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Statins, and why take 'em?

Great results stuffedolive, well done. Am starting the garlic NOW, think that might also help my BP which has crept up a little.
 
stuffedolive said:
stuffedolive said:
Since refusing to take statins I have seen a number of doctors at the surgery. Most try to persuade me back on. One recommended Benecol drink - the lowest sugar version is a 1.2g hit :-( but it takes the cholesterol level down by upto 1 percent. An Asian doctor recommended garlic (which has some scientific basis) at least a whole clove a day - don't chew, chop and swallow!
I fully expect to get caned at my next review in 3 weeks as my last Cholesterol was 6.2 and I've low carbing/highfatting since then. However, the HDL/LDL ratios were good last time as was the triglycerides, so here's hoping....
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I just got my figures back.

Total Chol down from 6.7% to 4.9%
Ratio down fom 4.2to 3.1
HDL stayed the same at 1.6 - so my LDL must have come down significantly
Triglycerides down from 1.1 to 0.7
Blood pressure down from 120/80 to 104/70

My DN was sooo pleased - she asked me if I had gone back on medication. I was happy to inform her that this was a result of low-carbing, 1-2 cloves of garlic daily, cinnamon, cider vinegar and plenty of nuts. 8) 8)
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Well done indeed! :thumbup: Similar improvements to mine since my change in eating.
 
My cholesterol did not fall one iota while I was on Simvastatin, in fact it just climbed higher, so they increased my doeage with no effect other than side effects In fact after 7 years it got to the point where the GP decided that to go to the next level of 80mg would be too dangerous for me due to the side effects I was already having, so instead she switched me to atorvastatin 40mg. Within two months my cholesterol had fallen to 4.1 (from 8, it was 5 when they started me on statins, but I was suffering from a very nasty infection at the time) and all side effects disappeared. Sadly by then I had developed type2, i was not even remotely glucose intolerant before they put me on statins, and they only insisted I went on them due to a slight increase in total cholesterol wile I had a severe infection.

If my cholesterol is still low at my next test my intention is to stop taking them and go back to munching my favourite fruit - grapefruit. Not being able to eat grapefruit for me was almost worse than the constant muscle pains I was getting on Simvastatin as soon as they put the dose up to 20mg


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stuffedolive said:
My DN was sooo pleased - she asked me if I had gone back on medication. I was happy to inform her that this was a result of low-carbing, 1-2 cloves of garlic daily, cinnamon, cider vinegar and plenty of nuts. 8) 8)
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Stuffedolive,
This thread has got my tastebuds zinging, what about cider vinegar pickled garlic infused with cinnamon 8) 8)
 
Well i am on my statin holiday......around 4 weeks in now...... And i have to say the awful pains in my neck have lessened significantly but i would say the biggest thing i have noticed is that some days, on Simvastatin, i felt like a lump of lead, and felt like i was walking through treacle and unable to function properly.......this has STOPPED COMPLETELY! I have also changed my diet to a low-carb diet with lots of leafy fresh veg, fruit, lean fish and white meats, soya products, pulses, natural probiotic yoghurt and have cut out all junk in the form of processed foods and sugars. I also work-out every day for half an hour or more. I started this food plan in early April and have lost 17.5lbs so far and i feel fantastic!!!! I'm sure the diet and exercise have contributed to my newfound well-being but giving up statins has had a big effect on it too.

I should just say here i have had no signs of heart problems or high cholesterol before going on Statins a few years ago, it was the famous "precautionary measure" prescribed to me by my GP. My last cholesterol test was 3.4 (can't remember the stats) so it will interesting to see the results without statins come the end of the year.


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I studied and was also given qualified advice by a cardiac surgeon on Statins. There are growing concerns about them and their use especially in North America following extensive research, mainly by cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. The main group of Statins that bring awful side effects that are usually joint pain which can be mis diagnosed as osteo are VASTINS. Anything with the word VASTIN in the name, SIMVASTIN is a belter for causing all sorts of problems and chronic joint pain. There are 21 Million people in the USA on Vastins, it's as cheap as chips to prescribe.

Change the STATIN you are on immediately, don't drop the dose, change the drug and keep the pressure on the GP to see you through. Don't suffer.

Kind regards,

Q..


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Q007 said:
I studied and was also given qualified advice by a cardiac surgeon on Statins. There are growing concerns about them and their use especially in North America following extensive research, mainly by cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. The main group of Statins that bring awful side effects that are usually joint pain which can be mis diagnosed as osteo are VASTINS. Anything with the word VASTIN in the name, SIMVASTIN is a belter for causing all sorts of problems and chronic joint pain. There are 21 Million people in the USA on Vastins, it's as cheap as chips to prescribe.

Change the STATIN you are on immediately, don't drop the dose, change the drug and keep the pressure on the GP to see you through. Don't suffer.

Kind regards,

Q..


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
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The suffix you meant to say is "vaSTATin" not "VASTin".. And all statins end in "-vastatin" or "-statin". All are made basically the same way and have the same list of potential side effects. No one is better than another at lowering LDL. They all do that effectively.. The issue is the inactive ingredients.. if you're allergic to them or if one or the other formulation is gonna give you the muscle pain/weakness or cloudy head - the main two side effects listed on all of them.. And it's more deep muscle pain than joint pain that's the issue from all I've read..
 
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