' days!
I am 70, my GP wants me to go on station, I have said no. I am of food intake control and regular exercise. I watch out for free sugar and hidden sugar in food. My fitness test was in India in January this year, I climbed 208 steps to go to a temple on top of a hill and a second temple on a hill.
Thank you Bala, I'm feeling better today and will stay as I am, as you say - Only time will tell. Since the diagnosis I have been up mountains in Switzerland, faced the wind on the Isle of Man and am going on a mini cruise to Norway this year. Onwards and upwards!
NB the consultant also said that there is no need to fast pre blood test which was something I was aware of some years ago. Maybe they will catch up eventually.
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