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Do statin's and low cholesterol diets prevent pred reduction?

Posted , 7 users are following.

Lee-Colorado
Lee-Colorado

This article was taken from the CSS Association's site:Reducing Steroids while on a Low Dose & Activating the Adrenal Glands By Marian Mesker

"We are living with a body that's relying on a drug to get enough

cortisol to function properly.

At 7.5 mg. prednisone (this is an average, it could differ from 5 - 10 mg. for different people) the adrenal glands should get activated and produce their own cortisol again. Eventually the adrenals will take over again, but this needs time.

What can we do to support the body and stimulate the adrenal glands to produce cortisol again?

---The adrenal cortex, the outer portion of adrenal glands, needs cholesterol to produce hormones. Therefore our diet should contain fat, both saturated and not-saturated. Although completely avoiding animal fat is unwise in this case, moderate consumption is better. Cod liver oil is especially good as it also supplies vitamin A, which is necessary for the adrenal cortex to make adrenal hormones out of cholesterol.

---Other major nutrients the adrenal cortex needs to do its job are: vitamins B5 (pantothenic acid) and B6 (especially the co-enzyme form of vitamin B was mentioned) and vitamin C. These should be obtained from food sources or whole food supplements.

There is a bloodtest to check this: the cortrosyn (ACTH) stimulation test. They'll draw some blood, then give an ACTH-injection (the stimulating hormone for the adrenal gland to make steroids) and after a while draw blood again. If the test shows that it's needed, the adrenal glands can be stimulated by ACTH injections. It is not very likely that ACTH injections will be necessary, though. In almost every patient the adrenal gland starts functioning   again w    hen cortisone is tapered, it just needs time   

1 like, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Oregonjohn-UK
    Oregonjohn-UK Lee-Colorado

    Posted

    Interesting article, as I have looked in the past year about cholesterol, as I had a slighly raised - just over 5 - shortly after starting Mr Fred. I looked around the internet as I was not happy about taking Statins.  After some research was recommended to take someting called Q10 a supplement but never persuded it as I' not keen on adding to the list of meds I have to take already.
    • Lee-Colorado
      Lee-Colorado Oregonjohn-UK

      Posted

      Statin's  are a $100 billion dollar scam. Here are exercise from two articles.

      People with higher cholesterol levels live longer than people with lower cholesterol levels.

      Read that again, slowly, and no, it is not a typo.

      The reason why this fact is not well-known in the general public is because it would put a huge dent into a $100 BILLION drug market for statin drugs – drugs that lower your cholesterol. With approximately one out every four Americans over the age of 50 currently prescribed a statin drug, a drug with very serious side effects, this is certainly one issue you should investigate yourself. Please don’t take my word on it, nor anybody else’s.

      Will doctors embrace new statin and heart attack prevention guidelines?

      No more statins to control cholesterol numbers say experts

      Instead of looking at cholesterol numbers Stone said physicians should prescribe statins based on who will really benefit the most. 

      What that means is you may not need your statin unless you've had a heart attack, are diabetic and age 40 to 75, or if your LDL (bad) cholesterol is 190 or higher. In the past anti-cholesterol drugs were recommended for LDL cholesterol 130 or higher, but 70 or lower for anyone who had already had a heart attack.

       

    • lodgerUK_NE
      lodgerUK_NE Lee-Colorado

      Posted

      If you do have to take statins, just make sure it is not Simvastatin.

      If  you read the side effects with that one  - can cause 'muscle aches and pains'.   I have PMR friends who say the pains are just like PMR and there are a couple of Cardiologists in hospitals near by who will not let patients take Simvastatin at all.

  • Oregonjohn-UK
    Oregonjohn-UK Lee-Colorado

    Posted

    Just found in my notes it was 'Pharma Nord Bio-Active Q10 Ubiquinol'.  If there is anyone on the forum who can supply any personal comments about this I would be very grateful?
    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 Oregonjohn-UK

      Posted

      I used to take these before pre pred days, and found it did not do any harm, but never took it while on pred, have been thinking about it.Going to see a rhemy wednesday might mention this.My cholestrol is 6.6 and the doctor has never mentioned that it is too high, i eat walnuts which is know to lower cholestrol will have to read the article.
    • Oregonjohn-UK
      Oregonjohn-UK margaret22251

      Posted

      Thanks very much for your reply Margaret - there is quite a lot on the internet, and some folks seems to swear by it.  Lots of claims, but little actual evidence from the medical profession.  Like you I was concerned taking these with Mr Fred.

      I have changed my diet and eat a lot healthier (except for the coffee and wine!!) mostly because of the reduction in my activity and exercise over the past year or so and putting on a few pounds.

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy Oregonjohn-UK

      Posted

      I took Q10 before I had PMR. I was impressed by all the stories about feeling fantastic. My father, who is a doctor, said it was rubbish, he was right, it did not make a blind bit of difference in my case. Others may say different though.
    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 ptolemy

      Posted

      I think this was the reason i stopped taking it as i did not feel any different on oi or not on it, and they cost was not cheap another reason for me, why pay for something if it does not work.
  • lodgerUK_NE
    lodgerUK_NE Lee-Colorado

    Posted

    I had the ACTH test after taking pred for 5 years.

    This showed that the adrenals were fully functioning.

    I had been on less than 7.5mg for the previous 12 months and had been off pred for 3 months before I had the test.

    If I had been older, I would have asked for the test once I had been on 2mg for 3 months.

    You still have to carry your Blue Steroid card for 2 years from date of final dose of pred.

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy margaret22251

      Posted

      You can get the blue steroid card from the chemist and you just list your dosage and dates on it so people can know what is going on if something happens to you. When I asked my chemist for one it took them ages to find them and then gave me one covered in dust! GP surgeries are theoretically supposed to have a supply too. The Lions offer a free pot with medical info you can fill in and leave in the fridge plus stickers for the front door and the fridge. The emergency services are aware of them if they see the sticker on the front door and can then look at your info left in the fridge. I got my surgery to get some and now they are scattered all over reception for people. Most surgeries should have them knocking about somewhere.
    • lodgerUK_NE
      lodgerUK_NE ptolemy

      Posted

      If you cannot get a Blue Card,  then the North East group have produced a Steroid Medication Book (this book also records all  your medications and a place for whoever prescribes or changes your meds to sign) and an Alert Card, they are available for £1 plus 2nd class postage. 
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