High cholesterol
Posted , 8 users are following.
I've recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol (first time ever in my life) I don't particularly understand the levels but it's 7 something. My gp has put me onto Lipitor at the starting dose of 40mg my next blood test is in November 2019 ish. I'm only experiencing pain in one heel on my right foot (nowhere) else, has anyone else experienced this? And what the outcome was please. Also I've noticed that since I started this medication around 2 weeks ago I have not started my period
1 like, 16 replies
lisa09924 christina21598
Posted
I stopped taking statins a few years ago because of the side effects, but while I was taking them I had the most excruciating pain from my heal to the sole of my foot, couldn't walk .gp said it was planter faciatis .I had to get pain killers and at night I would get a bag of frozen peas and rest my foot on it..one of the worst pains I've ever felt.
loxie christina21598
Posted
Muscle pain, anywhere in the body but especially lower limbs, is a common side effect of statins. Firstly however I'm surprised you have been put on such a high starting dose. More commonly its usual to start on 10mg or at most 20mg. Given that your cholesterol is only a couple of points over what was previously considered 'normal' (around 5, although the pharmaceutical industry have since pressured N.I.C.E to reduce this to 3 - which is almost unachievable without medication - go figure), that is a very high dose to start on. You will most certainly experience discomfort and side effects on that level. Ask your doctor to reduce it initially and see how your cholesterol level reacts before increasing the dose. In the meantime, do follow all the usual general recommendations about diet, lifestyle, etc., to help lower your LDL and hopefully increase HDL. Your triglyceride level is probably a better indicator of whether your cholesterol level is causing problems. Ask following your next blood test to be given the figures - its easy to look up online to find out how to assess the readings.
christina21598 loxie
Posted
Hi Loxie thankyou very much for an in depth reply. Yes I to found 40 mg to be a high starting dosage also. My next blood test is only two month away, so I'm hoping that the Lipitor has brought the cholesterol down some what, I've also read up that exercise helps to lower cholesterol so I've been doing alot of daily walks but I'll keep you guys updated
susan40017 christina21598
Posted
There is a specific form of high cholesterol that is probably genetic as it runs in families. Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FHA) raises your cholesterol quite high. i have it and mine was 9.6. It had gone up from 6.6 over a few years. The identifying features are;
I was put on statins 9 years ago and i took them for 8 years in high doses. On a positive side, my achilles tendon recovered totally after about a year but i had leg and foot muscle cramps frequently and i felt that I was losing my memory. I also developed angina (which statins are supposed to prevent) so, after 8 years on statins, i started to do in depth research into statins. There is lots of evidence to demonstrate that so called research on statins has been falsely represented by the drug companies and the evidence shows that they do not prevent heart disease. Also, the side effects are so bad that they can cause heart disease, catarracts, type 2 diabetes and many other things. (I have also developed rapidly progressing catarracts) So I stopped taking statins 15 months ago and, since then, my cramps have gone and my memory is much improved. I had never felt so well in years.
My cholesterol shot up from 4.4 on statins to 9.4 but I didnt let it worry me. I read the Pioppi Diet book by Dr Aseem Malhotra, Cardiologist and I followed the diet which has been bringing my cholesterol down to 7.
However, I am now getting minor pain in my achilles tendon so, having discussed it with my GP I've started a new statin (Rosuvastatin) that starts at 5mgs once a week and it will be monitored. I have no intention of getting my cholesterol down low again. I just want to clear my tendon problem as a ruptured achilles tendon is a very damaging trauma.
Finally, regarding your absent period. How old are you? In all my research, I've never come across menstrual interruption as a side effect. Depending on your age, you have to consider the usual things. Pregnancy, menopause or stress related interference.
i advise you to read the Pioppi Diet book, follow the diet and do your own research. That way you can make an informed choice about statins.
One urgent factor is, that, if you think you might be pregnant, do not take statins. They are contraindicated in pregnancy.
loxie susan40017
Posted
Susan - very informative reply. I can empathise with a lot of what you say. I too have hereditary high cholesterol, mine was over 9 also.
At the time I first found out about my cholesterol level I had no
knowledge about statins and just blindly followed my doctors advice – he used
scare tactics and basically told me I was a stroke about to happen, so I took
them. I suffered hell whilst on them but
my GP flatly refused to accept that they were side effects from the statins, so
I started doing my own research. It all
came to a head when I ended up in the ER unable to move due to muscle
contractions, the attending registrar asked me if I was on statins and when I
said I was, he told me to stop taking them immediately. I wasn’t ever told either that my liver
enzyme levels should be checked regularly whilst taking them and I subsequently
discovered I had suffered liver problems, some of which remain to this
day. Since then, having thrown the
statins down the toilet, I’ve developed all sorts of problems which according
to research seem to be as a direct result of statins use but which my doctor
still wont accept as such. I have a
ruptured bicep tendon, which the consultant said was due to an inherent
weakness rather than injury, torn rotator cuffs, (having never done extreme
sports or anything else to have caused injury), I have early onset cataracts – which
my optician specifically said was unusual as I have no family history of them
and given my otherwise good eyesight, should not have anticipated developing
them til much later in life. My blood
sugar has always been good to low and I eat a low carb, low sugar diet but my
glucose levels have risen substantially.
