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I started rosuvastatin a couple of months ago. There's not any hair raising stuff that warns people off, but the side effects have me in the bathroom way too often. Statins are very effective in controlling cholesterol levels, but some can cause tinnitus, or make existing tinnitus worse.
This particular statin hasn't made my tinnitus worse, but the bathroom thing is something I could do w/o. Not sure if my body is ever going to adapt to it, it's something I'll discuss w/ my doctor next week. Still, you have to weigh some of the unwanted side effects against the high risk of stroke or heart attack from unchecked high cholesterol.
... Still, you have to weigh some of the unwanted side effects against the high risk of stroke or heart attack from unchecked high cholesterol.
Very true about weighing the risk vs benefit ratio of any intervention...But the problem is, they've been lying to us about the real rates of risk and the real rates of benefit:
With high chol as your only risk,your risk of a heart attack goes up from 4/1000/yr to 8/1000/yr- ie- your risk of NOT having a heart attack only falls from 996/1000 to 992/1000- a change of only 0.4%. Big deal...
...and taking statins before you have a heart attack provides even less protection, if any, from that. Taking them after a heart attack only improves your risk of another attack by 0.4%/ yr. (2%/5yr in the studies).
Side effect rates of statins are reported as being up to 10%.
But complicating things is the fact that everybody is different. We can't really use stats on the group to evaluate what an individual should do. If you are a pt with more severe CAD, then maybe the risks are worth the benefits....
...and don't forget to include "mental health." Some pts may worry more about taking them; others worry more about not taking them.
...and don't forget to include "mental health." Some pts may worry more about taking them; others worry more about not taking them.
That is an excellent point. I know a lady who is determined her LDL must be below 50 at the very least. Completely terrified over the whole thing and doctor shopping to get one to agree. (She has had no heart attacks prior). But the impact on her mentally without getting those statins is not good . . .
Location: Was Midvalley Oregon; Now Eastside Seattle area
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Be aware that fibrates (fenofribozil(Tricor), gemfribrozil (Lopid)) used to treat cholesterol, triglycerides, have side affects. I am hyper-triglycerides 2000 to current ~300units.
Anecdotally, fenofribate, gave me terrible leg and knee pain. I though it was from athletic and work. I was chomping down up to 8 acetaminophens/day. Reported incidence, at the time, was reported to be extremely rare.
For some reason, I tolerate gemfibrozil, +5yrs. I am off this medication this week, and monitoring with monthly, self pay, lipid panel testing. Last tests (doctors ordered and my test, 5 days apart) showed a ~ 30% reduction of triglycerides for unknown reasons. Diet may be the reason: eating uncooked baby carrots (2# /wk) with homemade italian style dressing using olive oil (1 bottle/wk). Or blue cheese-roquefort (3-6oz/wk). Or airpop popcorn (1 scoop)with drizzled veg oil and truffled flavored seasoning. Or slightly more carbohydrate (wheat bread).
Or the wearing off of Lupron , (no injections for 6 months).
I've noticed a reduction of hot flashes over the last several months both from instantaneous or from carb eating.
Consult with your doctor.
My cholesterol has always been borderline. Recent bloodwork showed my LDL at 146. Total cholesterol was 230. Triglycerides 153. All other levels were within norms. My diet is pretty solid and I workout regularly. Doc suggested 10mg Lipitor. Thoughts?
Not sure if this applies to you but last year my LDL went up 28 pts. Only thing I did last year different was I used Retin- A last year regularly, increasing the dose.
I read under meds that raised LDL , it listed retinoids.
I found this interesting because I wondered if applying synthetic Vitamin A could build up, but since nobody talks about this and everybody is encouraged by dermatologists to take Retin A, I thought surely Id have heard something about contraindications.
I just decided this year before my physical in the Fall I would stop retinoids and see if my LDL would go down.
Then October my LDL is more back to normal 99. Which it’s been a few years..
But there was a list of other drugs that might raise LDL.
“Medications that may cause high LDL cholesterol or low HDL cholesterol include beta-blockers, prednisone, cyclosporine, anabolic steroids, and more.”
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