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Cholesterol Support
7,595 members • 2,170 posts

I'm thinking of coming off my statins

I have read so much bad press and I am now getting some joint and muscle aches. I have been on atrovastatin 20mg for over a year now.. No cardiac issues but I did have a cholesterol of over 7.5. which is why my GP put me on them - that and my family history - mum CABG at 60 brother CABG at 58 etc..

However having read lots on here I will now speak to my Dr about coming off.

I have recently changed my diet cut out sugars lost a little weight and am doing regular exercise..

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Please discuss this with your GP or a cardiologist as both needs to look at your general health.

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Sorry to hear you are having problems Weee. Hope your doctor is helpful, perhaps it's worth trying a different statin in view of your family history?

Glad to hear you have cut out sugar, try cutting out refined starch too if you haven't already.

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If your lifestyle has not changed 180 degrees, you may want to remain on them. You must make a commitment to MAJOR change not minor modifications. Read my post 'Coming Off Statins October update'.

No more white pasta, white bread, white rice, white potatoes. Whole grain bread only. Brown rice and whole grain or spelt pasta once every few weeks. Sweet potatoes once a week. No soft drinks, limit fruit juices to 2 oz daily and dilute with water. Tart Cherry juice, blueberry juice and pomegranate juice are ideal.

Alcohol, stick to red wine and no more than one drink per day.

Eliminate red meat, limit all other meats to once per week. Eat fish 2-3 times per week. Rest of your diet should be legumes - beans, chick peas, lentils. Egg whites are great as protein with no cholesterol. Spinach or arrugula salad daily. Nuts, nut butters daily. Convert to goat milk. Use ceylon or true cinnamon daily, one teaspoon. (stir into coffee, tea or smoothie)

Exercise daily, 30 to 60 minutes. Include weight training.

If you can do these things (as I did), then you can gradually wean off Statins, otherwise you better stay on them.

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I have coeliac disease so only eat gluten free bread and pasta and then only in moderation. I have almost cut sugar out completely, don't drink anything other than water or coffee or Golden milk (made with turmeric paste) and have alcohol twice a week.

I eat oily tinned fish regularly and spinach and eggs too . I love nuts and fruit and veggies so have a very healthy diet..

I cycle to work - about 50 miles or so a week, I do an hour of yoga weekly and walk and swim when I can.

So as you can see my lifestyle is excellent..

I will be chatting to my GP before making my mind up ..

Thank you for all the response - much appreciated.

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You may wish to consider replacing the eggs with egg-whites. I make an egg-white omelette that is tasty and filling. In a non-stick pan, place one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, heat and spread, then add a teaspoon of chopped red onion, a tablespoon of chopped green or red pepper, sauté until soft. Pour in one full cup of liquid egg whites, add 3-4 chopped kalamata olives, add salt and pepper to taste. Cover pan with tight fitting lid and let cook on medium until firm. Flip the omelette then sprinkle on a tablespoon of crumbled Greek feta (must be made from goat or sheep's milk). Fold omelette and take off heat.

This meal contains over 30 grams protein, is low in calories and has no cholesterol. It is quite filling especially if you place the omelette on a piece of toast. I also slice up a tomato, drizzle with EV olive oil, add crumbled Greek feta and garnish with basil.

If you haven't cut out red meat, that may be your next big step. I was an avowed carnivore, steaks, burgers, lamb chops - I had to give it all up after a triple bypass in March of 2015. I ate only chicken until February of 2016, then became a vegetarian, although I still have dairy and fish. I've dropped 35 lbs and am off all medication, no statins, no beta-blockers, no blood pressure pills. Just a baby aspirin and vitamins. I plan to reintroduce some meat (3 oz or less) once every 3 months just to treat myself.

Dairy fats are a hidden source of animal fats - many cheeses have 30-42% milk fat - check the labels. The fat molecules in goat milk are different than in cow milk which makes it healthier. I only have Greek feta and goat cheeses.

To boost your HDL and help clean up the LDL, you can try and emphasize - daily consumption of berries, nuts, cinnamon, green tea, bran or oat cereal, and beans. Watch for the canned fish - it should be packed in water, and if you eat tuna, get the skipjack instead of albacore, it has less mercury.

For salad dressing I only use olive oil and balsamic vinegar, no creamy dressings.

Finally, you may wish to consider adding 30 minutes of resistance training every other day. If you can't get to a gym, push-ups are a great substitute. Do as many as you can until exhaustion, rest 2 minutes and repeat. Do this for 30 minutes per day - you'll be amazed at the impact on your upper body and also on cutting the LDL. Resistance training fires up your metabolism to burn more body fat.

