My dad has been diagnosed with Parkinson's - effects of statins?
Posted , 11 users are following.
Hi
I might be completely off the mark with this but will give a shot anyway - I am interested in your opinions.
My dad is 73 years old. He has just been diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease. He has been on simvastatins for around 3 years now. The decline in his health has been noticeable for this time. He has slowed down a lot but I just put it down to getting older.
He has always been active and lives a healthy lifestyle - no alcohol, no smoking, lots of daily exercise. But he has slowed down loads.
Now, 1 in 4 Parkinsons diagnosis are wrong - could it be that the simvastatin might, just might, be causing all this?
Yes, lots of his symptoms are pointing towards Parkinsons - for example he has lost lost of movement in his dominant, right arm (or naturally doesnt use it), it does not swing much when walking, has aches and pains (back and hips mainly - but has a history of this), he has lost his sense of smell, and his lips tremour quite considerably when he is resting. He has become shaky. Could these be symptoms of simvastatins? I have done lots of googling and there is of course 100s of google results on the dangers of statins and maybe I am being unrealistcally optmistic but if there might be a chance that it might not be Parkinsons, but there is hope until it can is ruled out.
?I say ruled out - his GP (whichever doctor he sees on any given day) said it defintely is not the statins. By all accounts he was incredulous when my mum asked if it could be the statins.
He replied with pretty much everyone in that waiting room is on statins..(Sorry I can’t use inverted commas – my keyboards delete button and inverted commas aren’t working for some reason..) The same GP who said he has slipped a disc a month or so ago (turned out to be a muscular problem that went after a few days, and said he definitely did not have Parkinson’s a few weeks before that. Another issue here is that my parents are not the type to ask questions and push matters. They will just accept what is being said and take anything that has been told them.
Since his diagnoses he was told that the Parkinson’s nurse would be in touch within days and visits would commence. Not heard a thing yet. I think it is a disgrace. Anyway I digress, sorry.
I could type loads here, but I am aware that it is a lengthy and boring opening post. I am happy to answer specific questions that may help you help/advise me. I just want some guidance here, based on your experience and expertise and opinions
Many thanks for your time.
0 likes, 56 replies
jackie57606 andrew10135
Posted
I know exactly how you feel - my dad was on statins for 16 years and in 2010 was diagnosed with Parkinson's - he does not have at all - the specialist said it is a sister Parkinson's (not convinced ) . Just before Christmas my dad got worse very fast was falling over multiple times a day and gave up eating drinking and basically we thought he was going to die, he ended up at the doctors who took statins off him along with other medications and he got even worse, he went into respite and is in there still - over the weeks he has improved so much on a scale of 1-10 i would he is 8 . He is eating drinking walking unaided and does not fall over now . His mind is good as he is also being treated for dementia ( again not convinced) . Today we visited him and he passed the memory test with flying colours .
My story on my dad is proof that statins in my opinion are the cause of my dads symptoms - like you my parents just accept diagnosis and accept any medication given them , me and my brother ate going to make sure that our dad is never given statins again because improvement in the man is miraculous and that was also described as a miracle by four different medical statt who saw him when he was basically looking like a corpse - but now see the same man walking on his own talking loads better as we could not understand a single word he was saying but in the weeks since coming off statins he is a changed man - and he does not complain of body pain now and the muscles in his legs are stronger and building up daily .
lisa09924 jackie57606
Posted
that's wonderful news jackie I hope your dad continues to improve.to begin with we were hearing only about muscle pain and weakness but as time goes by there are more and more nasty side effects from statins and they affect some people worse than others , our bodies need cholesterol...it's there for a reason good luck...
jackie57606 lisa09924
Posted
Yes its true , and thank you
I will update on my dads progress as he really is improving so much .
TrishaT andrew10135
Posted
doreen71825 andrew10135
Posted
Hya Andrew I. have high cholesterol. Due to family heritage.I have tried
several named tablets.All of which gave me some sort of intolerance.
Recently I had my bloods checked and everything was in the doctors
words were that of a 17 yr old except my cholesterol.I am in the month
of my 75th year female.Renovating my own house, everything except
gas and electric. Feeling great. The doctor asked if I would
try Atorvastatin. I wished I had never agreed. In the first instance my
right hand forefinger started to move. as if I had a tremor. I visited the
doctor and she recommended me for a hospital appointment,of which
I still have to visit. In the meantime I have stopped taking the tablet.
As I was feeling so depressed.tired, tearful and tiredness as I had
never felt before, even with all of the work I had been doing.
I have been feeling so ill. I am so tired ,I am not functioning at all as before.
