I have heart disease, have tried 4 differentstating over the past 10 years. All of them I get bad musclerosis pain. The last one I had such severe muscle pain. I couldn't get out of bed in the morningsame without trying4 or 5 times. Than for the first 5 hours in the morning, every day I could barely walk. I would sometimes almost collapse. Now it's been 2 months I quit the satin. The pain is almost gone in my legs. I completely changed my diet, take Omega 3 daily now my ldl has almost doubled! Just don't know what to do. I don't want another heart attack. So scared.
Statins: I have heart disease, have... - Cholesterol Support
Statins
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Ccll
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Have you tried Pravastatin? Its more expensive so drs dont prescribe it as much. Ive been on it for 2yrs with no problems.
No I haven't. Going to the doctors today, will see about this. Thanks
• in reply toCcll
I'm taking Pravastain as well. It's much more milder for me than Lipitor. No real side effects and I had terrible muscle aches on Lipitor.
No i have to see her friday i will ask about this one cos i know they always put you on the cheapest first ...thanks for that x
I'm on pravastatin and muscle and joint pain is getting as bad as when I was on atorvastatin even though I only take half tablet.
Try full flush Niacin, it will certainly drop your LDL
What will be the doze to achieve a drop in cholestetol using niacin
I take 50mg and saw a 15% drop from 3.2 mmol to 2.7mmol, I would not want to go lower as personally I consider that unhealthy. This is how it will feel, after a coupe of days taking it you will experience a flush. This is quite normal and not unpleasant and lasts about 10 mins. After a couple of weeks this stops pretty much all together. You could then try increasing to two tabs and see if this results in any further reduction. I have no connection with the brand other than a user but I use Health Leads brand bought on Amazon. There is also research showing that Kyolic Aged Garlic drop LDL too.
Good luck
PS There is also a good book on the benefits of Niacin
I have tried Niacin. Got vertigo badly. I have tried Lipitor, Crestor, generic Crestor, and one more statin I cant remember the name at the moment. The leg pain was so severe I couldn't walk. My overall cholesterol isn't too bad but since I quit taking a statin, changed my diet completely (lost 13 lbs doing this) it went from 3.6 to 5.6, my LDL went from 1.7 to 3.6 my HDL is only 1.8. Since my heart attack I was always told my LDL has to be under 2. I take 200 mg of CoQ10 daily too. I just don't know what to do. I go to the doctors today and next week to the cardiologist. I pray they can tell me what to do.
Cc Why do you say your HDL is only 1.8 thats an excellent number.
Check out your Tryglycerides to HDL ratio this is a better predictor
"What should your triglycerides-to-HDL cholesterol ratio be? Ideally, you want no more than a 2:1 ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol. So, if your triglycerides are 100 mg/dl, your HDL cholesterol should be 50 mg/dl. Anything under 3:5 is considered a good ratio,"
I don't really understand this. Just that the doctors keep saying my LDL has to be under 2 since I do have heart problems. My Triglycerides is 2.05, my HDL is 1.14, my LDL is 3.53. I just reread the print out. I don't understand all this.
I think you should concentrate on raising that HDL and lowering the Triglycerides based on your readings. Here is what Dr Sinatra suggests for this
"How to Lower Triglycerides Naturally
Reduce your intake of sugar and processed carbohydrates which can raise your triglycerides.
Keep your weight down. The lower your weight, the lower your triglycerides. So weight loss and weight management are key to lowering triglyceride levels.
Take omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) which help promote normal triglyceride levels. For triglyceride support, take 2–3 grams daily in divided doses.
To Raise Your HDL Cholesterol Levels
Take niacin (vitamin B3). Since it can cause flushing, my recommendation is that you start with 250 mg of niacin three times daily, and slowly work up to 1–2 grams in divided doses three times a day.
Get regular, physical exercise. Strive for 30–60 minutes of aerobic activity three to five days a week.
Drink red wine in moderation. Red wine helps to boost HDL cholesterol, plus it contains resveratrol, a phytonutrient with cardio-protective benefits.