Good luck - your already good attitude toward a healthy lifestyle will take you far.

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Wow what an amazing story and thank you so much for your very considered response.. I will take note and bear your suggestions in mind. I am a bit of a carnivore but don't eat meat daily.. I will do my best to modify this slowly with a view to cutting it out completely, eventually.

The press ups I can do - i'm pretty fit and strong for my age ..

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One thing I must add - although I had a triple bypass, I never suffered a heart-attack. I identified that I had a cardiac problem and admitted myself to the hospital after an episode of a crisis-level reading of blood pressure 185/120 (I actually felt it before measuring - my heart was racing). If you have suffered a heart attack or have any other cardiac abnormalities, you may not be able to completely eliminate all medications.

Read this article:

news.nationalgeographic.com...

Best wishes.

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Check out my latest post 'How to Assess Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke' to learn more about blood and other tests that can help you better understand your risks.

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If you decide to change your diet completely, you may need to supplement with vitamin B12, as this can be difficult to get from a vegetarian diet. Possibly better to eat some good quality red meat once a week.

Don't cut out egg yolks as they are very nutritious. The idea that the cholesterol in food is bad for us is out of date.

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I won't be stopping eating meat completely.. I will only cut back slightly..:)..I will take bits of sos007 's suggestions and everyone else..Its all good ..

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I think I would rather exist off bread & water than this regime. Your menu sounds horrendous to me & I can't imagine anyone sticking to this diet. Whatever has happened to food being pleasurable to eat?

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I find it quite tasty. It's all in the preparation.

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I think that that's too radical. As an ideal fine, but no-one would be able to or want to achieve this.

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Same statins that I was on after many changes - cholesterol up but then after GP said come off as muscle pains etc just awful. I have just had a Well Woman overhaul and cholesterol was spot on!

I have been off for about one year now and GP said no reason for you to be on statins!

Best of luck with your decision.

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Do you have all your cholesterol numbers?

Have you had any blood test after station?

Did you GP explain to you about risk analysis by using your numbers?

Life style change can help all of us, regular exercise, watching out for food and drinks intake and also hidden sugar and free sugar in food and drinks.

You need to look at the ratios as well as one number.

A simple height to waist ration can help a lot with health, have a look in Google.

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Update:- My latest bloods are all good Liver function (which was off) normal, cholesterol normal (HDL 1.2, LDL 2.9 and ratio 4.2). Blood sugars down 3 to 47 (still a bit high but improved). So GP happy for me to stop and re test in 6 months but did ask if I was prepared to go back on them if the levels were up again.. I said I would,,, (I'm not stupid)

So I'll see what what , clearly i'm doing something right and have lost 11lb in weight since my last check in March

Thanks for all your input - much appreciated..

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Try your numbers in JBS3 calculator and analyse the results, you can vary the numbers to get a better understanding for a guide line. I do a check once a year and I am doing my latest one at the moment.

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I was on statins for 2 years and I didn't realise but within a couple of months began to get aches and pains in arms/legs, headaches, confusion, anger, irritability and impatience. Also numbness and tingling in legs and feet. I had trouble walking. I was also on 20mg of atorvastatin a day. I had read about how controversial they are and researched the subject. I read 'the great cholesterol con' by Dr Malcolm Kendrick, a doctor in the UK. It was an eye opener. Talks about the danger of taking statins and the real cause of heart disease. He has a website too. I decided to stop taking statins and started on a low carb, healthy fats diet. I feel that my blood sugar and cholesterol level has stabilised and as a bonus lost 11 kilos.

I use guidance in diet from several websites: the bloodsugardiet by Dr Michael Mosle is one, plus dietdoctor.com and ditchthecarbs.com. I feel better all round and will have my first cholesterol test since stopping statins 6 months ago in a few days time. My appointment with the lipid doctor is on the 7th and it will be interesting to see the results! I don't believe statins are helpful or eating healthy fats harmful. However, you need to read up on the subject, reading as mych information on both sides to be fully informed. What is best for me may not be best for you. I wish you luck, whatever you decide. :-)

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Please do let us have both old and new bloods from your lipid doctor to compare your benefit. From what I have read and my life style change, what works for me may not work for others! I had my annual blood test and my appointment for results discussion is towards the end of next month. Looking forward to the discussion, no medication!

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Read all of my posts, starting with 'Coming off Statins'. I had CABG in March 2015 and no longer take any medication other than 81 mg of baby aspirin.

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I came off of statins after my bypass surgery. Read all of my posts here:

healthunlocked.com/user/sos007

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