Good morning. Although I posted yesterday I may have done something wrong. My husband would be quick to tell you that I am not necessarily IT oriented. What I do know that I would like to thank you all for is that it was quite informative to me to see all of the info about statins. I have had a very bad time with pain, memory loss, etc. I wondered if anyone knows how long after stopping the meds the symptoms continue. At this point I am not anxious to try other statins to see if they work for me. I appreciate any comments and please excuse me if the other post actually got through.
Thank you all
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georgewalter
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I suggest you try a good quality Q Enzymne Q10 (QE10) supplement. It is common knowledge that statins reduce the amount of this enzyme which is normally naturally produced in the body. Supplements are usually available in three strengths. 20mg, 40mg and 80mg. I suggest you try the 40g first to see what effect it has. You can increase or lower the dose after a few weeks trial depending on the result, or even give it up altogether if you have stopped taking the statins
Your other post got through 17 hours ago and three replies. I stopped statin after three months because of side effect. Because I was on it for three months I was back to normal within a week.
It all depends on age and other medical conditions!
I was on statins for almost six months. My main (and only) issue was sore and stiff leg muscles, which developed very gradually, up to the point where I had trouble getting out of a chair and felt like I was ninety years old (I'm 64). I also had trouble walking - walking became painful and unpleasant. I didn't even connect this to the statins! Fortunately my doctor, when I finally went to see him, immediately said 'it's the pills'. On the other hand, he was the one who insisted I take them in the first place...
Anyway, it's now over 4 months since I've been off the statins, and my muscle issues have just about resolved. The stiffness was gone in less than a week, but the muscle pains lingered for much longer. For me, taking Ubiquinol (the concentrated form of CoQ10) has been important. I started out with 400 mg per day, but when I started feeling better I lowered this to 100 mg. Then the pain came back, and now I'm taking 400 mg again. Anyway, my experience has been that recovery takes time, but it does happen.
Hey Mascha1900, I know this is an old thread, but your answer gives me some hope that my condition isn't permanent. I have all the same leg symptoms as you (was on 40 mg avorstatin for 10 years) and I feel like a 90 year old atm.
No problem! I can now tell that by now it's been about 10 months since I went off the Crestor, and my symptoms have completely resolved. That is, I'm back to where I was before starting the Crestor. I have been taking Ubiquinol daily, gradually reducing from 400 mg at first to now 100 mg. In addition I also sometimes take vitamin D3 in a fairly high dose. Finally I would like to add that I have decided not to have any more blood tests or other tests, unless I feel really sick of course. I think cholesterol is irrelevant anyway; people -especially women- who have high cholesterol actually live longer. Hope this helps!
Oh yes, and I would add that I wouldn't recommend taking another statin, or even a lower dose. Your doctor may advise this of course, but you should be aware that statins all work the same way - by blocking the production by the liver of certain elements that are essential to your health. Women don't need statins anyway, and the risks of long-term use are quite serious: diabetes, breast cancer and/or other forms of cancer, permanent muscle damage, dementia, Parkinson's disease, kidney, liver and heart failure.
May I thank you for taking the time to share this information. Feeling badly and alone in this was difficult and hearing some of the factual information really is good support.
I am in complete agreement. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Today is not good and for that reason hearing what you all have to say makes me feel more positive in many ways.
I have taken avrostatin for about 6 years,and I quote 2 and 1/2 months ago and im starting to feel like my old self without any pain in muscles, joints memory,bloating. But it could be different for someone else.
It was,a slow transition. But my doctor said old age im 65 so its not my age in feel2better by each week. I,am sure my ldl will creep back up but I was only border line in the beginning with the original stats before the medical field changed them.
Hello georgewalter, we have a friend who suffered some serious side effects of statins and in particular found difficulty in walking. He recovered fairly quickly upon stopping the statins; in two weeks he felt better and was back to normal in a month but each person is different.
At the risk of being boring I am going to repeat a post I have submitted a few time before for your interest and to help you.
Neither your doctor nor anyone else knows what you cholesterol level ought to be; cholesterol is an important component of the blood acting as a repair mechanism on the site of any injury. Rather than go into a long description I would recommend that you read what a heart surgeon says when he admits to having been wrong over 25 years. Go to: healthscams.org.uk/heart-su...
Statins are a group of medicines that lower 'bad' cholesterol in the blood.
High cholesterol can cause hardening and narrowing of the arteries, which may lead to heart disease.
People may be offered a statin if they have previously suffered from heart disease or are at risk of it.
Once prescribed, statins must usually be taken every day for the rest of a patients life to prevent cholesterol levels rising again.
Cholesterol can also be reduced by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and not smoking.
Source: NHS Choices
.
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST STATINS
The case for:
For those who have suffered a heart attack or stroke, studies have shown statins slash the chances of a second incident.
They are thought to save 7,000 lives each year in the UK.
Many doctors recommend statins as a preventative drug to protect millions who have not yet shown symptoms but have a small chance of suffering a heart attack in the next decade.
They cost the NHS less than £2 a month per patient.
Statins expert Professor Sir Rory Collins claims that just five in 10,000 statin users suffer muscular pain as a result of the treatment.
Backers of statins claim that patients incorrectly blame any back or muscular pain on the drugs, when most supposed side effects have a different cause entirely.
The case against:
Many doctors are uneasy with what they call ‘over-medicalisation’ of the middle- aged – doling out statins just in case they have problems later.
New rules set out in 2014 mean virtually all over 40s – up to 17 million people in total – are eligible for a prescription, irrespective of their symptoms.
The vast majority of those who take statins would never suffer a heart attack or stroke
. A 2013 Harvard study calculated that for every 140 low-risk patients who take statins for five years, only one major heart event is prevented.