Upon waking my stomach is wobbling internally like a jelly. I have really
Dark urine. My forefinger is still the same. Although the trembling feels
stronger,if that makes sense. I have a strong internal feeling that I Have
Parkinson's now also.
I have noticed this last week that when I am speaking, I know the word I
am trying to say but cannot for a moment remember the initial letter.
I had none of this before I started this tablet. As of this morning, upon
waking when I close my mouth, and my teeth come together
(My own teeth) there is a trembling feeling of my top and bottom together.
I had non of these symptoms at all before I started this tablet and I feel
as though I am going from bad to worse. I am not looking for sympathy
etc. I would love to carry on with the work in my home and had been
planning for a holiday abroad in the sunshine. I have been driving since the 1
1960's and still drive everywhere with no problems at all.
doreen71825 andrew10135
Posted
Hya all 're my previous post. I had not included the fact that
having tried the other two main statins some years previously
with side effects and had stopped those at that time. I had been
to the doctors as they had sent a letter asking me to go for
a check up. Hence being told by the nurse
everything else was that of a 17yr old. She referred me to the doctor
concerning my cholesterol, and was told my cholesterol was so high
it was imperative that I really should try another statin.
jackie57606 doreen71825
Posted
Hi, don't risk getting worse by taking statins and google high cholesterol and whether it is dangerous- the reports i have read say that high cholesterol does not cause heart attacks blocked arteries or strokes, my father is being treated for Parkinsons and was nearly dead three weeks ago he was falling over all the time and couldn't function at all - he is in a care home where he is improving since being taken off statins the difference is mirculous . I pray you will not let these tablets ruin your health and induce Parkinsons , worth researching . I wish you well and hope you stop this before it gets to stage my dad is in now . I fear there is no reverse for my dad but we can hope for improvement .
doreen71825 jackie57606
Posted
Hya thank you for the response.
I am so disappointed in myself.
Allowing the doctor to coerce me into taking it.
I was doing ok without this but as my father died many
years ago with a heart attack and my sister's and brother
are on statins was very much persuaded to try it.
I have just been researching about Coenzyme Q10.
I eat really good healthy mainly organic food ,am not
overweight. and have never smoked cigarettes.
I also have never drank alcohol. I allways had an allotment.
My husband had diabetes for 56 yrs and finally passed
away with kidney failure ONLY. He had 2injections all of that
time. He never had anything else ever go wrong. Due to our
healthy active lifestyle.
jackie57606 doreen71825
Posted
I believe you can reverse the affects of statins .
TrishaT doreen71825
Posted
So glad you have stopped taking them Doreen, how long have you been off them? Like you, although I am 80 I was a very fit and healthy 80. Never smoked or drank, got plenty of exercise, did all my own housework, decorating, gardening but after statins I feel like an old woman and everything is taking so long to do. It takes ages to get the things out of your system so give it time and I'm sure you will start to improve. Drink lots of water to flush them out of your system.
sara2727 TrishaT
Posted
Firstly want to say thank you so much to your messages, they are so helpful to read.
My husband (diagnosed with Parkinsons last week age 51) cholestrol is naturally 8+
Obviously GP says that is too high to come off his Simvostatin. However having read all these comments I am not sure what is the best option. How long did it take for you to feel the effects of Statins wear off? Weeks? Months?
TrishaT sara2727
Posted
Hi Sara,
Amazingly I felt some effects within 24 hours, my brain cleared and I was able to think clearly again. It took 3-4 weeks for my speech to return to normal. It is now almost three months since I stopped them, I still have balance problems which I say is because of the statins (the GP says it isn't) and I am certainly not as agile as I was but had I stayed on them I wouldn't be here now.
doreen71825 jackie57606
Posted
Hya Jackie originally in my late 40's early 50's mine was 5+
my then lady doctor said she was not worried at all as I
was then cycling to and from work etc 18 miles per day and eating
healthy. During my 60's it gradually increased to 6+. Late 60's was
when I was prescribed simvastatin , pain in my left arm.Thought I
was having a heart attack. Not so.
Then primvastatin (think that was what it was without checking).
Pain again left arm. also feeling sick. Stopped it .fine.
During my early 70's,I was caring for my husband.
I had no need to visit doctors for my health at all. Was contacted
by surgery for a flue injection. Hence. the check up on my cholesterol.
It is 8.5 as of now. Hence the stage I am at now at 75 next week.
