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Lipid lowering medication

Posted , 6 users are following.

lili05242
lili05242

I have started taking bezafibrate 400mg another lipid lower drug,

after trying several statins and other like ezetimibe 10mg,

I had severe muscle pain and other side effect.

is there anyone who is also taking bezafibrate?

have they had any benefit?has the cholesterol level dropped?

any info would be appreciated

 

1 like, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • loxie
    loxie lili05242

    Posted

    Hi Lili.  When I could no longer tolerate any form of statin, I did ask my doctor about fibrates as they are a known alternative in some cases.  He said in my case they wouldnt be of use.  However I did research them and it seems that in some circumstances they have proven abilities to reduce lipids so I thought they would be worth a try.  I hope you find they prove successful, it will be interesting to know how you progress with them, please do keep us updated.
    • lili05242
      lili05242 loxie

      Posted

      Thank you Loxie,I feel perhaps there is still a little hope with this last resort (fib rates) as my cholesterol is 8.1!!!!!this has not improved by exercise swimming and having a good 

      diet,I am also a non-smoker and not overweight.

      i will certainly keep you updated

    • loxie
      loxie lili05242

      Posted

      I really sympathise Lili - mine was 9, which really scared the hell out of me but I too swim regularly (three times a week), am vegetarian so eat almost no saturated fat and not overweight either - seems so unfair on us doesn't it when we look after our bodies but still get issues like this.  I really hope they work for you hon.
  • jude65855
    jude65855 lili05242

    Posted

    I can't give you any info about bezafibrate but I wd like a bit more info about ezetimibe:  I stopped taking it 3 days ago after taking it for about a week and becoming increasingly fatigued, weakened and depressed:  all symptoms I experienced on different dosages of various statins but at least minus the pain, although I was beginning to experience a few twinges similar to the statin side effects.

    Did you find that ezetimibe gave you the same side effects as statins?  That's what I understand you to be saying, but I"m not sure:  could you please clarify?

    I hope others have the info you've asked for about bezafibrate, because I'd like to know too .......

    • lili05242
      lili05242 jude65855

      Posted

      Hi Jude,Ezetimibe had added gastrointestinal side effects on the top of muscular pain,lack of energy,which initially made me think it could be osteoarthritis.

      a week after I stopped them,I felt fine

      My DR said I should have tried taking them for at least 6 months

      apparently side effects are reduced or disappear completely.

      fibrates will be my last attempt to reduce my very high cholesterol

       

  • jude65855
    jude65855 lili05242

    Posted

    PS:  I forgot to mention, just for anyone else's info, that I feel HEAPS better after only this sort time off the ezetimibe ..... depression & fatigue seemed to vanish almost overnight last night, energy levels are higher and general strength pretty much normal
  • geoff49740
    geoff49740 lili05242

    Posted

    Hi Lili

    I hace been told by my Doc that taking Co-EnzymeQ10 along side Statins helps the side effects try reading up about it? Interesting........

    • lili05242
      lili05242 geoff49740

      Posted

      Hi Geoff,

      i will certainly read about Co-enzyme Q10

      thank you

    • jude65855
      jude65855 geoff49740

      Posted

      I tried Q10 with the statins and it didn't make any difference to the side effects as far as I cd tell, but maybe they would've been even worse without it ..... who knows?   
  • financialfundi
    financialfundi lili05242

    Posted

    Hi lili

    Just a question, You are female and your age is?

    • loxie
      loxie lili05242

      Posted

      My doctor wouldnt even consider Ezetimibe, he said it was totally unsuitable for me and would cause more damage than it would cure.  I didnt pursue it any further.  

      My partner who firstly took simvastatin and then when that caused severe muscle problems was swopped to atorvastatin, which seemed to be even worse, decided to 'dump' the statins.  He's recently had another blood test and today his doctor prescribed rosuvastatin, which he was told has less side effects.  However, on researching it, it would appear to be 'just another' statin and the list of possible side effects still notes muscle pain etc., right up at the top of the list.  I insisted he raise questions with his doctor today about funding and so forth and he was told that whilst the drug companies do obviously 'lobby' the government, it's NICE that insists that more people are put onto statins as a preventative to heart disease, regardless of current cholesterol levels - forgive me for being cynical but I'm pretty sure the drugs cartels have ways and means of influencing the attitudes of bodies like NICE......

    • lili05242
      lili05242 loxie

      Posted

      I do agree with you about drug companies' influence,but at the same time

      a lot of us for various reasons need to use medication or alternative cure.

      in my case,since I don't have any heart condition or diabetes or any vascular problem now,the question would be do I want to disturb the status quo by introducing these drugs or risk blocked arteries.....

      i am still looking to hear from others who have been taking fibrates,in particular bezafibrate.

  • financialfundi
    financialfundi lili05242

    Posted

    Hi Lili

    I'm male age 70, TCH 8.5, prediabetic and have mild COPD. And, in spite of the fact  a Dr told me recently that he is amazed that, given my level of Chol  i haven't yet had a heart attack,  I refuse to take Cholesterol lowering drugs.

    At our age they could do more harm than good.

    I've had high TCh ( 8+) for over 16 years. My father had atherosclerosis / angina from age 55 up to his death just before his 85th birthday. He led a fairly active life up to the end with full mental capacity and very little physical handicap - all sans statins.

    I will provide links to info at a later date (my computer is currently dysfunctional)

    But suggest you google - the high cholesterol paradox - for starters and Dr Malcolm Kendrick's blog

    Regards

    • loxie
      loxie financialfundi

      Posted

      Very interesting that you state your father had angina and atherosclerosis yet lived until age 85 with little physical handicap - I'd be very happy indeed to attain that age without debilitating problems.  I'm approaching 60 and other than my very high cholesterol - a reading of 9 - I have no blood pressure, blood sugar or other respiratory issues.  I eat a very healthy diet with no processed or refined foods and exercise regularly.  Whilst on statins I was practically bed ridden and my digestive system almost shut down completely.  This is why I was very interested to hear about fibrates and their effectiveness in reducing levels as I understand from research they have far less harmful side effects than statins, which I refuse categorically to ever go within a 100 miles of again.
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