Atorvastatin and or Apixaban anticoagulant - Thyroid UK

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Atorvastatin and or Apixaban anticoagulant

Pinkpeony profile image
36 Replies

I was released from hospital six weeks ago after a TIA . I was given a script for the above in the top dosage for both . When I had my TIA I felt absolutely fine ( for a thyroidy that is ) Apart from the two numb areas I wouldn't have noticed a thing . A couple of days after starting the meds , I started to feel quite unwell and after a week saw the GP who reduced the statin dosage from 80mg to 40 mg . It hasn't made any difference and is affecting my digestion , my sleep, and I have sundry aches and pains etc. I can understand the doctor being unwilling to change the consultant's directive but it's another three weeks till I see him . I'm so tired and depressed. Has anyone had experience of these drugs and any advice would be welcome . Thank you ! Pp

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Pinkpeony
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36 Replies
cjrsquared profile image
cjrsquared

As I’m sure you are aware there is conflicting advice about statins, so in order to take an informed decision you really need to know your blood results for cholesterol, including Hdl, ldl and triglycerides. This would then give you some idea of the relative risks involved in not taking statins and allow you to discuss if any alternatives are necessary. ( sorry I can’t be more precise).

The apixaban is the anticoagulant and is necessary especially in the first 4-6 weeks post tia, as that is when the risk of another is highest. Over time the risk falls and again other options such as clopidogrel or aspirin may be sufficient. I hope you regain health soon.

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply tocjrsquared

Thanks for your prompt reply . The locum who halved the statins brought me in after four weeks for a fasting cholesterol test .

Serum cholesterol 3.7 MMol/L

Triglycerides 0.74 "

HDL cholesterol 1.4. "

Chol /HDL ratio. 2.6

LDL chol level 2 "

HDL Chol 2.3"

I realise I have to take this , I am wondering why I have to feel so unwell . Apparently plaque in the carotid arteries appears to be the problem . Pp

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toPinkpeony

Do you take VitK2-MK7 ?

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toMarz

Sorry missed this . I used to but for some reason stopped .

Angel_of_the_North profile image
Angel_of_the_North in reply toPinkpeony

Statins increase calcification of the arteries - plenty of articles.

Marz profile image
Marz

So sorry to read of your challenges :-) Did they test your Homocysteine - which is more of a marker for cardiac events and strokes than cholesterol ....

I think you have PA - so it is possible your Homocysteine could be raised when B12 is low at a cellular level .... Rarely tested in the NHS sadly ...

Have you read- The Calcium Paradox - by Katie Rheume-Bleue ? The book not nearby so I may have made a few spelling mistakes :-)

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toMarz

Hello Marz , I have been trawling through all my blood test results , Is Homosysteine a single test or part of another ? Pp

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toPinkpeony

No - it will be Hcy - RARELY tested in the NHS - why ?? - Oh well to lower it we need good B12 and all the B's ... so no money for whoever ! Mine was raised back in 2005 and has lowered over the years. Happy to send you more info :-) x

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toMarz

Tell me about it Marz . They made me go for a b12 blood test and guess what they refused my 8 weekly jab because it was 2000 . Trying to tell them it might be in my blood but not in the cells just brought blank looks . The doc ok,d it 3weeks later she must have thought I have enough on my plate at the moment 😱 Thank you for your offer of further advice . I hope the sun is shining on you ! Pp

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toPinkpeony

Just shows their ignorance. Thank goodness I live in Crete and can buy OTC :-) xx

Do you have the links to Treatment Protocols for B12 & Folate deficiency ? Going for a Greek Siesta - will be back later .... hugs x - I have so much to say ...

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony

So jealous . Have a happy snooze !😳

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toPinkpeony

b-s-h.org.uk/guidelines/gui...

It says somewhere that testing is irrelevant once supplementing !

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Far be it for me to tell you what you shouldn't take, but it is well-known - except by doctors - that statins do not help women in any way. Cholesterol does not cause heart attacks. So lowering your cholesterol won't stop you having one. But, having low cholesterol can cause a heart attack. It will also lower your sex hormones, which really isn't a good thing.

