Labor day I had very high blood pressure 200/113 and landed in the hospital. I was mis-diagnosed with a stroke. Long story. The short story is they put me on statins because of the "stroke." Which my doctors continued after recognizing the mis-diagnosis because I was "at risk" with my cholesterol. I got monthly letters from my insurance company to remind to take my Lipitor.

My numbers?

09/03/2010 (Pre Lipitor ~ Hospital)
Cholesterol 177
Triglyceride 79
HDL 40
LDL 121

09/22/2010 ( ~ 1 Month on Lipitor)
Cholesterol 130
Triglyceride 79
HDL 44
LDL 70
HDL Ratio 3.0

02/10/2011 (On Lipitor ~ 6 months)
Cholesterol 143
Triglyceride 67
HDL 50
LDL 80
HDL Ratio 2.9

03/06/2011 (Off Lipitor 5 days, Atkins 1 month)
Cholesterol 171
Triglyceride 75
HDL 50
LDL 106
HDL Ration 3.4

Statins for me? Um. I don't think so doc...finally after having some pretty scary runs to the ER trying to figure out chest pains and so forth. I'm not getting on that statin train again.

Oh...yeah and now that I am *off* the Liptor they decide to run a liver panel. Sheesh.

M

I'm speechless. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?

(I'm also interested in how they misdiagnosed a stroke...)

If I'm reading you right, you were considered "at risk" with these numbers?:

Cholesterol 177
Triglyceride 79
HDL 40
LDL 121

Sounds like they treated you like a stroke patient anyway even though you aren't. I'm speechless too. Have you ever had heart disease (none of my biz - don't have to answer -but I can't imagine why else they would want your numbers lowered!)

What was your doc's reaction to tossing the Lipitor?

I am a 47 yo woman. My family has a history of diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. So maybe that is why they think it is risky...not sure.

How was I mis-diagnosed? Well, I went into the hospital on a Friday of a major holiday weekend. My doctor was fresh out of medical school and being supervised by temporary contractor doctor. They were the "third team."

They actually kept me the whole weekend though I never exhibited any mental impairment at all. My blood pressure was simply really high -- just a single reading -- the remainders were pre-hypertensive. Oh, and my left arm tingled.

I went through a full battery of cardiac tests --- treadmill, nuclear, and all that ...they never even looked closely at the arteries in my neck -- which is where they should have looked first with a stroke.

I got a second opinion from a top cardiologist who described what I had as a spell. Still, he wants me on the Lipitor. I'm off it now because of side effects but I'm going to tell him I'm not going back on.

When I did the research I was pretty ticked they put me on it in the first place.

You probably already know this, but taking Co-enzyme Q10 is a good idea, as it is depleted when you take statins.

Susan,

Thanks for the concern. Yes. I found out I need to be taking (again through a Google search!) that and I am. :-D

Mary