Diet is crucial. Avoid processed foods, as well as those high in sugar and trans fats. Instead, opt for foods that are rich in heart-healthy fats and soluble fiber. Almonds also help to support healthy HDL cholesterol levels.
Thank you. Since the middle of May I have cut out all pop, big thing for me. First hour I'm awake a eat plain oatmeal, have a yogurt, eat salads (only lettuce, spinach, onions, tomatoes and a Italian vinaigrette dressing) daily, eat a handful of unsalted almonds, skinless boneless chicken breast no sauces just spices (no salt), sweet potatoes/yams, lots of veggies, lots and lots of blueberries, strawberries, cherries. Take Omega 3 daily, CoQ10 200 mg daily. I do have MS so its very hard to exercise. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.
One of the big carb intakes for many people is bread. If you cannot give it up switch to rye bread which has the lowest glycemic index and the highest Lignans which may explain its cancer fighting association. If Pasta is on your menu drop that as well. I would try the Niacin I suggested and then restest after a month
I use to eat only rye bread but gave up all bread and pasta 2 months ago. My doctor today suggested to cut a 10 mg crestor in 4 and try taking 2.5mg. if no leg pain than he said that will lower my LDL some. Also a friend was saying both her parents have heart disease and high cholesterol, they take ground flax seed in all they eat and their levels are very low. I cant take Niacin either.
And walnuts plus powdered linseed in your oat porridge...oily sea fish...all these increase your HDL, the good one. Most important exercise and STOP WORRYING. Act without anxiety. Easy to say. I am just learning. My father meditated every single morning, never followed any dietary restrictions and lived a very healthy life till 104. Did voluntary teaching till 94! He was always calm. Did not believe cholestrol had anything to do with cardiac disease! May be genes and anxiety prone living in urban areas has something to do with it?
Totally agree
If you are feeling great don't worry, the other side of the equation is you cholesterol is needed as you get older and as your cholesterol gets higher your risk of heart attack gets smaller, and CoQ10 is a heart fuel and body power IMO, so you are on the right track; as I said this is only in my opinion, the final decision should be yours alone, not from fear of what the dr says.
As has been said many times on here its not so much your cholesterol levels that people should focus on but more their cholesterol subfractions eg number of LDL particles rather than just LDL cholesterol levels.
One other footnoTe for those obsessed with LDL, research shows that coffee raises it 10% and green tea lowers it 10%, I tested this and found it to be true although more like +- 7%
If what we eat controls our cholesterol so much dont' you think that plugging your duct from your liver is just a numbers thing. don't worry about your cholesterol, worry about a good healthy diet. A diet that fits you as one diet doesn't fit all. and anti cholesterol medication doesn't fit al;l
I will check these out. I take 200mg of CoQ10 a day too.
I have had heart trouble for 13 years, the last one after taking statins for 13 years was a quad bypass. and in a short time two strokes; Than for reasons unknown to me my statin started attacking my muscles. I thought for sure it was the strokes that caused my condition;
With me not wanting to spend the rest of my life as an invaled, (I am 76) I thought i would experiment, I have known that statins were giving me problem with muscle cramping and causing me head problems of dizzyness and no balance.
Like you I gave up statins and I almost instantly started feeling better. My GP told me that if I didn't go back on statins I could easily have more heart problems and maybe more strokes. but whether I started them up again or not was my decision, she could only give me what the medical books gave her.
I thought about that for quite some time, and decided if going back on statins and living longer (maybe) with the way I was feeling, I would rather have a shorter life and be happy with my life.
I than read on these blogs that I should have been on CoQ10 while I was on statins. I am now taking CoQ10 and that has really made my heart, lungs, muscles and head feel better,
I don't think I will ever go back on statins; because I feel so much better without them.
This is somewhat long winded, but wanted to let you know, I feel confident about not taking statins, and I worry not about more heart attacks; so don't be afraid. You will probably be like the rest of us mortals and die of something sooner or later anyway.
I am 59. I had a heart attack at 47. I have MS too. I do feel good especially now that the pain is almost completely gone. Now will wait to see the cardiologist next week.
