I am a type 1 diabetic, some history of CVD in family, i realize the importance of reducing cholesterol level, Dr put me straight onto Atoravastain without even suggestion of alternative means of reduction. I follow a high fiber diet LOW Gi (gylcemic index) use olive oil, eat lots of Avocado pears, one per day. Drink berry smoothes never eat takeaways. Exercise as much as possible. I was jogging but the muscle pain from taking statins is too much, my fingers have gone blue, from the knees down my legs have a bluish tinge. not sleeping restless leg syndrone pins/needles fingers toes. headaches.
Went back to the Dr read out the list of complications, Dr says continue you will settle, several months later still the same. Dr wants to give other drugs to counteract the statins.
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pryor147
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Hi Pyor, I stopped statins 3 months ago, I now no longer have the crippling feet aches in the mornings, week hands and arms, bad back aches, heart palpitations ect. I told my Dr about the heart palpitations, they did not say it can be a side effect of statins, so I went on more and more medication. This continued for 10 years, and I was getting worse and worse. Luckily I found this site and also "Stopped our Statins Group".
What you are going through could be likened to statin poison, and from what I have read, changing to a different statin often doesn't help. Also please read as much as you can about how lowering cholesterol actually does not prevent heart attack or strokes .
Some of my symptoms went after a few days of stopping the statins, others have taken 3 months to go (weak legs ect) I am taking COQ10, Vit D, B, Magnesium , Apple cider vinagar, and are actually able to walk and exersise nearly normally.
Most GPs are generalists, they do not have the time to do the research. Actually patience s nowadays are much more informed than doctors, as we have the time and the need to do exhaustive studies, as been shown on this site. it is up to you, but as someone who has 2 heart attacks, whose mother and father both died young of them, after research I decided to go off the statins, and also all my heart medication.
In this day of the internet, people are much more well informed than ever, and as I mentioned, no one will research a subject so much as someone who has a problem and is trying to find answers. Unfortunately, most Drs do not take this into account.
I actually read a fabulous book "Mad in America" written by quite an elderly Dr, who mentions this. The book was about the crazy and broad use of anti psychotics and the dangers they are creating. He said that the days of Drs being arrogant and thinking they know best simply because they are Drs is over. There is obviously a need for Drs and surgeons, but no longer can they be treated as Gods.
PS, Pyror, My Dr told me I would drop dead in a week if I stopped, I researched as much as possible the dangers of stopping abruptly, and apart from some scare mongering from the drug companies I couldn't find much info.
I would suggest ramping down slowly if you are worried. I did that with my Calcium Channel blockers, as I was worried about abruptly stopping them. Took half for 2 weeks, then another half of that for a further 2 weeks, then stopped.
I stopped cold turkey as I told Dr about symtoms and dr expressed to need for my body to get accustomed to them. No mention of tapering off gradually. Still suffering 3 weeks later. Now Dr says symtoms are stress. Thankyou ever so much for your input.
I dont see how your body will get used to them. I took them for 10 years and TBH it was only in the last 5 they started affecting me. I think if you are having a reaction to them straight away its not a good sign. As i mentioned, its been 3 months scince I went off them, and I am only now feeling okay. Please take the supplements mentioned here , they really do help. It may just take time.
Thats really horrible Londy, especially as my mother, who did not have cancer (was recovering from a broken leg) was given it continuously, with deadly consequences.
Pryor, I think what Llondy is pointing out is often doctors are encouraged by drug companies to administer drugs that is not necessarily in the patients best interest.
Statins are the highest selling drug of all time and are vigorously pushed by drug companies.
I have found this site so very informative with regard to cholesterol and would like to ask why there is so much hype by the medical profession to lower cholesterol levels - other than for financial gain (so it seems) and quote from Londinium's link.
"Cholesterol is crucial for energy, immunity, fat metabolism, leptin, thyroid hormone activity, liver related synthesis, stress intolerance, adrenal function, sex hormone syntheses and brain function".
And to further quote:-
" one needs to be cognisant of the fact that the body had increased its’ cholesterol as a compensatory mechanism".
If the raising of cholesterol overall is due to a compensatory mechanism in the ageing population why mess with it?
I'm so pleased I chose not to take Atavorastatin prescribed by my GP because the next one I saw told me my cholesterol was average and a statin wasn't necessary. Not the first time the practice has been contradictory so I've recently changed.
The only solution is to stop the statins ASAP, if you continue on them the pain will only get worse and perhaps become irreversible - I am in a Facebook group of (ex) statin users and many of them have gotten necrotizing myopathy or peripheral neuropathy after years - but sometimes only weeks! - of statin use. I myself took statins for several months and have fully recovered, but it did take me about six months. Good luck!
From listening to several seasoned Cardio guys I've learned a lot. One thing that's fact is that Cholesterol does not cause Heart Disease or Heart attacks. Statins do not prevent Heart attacks. There is virtually zero evidence that they will. If your Doctor's only solution is to to give you more drugs, find another Doctor. Many Doctors only know what Big Pharma has to say about prescription drugs. They need to know much much more. Statins are dangerous and the "Bad LDL" story is pure BS. Diet and exercise is the correct route for you. Having high Cholesterol is NOT the menace it's made out to be. Good luck!
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