As in my previous messages.the nurse at the surgery said
everything else was that of a 17 yr old. It is only since taking
this new tablet that I have felt these things revealing themselves.
loxie doreen71825
Posted
Like you Doreen, I was fairly fit, ate a sensible diet, didnt have high blood pressure or high blood sugar, no other health issues whatsover. Routine blood test showed cholesterol of nearly 9. My doctor panicked me into believing I was a stroke waiting to happen and insisted I take statins. Within three months I had become almost an invalid. I had such awful pain I could hardly move some days. I had to stop all the sporting activities I had done regularly all my life. I gained weight and had memory issues and nausea. I aged about 20 years during those three months. I didnt have a clue it might be due to the statins. My doctor indicated that as I was in my 50's, the body wears out and it was 'age related' I felt like I was in my 90's not my 50's. One day I tried to get out of bed and couldnt move. I ended up in ER. The registrar who saw me in the A&E dept at the hospital asked immediately if I was on statins. I said yes. He told me it was most likely due to the statins that I was in the state I was. I went home and flushed them straight down the toilet. It's taken me 4 years to recover and I still have muscle pain and a little brain fog but I'm a million times better than I was whilst taking them. My doctor has never once offered me a further cholesterol test, nor a liver enzyme test and hasnt even asked me why I'm not taking statins anymore. I curse the day I was stupid enough to blindly accept taking them without researching them. The doctor basically used scare tactics and I truly believed I would die that day if I didnt take them as advised.
TrishaT doreen71825
Posted
Mine was 8.5 around 30 years ago and I'm still here, it is now 6.4 without any action from me but the GP is in a complete flap saying it is much too high. I've changed my diet drastically but would never take statins again no matter how high it was.
doreen71825 TrishaT
Posted
I have sat and gone through leaflet enclosed with tablets .
Yes doctors are not supposed to prescribe Atorvastatn
to anyone 70yrs old and over.
I have found so far, I also have from the list enclosed 8
more reasons. I should not have been prescribed this tablet.
I have a lovely young lady neighbour, as I was so upset
she immediately rang the surgery. She was very pedantic
with them and they gave me an appointment for Thursday
morning at 9 am. I will keep you all informed of the
outcome.
loxie TrishaT
Posted
around 6 used to be considered 'average'. It wasn't until the pharmaceutical industry realised they weren't making enough trillions that upon their insistence it was lowered and I think now the recommended level above which statins are pushed is as low as about 3.5. It is common among those with dementia and alzheimers to present with cholesterol around 3. Proving that too little can be as damaging as too much.
Chilaah loxie
Posted
You've absolutely nailed it Loxie. This is the truth!
Chilaah TrishaT
Posted
Diet and exercise are our friends. A lazy diet and lifestyle is the killer along with the drugs that are prescribed with the lazy lifestyle.
TrishaT Chilaah
Posted
I'm sure that diet and exercise is the answer rather than poisoning our bodies with statins. I lived on chocolate and cream cakes so would have expected my cholesterol to be higher than 6.5 and 6.5 is a figure I was happy with, the doctors want it down to 4.0 though .I've cut out most sweet things now and it has been really hard, I eat lots more veg and fruit and I go out for a walk most days, minimum 30 minutes. In a month or two I'll got for another test and see if the regime has worked as the GP was very adamant that it wouldn't and I would love to prove them wrong!
Chilaah TrishaT
Posted
You will prove the GP wrong!!
loxie TrishaT
Posted
you go girl! I so hope that the evidence will show you've nailed it by sensible lifestyle choices rather than poisonous meds.
loxie Chilaah
Posted
Big high 5 Chilaah. That's exactly the problem - allow people to compensate for their unhealthy lifestyle choices because it's easy to pop a pill. I had a rheumatologist recently state (and I quote) - I'm a pill pusher. Says it all doesnt it.
kris31739 TrishaT
Posted
My husband (53) has been sick for 8 weeks today with no diagnosis. I noticed you said your balance was off and also your speech? Did you have any numbness or dizziness by chance? My husband is also on statins. How are you now?
TrishaT kris31739
Posted
Hi Kris,
Numbness was about the one thing I didn't have!Whilst I was on the statins my speech was quite bad but that was mainly because my brain was so fogged up I couldn't think of the words I wanted so my speech was rather erratic, once I stopped the statins this cleared up fairly quickly. My balance is stil not good and I do have dizzy spells but whether this is connected to the stroke or the statins I really don't know. I blamed it on the statins as my balance just after the stroke was fine, nor did I have dizzy spells but the GP says statins don't cause balance problems so I have no idea and who believes doctors when statins are involved!! However yesterday I was discharged from the hospital and have now beeen passed back to the GP, I am waiting for the results of a cholesterol test and also for an appointment with a physiotherapist to see if they can do anything about my balance so will see what happens. I just wish I had never taken the damn pills but you tend to trust the medical profession......I know better now.