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply togreygoose

greygoose , what about the plaque in the carotid arteries I assume they are giving it to me for that . I see the Consultant May 1st and I need ammunition . Pp

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toPinkpeony

The cholesterol in the plaque - if indeed you have plaque - is there to act as a sticking plaster on the damaged arteries. Take away the cholesterol, and you will how nothing to heal the damage. That's not what causes heart attacks. It's mainly inflammation, but can be a number of things. But it is not cholesterol. You need cholesterol.

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply togreygoose

gg an ultrasound and a CT confirmed a TIA and 50% clogging in arteries . As far as I know my heart is ok . Thanks for your reply Pp

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toPinkpeony

OK, so your arteries are clogged, but the cholesterol is there to heal the damaged arteries. If that goes, I don't know what will happen.

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony

Something to think about . Thanks Pp

I was hoping for a response from someone who takes these statins and has side effects like me .

It appears I bit off more than I can chew with this post😱

Angel_of_the_North profile image
Angel_of_the_North in reply toPinkpeony

Just read drmalcolmkendrick.org. There's a lot of it, but it cites lots and lots of articles and studies on what statins can and can't do.

Coastwalker profile image
Coastwalker in reply toPinkpeony

Hi Pinkpeony. I have read somewhere many times that 77% of women of post menopausal age can be caused diabettes or pre diabettes if prescribed a statin. For My Mum taking a statin caused her diabettes to worsen, yet she'd had diabettes for many years with no problems, we believe it was the statin that caused her kidney failure, then onto gruelling kidney dialysis 3 times a week, miles away from home.

Statins are well known to cause kidney failure, heart and strokes. Just Google 'Are Statins dangerous' but dont be fooled by the websites promoting statins as good for curing everything. Our bodys makes cholesterol, we need cholesterol for all our hormones and sex hormones, much of our cholesterol is in our brains and is needed for our brains. Why lower something natural that your body and brain naturally needs ? Lowering cholesterol can cause all sorts of problems even prostate and breast cancers, Statins are linked to dementias and altzheimers. Dr. Joel Wallach believes Statins cause Altzheimers 100%, (do google this yourself to double check.)

Both my Mum and Mum in Law we took off of statins as they both started to have dementia type confusion, once off the statins they were back to normal again. Mum came off of 9 prescription pills she did not need and onto vitamins and minerals and felt far better health wise, sadly it was too late thanks to kidney failure. Please do some homework on this. People we know on statins we have warned, 2 have had heart attacks and one a stroke, yet statins are meant to prevent heart attacks and strokes.???

My husband refused to take his prescribed statin because we knew 'The Great Cholesterol and Statin Con' by Scottish Dr Malcolm Kenfrick and many other good Drs.

Also Doctors years ago knew that high cholesterol meant you probably had 'Low Thyroid.' High Cholesterol bloods have an inverted effect on Low Thyroid Bloods. For high cholesterol Doctors would prescribe old fashioned Natural dessicated thyroid and your high cholesterol would normalize as would your low thyroid.

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toCoastwalker

Coastwalker , thank you so much for your detailed reply . I am so sorry to hear about your poor mum.I have been to the GP twice in the last couple of weeks , one, locum reduced the 80mgs to 40mgs . The other told me there are very few side effects with statins ? I feel so unwell with discomfort in my stomach and under my ribs . My OH wants to get yet another appointment tomorrow but I know for a fact that because I see the Consultant in two weeks they won't change anything . I take NDT and my cholesterol wasn't high , it's the hospital covering themselves after my TIA eight weeks ago . I'm so afraid of having a stroke so I feel that I am between the devil and the deep blue sea .

Regards PP

Kingsley09 profile image
Kingsley09 in reply toPinkpeony

I take statins Crestor and have agreed with my dr to only take one three days a week because they make me ache and also I use to be on higher dose for 7 yrs and developed neuropathy which gave me a balance problem and now have to use a tri- walker to go out walking or I will fall over I am also taking co enzyme q10 which I buy from a company called healthspan as it helps with the muscle aches you can buy it in health shops in the high street there is a lot of controversy about wether statins do more bad than good and the only reason I’ve given into taking any at all is because I have developed afib and am on a medication for my heart verapamil and apixaban anticoagulant I don’t think it’s the apixaban that is your problem I think it’s more likely to be the statin you might want to look up more about statins and the pros and cons hope this has been of some help to you

