I'm getting used to Drs giving me a look of horror when I tell them I've gone off all my heart medication, and they say " GASP......even the STATINS????!!!' I say," especially the statins. They think I'm mad.
For the record, I have been off the statins for nearly 5 months now, (after being on them 10 years) and this is a list of what I no longer suffer from:
Extreme muscle pains in the whole of both legs
Killer cramps all the time in both legs
Racing , scary thumping heart that would sometimes briefly stop after a big thump (Drs gave me more and more heart medication for this, to no avail)
Inability to walk for 30 minutes when I first woke up due to extreme pain in both feet
Extreme lower back ache
Mental confusion, .memory loss, tiredness.
General muscle weakness, much worse after exercise.
I saw multiple doctors, and had multiple tests for these symptoms over many years, no one could find anything wrong. NOT ONE Dr said it could be statins.
It was only through my research and wonderful sites like this that I thought maybe its the statins?
BTW, some of these symptoms I didn't associate with statins (back ache, feet pain, mental confusion ) it was only after I stopped them that I noticed the pains and confusion were gone after a few days.
I am now almost 100% better, but have been diagnosed with arthritis in my knee and hip. Which is fine as long as I stay on an anti inflammatory diet and exercises a lot (something I have only recently been able to do , due to the statins finally leaving my system )
TBH, I blame myself that I was on statins so long, it was ignorant of me not to look up side effects, however as Londy has mentioned, they can creep up on you after a long time, and as NOT ONE Dr said it could be statins, it took me many years longer than it should have to piece it together. Never again will I blindly follow what a Dr says. And i am very relieved I don't seem to have permanent damage from them.
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Sparky3333
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As I’m not privy to your actual heart condition I’m in no position to judge whether your decision will, in hindsight, be good or bad for you. However you’ve become your own advocate and for that I commend you. Just like you I believed the clinicians and was on “heart meds” for a number of years. I was in my early sixties and my slow deterioration I put down to “getting old”. It was a stumble across Dr Malcolm Kendrick’s Blog (take a look if you’re unfamiliar) that got me off my complacent backside and into my own research into what I was being prescribed. For a year or so I have only been taking 75mg of aspirin. My aches and pains are gone and I’m fitter by far. The silver lining is I now live by the mantra of diet/exercise/“work” in its looses sense and most importantly community.
family history of heart problems, father dead at 52 of massive heart attack, mother heart attack at age 56, me , first heart attack at 46 , second one 5 years later (after being on statins for 5 years, mind you) I also put down the deterioration to getting old, but thought I should not be this way at age 55?
I also take low dose aspirin, and probably will continue on with that. its the only medication I take now, dropped the blood pressure tablets, statins, calcium channel blockers. I'll have a look at the blog you recommend, am always interested in research
I like your mantra, its the most sensible thing. Best of luck to you also:)))
Hi Sparky, Wow you're brave coming off meds with family history but understanding from a friend who has long term heart problems all the symptoms she has from the many pills I don't blame you. She's had many heart Ops and procedures and for every continuing ailment she's given another pill to the extent she's taking at least twelve daily - one of them a Statin. She has all the symptoms you describe and now has to tolerate UTI's and Thrush on a regular basis having been told "it's the tablets" for which the many doses of antibiotics don't clear. She puts up with her ailments because she believes the twelve pills keep her alive and I can understand that but her Dr. doesn't analyse periodically the quantity of tablets she's taking. Each time she feels poorly another one is given.
However, keep well and enjoy life, we only get one !!!
Hi Penbon, I'm not sure if I was brave, I felt I had no choice. I was practically crippled from the statins, and I decided that I couldnt live like that.
The Drs kept talking about the benefits vs ricks of statins, what amazes me, is they could see I was crippled, couldn't walk, stand, get on and off the toilet without help etc, and they talked about "mild" side effects? I told my Dr when he told me I would drop dead in a week without statins (this was nearly 5 months ago) that i would take my chances. it was desperation, not so much as bravery that led me to this site, and to do other research, , luckily I am the age that I can research through the internet, unfortunately a lot of the older generation cant do that, so they are stuck believing what their Drs tell them.
Actually the days that Drs are "gods" and are automatically believed is fast coming to an end, the above generation is the very last in the western world that is not able to do research on their own through the net. Everyone that comes after them WILL be able to make informed decisions on their own, this is also why the appalling abuse of residents in nursing homes and aged care places will end. No other generation will be as isolated and unable to speak to the greater world as this last one.