A paper on statin side effects revealed that between 5 and 20 per cent of people who take the drugs discontinue treatment due to muscle pain.
Some doctors question whether reducing ‘bad’ cholesterol protects against heart disease at all. A study of 68,000 people this year found no link between high levels of 'bad' cholesterol and heart deaths among over-60s.
The NHS site is administered by Public Health England where there is to be found a lot of bad and in some cases wrong advice. Statins is a case in point where their understanding is just plain wrong. I wrote a letter to Duncan Selbie the CEO of Public Health England on the subject of nutrition; among a group of "experts" in his department, he is paid about £200,000 a year. In my letter I laid out the incorrect advice they were giving and was able to provide references from well established and respected medical sources. Upon my second reply he refused to communicate any further. What I am saying is that the advice on the NHS site is questionable, not my opinion but of respected medical experts.
I would like to suggest that you read what a heart specialist says on this subject by going to: healthscams.org.uk/heart-su... I think that you will find that Dr.Lundle explains it very well. You could also have a look at: healthscams.org.uk/are-stat... Best wishes Tibbly
The trouble with sites like that is they confuse the advice from the NHS with that from the US authorities and they usually ignore people with inherited high cholesterol because we're inconvenient for their alternative facts.
Hello DakCB-UK If high cholesterol is inherited it may be that it's right that particular person. We weren't worried by all this 50 years ago. You have to ask, when did it start then relate that to our diet changes in that period. Believe what you like but I am prepared to take note of a heart specialist who admits he has been wrong for 25 years, at least he's honest. Tibbly
Maybe *you* weren't worried by all this 50 years ago, but my family was concerned when my ancestors were dying young from that time on, which rather strongly suggests that our type of high cholesterol is not right for us, doesn't it?
If it relates to diet changes, then it's probably diet changes from around 1950, based on my family history that I can remember - the rise of processed foods from industrial nutricorps, the end-of-rationing sugar craze and US-style fast foods seem much more likely culprits than the low sat fat diet you hate that my family didn't adopt until the 1980s.
Actually, no we weren't worried 50 years ago and we are still not worried at 86 and 82 respectively, at the craze for measuring every aspect of food before eating it. Neither my wife or I are on any form of regular medication, we get by on 1kg or less of sugar a year, eat meat and fish and lots of vegetables and fruit; moreover, no processed food. We also drink whole, unpasteurised milk. Hippocrates said,"Let food be your medicine".
We walk with a small group for 2 hours a week.
Look up what you can find about Surgeon Captain T.L. Cleave FRCP we have simply followed what he recommended. Life is to be enjoyed not abused! Tibbly
Having worked for doctors for many years in the past I am very grateful for this insight. You obviously have taken the time and put in much effort to be helpful. I am feeling pretty badly today but having stopped on sunday I suppose I have a way to go, but I will not resume under any circumstances.
A lifestyle change is in order so that you address the cause of your medical condition that necessitated a statin prescription. This includes both diet and exercise. Just start walking every day for 30 minutes and it will start making a big difference to your health.
If you get off the statin, you should consider niacin as an alternative. I take 500 mg per day. There are some minor side-effects but they are nothing compared to a statin.
You should begin your dietary change by making one modification: stop eating sugar. It is not as simple as it sounds. If you buy packaged goods that come in boxes or bags from the grocery store, there are many hidden sugars so you have to read the label and look for 'syrup', molasses, and any word that has a suffix ending in 'itol', 'ohol', 'ose'. Ideally, you should stop buying processed packaged goods and stick with fresh foods.
Simple carbohydrates such as white flour products - bread, pasta, pizza are converted to sugar in your body and stored in your abdominal area. Other simple carbohydrates include, white rice, and white potatoes. You can have brown rice instead, as well as buying pasta made from either whole grain wheat or spelt.
Quinoa is a seed that looks like a grain or rice and is a great substitute. It is also high in protein.
Fruit juices, soft-drinks (both regular and diet) should be avoided, and alcohol should be limited to no more than one per day - ideally red wine.
Whole fruits are fine as they have fibre to slow the digestion process.
Do not forget the obvious - avoid white sugar, honey and other sweeteners. If you must use a sweetener, use half a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup as they at least have some nutrients whereas other sweeteners do not.
If you want to learn more about my journey to get off medications, look up my posts here:
I don't know that you can appreciate how much I appreciate the benefit of your acquired knowledge. I will be looking at all of these options and as I certainly have to live with these issues and those others who have similar unfortunate experiences, I have to attempt to find the best way to go forward. I have always been highly sensitive to pain meds, and other meds as well. They brought in a pain specialist for me last summer when I had a hip replacement. These instances passed, but because of a recurring problem with TIA's it was thought that statins were for me. I really should have known better.
Thank you for sharing your obvious knowledge.
Brahmi can help repair the brain and restore memory but it can take a few months so please don't expect a full memory recovery in a few weeks. Good health food & naturopath stores stock it. I think it is up to 3 months to see good results. Good luck
You have all the side effects from statins changed your diet helps a lot there is o much information out there to helpi just Goggled best food to eat when you have high cholestrol also loads of books Best one The Great Cholestrol Con is Brilliant good luck I got mine down to 5.2 since Stopping the statins now from 11 20 odd years ago
No problem! I can now tell that by now it's been about 10 months since I went off the Crestor, and my symptoms have completely resolved. That is, I'm back to where I was before starting the Crestor. Finally I would like to add that I have decided not to have any more blood tests or other tests, unless I feel really sick of course. I think cholesterol is irrelevant anyway - people- especially women- who have high cholesterol actually live longer! Hope this helps.
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