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toKingsley09

Thanks Kingsley . I have a lot of reading to do before I see the Consultant . The trouble with having a TIA is that it makes me terrified that another one will be for real . What time of day do you take the statin ? I have to take it in the evening and have a bad night and then feel unwell until lunchtime . I am also puzzled that in the leaflet it says precaution with the dilitziam I take , hypothyroid which I am , and not if you're over 70 which I also am . Pp

Kingsley09 profile image
Kingsley09 in reply toPinkpeony

Hi I have been taking roverstatin 5 mg and I’m not feeling to well I only take 5 mg 3 times a week but I’m considering reducing it to twice a week my balance is no worse I believe my balance problem was due to simvastatin 20 mg which I took for 7 yrs

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toKingsley09

Scary isn't it the stuff that they prescribe . I saw a cartoon recently where a patient was handed a huge capsule with the words , that's your medication and something for the side effects 😱 that's the way I'm starting to feel . Best Wishes Pp

Kingsley09 profile image
Kingsley09 in reply toPinkpeony

Yes it is 18 yrs ago I worked as a medical receptionist and one night the duty dr and myself were waiting for the next patient to arrive and he said to me I’m thinking to go into alternative medication as I give a patient a drug to help with one problem and I know I’m messing them up in another way have lost touch with him but have often wondered wether he did go into alternative medication and I think I he was so right

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toKingsley09

I have considered an alternative practitioner but I think they're very thin on the ground where I live . I take NDT and my G.P professes not to have heard of it . Even the doctors in the hospital say the same . My medications seem to be relentlessly increasing and I'm not sure where it will end .

Marz profile image
Marz

youtube.com/watch?v=O0lEmXJ...

I posted this recently - really worth a watch :-)

So sorry you are having problems with side effects. There was a HUGE research done in several countries - and they pulled over 6000 people from the research due to side effects - and then proclaimed that statins did not create the side effects ....

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toMarz

Marz thank you for all the info , I will look into it all . I am a bit upset at the moment about some of the posts yesterday . I know I can call on you if I need more advice . Take care x Pp

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toPinkpeony

So sorry you are upset .... I am sure if you watch the video you will be amazed - all about VitC and arteries and how we need to look at history when it comes to illness. Thought it would be right up your street :-) Be well .... and take good care .... and have some special relaxing moments too. :-) x

in reply toPinkpeony

I take Pradaxa and Atorvastatin. I have decided several times to stop the statin but the last time was persuaded by the pharmacist to start them again. My thyroid seems to be under control but my Afib is increasing and my energy is a thing of the past. Have a lot of trouble with pins and needles and burning pains in my feet.

Di

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply to

Hylda , for what reason were you advised to take a statin . Is it because of the A fib ? Pp

in reply toPinkpeony

No, I was put on it many years ago because of high blood pressure. The Afib is relatively recent.

Di

Statins are not proven to prevent stroke and cause a lot of nasty side effects (some of which are calcification of the arteries and dementia) so ...

Pearipile-55 profile image
Pearipile-55

Sfatul meu e sa nu luati statine,acestea nu va ajuta dar in schimb va pot aduce diabet, boli renale,dementa ,avc, .E o minciuna ca colesterolul e rau pt.artere.Se depune acolo unde e pericol ca aceasta sa se deterioreze,.De colesterol prea mic se moare , nu de colesterol mare de care corpul are nevoie ca de aceea il produce..Luand statine nu ai cum sa te simti bine ci din rau in mai rau

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toPearipile-55

A Google Translate of that response:

My advice is not to take statins, they will not help you but instead I can bring you diabetes, kidney disease, dementia, avc,. It is a lie that cholesterol is bad for the arteries. ,. From too low cholesterol dies, not high cholesterol that the body needs to produce it. When statins do not have to feel good but from worse to worse.

Pearipile-55,

It would be very helpful if you would post an English translation, even if automatic, when you post or reply in a language other than English. We are happy for posts in other languages but it is an English language forum. For example, the admins (who need to monitor what is being posted) would each have to translate your post to have any idea whether it was, or was not, acceptable.

Thank you

Ar fi foarte util dacă ați posta o traducere în engleză, chiar dacă este automată, când postați sau răspundeți într-o altă limbă decât engleza. Suntem fericiți pentru postări în alte limbi, dar este un forum în limba engleză. De exemplu, administratorii (care trebuie să monitorizeze ce este postat) ar trebui să traducă mesajul dvs. pentru a avea orice idee dacă este sau nu acceptabil.

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