It may be worth looking at a recent study reported by Aseem Malhotra (in a U.K. Journal) whose study suggests, after meta analysis of many studies over many years, that collesterol is not a major factor for CHD and lowering it has very little impact on an increased lifespan. I am on 80mg of Atorvastatin(Lipitor) following a mild MI and very confused with all the conflicting stories you hear about whether they are useful or not. Not sure what other people think? In the U.K. we are not told to take coq10 with statins although I have heard they are good to take with statins. I have noticed a lack of energy since taking statins but not sure if this is due to the tablet or something else.
Hi: I'm about to stop taking my statin. I have a serious peripheral neuropathy and statins make it all 3X the pain and cramped muscles. A holistic doctor recommended taking "Nattokinase & Serrapeptase" which is of Japanese origin. The 'Mercola' website has info you should read.
I also take 2000u of vit D3, request by my doctor for my MS. He said I could take 5000 just too expensive for me.
You need to join the facebook group Side effects of statins - plenty of help there. Also get your LDL analysed via a VAP test
Facebook group - there are several - join ALL of them! Search for " side effects statins" and "statins suck" and "stopped our statins"
Yes thanks for that. I have only been on statins for 2 months but noticed some muscle fatigue whilst swimming but it comes and goes so may be lack of coq10. I believe it is better to take ubiquinol though than coq10 (ubiquinone) as it is absorbed better (I used to work in the health food industry) albeit that was the message given by the manufacturer.
Yes you are right ubiquinol is far too expensive for me so will try coq10 first and eat mackerel, broccoli and cauliflower which are good natural sources according to a quick internet search.
sos007Ambassador
How to Wean Off Statins:
I see some people advocate to 'just stop them'. There is no medication that should be stopped cold turkey as there will be side-effects in doing so. It is always best to wean off slowly.
I weaned off of a 30 mg daily dose of Crestor over a 10 month period. I reduced by 5 mg every 6 weeks and then had a blood test to see how my body was reacting each time.
It is important to monitor bloodwork closely during the process and AFTER the process. There is a 'rebound effect' for many medications when you first stop. The condition they were suppressing tends to spring back more severely initially when you stop. It is important to know this so you don't panic and restart. If you monitor your blood-work after stopping, every 2 months, you'll notice your cholesterol levels starting to drop again, assuming you have made a dietary and lifestyle change on a permanent basis.
If you were prescribed statins, your doctor believes that you either have or are on the path to getting cardiovascular disease. This means that you need to permanently change your lifestyle. This means a daily vigorous walk for at least 30 minutes, and ideally up to 60 minutes. It also means the virtual elimination of simple carbohydrates and sugars, and a substantial reduction in the consumption of animal proteins and an increase consumption of plant proteins such as beans, chick peas and lentils.
It means more leafy greens like spinach and arugula and more whole fruits, not fruit juice. It means the elimination of fried foods.
As noted, more can be learned from my previous posts:
healthunlocked.com/user/sos007
Thankyou for reply ir all sounds so scary im going ask my doctor can i take otber suppliments instead of statins
I have just found out I have high cholesterol 6.6 don't want to go down medication route, I have to have bloods rechecked in 6 months, has anyone managed to get cholesterol down by exercise and diet.
You can achieve it, I did it, slow process!.
Life style change. do you have all your lipid numbers? did your GP offer to do a risk analysis? You can do this on line, JBS3 calculator. give it a try.
Watching out for hidden and free sugar in food and drinks, eating small portion, LCHF diet and regular exercise.
Thank you for reply,No I don't have all my lipid numbers, I need to lose about 1stone in weight.
Thanks for your advice, now taking coq10 100mg daily. Best place to buy I can find in U.K. Is Waitrose supermarket, at the moment you can get 3 packs for the price of 2 and at £4.20 a pack makes the cost is less than 10p a day. I Hope everyone can see this but not sure how to do this?
What oil do you use for cooking
Statins for cholesterol will definitely cause a heart attack and cause the muscle pain your talking about. Statins cause more harm than good and you should get off of them.Try 3 omega pills and Flaxseed oil pills see if that helps you it has me.
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