OBWTK: Lipitor,whos on it?

[Ozboy]

I got my results back for my 100,000 km service and all seems well, apart from my cholesterol levels. With high cholesterol in my genes, the doc had no choice but to prescribe Lipitor.

Lipitor stops the liver from producing cholestrol and aids in lowering cholesterol. The other ways to lower it is exercise and diet, I suck at both at the moment.

So, who is taking liptior to control their cholesterol levels and have you had any of the side affects associated with taking this drug?

[BERT]

I'm supposed to but being a lazy bastard I am yet to get my next set of blood tests that were to be done the week before Easter. (last Easter)
I too suffer from a hereditary stupidly high cholestrol and blood pressure.
I had no ill effects whatsoever.

Take fish oil, Omega 3 will help a lot. I have the blackmoores capsules and the ethical nutrients liquid
The liquid is good as you only need a capful compared to about 8 capsules but is repeats on me for hours and I hate the fishy taste burps
Also recommended to me was apple cider vinegar, just a splash in a glass of water every day is supposed to be good

[flashpixx]

like Bert I have hereditary high BP and Cholesterol. Am on lipitor no side effects at all. see here:

cholesterol is now 4.3 and has been since I started on it

[agrid]

Its a popular topic for argument at work, my mate was about 7 went on Lipitor and is now 3.5 with no side effects. The skeptics (me) say that it's all about cause and effect and he's going to die of heart disease eventually anyway. I see no need to go on it because there its no evidence of a problem ... because I haven't had a test for decades.

[Neil-51]

Yep, heriditary stoopid high cholesterol here too. I am a skinny bastard, eat well and exercise. I have been taking lipitor for about 10 years with no side effects. I usually take it after a couple of glasses of red so was surprised to see the alcohol reference in flash's post above.

I was going to try agrid's ignorance is bliss approach, but the doctor pointed out the side effects of high cholesterol - impotence, stroke and heart attack. No, you don't get to choose which one. His advice was 'just take the tablet'.

[Ozboy]

Well, seems like there are a few of us on Lipitor, its good to see no one has experienced the side affects, but now that I'm a couple of weeks in, I do feel better than when I started taking the tablets.

I may try the fish oil, but having them repeat on me just sounds a little ewwww.

Impotence you say Neil? Well I have no problem there and I'm sure my wife doesn't mind.

[agrid]

Yeah, maybe it was the side effect of anal leakage that scared me off.

[Sventek]

This stuff is worth considering if you want to keep your liver healthy. My GP said that it works better than any other medication for helping liver repair and health. It took my liver function tests into the normal range within 3 months. It's not an alternative to Lipitor, just a good way of keeping your liver as healthy as possible. Oddly enough, it's also very good at treating OCD.

Herbal Medicine - Flordis, clinically proven natural medicines

[BenG]

I've been on Lipitor for a couple of years (when I remember to take it). Never had any issues and it does a great job of keeping the cholesterol down (when I remember to take it)...

[MADOGA]

Is it anything like Simvastin? have been on that for a several years hereditary cholesterol etc,

no problems at with it

[SPman]

Was on Lipitor - didn't like it so stopped. Had blood test - Chol 7.3! - on Lipitor again - didn't like it - stopped - went onto fish oil tabs - blood test Chol 4.3 - that's better - then had Acute Myocardial Infarction - full blood clot in the heart!!!
Fuck!
Now on Lipitor again, 80's,(with several other pills) and fish oil.......
Learned to live with them!

[Sentry]

I take milk thistle and fish oil tablets.

[Sventek]

I take milk thistle and fish oil tablets.

Milk thistle is essentially what I linked to above.

[dr00]

my wife has a family history of high cholesterol and was over 7 in her mid 20s (and only 57kg). she refused meds. six months of weight lifting, fish oil, vit E and avoiding sugar and other simple carbs brought it down to mid 3s. most importantly though her good cholesterol went up. she was also leaner and hotter than before and could squat 60kg for 20 reps so everybody won.

[activeman]

I've been on Lipitor for a couple of years (when I remember to take it). Never had any issues and it does a great job of keeping the cholesterol down (when I remember to take it)...

So you've obviously noticed the slight memory loss that is associated with it.
Most of my patients take it, and say that they don't have any problems.

A few have muscle wastage from taking it, a few experience slight memory loss (although could be pre-dementia), but most have no side effects.
Pros and cons - heart attack vs very gradual decrease in muscle tone and memory
Go on a low dose?

edit: I am assuming that you will do some exercise as well?

[perdition]

Yep, heriditary stoopid high cholesterol here too. I am a skinny bastard, eat well and exercise. I have been taking lipitor for about 10 years with no side effects. I usually take it after a couple of glasses of red so was surprised to see the alcohol reference in flash's post above.

