The real problem is, that patients are not made aware of the negative potential side effects of statins. Yes, there may be long winded explnations on the packaging, but, how many people do actually read them.
I should becomed compulsory for GP's to explain the side effects to every patient being prescribed statins, in very much detail, and, also tell the patient that it will be their decision to take them or to refuse them.
I agree doctors should point out some people experience side effects but as for going through what you agree are longwinded explanations from the manufacturers, who is going to pay for the doctors' extra time doing this with every patient for every drug they prescribe?
We need to take responsibility for informing ourselves and making our own decisions
Yes and coq10 is also supposed to be used if im correct to avoid muscle problems. My doctor didnt even know what that was 7 years ago,well I did.
In my opinion its irresponsible for them not to tell side affects,half the time they dont even check what drugs you are taking might interact with each other. If a persons lucky their pharmacist will catch those mistakes.
I used it while I was taking statins but it made no difference twhatsover to the negative effects: I was still exhausted, depressed, had no libido and experienced severe muscle and nerve pain and muscle weakness
It is now 4 months since I stopped taking statins that had caused a boatload of problems. I have bouts of recurring symptoms, but am losing the bloating and the skin rashes and feeling like my old self again. It's such a relief - I have no more faith in doctors. Raised cholesterol? So what! The side effects caused havoc.
I feel the same way.
My doctor never breathed a word about the many and debilitating side effects of what I now call the "poison" he was feeding me. It took a program on television to alert me - a program that the tv station later had to apologise for airing because the medical fraternity stated it was "irresponsible."
I tapped into the web to gather more info and was horrified. All these ailments that manifested up to 12 months after my heart attack were caused by the statins the doctor insisted I take. When I confronted him he shrugged it off, dramatising about cholesterol and dismissing the declination of my physical, mental and emotional health. "You will burn down the house to save the letterbox," I said to him, and began the process of weaning myself off the poison.
He then prescrbed a "non-statin alternative" called ezetrol. When I asked what side effects to expect he made no comment. Back to the web, where I found a long list of ailments attributed to the new drug. I have never filled the prescription and never will.
I expect medications to make the patient better not sicker. This delusion that doctor knows best must be challenged. There is a whole industry determined to make us depend on medications. It is about money not health. I now treat the whole medical field with suspicion and am seeking a new doctor.
I feel - and look - much better now I am free of statins.
I never used it,but guess some get help from it.
Agree 100 percent,meds are big business
Was that the ABC's Catalyst program last year? It causes such a furore that at least in Australia, I don't know about other countries, the drug companies put glossy flyers in gp waiting rooms telling people who'd stopped taking stains to talk to their doctor about it.
I do know quite a few people who've taken statins for years with no negative effects, so oviously it affects different people in different ways.
It will continue to be prescribed to large numbers of people, sometimes to people with normal cholesterol as a "precaution" until ordinary people become more informed and question more and ALSO, check out drugs (as you did) before we even have the script made up. I must admit I didn't do that with statins because they were prescribed after a heart attack and I was focussing on being alive: once I checked the literature both that which came with the medication and on the internet, I realised where all my horrible symptoms were coming from. I then went through some months of trying different brands and lower doses with no change.
Hi lee, I stopped taking them in Oct 2014, my legs don't ache or feel as weak now. I take 300mg cq10 and that has help my memory. My feet are totally ruined and riddled with arthritis so that affects and depressed me daily. I still don't feel like my old self feel a ibt apathetic most of the time, as in can't be bothered doing just about anything.I'm taking glucosamine magnesium b12 . So over myself.So I've only got another 3 years til I feel ok?
I totally agree with you ranjitp.....quality of life is way more important
I think I've discovered that Dr's don't like to be questioned as my parents never did. I'll never take another tablet without thoroughly reseaching it. I also wonder if statins aren't causing the seemingly big increase in dementia etc or if it is just that people are living longer. Someone should study that
So sorry youve gone through so much,I never thought I would feel normal again. I used to lay in bed and cry I felt so wierd. Dont give up hope that you will get back to normal. I never thought id feel like myself. Whenever possible move as much as you can as the body tends to freeze up if not used. My husbands feet used to burn alot,now he cant hardly feel them at all, I dont know how he does it as he barely mentions it. Hes also on a statin but stays on it as he had a heart attack. I didnt move hardly at all at first,so i had some muscle atrophy,now i just look like my old overweight,cellulite self lol. keep us posted how you are doing and hopefully you will feel much better soon.
I've also wondered that Jane and have raised the possibility a couple of times on this forum. One reason is of course that life expectancy is higher than it's ever been but I wouldn'ty be surprised if lowering cholesterol too far could also be a factor. I don't know anyone on statins who has regular cholesterol tests, which is strange considering low cholesterol isn't healthy.
Doctors will only learn to accept questioning if more and more of us do it
Thanks lee, you've given me hope.I have a girfriend that was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis 18 months ago, she had a funny turn about 6 months ago and her GP put her on statins.I didn't say anything to her about it because I didn't feel I shoud dispense medical advise but as soon as her rheumatoidologist found out he told her to stop them immediately because they are 'no good for you'. Some Dr's seem to know why don't they all?So it's New Year and I'm going to try and get back some of my mojo and try to get back to normal. Has your husband seen a physiotherapist, I also developed numbness and pins and needles in one foot and she said it was the peroneal nerve and after lots of physio and doing the excercises it's nearly completely gone. Thanks for your comments
I've read some articles on how it depletes the brain of Cq10 and I wonder if that's the connection. I suppose in the fullness of time someone will come up with a definitive answer that will be too late for an awful lot of people
My physio told me to watch that programme jude, it was hard to find as the ABC had taken it down but I eventually found it on youtube. It started me researching all this. My daughters boyfriend is a physio and he sees a lot of patients that he feels are suffering the effects that he feels are from statins. I was at the podiatrist recently and a new patient was filling out a form, she said to the receptionist that she was on tablets but didn't know the names. One was for blood pressure and one was cholesterol and then she said 'my cholesterol is ok the Dr put me on it just in case' I nearly fell off my chair!
I can't believe how passive some people are! Fancy taking tablets she doesn't know the name of ..... her doctor is one of the mindless ones, why put someone on a medication they don't need "just in case"?
My response to the ABC program (it was in 2 parts I think, by the way) was that although it revealed some important facts about statins, it was very sensationalistic and onesided for a program which is supposed to be about science, not a tabloid style expose program.
It certainly caused a furore and rebuttals from the medical profession which is why it was taken down.