From a personal standpoint, I will never consider taking any
statin ever again, life came close to not being worth living due to the
problems they caused.
I am vegetarian, I don’t eat any processed food, I am not
overweight, I have good BP and I take plant sterols and aim for foods that
naturally reduce triglycerides – if I still have high cholesterol, so be it.
christina21598 loxie
Posted
Thankyou Susan 40017 I have made a note to have my liver enzymes checked as well in November! Is it 100% guerenteed that you'll have liver issues? And diabetes?
loxie christina21598
Posted
Hi Christina - statins will definitely affect liver enzyme levels and glucose levels but that isnt to say the liver will be damaged nor that you will develop diabetes. Every individual is different and it depends greatly on existing health etc. My blood sugar levels were always low but became elevated whilst taking statins, however I eat very healthily and have no history of diabetes in my family so once I stopped taking statins my glucose level reduced and although a little higher than it used to be (some of that may just be due to age etc), is still within acceptable limits. You absolutely must ensure that your liver is checked very regularly so that you can and your GP can make a decision about what statin you are taking, what dosage and whether you need to stop taking them. The liver is very good at repairing itself but only if changes are spotted quickly. Mine werent unfortunately because I was never told they should be checked. Last little bit of advice, absolutely do not accept that your cholesterol level should drop below 4 - cholesterol is not the devil in disguise, the body needs it for many reasons, particularly cognitive function. The abnormally low level now recommended is solely down to pressure from the pharmaceutical industry trying to sell more pills.
susan40017 christina21598
Posted
Christina. No. There are lots of side effects. Nobody gets all of them and some people get hardly any. But the research is quite clear that these devastating side effects are quite common. You need to read up on it so that you'll recognise them if they happen. First make a choice about taking them or not and definitely follow the diet. i hope you like eggs!.
Also, read about the effect it has on Co enzyme 10. I now take CQ10 supplements and i also take Omega 3 fish oil. Prior to this I never believed in taking supplements but statins are damaging so I now take them.
diane98246 christina21598
Posted
I am way past the age of having periods so I cant help you with that although I'm not surprised since there are side effects to all medications and statins are the worst. I can however verify the pain in your heel because it is my experience that all statins cause pain in joints and tendons and I have tried them all.
Good luck to you from someone who, like many others, eventually stopped taking statins due to the considerable and sometimes crippling side effects, in addition to which there is ample evidence to the effect that we have been hoodwinked by the pharmaceuticals into thinking we desperately need statins if our cholesterol is high and that high cholesterol is going to cause disastrous cardio episodes.
christina21598 diane98246
Posted
Thankyou also Diane 98426 it's not so much the heel because that's tolerable but it's the liver I'm worried about, it's the diabetes I'm worried about, it's the 'what it's doing to our internal organs I'm worried about
diane98246 christina21598
Posted
Threats to the liver are definitely scary and I hope you check out just fine. My liver's okay so far and I've been on a lot of meds for quite awhile but not statins. Also very serious is the sugar level in the blood. These meds are definitely threats to our health and there are people who wont go near any of them.
jen86183 christina21598
Posted
Hi Christina,
I am surprised your doctor has put you on satins, he has obviously not read the new guidelines, he should have allowed you to try diet and exercise before satins.
The powers that be have realized cholesterol is not the enemy they have led everyone to believe and in November 2018 started changing the goal posts with the numbers.
I do not believe cholesterol is bad, the liver makes 75% only 25% comes from food therefore, why would anyone force the liver to work harder by keep trying to make more, while tablets are blocking a natural bodily function.
I had a blood test last week first ever, my cholesterol was apparently 8.something, a note was attached to see the doctor but not urgent. I will not make an appointment to see him about that.
Please do not worry about cholesterol, some people have higher than others, some families may have a higher level, your cholesterol will fluctuate to what suits your body and what your body needs. Doctors have spent forty years telling everyone they must have identical cholesterol, those days thank god are over.
christina21598 jen86183
Posted
Oh thankyou so very much for getting back to me, this has eased my mind alot. Not only did I 'start' of with pain the heel but this morning I had a throbbing headache and now the side of my back has a dull ache. Do you no why the statins cause the pain at all?
jen86183 christina21598
Posted
Christina,
All drugs prescribed by a doctor have side effects, as the are chemically made, some sever, some mild, occasionally people get away with none. The side effects of statins are muscle pains and memory loss, which is why the advice now is, not to prescribe that has been done for the last forty years.
We really have to educate ourselves to be in a position to say no to doctors, if there is a healthier way.
christina21598
Posted
I seem now to not be having any side effects of this Lipitor drug (thank goodness) I mean I still seem to get a heal pain on one foot but nothing major. I've been on this Lipitor now for 2 weeks and my gp wants my next blood test to be taken around November 2019 I don't no if it's worth me asking for my bloods to be taken sooner, like the end of September just to see if my cholesterol has dropped a little and, to ask for my sugar levels to be checked and, my liver enzymes