I was going to try agrid's ignorance is bliss approach, but the doctor pointed out the side effects of high cholesterol - impotence, stroke and heart attack. No, you don't get to choose which one. His advice was 'just take the tablet'.

likewise been on it for years no probs

[SPman]

Having done some research on the subject, I've gone off it. My wife has dropped her statins (she was on Crestor) and says her mind, which was dulling rapidly, has regained it's edge.
Lipitor will not prevent heart attacks through "cholesterol reduction", and there is no hard evidence that it does. My LDL/HDL readings were fine when I had my AMI. A low dose aspirin will be more effective!

[Ozboy]

Just thought I'd resurrect this thread as I've been on Lipitor for 6 months now, my memory is definately worse ( although it was never great to start with) And I woke up this morning with a pain in the left side of my jaw, it has now gotten to the point where I can't chew due to the pain, which is muscular pain.

Due to go back to the Docs for a repeat prescription in a weeks time. If my cholesterol is down, I'll ask for a lower dose, I'm only on 20mg, but if 10mg keeps my cholesterol in check and I can remember where the f*ck I put things, I'll be a happy Ozboy.

[rsoption]

On Crestor for 2 years now. Been ages since I took a test to check my levels.

[SPman]

The whole thing is bullshit, anyway. There is no such thing as "good" or "bad" cholesterol - there is just cholesterol! After 49 years of study, about all they have positively come up with is:-
• Reducing intake of cholesterol has no effect on the risk of chronic heart disease.

• Low-fat diets do not reduce the risk of chronic heart disease.

• A daily dose of aspirin (anti-inflammatory) does reduce the risk of chronic heart disease.

Cholesterol is not evil—it is vital to human life. Approximately 80% of cholesterol is
manufactured in the body. 50% of cell walls are made up of cholesterol. Almost all cells make cholesterol with the majority synthesized in the liver. Cholesterol is the precursor to many critical compounds and hormones including male and female hormones, Vitamin D and bile acids. Healthy people maintain a relatively constant blood cholesterol level no matter how much cholesterol they eat

If we consume too much cholesterol through dietary sources, the liver makes less cholesterol to even it out. The synthesis of cholesterol is controlled mostly by insulin. The pancreas produces insulin as a response to ingested sugars and starches to control blood sugar levels. High levels of insulin resulting from high intakes of sugars and starches stimulate the production of cholesterol and disrupt normal control (or balancing) mechanisms of the body

In other words, cholesterol is necessary. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries cholesterol to the tissues for all types of biologic processes most of which are healthy. Under normal circumstances, cholesterol passes in and out of the blood vessel wall without difficulty. You’ll hear LDL deemed the “bad cholesterol” from the medical profession, on TV commercials, doctors on radio talk shows, and in health articles but it isn’t bad at all. It is vital, not evil.
LDL is simply a carrier of cholesterol from the liver where it is
synthesized, manufactured and distributed to the tissues to be
used. However, in the presence of high blood sugar or from
oxidative stress, the LDL experiences chemical changes the body
perceives as dangerous and reacts.
How does your body respond? The “Velcro Effect” begins when certain chemicals are released by the warriors that fight off danger. Your body senses danger from the LDL chemical changes and the Velcro pops out attaching to the circulating monocytes. Your body has declared war……..

The important point to remember is—there wasn’t an invader, germ or infection—just LDL experiencing chemical changes from sugar, starches or oxidation and the warriors responded. Under normal circumstances, the LDL would never get into the artery wall and cause a plaque unless the HDL changed from oxidation or high blood sugar in the presence of inflammation

• High cholesterol is a reflection of a high carbohydrate diet.

• High carbohydrate-low fat diets cause inflammation and oxidation that cause the aggressive macrophages to eat the LDL and deposit it into the artery wall.

• LDL is normal and harmless without inflammation.

• Without inflammation, the cholesterol level in the blood is largely irrelevant.
The current statin research proves:

• Statins do modestly lower blood cholesterol levels.

• Statins do modestly lower heart attacks rates in middle-aged men with known coronary heart disease.

• Statins do not reduce mortality or heart attack rates in women.

• Statins do not lower mortality rates in men who have not been diagnosed with heart disease.

There is research that shows very promising benefits of statin medications; however, the benefits of statins may not be what you think. The benefits start long before there is a reduction in cholesterol levels.

Statins have beneficial effects that are independent of lowering your cholesterol. Statins can improve endothelial function, have anti-clotting effects, positive antioxidant benefits and may reduce the risk of plaque rupture. Most importantly, they’ve been shown to have anti-inflammatory benefits.

Statins seems to inhibit the artery wall from creating the “Velcro Effect” in inflammation written about earlier. They’ve also been shown to reduce C-reactive protein levels, which are a key marker to inflammation. So, they have benefits but I wonder how long it will take before they are marketed differently to reveal the true benefits.

Even though statins show many benefits; there are other ways of achieving the same health benefits. And, importantly, those other options are definitely friendlier on your metabolism