Doctor's reaction

There is no definite proof that statins do cause long lasting damage; not yet.

I personally thing that they are 'the devils drug'.

Apart from their ability to lower LDH, there is no evidence that they do anything else.

Whether lowering LDH is always a positive thing, in whatever case, also has never been proved.

I was on statins for about 5 years and did not notice any adverse effects, until I was put on a higher dosage, and then the nightmare started..

Hi Jane.  In one way your doctor is correct - do not believe everything you read on the internet.  Mostly because you will only get a very one-sided view, ie the vast majority who have no issues don't bother to comment on the subject.  However, your doctor isn't a sufferer - I am.  I took statins for only a very short time.  They made me so ill I ended up in A&E unable to move.  It was the young registrar in the ER who told me it was the statins causing the problem; I had no idea prior to that what statins could do.  That was six years ago and I still hurt, I still have cognitivie issues but much less than I did whilst I was taking them.  I had no such problems before I started on statins.  I like many others put aches and pains and slight memory loss down to the ageing process - until that is it reached crisis point and an ambulance trip to hospital.  Usch has raised a good point - these drugs lower cholesterol but do nothing else.  They unfortunately lower ALL cholesterol, ie good AND bad.  Excessively low cholesterol is known to be a causal factor in Alzheimers and dementia - not the only cause but definitely a contributory factor.  I also agree with usch's description that they are 'the devils drug' and I wish I had never encountered them or blindly taken my GP's advice to take such poison.

I"ve certainly struck ignorant doctors:   the manufacturers' own info sheets and websites mention permanent nerve/muscle damage.  Maybe you could just email her the links and she can read it for herself?

She's right about not believing everything on the internet, but I'd reckon we can believe the manufacturers, even if they do downplay the frequency and severity of negative effects:  I don't use the term "side" effects because they're not off to the side when we're experiencing them and the term minimises this, not just in relation to statins but other drugs as well.

The influence of drug companies is wide and far reaching:  I happened to pick up a last year's Readers Digest the other day and in a one page "article" (disguised drug company promo?) headed something like "Statins, what's all the fuss about?"  the only "side" effects mentioned were "digestive upsets" .... that mag is read by millions of people worldwide!

Hi jane, sorry to hear of your troubles. I was prescribed statin (Lipitor) for high cholesterol. It took 12-18 months before I was beset with ailments: excema, itchiness, gas, aching muscles, inflamed liver, bloating, rfeeling despondent and old and tired. At first couldn't think what it was - then started researching the medication. Horrified! Started weaning myself off and felt much better. Cholesterol raised some, and doctor has just prescribed Ezetrol which has no statins but still a list of side effects that do not comfort me (doctor did not tell me even when I asked, I had to look them up.) I would rather high cholesterol that the poison of statins. Hope you are feeling better.