Dr. Eades posted a long but really brilliant comment about a new study on statins. Basically if you're a woman, you shouldn't be taking statins ever.

Statin Panic

I've seen bad reactions to statins on both sides of my family tree. fortunately (?), my LDL is < 100 so my doctor and I have never had this conversation.

Excellent, Nancy!!!

My doctor prescribed me meds. last month but I haven't taken one yet. I'm really leary and trying to get mine down by dropping weight.

Cissie

My LDL is 187.8 which I really don't much understand. My tests show that I'm high cholesterol and heart problems run in my family. This is so confusing to me!

I was on statins and had nasty reactions.

I can't believe they are still recommending statins for women!

My levels are high, but I don't care. They're well within the pre-statin guidelines. I currently don't have a doc, partly because of refusal to go back on statins.

Dr Graveline's web-site is great for info about the side effects of statins.

Thanks for posting this. I'm still slowly recovering from the damage I had from statins. Damage my doctor denies could have been from the statins. But i know better, and articles like this serve to reinforce that I made the right choice to stop taking them.

What sort of damages? My in-laws are on statins and have been for years. Neither of them seem to have any problems. I'm wondering if I should warn my mil?!

Cissie

Muscle and nerve damage. My statin story is post 15 on page 1 of my journal. Not everyone reacts adversly to statins, but with so little evidence to support they do any good for anyone, I would certainly be all for trying to see if low carbing and weight loss will fix the problem.
At least try to get your inlaws to take a good C0Q10 supplement. Buy it for them if you have to.
Also see Dr Graveline's site at spacedoc.net for his opinion on statins.

Tried to post this earlier but the board wasn't cooperating.

My mother's symptoms were/are extreme weakness in her legs. My aunt's only symptom was sudden death. Given that she was 80 and under the care of a cardiologist, it wasn't considered premature. No CSI story for her. However, her mother lived to 91.

The problem: There is supposed to be some liver test that indicates whether it is the statin that is causing the muscle pain. My mother "fails" that test, so her doctor says it is not the statin. However, she continues to complain of pain and weakness, and it coincided with the statin, so who do you believe? We found vials of statins, among many other medications, in my aunt's house after her death.

the bigger problem: The muscle that matters the most is the heart, and it complains differently and often much more quietly than legs. It's one thing to not be able to climb stairs. It's a whole 'nother thing when your heart just can't go any more.

The CoQ10 is believe to replace one of the factors reduced by the statin without impacting cholesterol, so it helps to replace/rebuild energy at the cellular level. However, it takes a while to rebuild--not a "one pill, one fix" sort of thing, and good CoQ10 is expensive and not reimbursed.

You might want to ask your MIL about her experience with statins and listen carefully for openings WRT her relationship with her doctor, pains, and any other symptoms that may be related.

I was only on Lipitor for about 8 months and had several reactions.

Muscle and joint pain, severe depression, exercise intolerance, memory problems, and nausea and vomiting.

I'd look over Dr Graveline's site.

I've also read that people stay on them for years, then suddenly have problems. Most of the time, I've read, it's related to either an increase in the dose or adding a second medication.

My sister and her husband are both on statins, have been for years, and say they have no problem tolerating them. Me? I almost lost my job, and thought I was getting alzheimer's!!

Many people show no changes on blood work. But the damage is still being done. CoQ10 is excellent to counteract some of the bad effects of statins.

Many docs don't believe many of the side effects are caused by the statin. My doc laughed at me! (my ex-doctor)

As a women who is much, much wiser these days I can relate especially to CindySue48.
One difference with me in that I am now left with permanent muscle & joint damage and forever I will walk with a limp .

I was on Lipitor only 4 months when I first started to have pain from my hip down and then began constantly falling from my ankles giving out (sort of like when you miss your step). It got so bad that I went to see a Bone & Joint Specialist. He ran me through ever-possible test then he came to me and said as a last resort he suggested stopping the Lipitor. Those words came from a 'doctor' whom has been on Lipitor himself for 6 years without any side effects. He was also smart enough to warn me that my doctor would not be keen on this idea. I apparently had a Cardiologist appointment soon after and asked about my symptoms in relation to Lipitor and he laughed and said my aches and pains had nothing to do with the Lipitor!!

That night I stopped the Lipitor on my own. Within 2 days I felt a big difference from the pain ridden, zombie I was becoming.

From then on I worked on my own personal wellness and today, I'm so happy to have taken things in my own hands because it was all for the better. Sadly, I am left with permanent muscle damage that will never get better but it was a wake up call for me because I have taken the bull by the horns and I will never let anyone - not even a doctor take the control away concerning my health.

Yes, I believe that's a CK test? It's mentioned on Dr. Graveline's site. I asked for one at the appointment where I told my doctor I had stopped taking the lovastatin because of the pain, weakness, extreme fatigue and other adverse affects it was causing me. He ordered the test, but it came back within normal parameters as well. Dr. Graveline says that that often happens.
My doctor tried to tell me if the lovastatin has been causing it, it would have cleared up within 48 hours of stopping to take it.
Obviously that's BS, but I'm taking my C0Q10 and many other supplements, and I am slowly getting better. My muscles have more strength and the overwhelming fatigue has greatly decreased.

I'm worried that some folks will read this thread and go throw out their statins. I urge you to do your research, talk to your doctor but don't accept everythig he says as gospel, do your research, do some more research, and if you decide to stop taking them, Dr Graveline warns there could be some danger in stopping cold turkey, that you should gradually taper off over a 2-week period, cutting the dosage in half every few days.