Sparky you're SO right. Years' ago you went to the doctor with confidence because you had every right to be but not today. I will be 80 in March but still have the capability of using a computer and the internet, a lot of people don't. You're also right about the younger generation tending more to taking their health into their own hands. My daughter who's 51 had a problem which was firstly put down to her age but then given meds which did no good whatsoever so she suffered for months. Eventually she turned to natural remedies and within a few weeks her problem was on the mend and she is now clear. She will never go to the doctor again if she can get help from elsewhere.
Like you, there will come a time when I have to make decisions and feel sure you made the right one. At one time we took whatever medication we were given without hesitation but the first thing I do now is to look at the leaflet giving the side effects and lots of times I've ditched them.
As for hospitals, I hope I never have to be admitted because it's more than likely I will come out with more than I went in with.
Penbon, it really inspires me that there are so many people on here who are of the older (I wont say elderly!!) generation who are involved with the internet!!!:))
My mother was very much ahead of her time, she was into natural therapies 40 years ago, and always researched from libraries and magazines side effects of medications.
Unfortunately as she got older and sicker, and ended up taking more and more drugs, she became much more isolated, and her ability to research diminished. She still continued with COq10, Vit d ect, but her Dr convinced her not to take them. She never took to computers, no matter how much I tried to teach her. In the end, she was hospitalized with a broken leg, (age 75) then her she was put on a cocktail of mind altering drugs, then they said she was dying, started "comfort care" and then was terminally sedated (with no consent , she actually told them to take her off all the drugs??) was denied food, water, just given higher and higher doses of morphine and medazalan (called by the medical establishment, the death cocktail) and basically dehydrated to death. it was the one year anniversary of her death last week. it was by far the most traumatic thing i have ever gone through.
This was done against my wishes and hers. I see it as murder. THIS is partly why i am so much against the current medical establishment, especially in the treatment of the elderly, the disabled , the mentally ill. In other words, those who are the most vulnerable in our society.
You are right Penbon, hospitals are not very good for the older generation , it sounds like you have a good grip on things though, and again, it inspires me that there are so may people here who are older, and powering away. May God bless you all:))))
Im so glad I found this site, and can relate to the many letters written by people such as myself, who have gotten off statins and doing better for it. A lot of doctors can't do for people what this site can. People talking to people sharing, just great. I stopped my statin two weeks ago and have had my blood work done since. My cholesterol hasn't changed, and I lost the aches in my legs. I had a friend on Lipitor a few years ago could not get out of a chair without help. I asked him if he was taking a cholesterol med and when he told me yes it was Lipitor I suggested he ask his doctor if he could cut the dosage which he did. He's walking fine today. Statins can help, but can also destroy you. Im glad Im off 'em . Btw, Im 85 , have no heart issues in the family, and have never had any signs of a heart attack. For these reasons, I was told i really don't need the statins. Im happy.
Ronzol, again, you folks really inspire me. I truly hope I am as perky and as informed when i'm older as you are. This site has been a life saver- changer for me. The best to you
Londy, I'm not sure what my Vit D blood results are, got tests done recently but they didn't mention that? I should ask. Yes, I take around 1000 mg magnesium per day, with hawthorn and also COQ10. have recently upped my vit c levels to round 3000 mg per day also.
My husband was telling me for years that a lot of my pain was through the statins . He stopped his and told the doctors and she said the benefit of taking the statins should outlay the side effects. I was told last week to stop by the consultant as i multi pain in loads of muscles. .
Doctors put me on statin at the age of 24. M cholesterol level was 6.9 and it went down to 4 after taking statin for half a year. However it deteriorated my health (super painful muscle pain especially when I just got up, numbness on arm and sometimes face, feeling floaty and blur, can’t concentrate, bloated ness, and been diagnosed with immune problem and getting sick very frequently. My vitamin D was low as well and only found this out after 7years of having all these problem) and at least one of the doctor told me to stop taking statin as the side effect was too bad for my case. I seen so many doctors and only one ask me to stop taking statin. However, my cholesterol went up back to 7.0 and now I’m on Fenofibrate 160gm per day and so far for past 2months, I have no side effect. I do have to take Vitamin D supplements as well. Exercising more as well. Hope you find something that works for u
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